| System Name | City of Milwaukee Trunked Radio System | ||||||||||
| System Type | Harris Corporation's (Formerly M/A-COM) OpenSky | ||||||||||
| Last Updated | 04 / 23 / 2010 |
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HISTORY OF THE RADIO SYSTEM
The City of Milwaukee signed a contract with TYCO-M/A COM to create a Digital Trunked Radio System for all city departments (Including Police and Fire). The bad news (For scanner listeners...anyways) is that it’s going to be the "OpenSky" format. At this time, there is no scanner on the market that will decode the digital signals since it uses VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocal). The Press Release from TYCO-M/A COM claimed that the system would be running and have everyone switched over by end of 2005, but that date has been pushed back more times than I can count.
From what I have seen and heard, it is going to be implemented in four steps.
01) Data Only (MDC's, etc)
02) Police / Law Enforcement
03) Fire / EMS
04) Public Works / Public Service
The Milwaukee Police Department is now operating entirely the OpenSky network to dispatch squads. It appears that step 2 has been completed as there is no longer MPD radio traffic being heard on the UHF Channels. The only UHF frequency with any activity on it is 460.0250. This channel is used for MPD Squads to contact the city's Tow Desk.
Someone who works for the police stated they had heard that Milwaukee Fire Department would be operating entirely on the system by the end of this summer. I don't know how accurate that information is.
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