Cecil County Scanner Question

[Firedawg11]

Anyone know if there is a scanner that will work with the new cecil county radios (including talkgroups)? I have been looking at either a Uniden 996t or 396t, would either of these work on this system, or would I need another, or are none working on this system?

Thanks in advance

 

[Mark]

Sorry but no scanner will work with Cecil's new TRS system.
It is a MA/COM Pro-Vioce digital system so no scanner on the market will work.
Fire disp is repeated on 155.5275 in the clear and some County Police coms on 39.840

Mark

 

[jpsmith2]

CCDES is broadcasting some fire talkgroups over the internet through the Incident Broadcast Network [http://www.incidentbroadcast.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=404] and you can listen using a program called TeamSpeak. It's kind of like internet radio.

Doesn't do much good for mobile listening, unless you lug around a laptop with a wireless internet card, but if you have a computer & internet at home, it substitutes for a scanner just fine.

 

[Mark]

IBN is useful tool and works well here replaying CC Fire/Med calls with about only 1 second delay from actual broadcast,but if you are in Cecil county you will miss some action
that old fashioned scanner doesn't.
Example tonite TROOPER 1 enroute to stabbing incident in Cecil Cty heard landing with 46.180 with Sta 3 on scene Fire/Med LZ officer and also with Med-Evac 44.740 mentions will be flying victim to Christiana Del which is closer as stabbing victim has gone into cardiac arrest.
Also heard Paramedic 4 on 46.1750 active with another local incident req man-power assist.
You won't hear those coms listening only to IBN.
TROOPER 1 using 44.740 to talk with Christiana Delaware Med Ctr advising patient condition inbound Christiana.

Mark

 

[jpsmith2]

Well, as far as 44.74 goes that isn't a Cecil frequency and never was... but anything you were hearing on 46.18 from Cecil units had to be coming from a patch into the TRS and should have come across IBN, because Cecil units aren't using the low band anymore. Apparently some Troopers are still using it to contact Cecil Dispatch, but I was under the impression that they were supposed to use 154.28

As far as hearing PM4, they probably had the EMS Ops talkgroup patched to 46.18, and his incident would have also been assigned to that talkgroup.

 

[Mark]

Excuse me for pointing out that IDN and new Cecil TRS is not everything.
CC new TRS system is limited as far as Maryland Mutual aid Coms so Statewide low band takes over.
BTW Cecil TRS was not patched in to 46.18.That new TRS system sucks!
I have heard 154.280 used as patch also.

Mark

 

[ChooChooCharlie]

Mark, I have some questions for you sir.
What type of radio experience do you have?
Are you "in the know" as far as how the dispatch, radio system, and this streamed feed is operated?
What do you know about Provice?
Actually what DO you know other than listening to the scanner?
and lastly, How do you know it is Cecil Counties fault for interoperability, and NOT the other agencies?
Please elaborate.
Thank You
Charlie

 

[Mark]

I was just making point that even though IDN streaming is fine it is not the end-all
for Coms in Cecil County.
I know Pro-voice cannot be monitored with normal scanners.
I'm not blaming Cecil for anything in regards to interoperability.
There is no way MSP Choppers can have a TRS radio for every county in Maryland
so low band radios are a must have for now.
If IDN streamed the Sheriff dept and State Police coms that would be worth listening to.

I'm flattered that you joined RR ChooChoo just to question my knowledge?
Perhaps now as a member yourself you can add your knowledge and info to discussions here.
BTW I work for the Railroad.

Mark

 

[maus92]

There is no way MSP Choppers can have a TRS radio for every county in Maryland


Mark

Actually, there is an aviation radio solution for multiple TRS's. Look for the installations coming to a Trooper near you.

CA
Annapolis

 

[jpsmith2]

Cecil TRS was not patched in to 46.18

Some other magic was happening then, because I can assure you that the Cecil units were not using low band radios.

 

[organized_mayhem]

IBN was broadcasting PD for about a day and a half. Then I guess someone got anal about it and it is now limited to just fire/ems. Mark don't worry about Charlie. The same thing happens over on The Watch Desk forums every time someone mentions how the new radio system isn't the greatest thing since sliced bread it was promised to be.

 

[Mark]

Rgr Mayhem I can appreciate their efforts to simulcast the new system via IBN and have no problem with that at all...I use IBN also and may be handy on road trips.
My original point was that it doesn't cover everything as I was listening to IBN and scanner at same time during a Mutual Aid incident and scanner picked up low band coms/relays that were not on IBN.
My biggest complaint about new Cecil TRS system is occasional bleed over into Marine band freqs here.I Get that TRS buzz sound even on CG 156.800 CH 16 freq from time to time.
Even on my handheld scanner.
I did lodge a complaint about that to the FCC by the way about it but they replied they didn't think it was possible.
Who am I to argue with the FCC?

Mark

 

[organized_mayhem]

Mark, I also get the bleed over into the marine band as well as some rail frequencies. So contrary to what the FCC says, its not all in your head.

 

[Mark]

This morning Trooper 1 heard with Cecil County units on Mutual Aid TAC 2 867.0125 CT 156.7.
Trooper 1 departed area headed for Baltimore Trauma Ctr.

Mark

 

[Mark]

Just a few minutes ago 2300 local Perryville MD. Fire station 6 was working with Harford County on National Tac 2 867.0125,CT 156.7
Looks like Cecil has maybe tied in their VHF TRS system to Nat TAC 800 channels or Fire radios have seperate 800 TAC assist programed.

Mark

 

[organized_mayhem]

Thanks for the cecil updates Mark

 

[Mark]

No problem Organized. Looks like I'll add that TAC 2 freq to all my portable scanners.
Seems to be the favorite locally now be it with Trooper MSP's or Harford assist.

 

[doctordave]

Mark,

Good info. Ever hear any 800 mutual aid freq use b/w Cecil units & DE units? I'd presume that a similar arrangement would make sense.

 

[Mark]

Not yet Dave though my understanding was that some Cecil Fire depts were supplied with their own DEL TRS radios for assists there.
Maybe soon they won't have too use them anymore.
Haven't heard a Cecil/NCC assist in quite a while though so shall see.

Mark

 

[Dispatcher308]

I would

I would put all the national frequencies in Mark as they use all of them when they have incidents all over the county, sometimes they use 8TAC2 for Harford, 8TAC3 for ops with Chester. They still use the NCC radios as NCC does not want to patch. Soon Perryville & Port will have Harford County Radios and the patching will stop. Technically they are not to use the National Channels for Mutual Aid Purposes as that is not what they are for.