This from Chris Ranck:
this from carma chicago; NORTHWEST CENTRAL is switching to a new radio system , it will be a new STARCOM 21 system . It will be a new tdma system which is a non-monitorable radio system . They are supposed to switch on MARCH 26 2013 . They will be switching the old digital system first, towns like ELK GROVE , ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, BUFFALO GROVE etc…… 2) SCHAUMBURG system and finally STREAMWOOD and HOFFMAN ESTATES systems. Since it’s tdma, scanners won’t be able to recieve it .
#1 by jp on January 17, 2013 - 10:37 AM
So my understanding is this system is going to be a Project 25 Motorola X2-TDMA and this GRE scanner decodes this. Also my understanding is this will replace current STARCOM 21.
#2 by Andy Russell on January 16, 2013 - 7:09 AM
NWCD will not pay a per month cost for the radios. They own their system, but are sub-node of the Starcom 21 system. There are a total of 14 sites in the new NWCD system, 11 of them are NWCD, 3 are shared Starcom 21 sites.
Unfortunatley right now with the plan to run the system in TDMA (Time Division Multiple Access) mode the non-encrypted talk groups in the system will not be monitorable by most scanners. I’m sure Uniden and Radioshack are working on this because Starcom 21 and many others across the country have plans to move towards this in the future.
#3 by chris r on January 15, 2013 - 5:30 PM
dear NWCD There is a rumor that the system is a tdma which is not non moniterable by scanner is this true ? If so there is no scanner, but one that is capable of scanning a tdma starcom 21 system. If you respond back, THANK YOU in advance. chris r
#4 by NWCD info on January 15, 2013 - 3:16 PM
First, Fire will not be encrypted. The PD will be completely encrypted like Cook County Sheriff.
NWCD is moving all NWCD existing talkgroups and adding some new ones to the Starcom system. NWCD keeping most of their sites. Starcom now gaining sites on the NWCD system. All fire talkgroups names staying the same with the additions keeping the same name’s for the added channels.
All Fire Towns will be on ONE system-Hoffman, Streamwood, Schaumburg with the rest of the agencies that have been on P25. The Hoffman/Streamwood system is antiquated and been strugling along on its last legs for almost 2 years. It is also ANALOG. Schaumburgs is better, still analog but was being moved to digital.
Motorola no longer supporting most of the equipment (Radios and computers for the current P25 system).
System is supposed to be able to be monitiored via a P25 scanner for Fire.
A system is not built for the scanner listener/fan, rather for usable functionality for the end user. Patching does NOT work as well as fans may think! Direct radio to radio comm’s is the best, whether that be simplex or STARCOM to STARCOM channel, not STARCOM to VHF. Also, DUCOM had all towns toned out on VHF and there is a large equipment investment in the personal pagers (Minitors and other VHF dispatch equipment), therefore the dispatching and most pager tones are still on VHF. NWCD towns do none of this for over 10+yrs. Station toning done via an 800 system, callbacks via text messaging via various systems. The Div 1/NWCD have much more equipment and manpower. Not knocking Ducom/Div 12, but operationally all is very different as far as manpower needs for daily calls.
The P-25 system that has been in place for NWCD has worked pretty well for at least most fire towns. Those areas that it did not was due to coverage issues and has been remedied greatly with the additional coverage of Starcom sites.
To simplify, NWCD is not paying a charge for each radio keyup on Starcom as the TALKGROUPS and system is still kinda NWCD system. Yes, there is some cost of for the new system, but not a per radio each use each day cost. If a Statewide Starcom talkgroup (IEMA, MABAS, etc) where used, then keyup/per radio charges would occurr.
#5 by chris r on January 15, 2013 - 1:03 PM
It’s sad that NORTHWEST CENTRAL didn’t follow DUCOM’s example and patch the new system for the fire departments on a couple of vhf frequencies. They would find that most people understand about the police department needing their privacy and security, but the fire department can be simulcast on a vhf frequency. Look at CHICAGO, the third largest city in the country, they allow people to listen to their fire department and they are on digital too. I don’t understand joliet needing to ency their fire department also.
#6 by jp on January 15, 2013 - 11:23 AM
Been listening to NWCD since the 70s and now they do this.
#7 by mike on January 15, 2013 - 10:44 AM
i still wonder why NWCD left the VHF analog.
#8 by Mez Yonk on January 15, 2013 - 8:22 AM
The monthly fee is typically being waived for a set time period under the contract with Motorola. Agencies are under the mindset that after the contract ends, they will sign a new contract that waives the fee. The theory is that if Motorola pushes a fee, agencies would shop for a new vendor, since in most set ups, it’s all motorola’s infrastructure. Starcom is basically cell phone service. You own your phone but your carrier dictates service, terms etc. if your unhappy with your cell provider, you find a better deal when your contract ends.
#9 by Nick N on January 15, 2013 - 12:47 AM
First, the GRE PSR-800 supports some TDMA APCO-25 compliant transmissions, so there is a scanner that might work. If encryption is used however, or the newer P25 phase II 4 slot mode is used, we will be out of luck. I guess we will have to wait until the 26th to see what is going on. Second, I looked around the web a bit, and several sites are saying that each radio costs about $53 a month to run on the STARCOM21 system. That seems absolutely insane! Is there any good reason why NWCD is doing this? What is wrong with the current digital system in place at most of their client departments today?