Ohio MARCS - Multi-Agency Radio Communications

About

The Ohio Multi-Agency Radio Communications System (MARCS) is a Motorola Type II SmartZone/Omnilink system with 100% digital audio.

Most state agencies use this system to some extent, with agencies like the Highway Patrol, Department of Natural Resources, Emergency Management and other emergency services using the system almost exclusively.

Various local agencies also use the system; please check the database for a complete listing of talkgroups.

Monitoring MARCS

The following scanners can be used to track the system:

• GRE: PSR-500, PSR-600
• Radio Shack: PRO-106, PRO-197, PRO-96 and PRO-2096
• Uniden: BC250D, BC785D, BC296D, BC796D, BCD396T, BCD396XT, BCD996T and BCD996XT

Unconfirmed Sites

Celina and Findlay will be coming online anytime, if they are not already. All of the other sites are questionable.

If you live in MERCER, VAN WERT, HANCOCK, HIGHLAND, FAYETTE or TUSCARAWAS county, please monitor the sites frequencies for control channel activity.

xxx CELINA (MERCER)
+40° 33' 10.50", -84° 31' 2.10"
40.552917, -84.517250
CALLSIGN:  WQKH688
ALIAS: 
TWR REG #: 1266029 
TWR OWNER:  STATE OF OHIO
1300 FT WEST OF DIBBLE RD
N OF SR703 BY RR TRACKS
CELINA, OHIO
MERCER COUNTY

866.8125
867.2625
867.5625
868.1000
868.2125
868.6125

NOTE: Tower construction completed 3-18-09.   Randy has pictures!

xxx VAN WERT (VAN WERT)
+40° 52' 42.60", -84° 34' 40.00"
40.878500, -84.577778
WQGR446
ALIAS: 
N CHERRY ST INT WITH GLEASON ST
VAN WERT, OHIO
VAN WERT COUNTY

866.0750
867.3625
868.2125
868.6125

NOTE:  LIKELY WILL NOT BE BUILT.   License WQGR446 is expired, and this particular
site is not listed on any new licenses.   Furthermore, 868.2125 and 868.6125 are also
part of the newer Celina license.   Given the proximity of Celina to Van Wert, one
would guess that they would not be sharing any frequencies due to potential
interference.   These facts lead me to believe this site will not be built out.  I
have been wrong many times before though.

xxx FINDLAY (HANCOCK)
+41° 4' 42.00", -83° 38' 53.00"
41.078333, -83.648056
TWR REG: 1015615 
TWR OWNER:  STATE OF OHIO
LICENSES:
WQKL660 - TRUNKED FREQS
MARCS SID: 
SITE ALIAS: 
3201 N MAIN ST
FINDLAY, OHIO
HANCOCK COUNTY

868.0500
868.9500

NOTE:  An additional four frequencies from the City of Findlay trunked system will
eventually be associated with this site.

NOTE:  According to a PDF attachment submitted along with the FCC application
0003885320 (which was subsequently issued WQKL660 callsign), There will be two voice
freqs licensed by the State of Ohio - Plus, four frequencies from the Findlay City
Services license (WPKV206) will also be used on this site.   Sounds like some new
users are planned in Hancock Co.

NOTE: This site is expected to be completed by the end of Summer '09/
Beginning of Fall '08.  The City of Findlay along with the County Sheriff and Fire will
 be using this system once complete. 

xxx HOLGATE (HENRY)
+41° 18' 12.50", -84° 12' 36.50"
41.303472,-84.210139
TWR REG #: 1234396 
TWR OWNER: STATE OF OH DAS
LICENSES:
MARCS SID: 2XX
J530 COUNTY RD 18
FLORIDA, OHIO
HENRY COUNTY

NOTE:   No specific license currently exists for this site.   This site was mentioned
in a MARCS newsletter at least a year old.  It may never be built out.

xxx EAST SPARTA (STARK)
+40° 39' 43.80", -81° 22' 13.60"
40.662167,-81.370444
TWR REG #: 1240800 
TWR OWNER: STATE OF OH DAS
LICENSES:
MARCS SID:
9916 RIDGE AVENUE SOUTH
EAST SPARTA, OH
STARK COUNTY

NOTE:   No specific license currently exists for this site.   This site was mentioned
in a MARCS newsletter at least a year old.  It may never be built out.

xxx HILLSBORO (HIGHLAND)
+39° 15' 14.00", -83° 36' 30.00"
39.253889, -83.608333
WQJJ355
3 MI N
HILLSBORO, OHIO
HIGHLAND COUNTY

866.5500
867.2500
867.7500
868.1625

xxx WASHINGTON CH (FAYETTE)
+39° 31' 3.50", -83° 25' 4.30"
39.517639, -83.417861
WQJJ355
1584 CREEK RD, S.E.
WASHINGTON COURTHOUSE, OHIO
FAYETTE COUNTY

866.2875
867.3750
867.7500
868.4000

xxx PORT WASHINGTON (TUSCARAWAS)
+40° 14' 47.00", -81° 26' 10.00"
40.246389, -81.436111
TWR REG #: 1244824 
TWR OWNER: OHIO, STATE OF
LICENSES
WQKJ265 - TRUNKED FREQS
867.8625
868.4250
(possibly related to Site 445 GILMORE)
MARCS SID: 
SITE ALIAS: 
15829 Gilmore Road SE
PORT WASHINGTON, OHIO
TUSCARAWAS COUNTY

867.8625
868.4250

System Zones

At one point the zone map below may have been accurate, but in recent years there has been quite a bit of movement of sites out of one zone and into another. This map is not 100% accurate but is the best we have available.

Related Links

• Ohio MARCS Yahoo Group - Group Discussion of the Ohio Multi-Agency Radio Communications System
• Ohio MARCS Homepage - Ohio DAS / OIT MARCS Homepage
• Ohio MARCS Newsletter - Ohio MARCS Newsletters
• Zone 1 Google Map - Zone 1 Google Map
• Zone 2 Google Map - Zone 2 Google Map
• Zone 3 Google Map - Zone 3 Google Map
• Zone 4 Google Map - Zone 4 Google Map