Iden Scanner. Maybe theres hope afterall?

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Jammin_Jay

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Could of been good thing if it did. What prohibited it from being market? security concerns?
 

exkalibur

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The fact that iDEN is a highly proprietary format, most likely.

iDEN receivers have been around since day one - they've just been extremly expensive.

But, that doesn't stop those who NEED to listen. A friend of mine is a Sergant in Durham, he tells me that when he used to do surveillance, they did a bust on an organized crime location and found a service monitor setup to receive Durham Police, so it's not unheard of.
 

mikewazowski

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I think you guys are misunderstanding what a Comarco unit is. It's not a scanner that we can use.

It is a scanner but all it does is scan the channels to determine site, channel number and signal strength. With an appropriate account, it can be used to determine voice quality as well.

It's use is in performance monitoring vehicles driven by the various wireless providers to compare signal strengths and voice quality between each provider.

A Comarco vehicle has several antennas connected to a specific unit for each provider. A computer records the signal strengths as the unit is driven along a route. A GPS antenna is used to track where the vehicle is. For each provider to be studied, a module is required. If somebody wanted to performance test Telus' Iden system, one of these units could be used.

This data is then downloaded where it can be studied to determine where new sites are needed.

The post that it never came out on the market is bs. I'm not sure what market you're talking about but it definitely came out. I know of several vehicles equipped with such systems.

Be prepared to spend big bucks though. This is equipment marketed to wireless providers.

Anritsu also makes a similar system and even includes a signal identity module in some of it's lower end test equipment to help with interference problems. This unit will show the same information as the Comarco unit but it will not decode audio or follow talkgroups.
 

troymail

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After reading the press release, it looks like that is a commercial product that is really intended to be incorporated into another company's product -- not so much looking like a consumer scanner.

Also, like Mike said, the press release even says the price is (was) in the area of $13,000.
 

mikewazowski

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No, it's not incorporated in another companies product.

It could either be standalone if you are just interested in performance testing Iden systems or it can be part of Comarco's complete setup.

If you were just interested in checking your own iden system you would purchase this device.

If you were interested in checking other systems as well (GSM, GPRS, EDGE, UMTS, CDMA, IS-136, IS-54), you would buy this as well as the other modules. The complete system would simultaneously monitor signal strengths.

Ever wonder where wireless providers get the data that they use to compare their network against others in those commercials you see on tv? It's vehicles set up with systems like this.
 

bluesman905

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exkalibur said:
But, that doesn't stop those who NEED to listen. A friend of mine is a Sergant in Durham, he tells me that when he used to do surveillance, they did a bust on an organized crime location and found a service monitor setup to receive Durham Police, so it's not unheard of.

Guess this won't be turning up at the police auction eh :evil:
 

mikewazowski

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No, despite what some people think, the scanner is of no use to any of us unless you happen to want to measure the signal strength of the various Telus towers. Chances are good that it will not decode audio.

Iden service monitors can be bought (yes I did hear about the Organized Crime bust where they found one) however they're quite pricey.
 

I_10_92

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Even if you could monitor Durham, you would need each portable and each car's radio number (iden id) programmed into the 'scanner'. Plus, they are all about the car to car mdt messaging anyway, complete with smiley faces believe it or not. :eek:)
 

lorne

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drp

if anyone can do it i pay dearly for it. i would love to know where the accidents are i can make a lot of money with this info.
 
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N_Jay

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newtoscanning said:
I thought it was illegal to monitor iden, if you could, since it was a cell phone?

Since you are new I will answer politely before telling you to do a search.

Nextel uses Land Mobile (FCC Part 90) frequencies in a system configuration called ESMR. Since these are Land Mobile frequencies and not Cellular (Part 22) frequencies, they do not fall under the same restrictions.

Oh, yes, and a search will turn up lots of threads on the topic.
 

mikewazowski

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What's the FCC?? What's Part 90 and Part 22??

Seriously, why bother search when US laws do not apply in Canada.

Please keep in mind what forum you are in before you start handing out wrong advice.

It's not illegal to monitor iden or cellular in Canda.

However, we get back to the old digital scanner nonsense. I'm sure some high priced lawyers could make your life miserable. Unless you've got some high priced lawyers in your back pocket to fight back, anybody listening in on Durham Regional would be advised to keep things very quiet.
 
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N_Jay

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Mike_Oxlong said:
What's the FCC?? What's Part 90 and Part 22??

Seriously, why bother search when US laws do not apply in Canada.

Please keep in mind what forum you are in before you start handing out wrong advice.

It's not illegal to monitor iden or cellular in Canda.

However, we get back to the old digital scanner nonsense. I'm sure some high priced lawyers could make your life miserable. Unless you've got some high priced lawyers in your back pocket to fight back, anybody listening in on Durham Regional would be advised to keep things very quiet.

Oops:wink:

That is very true, you have your own laws.

Issue is similar.
iDEN in Canada (MIKE service) is not cellular by Canadian (or US) laws.
The specific laws regarding what is legal and not legal to receive and the legality of equipment to receive (different issue) varies by nation.

If it is not illegal then I am curious about your "high priced lawyers" comment?
 

mikewazowski

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Do a search;)

Industry Canada came out with an Internal Policy Circular many years ago (same time as digital cellular was rolled out) that governed the use and possession of "digital scanners".

Only certain individuals could be licenced to possess an Industry Canada approved digital scanner.

Since this was only an Internal Policy Circular, it is widely believed among hobbyists that there is no basis in law for anybody to be charged. The document was meant as guidance for Industry Canada Inspectors only.

People requesting licences have been told to fill out the general radio licence. To the best of my knowledge, nobody has been able to get one of these mystery licences yet.

So, if you are charged with possessing one of these forbidden scanners, you can probably win in Court if you can afford the high priced lawyer to fight the charge.
 
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