10-7 for some scanner ops

[brey1234]

Technology Removes Details from Police Radio Chatter
— The march of technology is making police work more efficient, but it also marks the end of an era.

Walk into any general store in Downeast Maine, and the odds are good that the scratchy sound of a police scanner can be heard in the background. In newsrooms, scanners have hummed and chatted incessantly for as long as anyone can remember.
http://tinyurl.com/yqygnv

[bpckty1]

Don't worry. The really hot stuff will be sent over the airways. Follow-ups, however, will most likely be on the "boxes".

Dispatchers like the MDTs since they can call an officer and route the call slip information to the officer, with details that previously required a phone call for details or had to be given cryptically or in code when sent verbally. This way, the airways remain open for emergencies.

A couple of examples:
MDTs that gave the call slip info and a street map of the immediate area.

A few years ago, on Discovery or similar channel, Texas A&M University, Texas DPS and a couple of local law enforcement agencies in Brazos County, TX, experimented with MDT technology and showed how effective it could be. They story centered around a convenience store robbery where the first responder obtained witness statements and the store's video. The officer edited a picture of the robber and a snapshot of the car, transmitted the pictures to the dispatacher, who then formatted them and broadcast them to units in the field. Shortly thereafter, the robber was captured, and he could not deny it was him and his car. Normally, since Brazos County is rural, and there are plenty of ways to get hidden in nearby cities, the robber could get away quickly.

Although this part of the MDT technology is still being worked on, parts of it are in place. It is the future of policing.

So the MDTs are good, and protects the officers in more ways than one.

Don't expect the fire and ems agencies to use the MDTs as much.

Many FDs using MDT technology will send building information to the trucks that had been kept in books that occupied much space in the cab. It is interesting to see building diagrams and cautions on the screen.

Great for firefighter safety and victim rescues.

[902]

I'm not so sure that mobile computers will eliminate radio traffic as efficiently as they expect. Several years ago, there was a consultant "we" hired who promoted implementing a deficient (only one channel) radio system by making the claim that "you will send everything over your mobile computer." There was much contention following that statement. Well, both systems were implemented and radio traffic has not decreased. If anything, it is an imperative now to implement a radio system that can meet the capacity and interoperability necessary.

BTW, I've tried driving and operating a computer. There needs to be a study on who [admits to] wrecking because they were IM'ing, reading CAD or pulling up a map.

I think this is like the coming of the Great Pumpkin. If you're not careful, you may sleep right through it.

[ScanDaBands]

Keep in mind also Maine (the highest taxed state in the nation) (sorry that's why I moved) kept straight VHF for the state police for YEARS when they could have went 800 mot trunking and saved a lot of nerves from family members whose husbands , wives , etc. were riding around with way outdated VHF radio equipment and half the time dispatch couldn't hear half of what was said. Think I'm being a little harsh , ask any scanner enthusiast about monitoring in Maine for the past few years. The only halfway decent systems you have are Auburn Digital , Biddeford Digital (might be Sanford can't remember really) and Portland 800 Mot. All I'm saying is having lived there for 20 years , there is always "claims" of going big in this and that but then all of a sudden , oh my god we don't have any money ........ ah nevermind too much aggravating talk about the subject. I wouldn't expect and super changes anytime soon.

[KB1JHU]

I somehow doubt any statewide 800 system would be much better than VHF in Maine, unless there was a site build on nearly every hill in the state. Either way, I think they are going to upgrade to P25 conventional VHF for State agencies and I would hope that improving coverage would be part of the plan.

[RolnCode3]

This is a repost. This exact article was discussed with multiple pages of replies. I think it was in the General or Tavern.

[scan-manchester]

Keep in mind that although Maine is primarily VHF-Hi, Nearly EVERY agency can talk to each other. Even Portland TRS has VHF-Hi Patches on Statewide Car-Car and State Fire. That's Interoperability at it's finest.... and it's been a standard in Maine for years. Other states are just now trying to catch up.

[ff-medic]

It takes a load off off some dispatchers. DMV info, registration and NCIC info. Not feasable in all areas. Local yocal deputy or city beat cop will most likely not have it. Cost versus use.

Even still, you will always have radio traffic. Can't type in Shots fired, vehicle pursuit - with directions, and switch freqs to coordinate EMS fire.

So a unit gets dispatched over a computer for a dog barking, a B and E that took place while someone was on vacation, drag racing down a street.

All the good/interesting stuff will be over the air. Maybe encrypted...But over the air.


ff-medic - - - - - -

[W4KSR]

Originally Posted by scan-manchester

Keep in mind that although Maine is primarily VHF-Hi, Nearly EVERY agency can talk to each other. Even Portland TRS has VHF-Hi Patches on Statewide Car-Car and State Fire. That's Interoperability at it's finest.... and it's been a standard in Maine for years. Other states are just now trying to catch up.

Now, with radios that are easily programmable, most agencies have the next town's frequencies in their radios. State Fire is utilized, but I do hear a decrease in use of Statewide Car-Car.
The voters in Cumberland County voted in the last election to upgrade the county radio system. I read the study, and they will be going P-25.
Back to the subject: In Windham, I hear constantly "I got booted off", "I can't log on", "I have to reboot the system". The MDT's still have a long way to go!

[LPD7]

Dont forget NHSP is usuing probably one of the most high Tech Radio Systems made for Public Safety. There is much more than the VHF-Hi P25 Radio System. There are Patches, MDT's on the Ops Freqs, and there is so much interproability between PD's and PD's, PD's and Sheriff and State Police, they all have access to eachothers radio Systems, They also acomadate the Analog Departments in this, and EVERY BOLO in the State usually gets to Every Police Dispatch Center in the State

With Maine, the probability that they will use a 800MHz System is very low, this is because of the land structure. There are alot of mountains, and rough Terrain. Plus the area coverd by Police really on the Borders of the state, most of the Middle of the State is all Forest, AKA unincorporated towns with 0 residents, check this Map http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:M...lation_map.png

Information From: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maine

Unorganized territory has no local government. Administration, services, licensing, and ordinances are handled by the State Government. The Unorganized Territory of Maine consists of over 400 townships (towns are incorporated, townships are unincorporated), plus many coastal islands that do not lie within any municipal bounds. The UT land area is slightly over one half the entire area of the State of Maine. Year round residents in the UT number approximately 9,000, about 1.3% of the state's total population, with many more people residing only seasonally within the UT. Only four of Maine's sixteen counties are entirely incorporated, although a few others are nearly so, and most of the unincorporated area is in the vast and sparsely populated Great North Woods of Maine.[9]

Maine may be able to pull off the P25 VHF system much like the NHSP. Right now anyone with a radio can access their system, because they dont use a PL Code. Distant Transmissions can be retransmitted through their repeaters. Basicly they need to enter the 21st Century and wake up, if i can receive all their Frequencies from here during good conditions, then Rhode Island can definatly reach up there seeing as they have some frequencies in Common

[cpuerror]

At the end of the article, the author takes a nice stab at scanner users, and perhaps cribbage players as well:
Quote:

Still, if your idea of a fun evening involves gathering around a scanner, you might want to take up cribbage.

[whooey]

My county here in FL uses the exact same stuff. If anything it makes scanning more enjoyable. It takes the brussell's sprouts and beets off your plate and leaves the Steak and potatoe.

There will still be plenty, no PLENTY of chatter on the scanner. My local news paper had almost an identical article in the paper a few years ago, to be honest I dont notice any less chatter.

Dont worry, youre good.