Montgomery EDACS now P25 P1

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RadShackFan

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I've had a PSR-800 monitoring the Montgomery System waiting for the P25 changeover. This morning ALEA Central has started simulcasting on the local VHF frequency and on the P25 System in the clear. I don't know if this is a test or a permanent change. Anyway, it appears that the changeover from EDACS to P25 P1 has happened or is in progress.

I am also getting other talk groups, but they are encrypted (as indicated by the "E" symbol on the screen).

The frequencies listed in RR for the Montgomery Metro EDACS are the ones being used in my scanner.
 

KD4YGG

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One area that won't need the BCD436HP/BC536HP upgrade....
 

RadShackFan

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Montgomery County SO Disparch now in the clear on P25, as well as their patrol units. First time I have heard these guys in several years.
 

KD4YGG

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They appear to be using those listed in RR in the EDACS system. So far on ALEA central and MCSO are the only ones in the clear. On ALEA only dispatch can be heard.

So they transitioned over using the same decimal equivalents - this could be interesting.
 

RadShackFan

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P25 Update

I have played around changing which site the scanner monitored. I live near the simulcast site. It is the best one for monitoring the MCSO. Full strength and very clear audio. ALEA appears to be delayed on this site. Adding the Red Level site brings ALEA in w/o the delay. I locked out the Pine Level site.

Also, MPD and MFD are on the system. They show up during the scan, but with the "E" for encryption. Their talk group numbers match the RR database. They are so busy I had to lock them out so I could listen to the other groups.

An interesting thing about ALEA, the majority of the traffic is dispatch only. However, there has been 2 patrol units that are only on the P25 when talking to dispatch (I am listening to ALEA on VHF with another radio where you hear everyone on their repeater). These 2 patrol units must be using the new P25 capable radios ALEA is supposed to be switching to.

Using the WildCard variable makes the radio too busy, all encrypted talk groups, so I had to lock that out as well.
 

KD4YGG

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Let us know which specific talk groups are indeed encrypted so the database can be updated accordingly.
 

RadShackFan

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Let us know which specific talk groups are indeed encrypted so the database can be updated accordingly.

Well, I updated the library Saturday & applied the update to the channels programmed in the scanner. The scanner still hears the system (as indicated by the flashing "T"), but I haven't heard anything since the update. I even activated the "Wildcard" option, which had saturated me with talk groups before. Still nothing. I wish I had had a backup SD card so I could bo back to when the scanner was working.

I've tried formatting the card and re-programming it, but nothing changed. I switched the scanner to the AFRN P25 and I can still hear Medflight so I assume the scanner is working as it should.

It was nice while it lasted. Any ideas?
 

wwhitby

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What control channels are you monitoring? I'm only getting occasional traffic on my end.

The EDACS system is still up and running. I've heard animal control, school resource officers and the Trooper patch on there over the past few days. From what I remember, this system was supposed to stay up for those users who couldn't afford P25 radios.
 

RadShackFan

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I don't know which one(s) are the control, all of them listed in the database are red indicating they are the control channels. So I have all of them programmed, but I have the simulcast site as the only one I am.monitoring. I have tried each site separately, and different combos of them. Still hearing nothing.

Scanners (668 & 800) are working properly, I can hear the AFRN on both, but neither pick up anything from the Montgomery system anymore since the last library update.
 

mel1718

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It looks like the new P25 system is using the red level freqs, the EDACS system is operating as normal and I pickup MPD, MFD, MCSO and ALEA on both systems. MPD and MFD are encrypted on the P25 system.

854.18750 (control)
854.56250
855.06250
855.58750
856.98750
857.33750 (alternate)
 

jim202

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It looks like the new P25 system is using the red level freqs, the EDACS system is operating as normal and I pickup MPD, MFD, MCSO and ALEA on both systems. MPD and MFD are encrypted on the P25 system.

854.18750 (control)
854.56250
855.06250
855.58750
856.98750
857.33750 (alternate)

I may be missing something in the translation here about both the EDACS and P25 systems using the same frequencies. That can't work that way. They would be jamming each other. I would rather believe that some of the old EDACS channels have been removed and are now being used by the P25 system. I think you would also find different system ID's on the control channels.

The other problem is that both systems can't use the same antennas. There would have to be new antennas installed for the P25 system.

There needs to be more detailed information supplied to be able to sort this all out.
 

mel1718

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Just started looking into this yesterday so not sure what to make of it, I am guessing the Red level freqs were removed from the EDACS system. The TG and radio ID are the same on both systems. The site ID appears to be different, below is what Pro96com shows.
 

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codeplug

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Montgomery Metro Communications Cooperative District
System ID: 00A
WACN: 598DE

RFSS ----- Site --------- Name
11 (B) ----- 011 (B) ---- MMCCD Simulcast

<>

RFSS ----- Site -------- Name
16 (10) ---- 016 (10) -- Red Level

Is there any P25 control channel activity on the Pine Level Site?
Any ideas why the Tower Sites are showing up in different Zones.
May be a Harris thing, just curious.
Have seen a similar set-up for the Shelby County TRS just using a different WACN,
Is this system going to be connected to AFRN?
 

RadShackFan

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It looks like the new P25 system is using the red level freqs, the EDACS system is operating as normal and I pickup MPD, MFD, MCSO and ALEA on both systems. MPD and MFD are encrypted on the P25 system.

854.18750 (control)
854.56250
855.06250
855.58750
856.98750
857.33750 (alternate)[/

I matched my scanner frequencies to these and locked out the others listed for the Red Level site. I'm back up and running. Thanks for this info.
 

mel1718

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qslmark,
I see in you are using a Pro-668, are you monitoring the main EDACS Provoice site using DSD+?
 

mhubert123

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Montgomery, AL
P25 switch over

Has anyone been listening on the analog frequency 453 (VFD dispatch) as well? I am a volly myself and it sounds like we are switching over to P25 too today. Lately as well as today they have been doing A LOT of general testing on our analog UHF radios transferring VFD dispatch from EDACS to P25.

Would anyone be interested or willing to help me choose and setup a uniden scanner for listening to city FD/PD, ALEA and MCSO 800mhz please. If that's not allowed my apologies and disregard.
 
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