State of Idaho 700 MHz IIMARS

[SCPD]

In case it's of any use, the NAC for Tower 103/106 is 180 for ICAWIN.

 

[thewenk]

License issued for new Malad & Montpelier ICAWIN sites

SY WQQR388
IDAHO, STATE OF
[STATE OF IDAHO GOVERNMENT ACTIVITY]
Control Point 1 - 700 SOUTH STRATFORD DRIVE, BUILDING 6, MERIDIAN ID 208-288-4000

02/15/2013 License Issued
1 - MALAD REPEATER SITE, MALAD CITY (ONEIDA) ID [Structure: Lattice tower] (map)
770.36875 FB2 100p 150e Units: 1 8K10F1D 8K10F1E
771.44375 FB2 100p 150e Units: 1 8K10F1D 8K10F1E
772.30625 FB2 100p 150e Units: 1 8K10F1D 8K10F1E
772.90625 FB2 100p 150e Units: 1 8K10F1D 8K10F1E
774.48125 FB2 100p 150e Units: 1 8K10F1D 8K10F1E

2 - HELL HOLE RIDGE, HELL HOLE RIDGE, 3 MI EAST, MONTPELIER (BEAR LAKE) ID [Structure: Lattice tower] (map)
769.85625 FB2 100p 150e Units: 1 8K10F1D 8K10F1E
770.56875 FB2 100p 150e Units: 1 8K10F1D 8K10F1E
771.98125 FB2 100p 150e Units: 1 8K10F1D 8K10F1E
772.85625 FB2 100p 150e Units: 1 8K10F1D 8K10F1E
773.43125 FB2 100p 150e Units: 1 8K10F1D 8K10F1E

3 - (ONEIDA) ID Countywide
800.36875 MO 30p 45e Units: 1000 8K10F1D 8K10F1E
801.44375 MO 30p 45e Units: 1000 8K10F1D 8K10F1E
802.30625 MO 30p 45e Units: 1000 8K10F1D 8K10F1E
802.90625 MO 30p 45e Units: 1000 8K10F1D 8K10F1E
804.48125 MO 30p 45e Units: 1000 8K10F1D 8K10F1E

4 - (BEAR LAKE) ID Countywide
799.85625 MO 30p 45e Units: 1000 8K10F1D 8K10F1E
800.56875 MO 30p 45e Units: 1000 8K10F1D 8K10F1E
801.98125 MO 30p 45e Units: 1000 8K10F1D 8K10F1E
802.85625 MO 30p 45e Units: 1000 8K10F1D 8K10F1E
803.43125 MO 30p 45e Units: 1000 8K10F1D 8K10F1E

5 - (ONEIDA) ID Land mobile control station meeting 20 rule
800.36875 FX1 30p 45e Units: 20 8K10F1D 8K10F1E
801.44375 FX1 30p 45e Units: 20 8K10F1D 8K10F1E
802.30625 FX1 30p 45e Units: 20 8K10F1D 8K10F1E
802.90625 FX1 30p 45e Units: 20 8K10F1D 8K10F1E
804.48125 FX1 30p 45e Units: 20 8K10F1D 8K10F1E
799.85625 FX1 30p 45e Units: 20 8K10F1D 8K10F1E
800.56875 FX1 30p 45e Units: 20 8K10F1D 8K10F1E
801.98125 FX1 30p 45e Units: 20 8K10F1D 8K10F1E
802.85625 FX1 30p 45e Units: 20 8K10F1D 8K10F1E
803.43125 FX1 30p 45e Units: 20 8K10F1D 8K10F1E

 

[SCPD]

Wow, it looks like Phase 2 is there now. I'll have something to look forward to in a couple of months.

 

[thewenk]

Montpelier verified as operational

I just received a DB submission verifying that the Montpelier site is operational, so I added it to the DB. Malad is probably also operational, but I haven't received any verification yet.

Dave

 

[SCPD]

Wow, it looks like Phase 2 is there now. I'll have something to look forward to in a couple of months.

Disregard thought that PII P25. It's just Phase 1.

 

[MaryG]

Twin Falls

Been trying to prg my newly acquired BCD996T with p25 (ICAWIN} from Flat Top Butte (Jerome) only.

Flat Top Butte (Jerome) Site Details (Idaho Cooperative Agencies Wireless Interoperable Network (ICAWIN))

I'm using freescan (barely) and keep getting uploading errors. It seems to upload and scan, but zero activity.

I guess I should ask if Jerome p25 is currently active?

Here's a snip.... (please go easy on me, this digital stuff is genuinely challenging for me)

 

[thewenk]

When I was in Twin Falls about six months ago, Flat Top Butte was on the air, but I monitored no traffic at that time on the site. I don't know that any agencies are active on 700MHz in the Twin Falls area yet, so there may be minimal traffic on Flat Top. The only traffic(not a lot) I heard was Blaine county SO and Fire on the Bellevue site and the Mt. Harrison site. Both if these sites I was able to receive from the Twin Falls area.

You can tell if your 996T is receiving Flat Top by tuning to the Flat Top Control Channel. If you see signal strength bars in the top right part of the display as well as control channel information you are receiving the control channel. If you see "Finding Ctrl Chan" the scanner is not receiving the control channel.

In Freescan, when you select the Flat Top site and click on the site setup tab, make sure the "site type" is set to "Mot P25/P25 Standard".

You might want to try adding the Bellevue and Mt Harrison sites depending on your location.

Dave

 

[MaryG]

Thanks Dave,

I'm currently about 12-14 mi SE of Flattop Butte and see 3 bars. Mt. Harrison is zip, but I suspect my antenna is the primary culprit (a 3' length of 24ga tapped vertically to the window ) I do have a 800 wide band coming so that should be remedied soon. BTW, is the ISP using Flattop Butte also?

Apparently, I appear to be the only one monitoring FTB?

 

[thewenk]

Until SIRCOM switches to 700 there may not be much activity on FTB. The SIRCOM system will allow for the use of existing UHF, VHF or new 700 radios on the same system.

;Air St. Luke's (TF medical helicopter) is based at the Jerome airport and uses 700 TG 45016, which would be heard on FTB.

I doubt that there are, as yet, many listeners with digital scanners in the TF area.

I believe FTB is mostly in use today to provide continuous 700 coverage for any agency which has 700 capable radios to travel on I84/86 between the eastern and western parts of the state and have continuous communications with their home agency.

Normal ISP traffic in the TF area is probably still using UHF. In the areas where 700 is in use by local agencies, ISP is using crossband repeaters to simulcast on on UHF/700. However, I believe ISP investigation activities are currently using 700 encrypted TGs in areas with 700 coverage.

Keep monitoring FTB - you never know what you will hear. And let us know if anything new or different shows up

 

[rumbach]

I usually see a fair amount of traffic on the FTB.

I am fairly new to all this so I am no expert for sure on the tech stuff.

I am located just north on 74 of the twin falls airport near orchard ave.

I am using a mobile antenna on a baking sheet inside the house. Hope to put up an outside antenna soon though. With a HP-1 plus upgrade.

If you would like further signal comparisions let me know.

Bob

 

[MaryG]

Hey, Bob, Glad to see I'm not alone

Bob, what other P25 FTB traffic are you hearing? The only FTB traffic I'm seeing so far is St. Lukes. I have most other local UHF plugged in, but am mostly interested in monitoring local P25, just to see how far along they are in the conversion. Rumor has it that there's a few 700 SO mobiles, but I've not confirmed usage.

Dave, Not that it matters, but TF St. Lukes does indeed have a heli-pad (right next to Pole Line Rd.) and I usually see a chopper sitting there - maybe they have 2,.. the prices they charge, they could easily afford a dozen

 

[thewenk]

Hey, Bob, Glad to see I'm not alone

Dave, Not that it matters, but TF St. Lukes does indeed have a heli-pad (right next to Pole Line Rd.) and I usually see a chopper sitting there - maybe they have 2,.. the prices they charge, they could easily afford a dozen

Makes sense-my info on the Jerome airport was rather old. I'd still try monitoring the Bellevue site. I was able to receive it from TF with my car mag mounted scanner antenna. As I said, I was also hearing Blaine county over Mt Harrison from TF.

Bob, Good to see another member from the TF area and welcome to the forums. Feel free to post any questions you may have. If you haven't already done so, you should be able to use the advanced features of the HP1 to check the reception on Bellevue and My Harrison. You may have to increase the range setting on your HP1 to receive those sites. The RR database range settings (which the HP1 uses) for those sites are currently just set to marginally cover the TF area.

Dave

 

[MaryG]

Dave, I see you have a 996T also. So... is there anyway I can send the audio to my 'puter and save it? I've been using the logging feature, but that only gives me TG, freq, time & length of the comm, but not audio. I know about the audio record port on the 996T, but know of no way to send it to my 'puter. Just seems foolish to use a separate recorder and yet another cable to record digital audio when my 'puter is already plugged in.

mary

 

[FlashP]

Yes, just patch the 'record out' to your soundcard's 'line in'. The generic sound recorder app will work, but software like the ARC series will be much better for logging and labelling.

You may have to play with your input mixer to get the source selection right (sndvol32).

 

[thewenk]

Dave, I see you have a 996T also. So... is there anyway I can send the audio to my 'puter and save it? I've been using the logging feature, but that only gives me TG, freq, time & length of the comm, but not audio. I know about the audio record port on the 996T, but know of no way to send it to my 'puter. Just seems foolish to use a separate recorder and yet another cable to record digital audio when my 'puter is already plugged in.

mary

FlashP is correct.
Additionally, you have to enable the record function for the scanner.

From marksscanners.com - the easier to read BCD996T Scanner Manual:
Easier to Read BCD996T/UBCD996T Digital Scanner Manual

Set Record enables the REC jack for marked channels, no channels, or all channels in the system.
The default setting is off. Scroll to 'Set Record' and press E.
Scroll to one of 3 settings and press E to save and exit.
All Channel - The scanner sends the audio for all channels in the system to the REC jack, regardless of the channel’s record option setting.
Marked Channel - The scanner only sends the audio for channels that have the record option turned on to the REC jack.
Off - The scanner does not send any audio from any channel in the system to the REC jack, even if the record option is turned on for a channel.

Dave

 

[MaryG]

Starting to catch a little activity on 46400. Not yet sure what LE agency though. ISP?

 

[thewenk]

Starting to catch a little activity on 46400. Not yet sure what LE agency though. ISP?

Yes, that TG would be ISP Region 4 (Twin Falls area). Probably patched with one or more of the ISP UHF dispatch frequencies for TF area. It may not be patched 100% of the time.

Dave

 

[jrtl92]

I have been listening to both County and City Primary for a while. I hear a variety of different series of designator numbers. I know for example 9XXX units are Meridian, 2XXX units are Boise PD units, etc. Does anyone have some more specifics on these numbers, or what the different series are assigned to? Also any possible TAC channels that are NOT encrypted??

 

[jrtl92]

I noticed on the DB some ppl have identified encrypted TG's. I have been hearing TGs that are encrypted, but I cant identify them because the audio is not readable(due to encryption). I was wondering how any of you can do that, or where you obtain that information?

 

[thewenk]

I noticed on the DB some ppl have identified encrypted TG's. I have been hearing TGs that are encrypted, but I cant identify them because the audio is not readable(due to encryption). I was wondering how any of you can do that, or where you obtain that information?

The information on encrypted TGs is entered into the database only after the TG has been verified to be in use. Then some deductive reasoning is applied by the person submitting the data, as well as the database administrator, to identify the actual use of the TG. In my experience there are a number of encrypted TGs being used which are not listed in the database

Long time listeners to an agency can tell from the Unit IDs(not encrypted), and displayed on GRE scanners and briefly on Uniden scanners, what agency (PD, SO) are using the encrypted TG. Usage patterns such as when traffic is switched from unencrypted to encrypted TGs can also be utilized to make an "educated guess" as to the TG use. Understanding how the radio system is organized based on frequency assignments and usage patterns on the old unencrypted vhf/uhf radio systems also helps. Once in a while a submitter may be privy to an agency's TG assignment plan, even though the submitter can not actually listen to the encrypted traffic.

As you will notice most encrypted TGs are only identified in general terms, while a few are more specific. There is no magic bullet for getting info on encrypted TGs, except when the TG is only partially encrypted.

Dave