Hamilton Fire

[unlisted]

Well, I knew it was coming. Expect a new radio system to go online to some degree within the next 72 hours for Hamilton fire. Not sure if they are just testing out the new system or full switch over at this point.

Confirmed its P-25, and supposed to have encryption as well. Will update when I know more.

[EJB]

Originally Posted by unlisted

Well, I knew it was coming. Expect a new radio system to go online to some degree within the next 72 hours for Hamilton fire. Not sure if they are just testing out the new system or full switch over at this point.

Confirmed its P-25, and supposed to have encryption as well. Will update when I know more.

Interesting. So the city can afford a new radio system or upgrade or whatever but stores in the core are all borded up and crack ho's do the best business. Great for Hamiltonians, I will listen and have a look for control channels, sadly I have to go to the Hammer tomorrow.

[Saint]

Originally Posted by unlisted

Well, I knew it was coming. Expect a new radio system to go online to some degree within the next 72 hours for Hamilton fire. Not sure if they are just testing out the new system or full switch over at this point.

Confirmed its P-25, and supposed to have encryption as well. Will update when I know more.

Any idea were I should set up a search in what band,
Steve

[unlisted]

I would assume they are staying in the 800 mhz band.. but I don't have many details other than stuff is happening soon.

I'm also pretty sure its simply testing that is going to happen- it doesn't sound like the new system is ready to go "live" anytime soon. Heck, I don't even know if the new hardware has been handed over thus far.

[tusker305]

Wow the City of Hamilton needs a new radio system, like the city of windsor needed one. Elected people have more money than brains. OUR MONEY. The fact that the City of Boston has had the same UHF system since I was a kid and I can still monitor it with the same crystal scanner I got for my 10th birthday. WORKS GREAT. But here in Canada, We gotta have encrypted comms for the local police & fire dept. ARE YOU KIDDING.
This is the one thing we need in Hamilton, how about the cops move the drunks and crack heads out of the downtown park. The number of folks on welfare, using food banks and we drop all that money to fix something that works just fine? And nobody puts up a fight. The fact that people fall for this line of motorola bs makes me wanna reach for an air sick bag.......Holy Crap....where's the tylenol.

[Saint]

Originally Posted by unlisted

I would assume they are staying in the 800 mhz band.. but I don't have many details other than stuff is happening soon.

I'm also pretty sure its simply testing that is going to happen- it doesn't sound like the new system is ready to go "live" anytime soon. Heck, I don't even know if the new hardware has been handed over thus far.

Thanks for the reply, I'll keep an eye out and if I find anything I will submit the informaion to R.R.
Steve

[EJB]

Originally Posted by tusker305

Wow the City of Hamilton needs a new radio system, like the city of windsor needed one. Elected people have more money than brains. OUR MONEY. The fact that the City of Boston has had the same UHF system since I was a kid and I can still monitor it with the same crystal scanner I got for my 10th birthday. WORKS GREAT. But here in Canada, We gotta have encrypted comms for the local police & fire dept. ARE YOU KIDDING.
This is the one thing we need in Hamilton, how about the cops move the drunks and crack heads out of the downtown park. The number of folks on welfare, using food banks and we drop all that money to fix something that works just fine? And nobody puts up a fight. The fact that people fall for this line of motorola bs makes me wanna reach for an air sick bag.......Holy Crap....where's the tylenol.

What do you want people to do? Occupy city hall? Call or write their city councillors? Is anything ever going to stop your city from building a new communications system? No.

Call it apathetic, or lazy but the entire GTA/Niagara Pen's municipalities are getting new systems and they dont care if you or anyone want to listen in.

[tusker305]

I am by no means one of these Occupy folks. And this site has enough scanners for me to play with on a Friday Night. Call or write their city councillors wouldn't hurt. My problem is the fact that the hobby that I have enjoyed for many years has turned me into the bad guy in a radio sales pitch, and the knuckle heads
spending our money fall for it every time. Hell I really don't care what Ham Police are doing, but I have monitored them for 2 days I have not heard one failure of the current system and have not heard one thing that would warrent that communication be encrypted. Don't get me wrong it has it's place SWAT Gang Squad, etc. Traffic stops and street calls, not so much. If we really need a new system join FLEETNET. I am a little put off that no one seems up set about this kind of stuff. Oh well.

[Saint]

Originally Posted by tusker305

I am by no means one of these Occupy folks. And this site has enough scanners for me to play with on a Friday Night. Call or write their city councillors wouldn't hurt. My problem is the fact that the hobby that I have enjoyed for many years has turned me into the bad guy in a radio sales pitch, and the knuckle heads
spending our money fall for it every time. Hell I really don't care what Ham Police are doing, but I have monitored them for 2 days I have not heard one failure of the current system and have not heard one thing that would warrent that communication be encrypted. Don't get me wrong it has it's place SWAT Gang Squad, etc. Traffic stops and street calls, not so much. If we really need a new system join FLEETNET. I am a little put off that no one seems up set about this kind of stuff. Oh well.

Just because we all spend our money on scanner radios does not mean diddly to these people who making the discision to build these new radio systems, they will decide what system they need for there radio comms, not us and if they want encryption then they don't care if it uppsets us one bit.
Steve

[tusker305]

I know, all this foolishness is sucking the enjoyment right out of this hobby for me.And there is no reason for it. I am thinking of selling the whole thing and give em what they want. It's just not fun anymore.

[EJB]

Originally Posted by tusker305

I know, all this foolishness is sucking the enjoyment right out of this hobby for me.And there is no reason for it. I am thinking of selling the whole thing and give em what they want. It's just not fun anymore.

I still enjoy it and I betcha 99% of the people here do as well. Halton uses so much computer stuff these days it is hard enough to monitor whats going down anyway.

I say it again; to expect governments to do anything on time (on budget is a whole other thing) is silly. It could take years before it is in place and maybe some city councillor or bureaucrat will put the kill to encryption to save a few bucks.

[steely70s]

There is an active P25 Digital Control channel on 857.0625. It appears that is this frequency is being borrowed from the current Smartnet.

[EJB]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (BlackBerry; U; BlackBerry 9300; en) AppleWebKit/534.8+ (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/6.0.0.526 Mobile Safari/534.8+)

Originally Posted by steely70s

There is an active P25 Digital Control channel on 857.0625. It appears that is this frequency is being borrowed from the current Smartnet.

I will take a listen for this. I guess them potentially going ENC is gonna suck. Hamilton is a fun city to scan. Big enough for constant action but not overwellming to not be able to follow.

[electechguy]

This weekend Hamilton police and fire have still been on the old smartnet system. I was wondering if anyone could explain how they can transfer back and forth between the old and new digital system. Do their radios have both smartnet and smartzone on board? I'm really going to miss listening! Thanks

[Forts]

More than likely, yes. They could have the two systems programmed into their radios in different zone and switch between them as needed (assuming they have the new digital radios already installed in the vehicles... Motorola XTL's I would imagine).

[steely70s]

Originally Posted by electechguy

This weekend Hamilton police and fire have still been on the old smartnet system. I was wondering if anyone could explain how they can transfer back and forth between the old and new digital system. Do their radios have both smartnet and smartzone on board? I'm really going to miss listening! Thanks

They are still on the current smartnet and have not moved over to the Motorola Astro 25 system. There's many details available through council proceedings available on the City of Hamilton's website that discuss this upgrade initiative. They mentioned that they would need to utilize frequencies off the current smartnet due to limited availably due to proximity to the USA. This explains why the currently Astro 25 control channel is where it is and based on the initial plan they appear to be behind schedule. Its worth noting that the current contract with Motorola expires by 2013 and they will not be extending that contract (as publicly known).

The upgrade project is number HES08004. Google this for all the information available.

[Gator596]

I have not been here as long as some, so please excuse me if this is a dumb question/idea;
We see a lot of agencies accross the land talking about encryption. Has anyone ever considered writing letters to the bodies that control these agencies asking them NOT to encrypt?
In all the threads I've read on RR bemoaning encryption - I have never seen a single post in which someone says they are going to do anything about it....

[EJB]

Originally Posted by Gator596

I have not been here as long as some, so please excuse me if this is a dumb question/idea;
We see a lot of agencies accross the land talking about encryption. Has anyone ever considered writing letters to the bodies that control these agencies asking them NOT to encrypt?
In all the threads I've read on RR bemoaning encryption - I have never seen a single post in which someone says they are going to do anything about it....

Its not dumb at all.
I cant speak for other people but I do know of other people who have done this but mentioning stuff like this here is not a good idea in my opinion.

I asked my city councillor about Haltons new system. He mentioned it will be P25 Digital and hopefully up and running next year. He has not got back to me about encryption. I did point out to him that digital comms in a fire situation have come under "fire." We had a fire on Plains Road in full view of my apartment on Saturday nite. It was hard enough for the dispatcher and chief on scene to understand the fire fighters in a fully engaged fire scene.

[WZ1]

Originally Posted by Gator596

I have not been here as long as some, so please excuse me if this is a dumb question/idea;
We see a lot of agencies accross the land talking about encryption. Has anyone ever considered writing letters to the bodies that control these agencies asking them NOT to encrypt?
In all the threads I've read on RR bemoaning encryption - I have never seen a single post in which someone says they are going to do anything about it....

I have been in contact with the Fire department and the region here in Durham and let them know that i think Encryption is a waste of tax payer dollars in some situations. I have a pretty open line with the region and have been granted lots of information on our new system and the planned use etc.

So yes.. some of us do something about it... will it make any difference? For fire.. maybe, for police - not a chance. Police have every right and reason to be encrypted. It is not our right to listen, its a privilege left open to us by chance that they did not encrypt in the first place.

[Gator596]

Glad to hear that some get involved.
EJB - When you have time, please send me a pm explaining why you dont think discussing it is a good idea. I've turned the issue over a few times in my mind and I'm not getting it. Would love to understand what the concern is.
WZ1- are you certain it's that open and shut with the police? Police Service Boards change, Chief's change. Support for the free civilian oversite provided by unecrypted general patrol comms MAY exist or can possibly be created in those offices....
Would love to discuss this here or through pm.