ProVoice Scanning - anyone doing it?

[Jay911]

I'm interested in hearing from you guys with EDACS systems, if the ProVoice upgrade for the x36 line works well for you. Especially in places like Edmonton and GVRD where simulcast is in use - it would be very enlightening to know if PRV simulcast digital is better, worse, or the same as P25 simulcast digital.

If you don't chime in, I might have to buy the upgrade myself and do a road trip.

 

[macjer]

provoice

i have it working in lethbridge sounds pretty good so far my knowledge

 

[turkeyxx]

I'd love to get an x36 series scanner for the Lethbridge EDACS Provoice however I think my money will be going into some more amateur radio gear first

 

[technocardy]

I will be doing it shortly as I'm still in Vancouver. I know a few people who have done it so far and it seems to be working just fine. Finally can listen to more then just Vancouver Fire.

 

[Jay911]

I will be doing it shortly as I'm still in Vancouver. I know a few people who have done it so far and it seems to be working just fine. Finally can listen to more then just Vancouver Fire.

The next logical question, I guess, should be posed forum-wide and should be: "Has your agency switched from PRV to encrypted PRV after the x36 update has come out?"

 

[technocardy]

The next logical question, I guess, should be posed forum-wide and should be: "Has your agency switched from PRV to encrypted PRV after the x36 update has come out?"

I asked some people who know a lot more about this stuff then I do. They've stated that they have not switched to encrypted PRV. Since they have purchased a new radio system, P25 Phase 2 which rolls out in 2017 they likely will not switch to encrypted PRV.

 

[ElroyJetson]

I've been listening to provoice traffic for years. It's easy if you have a Harris radio with the ProVoice option and the means to program it.

 

[Jay911]

I've been listening to provoice traffic for years. It's easy if you have a Harris radio with the ProVoice option and the means to program it.

My purpose for this thread was to gauge performance of the Uniden code on Prairies & Pacific Coast systems.

 

[kg7umv]

My purpose for this thread was to gauge performance of the Uniden code on Prairies & Pacific Coast systems.

I live in Vancouver. Got the 436hp last Thursday. 396.00 US no tax free 2 day shipping on Amazon.COM Went to Bellingham WA to pickup at my mail box.Brought it back declared it Border guard asked what I used it for. Told them I volunteer with city emergency program ham radio program. They let me through GST/PST free. Got the software update Friday. Working great.
I doubt there will be any rush to add encryption as one has to be really in the hobby to even know it about as Radio Shack doesnt exit.Most sensitive details such as IHIT,gang and organized crime ,ert ect are already encrypted and patrol has data terminals and cellphones. Also it would be a lot of money for a year or so
benefit.For me 50 for a year or so is worth it. looking forward to other digital upgrade possibilities.

 

[Voyager]

Are there any such systems on the pacific coast? There weren't any shown on the 6% map.

 

[Jay911]

Are there any such systems on the pacific coast? There weren't any shown on the 6% map.

The Greater Vancouver Regional District, surrounding Vancouver, British Columbia, has a multi-site, simulcast EDACS ESK system with heavy use of ProVoice. It is on its way out, as they are preparing a 700 MHz P25 P2 system now, but it's still in wide use right now.

I don't know if the map included any Canadian elements.

 

[Voyager]

It did not.

 

[Jay911]

Canadian ProVoice systems include:

Alberta:
Edmonton Public Safety and Public Works Trunking System, Edmonton, Alberta (some users migrating to new P25 system in 2016)
Lethbridge Public Safety & Public Works Trunking System, Lethbridge, Alberta (some users migrating to new P25 system in 2016)

British Columbia:
E-Comm (WARS) Trunking System, Vancouver, British Columbia (some users migrating to new P25 system in 2016-2017)

Newfoundland & Labrador:
Newfoundland Provincial Radio (EDACS) Trunking System, St. Johns, Newfoundland and Labrador (some users migrating to new P25 system in 2016-2018)

Ontario:
Thunder Bay Police Services Trunking System, Thunder Bay, Ontario
Airtime Communications Trunking System, Mississauga, Ontario
Thames Communications (Chatham) Trunking System, Chatham, Ontario
Ottawa Public Safety (EDACS) Trunking System, Ottawa, Ontario

Quebec:
RSP Montreal Trunking System, Montreal-Metro, Quebec
RSP Quebec Trunking System, Quebec-Metro, Quebec
RSP Sherbrooke Trunking System, Sherbrooke, Quebec

Some of the Ontario and Quebec systems may be on their way out in favor of P25 and other systems but I'm not familiar with those plans - just the ones I listed.

There's another Ontario system claiming to be AEGIS instead of ProVoice - Waterloo Region Trunking System, Waterloo Region, Ontario - but that technology is so old, I'm interested in learning if this is the truth or not. (IIRC the Newfoundland system may be claimed as AEGIS as well.)

 

[w8prr]

It took me forever to get it entered into my 436, but once I did it seems to work very well, much better than early p25 scanners did. I am listening to Springfield Ohio from 25 miles away (with commercial 800mhz yagi) and it is great

 

[beeperboy]

What happened to the P25 system that was installed for the Vancouver Olympics?

 

[SCPD]

No PV here ... as really not worth listening to. Saving my money by not going there.

Vancouver IMHO for example .. however would be very beneficial to have it.

 

[blacktop]

What happened to the P25 system that was installed for the Vancouver Olympics?

The system was bought by Bell and installed as a province-wide system in Nova Scotia to ultimately replace the provincial Mototola Type II system there. It went live just about a year ago...known as TMR2.

 

[technocardy]

Vancouver IMHO for example .. however would be very beneficial to have it.

That's why I'm getting it, even though I'm only going to be here in Vancouver for another 3 months before moving back to Calgary. Definitely worth the $50 in my opinion to be able to listen to police and EMS.

 

[harryshute]

No PV here ... as really not worth listening to. Saving my money by not going there.

Vancouver IMHO for example .. however would be very beneficial to have it.

Lots of good PV here. Dispatch moves to PV when they need to isolate the analog dispatch channel for an incident. Lots of project team surveillance. Will do the Provoice upgrade soon.

 

[SCPD]

I'm interested in hearing from you guys with EDACS systems, if the ProVoice upgrade for the x36 line works well for you. Especially in places like Edmonton and GVRD where simulcast is in use - it would be very enlightening to know if PRV simulcast digital is better, worse, or the same as P25 simulcast digital.

If you don't chime in, I might have to buy the upgrade myself and do a road trip.

If your asking if we're seeing any issues with the 436 decoding ProVoice in simulcast environments, have not noticed anything strange. Edmonton Simulcast sites are fairly spread out though.
So no noticeable signal distortion in simulcast overlapping (TDI)