Digital Scanner To Monitor Greenwich?

[SBVFD524 0]

hey, i want to get a digital scanner for when greenwich switches to its new system can i get one that will also pickup other thing such as gfd 800 and all if so around how much and whats a decent scanner aand place to buy it??? also how hard is it to program im ooking for a handheld.

[Guest]

Im not sure. Not Trying to mess up your post or anything but I can learn somthing from this, What the He** is a Digital scanner? Arnt all scanners with a screen "Digital scanner"

[DOC22 1]

Im not sure. Not Trying to mess up your post or anything but I can learn somthing from this, What the He** is a Digital scanner? Arnt all  scanners with a screen "Digital scanner"

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No, he may be referring to digital communications which is what I believe a lot of the new trunked systems are gonna be.

[SteveOFD 176]

Digital vs Analog systems are what are available for systems. Westchester new trunked system will be analog while Rocklands will be digital. Digital scanners are more expensive than analog. The best site I've found for the info you are looking for is RadioReference.com

[grandcanuck 0]

I have a Uniden BC296D and I really like it. It is a little bulky to carry but it does a good job and is very easy to program. I would definitly recommend buying the Arc250pro software from Butel (http://www.butel.nl/index.html). It makes programming the Uniden scanner a lot easier than with the included software.

You can buy it pretty much anywhere. I got mine from scannermaster.com.

hey,  i want to get a digital scanner  for when greenwich switches to its new system  can i get one that will also pickup other thing such as gfd 800 and all if so around how much and whats a decent scanner aand place to buy it???  also how hard is it to program  im ooking for a handheld.

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[IzzyEng4 427]

Greenwich is goinf to the APCO25 digital trucking system, as rumors have it. Get one of the new Bearcat Trucnk Tracker IV's or newer Radio Shacks (GRE). However, if the poice department is using encryption to bloack thier transmissions, you will not be able to listen to any of those transmissions and it is illegal to.

By spending the money for a newer scanner, you will be able to program in the new 800MHz frequencies that will be relocated due to the NEXTEL fiasco and unblock the newer frequencies that were blocked out (old cell frequencies) The newer scanners will be either pre-programed or software will be able to program in the newly relocated public saftey frequencies. See Radioreference.com or Strongsignals.net for a better explaination.

[SBVFD524 0]

HOW HARD IS IT TO PROGRAM?? the radio shack one and can i still hear the 800 band also anyone have a list of the new GPD freq?

[GwchFireRescue 0]

I was talking to Judd (GPD portable 72) the other day about the new trunking system for Greenwich. Don’t waste your money on a scanner. The new digital system will be broadband and the software will encrypt all of the public safety talk groups i.e. Police, Fire, and EMS. You will be able to scan them but not lock on to a talk group. That how is was explained to me. The system is still several months away from going to digital. Talk to CWT III when he is on. He can explain it to you better.

[IzzyEng4 427]

I was talking to Judd (GPD portable 72) the other day about the new trunking system for Greenwich.  Don’t waste your money on a scanner. The new digital system will be broadband and the software will encrypt all of the public safety talk groups i.e. Police, Fire, and EMS.  You will be able to scan them but not lock on to a talk group. That how is was explained to me. The system is still several months away from going to digital. Talk to CWT III when he is on. He can explain it to you better.

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What system are they buying????

[TRUCK6018 50]

HOW HARD IS IT TO PROGRAM?? the radio shack one and can i still hear the 800 band    also anyone have a list of the new GPD freq?

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The Radio Shack (GRE) scanner is somewhat difficult to program manually. I would recommend Win96 programming software from starrsoft.com and it will be much easier.

[sbvfd596 2]

Who knows what will happen. For those of you that aren't fimiliar with the town of greenwich, they are slow on getting things done. I've also heard that GPD will be encrypted, the town also has to buy all new radio's. the one's the detective's and some fd have now are too old for the proposed system. The new Uniden is pretty nice, if I were to buy I'de get that. Greenwich is also suppoused to open up a new fire station within the next 3 years, for those of you that remember the last fire station (8) took about 10 years to come about

[Dr. Zuki 1]

Look at the bid documents ( public record) for the new radio system to see full details.

Somebody on this board months back said they had optional encryption with their current system, but disabled it for reasons unknown.

With the new system, are all channels to be encrypted? Many systems elsewhere only encrypt some frequencies leaving others in the clear.

Are they ever going to civilianize the three wasted cops that direct traffic on Greenwich Avenue??? Just look at how effectively it was done in NYC.

Thanks and Stay Cool.

[IzzyEng4 427]

If they go for the encryption on the new radios, expect some big $$$$$$ to be spent. Encryption ain't cheep no matter what system you use.

[Skooter92 7]

I don't think that Greenwich is going encrypted; rather, they are going to a digital format that is currently not supported by any of the digital scanners available. Encryption is usually overkill in a digital system because the voice signal is already converted to a format that isn't easily usable-some scanners will allow you to receive Motorola APCO Project 25 Digital trunked radio systems operating at 3600/9600 baud, but for the most part other digital schemes are not receivable. It would be interesting to find out which system they are going to-anybody know about the bid?

[IzzyEng4 427]

Remember digital and encryption are two totally different things. Digital just like conventional transmissions are a front end process of taking sound frequencies and transfering them into electerical impulses then translated back. Digital is also a "translation" of sorts to a code like that used on cd's of a combination of "1" and "0" then retranslated back on the receiving end. Digital is used to enhance communications, of sorts, and also to free up bleed over and other radio phenomenom.

Encryption is an add on to block the receiving of tactical communications to protect feild units, specifically military and later on police services, FBI, CIA et al. to protect and also to "hide" communications of those agencies. Encryption is by no means an enhancment of radio systems.

APCO's "25" standard is an attempt to overcome some of the interference on trucnked and conventional radio interference, bleed over and free up some bandwidth. There is more to this and I'm only explaining what I understand. But to have a fully encrypted system is really not fesable.

[SteveOFD 176]

My understanding of APCO P25 is that it is designed as a standard so that various radio manufacturers equipment will work with other brands of equipment. An example would be if a customer installed a Motorola P25 trunked system then Kenwood, Icom or any other brand would be able to operate on that P25 system. This does not seem to be the case so far. The reasoning for this is that if Motorola equipment is the only radio able to use a Motorola system, then Motorola effectively can charge the customer whatever it wants to, because you are locked into using Motorola equipment. Conversely, if P25 is in fact implemented then Kenwood, Icom or any other brand would be able to work on the Motorola P25 system. The same problem is now happening with MA/Com systems.

[IzzyEng4 427]

My understanding of APCO P25 is that it is designed as a standard so that various radio manufacturers equipment will work with other brands of equipment. An example would be if a customer installed a Motorola P25 trunked system then Kenwood, Icom or any other brand would be able to operate on that P25 system. This does not seem to be the case so far. The reasoning for this is that if Motorola equipment is the only radio able to use a Motorola system, then Motorola effectively can charge the customer whatever it wants to, because you are locked into using Motorola equipment. Conversely, if P25 is in fact implemented then Kenwood, Icom or any other brand would be able to work on the Motorola P25 system. The same problem is now happening with MA/Com systems.

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True but it was a communications standard, not a trunking system standard as far as I remember. I'll have to do some research.

[Dr. Zuki 1]

Once again, just make a Freedom of Information Request to examine the bid or requests for proposals for the new radio system to see what they bought in full detail. It's a matter of public record.

[SteveOFD 176]

True but it was a communications standard, not a trunking system standard as far as I remember.  I'll have to do some research.

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I believe you may be right, it does not just apply to trunked systems.

[ff026 0]

P25 trunking is a standard. it is 9600 baud compared to normal motorola 3800 baud. any P25 trunking radio can work on a P25 trunking system provided it is given the system key. another interseting note with P25 systems, on most 3800 baud systems you can buy a portable and use a special program found widely on the internet to program a system key in and monitor it as a trunked non affiliated(you program PTT inhibit) portable to listen to specific talkgroups as you would on an ordinary portable. P25 trunking Kills all non authorized system portables, because a P25 sytem gets its info from the control channel hence the 9600 baud rate.

westchester's new system is a P16 standard and i cant for the life of me remember the important parts of the standard.

any new digital scanner starting with the BC796D can monitor a P25 trunking system and all of the talk groupls provided you program them in.

Edited August 11, 2006 by ff026

[IzzyEng4 427]

ff026,

You are correct about a P25 system, but also the standard can also be used for a standard simplex. semi-duplex of full-duplex conventional, no trucnking for communications as well. I forget where the line is though. I'm still looking it up.