Wanting to Listen to Starcom in Kentucky

[btlacer]

So, I live in Henderson County Kentucky which is pretty close to the Illinois state line. I have been wanting to listen to Starcom for a while but I'm not sure which towers I should program in my SDS 200. I have tried to look at the map on the wiki, but it says its outdated. So, anyone with some input would be great. I have a 700/800 OmniX antenna mounted about 20 feet in the air fed with 25 feet of LMR 400 ultra flex.

 

[Mex]

I have a map of Starcom sites, it can be viewed here. Hope that helps

 

[jtwalker]

You can open the Starcom system and click on column header for county on the site listing. Then just look for sites in counties nearest to you location.

STARCOM21 Statewide Illinois Trunking System, Statewide, Multi-State

STARCOM21 Statewide Illinois Trunking System Profile

www.radioreference.com

 

[Starcom21]

The antennas are often pointed BACK towards Illinois, there may not be any propagation on your side of the towers. But sometimes they have great coverage and can easily be picket up, just depends.

Easiest thing to do, is scan through the 770/850 MHz bands for control channels

 

[buddrousa]

This is the closet Site to you still 10 to 15 miles outside of the coverage area.
50 to 60 foot tower 700/800 Beam Antenna with 10 plus Db of gain and you might get lucky.
Your other option is online streaming.

 

[mws72]

Be aware they use directional antennas on the sites along the state borders. I have a hard time hearing the sites that are about five miles from me in Iowa.

 

[btlacer]

This is the closet Site to you still 10 to 15 miles outside of the coverage area.
50 to 60 foot tower 700/800 Beam Antenna with 10 plus Db of gain and you might get lucky.
Your other option is online streaming.

What is the closest site?

 

[buddrousa]

Looks to be Carmi

 

[VASCAR2]

Starcom 21 mobiles loose service quickly going out of state. As previously stated any antenna near a border uses directional Antennas facing inside Illinois. Williams Hill near Herod is the second highest point ASL in Illinois. You can only hear Williams Hill site 319 a few miles into Ky. Phillipstown, New Haven, Flat Rock, Lawrenceville and Mt Carmel sites all use directional pointed into Illinois. Carmi site is at the Carmi post and range is typically about fifteen miles due to the terrain.

In my experience your lucky to hear Illinois Starcom more than five to ten miles out of state.

 

[Bri112233445]

The alternative option which no one has mentioned yet is brodcastify calls or open MHZ. I think all ISP troops are on there and I know there is some coverage for Southern Illinois closer to St Louis

 

[btlacer]

Thanks everyone for your input. I guess I'm really out of luck trying to listen to it besides online.

 

[buddrousa]

Sorry but at least you have options

 

[kd4bas]

Every once in a while, I can pick up STARCOM traffic in Morganfield, but I only have a RH77CA ducky antenna. I'm hoping to put up a tower this spring for my scanner and ham antennas.

 

[YoShep69]

I overnight in Paducah several times a year. Program tower 348, you won’t have any trouble.

 

[YoShep69]

I have a map of Starcom sites, it can be viewed here. Hope that helps

I have used your map for years, thanks!

 

[VASCAR2]

Site 3-48 (Metropolis) is one of the few sites near the border that uses omnidirectional antennas. As an example Site 3-35 listed as Herald (Village of Herald or Heralds Prairie Township) is actually near New Haven on Illinois 141 uses a directional antenna pointed east. Site 3-35 is approximately six miles from the Wabash River which is the state line between Illinois & Indiana. The gps coordinates for site 3-35 are correctly listed in the RR data base Latitude 37.9081 Longitude -88.1439

 

[VASCAR2]

I had an error in my previous post and can’t edit it. The directional antenna at New Haven points straight west, not east as mentioned above.