Will There Ever Be A NEXEDGE Scanner?

voxiso · #1 (**permalink**) 04-07-2011, 10:58 AM

I am just wondering.. My county is switching over this year 40% of the counties in my state Kentucky has already got it or switching and even the state police which is P25 is talking about it.. So pretty much 100% of my state will be NXDN which will leave me and other in complete darkness... NXDN is also going to a lot of others states.. If there will be a scanner able to monitor these agencies when do you guys think it will be. I noticed when P25 was taking hold scanners was coming out faster than you could buy them, now with NXDN.... Nothing.

tonsoffun · #2 (**permalink**) 04-07-2011, 11:05 AM

It will be a while. Keep this in mind though, even if their was a scanner capable of receiving NXDN (Nexedge) you will be out of luck if they are using encryption.

Encyption is built into those NX radios, its just a simple flick of the mouse to pick it in the programming.

radioman2001 · #3 (**permalink**) 04-07-2011, 12:27 PM

I don't see why not, it is an open format, but that will not take care of ENC if used.

rdale · #4 (**permalink**) 04-07-2011, 1:58 PM

The big issue is demand... Having a few public safety systems onboard isn't enough. And remember a full P25 scanner didn't come out until some agencies had been using the system for 5+ years, the first digital scanners only did P25 audio and not P25 trunked.

Jay911 · #5 (**permalink**) 04-07-2011, 2:21 PM

NXDN can be decoded with the Linux software package DSD. Ideally, an upcoming scanner will be able to install modules for whatever you want (within licensing and purchase limitations). Want Motorola and P25 and MPT1327 but not EDACS or NXDN or LTR? I would love to see a scanner like that, and the technology presently supports this. It's the demand and the logistical programming to make this happen that's the hurdle.

voxiso · #6 (**permalink**) 04-07-2011, 10:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jay911

NXDN can be decoded with the Linux software package DSD. Ideally, an upcoming scanner will be able to install modules for whatever you want (within licensing and purchase limitations). Want Motorola and P25 and MPT1327 but not EDACS or NXDN or LTR? I would love to see a scanner like that, and the technology presently supports this. It's the demand and the logistical programming to make this happen that's the hurdle.

I have been looking at the DSD.. Is that live decoding or does it just record the audio to a audio file?

Jay911 · #7 (**permalink**) 04-08-2011, 5:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by voxiso

I have been looking at the DSD.. Is that live decoding or does it just record the audio to a audio file?

You can do either or both (you can do live decoding AND save to a .wav file at the same time) but you need a Linux computer and a scanner with a discriminator tap - so if you're looking for a transportable solution, it may not be ideal.

DPD1 · #8 (**permalink**) 04-09-2011, 3:01 PM

Rail and other services will eventually be switching over someday. So the more services there are, the better the chance you will have something. It's cheaper than P25, so with everybody broke, it will probably start popping up in civil areas. But let the manufacturers know... The more they hear about it, the more they will consider it.

KG4EMJ · #9 (**permalink**) 12-11-2012, 10:09 AM

I think that there are so many agencies going to new types of digital systems due to FCC changes that the manufacturers of scanners will have no choice but to fold or offer NXDN and similar capabilities within the next 5 years.

I hope I'm right. But I haven't heard ANYTHING yet about NXDN on a scanner.

mlmummert · #10 (**permalink**) 12-11-2012, 10:48 AM

What kind of licensing issues would be involved?

ka3jjz · #11 (**permalink**) 12-11-2012, 11:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jay911

You can do either or both (you can do live decoding AND save to a .wav file at the same time) but you need a Linux computer and a scanner with a discriminator tap - so if you're looking for a transportable solution, it may not be ideal.

Not quite - there's been a Windows version for some time now...

but yes, not exactly a transportable solution...Mike

mmckenna · #12 (**permalink**) 12-11-2012, 12:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mlmummert

What kind of licensing issues would be involved?

NexEdge/IDAS/NXDN uses the same AMBE+2 vocoder as P25, so this isn't a big stretch. Basically it would be licensing the software that allows the vocoder to decode the audio. probably not a big deal, if any at all. It's just a demand thing. There hasn't been much demand for it until recently, and it'll likely take a while for the scanner manufacturers to catch up. Not sure if it is something that could be solved with a software update, likely, but I don't see them passing up the chance to make consumers purchase a whole new scanner. I'd be in the next year or two we will see something out there.

And, yes, like any system, if it's encrypted, it won't matter if your scanner will receive it or not.

edkt4hr · #13 (**permalink**) 12-11-2012, 12:54 PM

i went out a got a kenwood radio . got software and cable off the internet . gre just lost 600 dollars . the scanner companies are getting behind, i email GRE years ago to start making one .
My local pd is going enc due to a fireman having his radio on them at a party the law was trying to bust. The police check this site to see if people are hearing them . Lexington ky is going enc due to scanner apps they found people using to break the law. We are killing our hobby . i well be posting no more info on this site.

Jay911 · #14 (**permalink**) 12-11-2012, 1:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ka3jjz

Not quite - there's been a Windows version for some time now...

but yes, not exactly a transportable solution...Mike

I posted that 20 months ago.