Chicago tests new frequencies

[grumpy grizzly]

Starting tomorrow, Sunday @0800 the CFD will conduct a 7 day test of their digital UHF system. There will be NO use of the VHF system during this period. Radioreference has a site for the digital system. GG

 

[Bulldog]

Hope they have a lot better luck than many departments have had with new radio systems

 

[grumpy grizzly]

DuPage County which is just west of Chicago (Cook) County has had nothing but problems with their system. VHF worked for me just great in Vietnam and they were trying to kill me!! GG

 

[raybrag]

Beeper, Beeper, come up voice!  Beeper, Beeper, this is Motorpool on guard, come up voice if you are able. 

Just for you, Grump.

 

[nfd2004]

Hope they have a lot better luck than many departments have had with new radio systems

  I have to agree. I know of places that spent huge sums of money to convert to these new digital systems and they've found there are many dead spots using this. This is true for both police and fire depts.

  And if you're a buff, espically a more senior member of society like myself, even if you have an expensive digital scanner, its a nightmare to try and program it. I end up paying somebody to do it for me and these channels get updated or rebanded all the time, making it necessary to get it done all over again.

  I hate to think what it would have cost the FDNY, FDNY/EMS, or the NYPD if they had done it. I believe Waterbury, Ct is now in the process of converting over to digital. For a city of about 130,000 people, its going to cost about 4 Million Dollars. Wow......! (Somebody has a real good sales pitch).

 

[grumpy grizzly]

Raybrag only you and I will understand the transmission, wanted a silent Gaurd Channel. It appears the CFD Digital is working, I understand those who have older scanners are now OOS, these are the guys who made buffing great in Chicago. How about a simulcast, info only, no response. The buffs who support the 5-11 Canteen cannot afford a new scanner. Technology really SUCKS, you hurt those who have helped you. Thanx for radioreference, how many guys have that opportunity. I am an old school bastard, those B4 us made it possible to do what we do to improve CFD history. Remember info left behind is info we will NEVER see, radio audio during the WAR Years, be it Boston, Chicago, or FDNY. And how about LA during the riots?

 

[nfd2004]

Grump, you know about that "Whip City" in Boston. Watching Engine 43 and Ladder 20 make that swing onto Mass Ave. (RIP Boston E 43/L20). Those days are sure behind us. Or hanging out on Intervale Ave in the Bronx with the Buffs buying goodies at Angies Market. Watching Engine 82, Engine 85, Ladder 31, TCU 712, Battalion 27, Squad 2 run all night long. Then all those Queens companies coming over to relocate. No digital scanner in those days. Besides, even with a scanner, it was just too busy to listen to more than one boro.

  They were great days.

 

[grumpy grizzly]

My first scanner was a hand held, Low band 33.70 High band was 150.00. BFD was 33.74, Mutual Aid was 154.22. In those days you needed several points of info; D-13 Spec Ops, had a large still district plus everywhere on a deuce. AT-1 or AT-2 one due on every 10-45 for a working fire.my scanner had crystals for BFD 1 and 2 (FG) MA, and several crystals for Cambridge,. Somerville, Chelsea, Revere, Lynn.Today I would be screwed.Buffed with some great guys, Jimmie Finn @ L-20, Billy Noonan was a great guy, @ a fire scene he would say some geat shots south side of the building. 8) 8) 8) 8) 8)

 

[raybrag]

Yup, Grump . . . whenever you heard one of those awful squeals, you dropped what you were doing and concentrated on nothing else until the King (later Crown) bird arrived.  Kinda like hearing a PASS device go off.  Come to think of it, the sound isn't all that different.  For the uninitiated, we're talking about a USAF (also USN & USMC) personal locator device . . . that went off whenever some unlucky GI was shot down in the 'Nam theater.  It had an ungodly squeal that got your attention right away, and had a 2-way voice capability, too.  Kings & Crowns were the USAF Air Rescue HC-130's, which located the unfortunate & called in the Sandy's (A1Es) for close air support & the Jolly Greens for pickup, if you could.

 

[grumpy grizzly]

Working a Vr Visual Recon mission, hear the Gaurd channel go off. Got to go  there, we are his only choice. Got voice, got some F-4's diverted from Laos assigned to only us, 2 more 4 x F-4 on the way, Sandy is 30 out, U R On scene commander. Jolly Green hovered, F-4 and Sandy prepped the area. Site is cleared JG makes the pick up, let's get the hell out of Dodge. Low on fuel recovered at a base in Thailand. We were parking the aircraft, need fuel and 14 x 2.75 rockets for 2 morrow. Just another day in the life of a FAC.

 

[grumpy grizzly]

Chicago has completed its test of UHF digital and is back on VHF for those who monitor radioreference.

 

[grumpy grizzly]

UHF is for real starting Sunday, 11/18. Go to radioreference.com to monitor!GG