LaPorte County to upgrade radio system

[losttapes219]

LP County to upgrade radio system - Herald Argus: News

According to the Sheriff, the police radios are not going to be encrypted.

 

[Dispatch2323]

So refreshing to read someone that understands that all channels don't need to be ENC. The public won't hear sensitive communications anyway as the director stated.

 

[INDY72]

Yup going SAFE-T p25

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[Crash1316]

Scanner?

I'm brand new to scanning. So new that I don't have a scanner yet. I was just getting ready to purchase a Uniden BC75XLT and saw this article and now realize that the scanner I was going to purchase for about $70 isn't going to work when they switch. Can someone recommend a handheld scanner that will work with the current systems in the county and will also support the new one when they switch over?

 

[Crash1316]

In the article they stated that the new system will work with scanners as cheap as $100. That doesn't seem to be the case while I'm shopping around.

 

[losttapes219]

It's a P25 Phase I system, unfortunately these type of scanners aren't cheap, as they usually cost between $300 to $500. It's likely the Sheriff didn't know how much these 800 Mhz scanners cost.

 

[INDY72]

You can get P25 scanners for under $200.00 on E-Bay All day long. Now if you want top of the line Phase II capable now your around &200.00 to $ 400.00 and add in newest that even do DMR,now your over $300.00 easy.

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[Crash1316]

Thank you for the info. I had already ordered the Uniden bc75xlt as a starter radio and based on what I'm seeing for LaPorte, IN in RR database it looks like most things are still covered by this radio for the time being if I'm understanding things correctly. I have been reading about the "tone" column in the database. It sounds like the bc75xlt doesn't have that feature but from what I understand I wouldn't need it but it is more of a optional thing to keep the different users seperate? By not having the feature then different orgs using the same freq would all come across together? I understand that more orgs will be switching to trunking and digital. Would the radios that you are talking about on eBay for under $200 cover most of these changes in my area? Are there any models that you would recommend that I look for on eBay? If the price is under $200 I would consider just sending back the bc75xlt.

 

[Crash1316]

Just looked on eBay a bit. Would the Uniden bcd396xt be decent for my needs in La Porte?

 

[ramblin82]

In reply to Crash1316,

Handheld digital scanners aren't cheap. One cheap way to listen while at home would be to get two SDR usb sticks and set them up with Unitrunker & DSDPlus. I recommend the brands NooElec or the rtl-sdr blog ones. Another option would be two get an older scanner and do a discriminator tap.

Good luck!

 

[INDY72]

Yes an 396XT would do fine for the SAFE-T P25 which is what they will be using.

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[Crash1316]

Thank you milf

 

[Crash1316]

Thank you. I will keep this in mind as I'm looking around. I think im going to stick to my original order and keep the bc75xlt once it gets delivered since I've just started with this hobby. If I'm really into using it by the time they switch over to P25 then I will consider upgrading my scanner then. Thank you for the help and the warm welcome to the forum.

In reply to Crash1316,

Handheld digital scanners aren't cheap. One cheap way to listen while at home would be to get two SDR usb sticks and set them up with Unitrunker & DSDPlus. I recommend the brands NooElec or the rtl-sdr blog ones. Another option would be two get an older scanner and do a discriminator tap.

Good luck!

 

[Crash1316]

I see that there is the "LaPorte City Police have been issued talkgroups on the Project Hoosier SAFE-T system" update on the La Porte County database page and that within the RR database there are only entries in SAFE-T trunk for "LaPorte Police". The article makes it sound like the whole county is switching over to the new system. In other counties has this usually happened this way where the city police dept might switch to P25 first and then others like County Police, etc start also switching and talkgroups are added in the RR database later for them? I'm still throwing around the idea if I should just get a phase 1 or phase 2 digital capable scanner now and not mess around with the bc75xlt.

Thank You again!

 

[INDY72]

The entire County will be going to the SAFE-T P25 once the upgrade happens.

 

[Crash1316]

Does that mean most everything under "Public Safety" on the La Porte County RR database will be switching to P25?

The entire County will be going to the SAFE-T P25 once the upgrade happens.

 

[W3AXL]

Keep in mind the system will initially be standard Smartzone P25. NOT Phase 1. The Phase 1 transition is slowly rolling out and has so far only affected the southern regions of Indiana. The majority of counties are still on the Motorola system and will be for at least another year or two.

 

[Crash1316]

Is that why there are two of these systems listed on the RR database for La Porte County Trunked Systems?

Current system:
Indiana Project Hoosier SAFE-T (Motorola) Motorola Type II SmartZone Omnilink Statewide

Future system:
Indiana Project Hoosier SAFE-T (P-25) Project 25 Phase I Statewide

 

[INDY72]

I wouldn't say year or more so quickly. Phase 3 should finally go live next week. With phase 4 in about a month. All 6 by February. And no this won't be an smartzone type II at all. It will be p25 phase I from the ground up. It will be an site on the SAFE-T p25.

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[W3AXL]

I wouldn't say year or more so quickly. Phase 3 should finally go live next week. With phase 4 in about a month. All 6 by February. And no this won't be an smartzone type II at all. It will be p25 phase I from the ground up. It will be an site on the SAFE-T p25.

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Roger that. Makes more sense now that I think about it. Why build new sites to be upgraded in a year.

I'll miss being able to throw the LE channels in a scanlist with my ham repeaters. The good old days of VHF in LPC are coming to an end.