NWA scanning help

[W2SJW]

Guys,

I'm heading down in mid-May for meetings in NWA (3 guesses as to who I work for, and the first 2 don't count!).

I own an SDS-100 with the DMR and NXDN unlocks. I haven't been down there in almost 15 years, so I have a few questions:

1. How much of the AWIN do I need if all my travels are going to be limited to Bentonville & Rogers? I assume that all I'll really need is the Benton County simulcast site, but I'm more interested in limiting my custom FL to only the TG's I'd really expect to hear on that site. I see that I-49 runs right through the metro area, so I'd assume there are a few state agencies working on that site regularly.
2. We're staying in Rogers, and the fact that all LE TG's in that listing are marked as 'Te' has me concerned. Do they have the ability to switch at-will, or is it a scenario where dispatch is in the clear & all mobiles & portables are encrypted full-time?

Thanks in advance for the help and/or any suggestions.

 

[03msc]

Honestly, what I would do is make sure your database is up to date and use location based scanning. When you get close, enter the ZIP code for the area you'll be in and a short range (1.0 or even 0.5 is fine) and it should limit it to local sites and TGs for AWIN. Of course, you setup what service types you want and you'll only hear the appropriate ones.

Remember that the lowercase 'e' means that E is sometimes used. A cap 'E' means it's full time. At least that's my understanding. As far as how often it's E, I'm not in that specific area so I'm not sure...hopefully someone else can answer your #2 more thoroughly.

This is how I would do it. The small 'range' means you'll only hear stuff within reception range because, remember, each item in the db has a range radius so the range you set on the scanner is the scanner's radius; if a site or a TG has a range of 20 miles and you set your scanner range to 20, it will begin scanning it at 40 miles away (when the two range radiuses meet). I'm am sure you know this already but I am mostly including this for others who stumble upon this thread.

 

[k5kvn]

Scott,
I'm in NWA. Since you'll be sticking to Rogers and Bentonville, I suggest using the Benton County simulcast. Secondarily, you could use the Rogers (Vaughn) site.

Most of Rogers PD is in the clear.

Heaviest users on these towers will be Arkansas State Police Troop L, Arkansas Highway Patrol, State Trauma Center with ambulance-to-hospital reports on the Trauma Comm talkgroups, Rogers, and Benton County Sheriff. Fayetteville and Springdale are nearby and often hit those two towers, too.

Bentonville PD/FD is not on AWIN yet. The database entries for them are correct - all DMR.

Safe travels. I hope you enjoy your time here.

 

[Scanning-NWA]

Scott,
Don't worry about the LE TG's marked as 'Te' for the most part. There is some encryption at times but not predominantly. Encrption seems to take place more on specially assigned TG's for that purpose. The TDMA mostly means that you WILL need a Phase II capable digital scanner for AWIN as several agencies have already made the transition to P-25 Phase II TDMA including Benton County Sheriff, Rogers P.D/F.D./Schools and also Springdale P.D/F.D.. At the time of this writing, State Police, Highway Patrol and Game And Fish are still Phase 1. I use a Uniden Bearcat BCD325P (portable that is affordablly priced) with a Remtronix 800 MHz whip (from Scanner Master) for much better reception than the stock rubber duck antenna and get great results. I do not have to use an outside 800 MHz antenna with the Remtronix even inside my car. I listen to my scanner, on my lunch break in my car, from my job in Bentonville. My only complaint about the BCD325P is that it uses the two AA batteries up in only a few hours so I keep extra batteries on hand. I have the three AWIN Towers of Rogers, Benton County Simulcast and Springdale Simulcast all programmed into my Bearcat for the Rogers/Bentonville reception area.

 

[W2SJW]

Great info from both of you! I'll go back in and add the Springdale simulcast as well in the next day or so. I've added this much to my FL list so far - let me know if I'm missing anything else important (will only be able to listen during the late afternoon & evening, due to my meetings).

 

[wbloss]

Scroll down to Walmart HQ: Businesses (Benton County) Scanner Frequencies and Radio Frequency Reference
ALso FWIW add 122.775 Walmart Corporate freq

 

[JINXR]

Does anyone know when Wash Co and rural departments are switching to AWIN? I heard July but not sure when in July

 

[dhartman20]

Does anyone know when Wash Co and rural departments are switching to AWIN? I heard July but not sure when in July

I haven't heard an update recently but I have been in and out of the hospital alot. Last thing I heard was just 2023. I know there was a funding issue at one point but I'm sure there is someone with more accurate information

 

[JINXR]

What's the best way to update frequencies? I was thinking about reaching out to the Sheriff's office to get the new AWIN info in July. Is that something that takes a FOIA request?

 

[prcguy]

From the title I thought you wanted to scan Dr. Dre or Ice Cube outta Compton. Never mind.....

 

[dhartman20]

What's the best way to update frequencies? I was thinking about reaching out to the Sheriff's office to get the new AWIN info in July. Is that something that takes a FOIA request?

I'm not really sure. I do know some times it can be difficult and or take a while to get the accurate information as all the kinks and bugs are worked out as a new user joins. I don't know that a FOIA request will do anything. It's kind of a gray area with that and scanning now. Some areas fully adhere by it others do not and obviously on the law enforcement side they will have some talk groups you can't monitor, for obvious reasons. Again I'm sure there maybe someone with some better information on it then what I have. I also have a whistler TRX and it struggles in NWA at times with the systems being simulcast, so I don't really have the ability to monitor for new talk groups let alone if they also add frequencies.

 

[dhartman20]

From the title I thought you wanted to scan Dr. Dre or Ice Cube outta Compton. Never mind.....

Wouldn't make sense to discuss Dr.Dre on a discussion page for Arkansas LoL so I could see your confusion. You're not the only person iv talked to that had that same thought. Unless you're from here or frequent here, you don't really know its lingo

 

[03msc]

What's the best way to update frequencies? I was thinking about reaching out to the Sheriff's office to get the new AWIN info in July. Is that something that takes a FOIA request?

Updating where? Like getting updates?

Best way? Just monitoring. Discovery mode. I wouldn’t call them as typically most aren’t into sharing. You might get lucky or might know someone connected to the depot who might help you but I wouldn’t call them, no.

 

[prcguy]

Wouldn't make sense to discuss Dr.Dre on a discussion page for Arkansas LoL so I could see your confusion. You're not the only person iv talked to that had that same thought. Unless you're from here or frequent here, you don't really know its lingo

Sorry, my head must be stuck in the hood again.