RIVERSMVP09
Member
I say 50/50 either way.
I say 50/50 either way.
If encryption keeps becoming used more often, about the only thing left 'in the clear' will be Ham Radio and CB.
It would be nice if someone would initiate a Federal law that mandated that Public Safety dispatch be maintained unencrypted so the public can be informed rather than kept in the dark.
And aircraft, and rail, and marine.
I'm sure if air had a way to encrypt, they would (again, to counter terrorism). Really, marine, too for the same reasons.
Voyager; It would be nice if someone would initiate a Federal law that mandated that Public Safety dispatch be maintained unencrypted so the public can be informed rather than kept in the dark.[/QUOTE said:If that day were ever to come, it would have had to been before 9/11/2001. Very unlikely that any federal official, or even a local city council, is going to be very sympathetic to the relatively few people (based on the entire population) who like to scan. The scanner rep or lawyer will say, but I know thousands of people who like scanning and want to hear the police and FBI. Then the opposing argument side will say, es, we know thousands of people who got killed on 9/11, and we don't want that ever to happen again.
Encryption is here to stay and will only become widespread. Enjoy what you can while you have it.
Steve AA6IO
Exactly. Related:While encryption makes for a good sales line item, and looks nice and shiny, IMO what a lot of agencies are experiencing is buyers remorse of sorts. With statewide inter-op systems going up in even increasing numbers, for user agencies that decided encryption was a good idea, in a lot of places they found out that it left them in the same boat as before with disparate systems and single frequencies, orphaned and alone with no one outside their agency able to communicate with them. Many of the agencies in this area that initially bought into the encryption sale with the upgrade to P25, have backed off and only use it sparingly if at all on tac channels. In some cases they aren't even wasting the $$ on the keys.
I say 50/50 either way.
The same as its death-knell was sounded when trunking first came to be widely used? And the same as when P25 digital came on the scene?
Carry on.
My main interest is in Public Safety. As they go digital, unfortunately, I just have to write them off. I have a portable programmable scanner in my car with a 800 band antenna. I have to pay every time to get the scanner programmed AGAIN for updates or whatever. It's just not worth it anymore.
Unless my local police department goes to digital, I'm certainly not spending $400-$500 on a new scanner for my home. In addition, the distance for digital is far less than the great reception I once had with low, high and even ultra high band.
A friend just recently paid big $$$ for an antenna, cable etc in hopes of picking up one of his favorite public safety channels only about 15 miles away. He wasted his money. It didn't work.
The good days are "Bye-Bye". It's about impossible to keep up with the updates etc if you travel. Somebody mentioned to me about buying a scanner called Tracker. But that also involves locking out the channels you don't want to hear. Not too easy to do as you travel along the interstate.
Based on my own experience, scanner listening is ALREADY dying off. It once was a Great hobby. I miss it but it's not worth the expense and hassle to keep up with it. For me, I just write them off as my favorite channels move on to the greener pastures of the future.
WHY pay to have your scanner updated?? LEARN how to do it yourself! You surely don't pay someone to check your oil or tran fluids in your vehicle do you? Programming your scanner is just as simple ... unless your fingers are missing.
73,
n9zas