Anchorage Encryption

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ko6jw_2

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All of the Municipality of Anchorage is part of the Alaska Land Mobile Radio system (ALMR) in the database. This is somewhat confusing. However, the 700Mhz frequencies are the Anchorage system. I would start with the simulcast frequencies and then program only the fire talk groups. If you are a RR member you can easily download the systems and talk groups. Police and State Troopers are encrypted.

The database used to separate Anchorage, but they were combined based on the logic that they are all part of the ALMR system. Anchorage is actually a separate trunked system and had limited interoperability with the 150Mhz system. It can be patched through, but direct communication is not possible. Anchorage units can't communicate if they are too far outside their coverage area.

Anyway the system works well in the Anchorage bowl area. All P25 phase 1.

Alaska is different from the lower 48 in that there are no counties - just boroughs. Not sheriffs etc. Just municipal police and troopers. No county fire departments - just municipal departments and independent fire districts. Anchorage fire provides protection in outlying communities like Girdwood.
 

Wilrobnson

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When I flew through Anchorage 2 weeks ago, fire was still completely encrypted. Not sure if that would've changed in the intervening time...
 

Wilrobnson

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The database used to separate Anchorage, but they were combined based on the logic that they are all part of the ALMR system. Anchorage is actually a separate trunked system and had limited interoperability with the 150Mhz system. It can be patched through, but direct communication is not possible. Anchorage units can't communicate if they are too far outside their coverage area.

Interesting. I had an ALMR radio in my hands between January and May while I was stationed in Fairbanks and would regularly listen to APD traffic, even logging it into Pro96Com. Roaming was working just fine back then.
 

aps_ak

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Police and Fire/EMS in the Urban Anchorage area are encrypted. Police has been encrypted since 2013, and Fire Dept. flipped the switch this past September. The database for the area is accurate at this time as to what's encrypted and what is not (the Alaska Land Mobile Radio System).
 

aps_ak

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All of the Municipality of Anchorage is part of the Alaska Land Mobile Radio system (ALMR) in the database. This is somewhat confusing. However, the 700Mhz frequencies are the Anchorage system. I would start with the simulcast frequencies and then program only the fire talk groups. If you are a RR member you can easily download the systems and talk groups.

The database used to separate Anchorage, but they were combined based on the logic that they are all part of the ALMR system. Anchorage is actually a separate trunked system and had limited interoperability with the 150Mhz system. It can be patched through, but direct communication is not possible. Anchorage units can't communicate if they are too far outside their coverage area.

I'd say the systems are a lot closer than that. You're correct that City of Anchorage subscribers can't go outside of the 700Mhz frequency footprint, but the 150Mhz users can access Anchorage Channels pretty easily if their radios are programmed with the channels (for example, Troopers or Federal LE can flip over to an APD channel and talk with no outside intervention). When control channels are decoded in Unitrunker, the 700Mhz sites show 150 Mhz site neighbors and vice versa. Also, the system ID is shared by the two systems.

These were the major reasons the systems were merged in the database. Anchorage PD/FD channels are active on 150Mhz Frequencies, and Trooper channels are in turn active on 700Mhz frequencies. If you program everything as one system, its less talkgroups to program in theory.
 

booyah

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Quick question, If I were to get a Uniden BCD436HP scanner would it pick up most APD, Fire, state troopers, ect....--I would like an easy to use scanner and this one seems to fit the bill of just entering your zip code :) thanks!!
 

aps_ak

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Quick question, If I were to get a Uniden BCD436HP scanner would it pick up most APD, Fire, state troopers, ect....--I would like an easy to use scanner and this one seems to fit the bill of just entering your zip code :) thanks!!

The short answer, for all intents and purposes is "no".

The longer answer is it will pick up the channels all these agencies are on, but you won't hear anything as they all use encryption.

Most other fire departments around the state do not use encryption, and you would be able to hear them. Look for "E" in the database in the mode column next to the talkgroup to determine whether it is encrypted or not.
 

gonefishn1

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I was just in Anchorage with my 536 and could not hear any police, troopers, fire or EMS on any of the RRDB frequencies or any other. I could hear the international airport, Merrill field airport and lake hood. Really boring and not much to listen to in Anchorage on the scanner.
 

booyah

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Thanks for the answer guys! Guess I saved myself $450 on a scanner! Kind of a bummer they locked the freq's down so much around here that we cannot hear anything--oh well, maybe one day a scanner will be built to defeat the encryption--but then again I see why they do it also!
 

ko6jw_2

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The Anchorage Police used to have an official, but time delayed, feed. They shut that down too, Read an article in the local paper about community watch groups that are totally frustrated by not being able to listen to police activity - even delayed. There will never be a scanner that can defeat encryption and it is illegal to try to decode these transmissions.
 

gonefishn1

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Well the government pay check comes from the public so it seems like if they want to keep their jobs then they should become transparent again or get voted out of office.
 
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