Update needed - Dubuque County, Ia - Edacs down and SARA P25 up.

[chris451rr]

The FCC database and some listening while located in Dubuque county Iowa reveal that Edacs is not in use and the SARA system is in use,
I confirmed P25P1/P2 heard on some Sara Talk channels that are common with Linn/Johnson/Blackhawk county.
The database shows just the EDACS channels. I loaded everything possible into a TRX-1 scanner, and I also load just the raw talk channels in a 'notrunk' group
since there are times the control channel does not work but the talk channels do (under marginal conditions)
Not sure if there is someone in DBQ region that can listen with a trunking radio and collect the talk groups and control channels I did not do that while there.
One of the sites in this new P25 system is on the Wisconsin side of the Mississippi river Grant County (very high ground with great coverage of the city of Dubuque.
Reading Dubuque County E911 board it looks like they have Racom doing the installs etc but on the P25 system, and the Edacs phase out is possibly completed as that was not detected.
Reading the FCC database and comparing to the RR database, they have all the channels they need and about 5 sites.
It appears in the FCC DB but not as yet in the RR database.

 

[mws72]

They replaced the edacs sites with the same sites as P25. No one has said anything about this so you are first.
RACOM posted a picture of the new sites' equipment when they were being assembled at Marshallstown. SARA is being put up by RACOM. I guess this means the Quad-Cities is next.

Submit what you have to RR.

 

[N0ZJT]

I was over in Dubuque and all around Dubuque County on the 1st, and there were no P25 sites on the air and I heard several of the EDACS sites on the air. I'm listening to the live audio feed and it is still using the EDACS system.

It could be that they are starting work on the P25 migration and are starting to get P25 sites on the air, but I have seen nothing that it's operational yet.

 

[mws72]

I was over in Dubuque and all around Dubuque County on the 1st, and there were no P25 sites on the air and I heard several of the EDACS sites on the air. I'm listening to the live audio feed and it is still using the EDACS system.

It could be that they are starting work on the P25 migration and are starting to get P25 sites on the air, but I have seen nothing that it's operational yet.

Saves me a trip for now.

 

[patmcc24]

Being in Savanna IL I can receive from Dubugue down thru the QCA.... Is there a specific Freq. for the network you want monitored? I can add an RTL with Unitrunker for decoding and just let it run for a few months if needed.

 

[wirr]

Was in Dubuque a few days ago and found no SARA P25.

 

[N0ZJT]

Looks like there are pending FCC applications for the Dubuque P25 system.

https://wireless2.fcc.gov/UlsApp/ApplicationSearch/applMain.jsp?applID=12056335&__newWindow=false

https://wireless2.fcc.gov/UlsApp/ApplicationSearch/applMain.jsp?applID=12056336&__newWindow=false

Frequencies in the applications are:
851.1875
851.7375
852.050
852.550
853.2875
853.6125

Which are shared across the 10 sites:

Google Maps

Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps.

goo.gl

 

[MidwestRadioListener]

Wow that is a ton of sites. Doesn't the new ISICS system have some coverage they could have built on rather than build a whole new system. That has to cost lots of $ to built that up. The hills and bluffs look good but not friendly to radio for sure.

 

[mws72]

Interesting some sites are not where the location named is. No doubt the post office of the name location services that area.

 

[bkramm]

Could they be in early testing? Caught TG 53100 with UID of 3199914
on Proscan logging overnight.
Came in on the Dubuque Co system that I have programmed.

 

[bkramm]

After looking further the UID of 3199914 could also be an ISICS ID for Dubuque Co.
I also have an ISICS system for Dubuque programmed and maybe I didn't look correctly.

 

[bkramm]

Sounds like they are doing recorded voice testing on Dubuque Co.
Receiving on TG 53100 on the Freq's listed in post 7 above this morning.

 

[patmcc24]

Sounds like they are doing recorded voice testing on Dubuque Co.
Receiving on TG 53100 on the Freq's listed in post 7 above this morning.

I do know City Fire utilizes or was utilizing a synthisized voice for dispatch (text to speech) for some time is this what you were hearing?

 

[bkramm]

No this is just random sentences and it has moved to TG 4. I am to far away to
hear things most of the time. It usually comes in at my location over night.
I am located clear down near Cedar Rapids.

 

[patmcc24]

No this is just random sentences and it has moved to TG 4. I am to far away to
hear things most of the time. It usually comes in at my location over night.
I am located clear down near Cedar Rapids.

OK I will point a Yagi in that direction and see what I can get

 

[MidwestRadioListener]

Something like this? We were hearing these when ISICS was doing testing. https://www.cs.columbia.edu/~hgs/audio/harvard.html

 

[bkramm]

Yes or something very close to those, I didn't pay close attention.
Just sounded like random sentences.
I haven't heard it now in a few days. Maybe they were only testing 1 site?
See on the SARA network TG 4 is signal testing.

 

[Weathereye]

These are active now as I type this. Control channel is 851.7375

TG. 23101 - Dubuque County Dispatch, TG. 33101 - City of Dubuque Dispatch, TG. 43102 - City of Dubuque Fire Dispatch, TG. 43101 - Dubuque County Fire.

All of these are patched from the Racom system for now.

Law enforcement channels are rumored to be encrypted when the system goes live for the county, with Fire channels nonencrypted. May be live as early as Oct.1 - Came from law enforcement contact. I have also heard Nov.1 as the target date.

 

[sgtmatt]

FYI I have a Unication G5 I live in Platteville WI, can normaly hear EDACS like gang busters here but I stuck in the Dubuque simulcast site on the G5 and couldn't recieve a signal, thinking possibly programing. Could someone tell me if I'd be able to here it from Pvill. If not its not going to be an issue either range, I spend more than my fair share of time in Dubuque..

 

[saints_hockey]

im in dubuque now and im hearing all the county fd switching to p25, my scanner has a broken display so i cant get the frequencies though but looks like ill have to retire my pro 2055