Receiving Emergency Services on Walkie Talkie

[azezal]

Hi. I am from uk and have a Twintalker 4710DCP walkie talkie set. I want to be able to receive comms used by emergency services. I am a complete noob with almost no experience in comms, only IT. I have checked the law and it is legal to receive signals from emergency services, but not to interfere with them.

So far all I know is I should be aiming towards 462 mhz frequency. The walkie talkies are german and there is no information online about them to guide me. All I know is that I can change channels from 1 to 7. They vary from 1,1 to 7,7. I don't know if this is anything to do with frequency.

Do I have any hope of picking up emergency service transmissions on these radios or should I look elsewhere? I don't mind tinkering with them, as I do have a lot of experience in electronics, just not in comms. Also these things have been with me for about a year and never really used.

If I have to buy extra parts, I don't mind, but I don't want to just let these not be used or sell them on, because I have had fun with them. The intention is purely to legally receive emergency service comms on these, probably using 462 frequency. I am really new at this. So any advice is welcome. I am not familiar with radio but I don't mind technical terms.

 

[PHOENIX_SCANNER]

You can't do much there, you need to buy a scanner. If you really want to get into scanning you will probably want a digital scanner. I will suggest finding the best price you can on a radio shack pro-106 which pretty much "does it all" and was on sale at Christmas for $300 plus tax. Sadly, most agencies have gone to or are going to digital systems that require digital scanners. The old analog scanners could be had for a third of that cost, but times change.

These forums are a priceless source of information though, so read up before making any choices.

 

[kb2vxa]

I suggest you post your question in the UK forum, Americans are just a tad clueless.

 

[ibagli]

I have checked the law and it is legal to receive signals from emergency services...

No, it isn't.

This means that it is illegal to listen to anything other than general reception transmissions unless you are either a licensed user of the frequencies in question or have been specifically authorised to do so by a designated person.

 

[w8jjr]

What you have are FRS radio's

In the US FRS (Family Radio Service) is mainly utilized for very short-range two-way radio service for recreational activities.

See Family Radio Service - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A license is not required in the UK to use a radio receiver or scanner as long as it is not capable of transmission.
It is not illegal to sell, buy or own a scanner or any other receiver but it should only be used to listen to transmissions meant for general reception.

The services that can be listened to under the definition of general reception are:

licensed broadcasting stations;
amateur and citizens' band radio transmissions; and
weather and navigation transmissions

This means that it is illegal to listen to anything other than general reception transmissions unless you are
either a licensed user of the frequencies in question or have been specifically authorised to do so by a designated person.


In Great Britain, FRS frequencies are used for fire brigade communications

For more info see http://www.ofcom.org.uk/radiocomms/ifi/enforcement/guidance

Scanning is one of the freedoms we americans have. Unlike the rest of the world.
Embrace it and protect it

 

[azezal]

Thanks for info. I've done a bit more research and found that police for instance are now using terrestrial trunk radio system. It works on 16Hz frequency. Produced by 02 and called Airwave.

It seems to me like a bit of a cat and mouse game. In one artical that I read proper digital scanners cost £7k upwards. Although I think this is probably bull. I hope there are ways to modify basic scanners with just a few parts.

I sometimes bought faulty computers, in some cases even picked them up for free in dumps, repaired them and sold them on. Mostly as a hobby. I am sure for the same reason, if I buy a faulty high end digital scanner and dedicate the time to get it working, I could probably get it cheap.

I take it the is no simple way to modify the twintalker 4710 DCP to receive 16Hz frequency. If anyone does know a way to alter the frequency on a walkie talkie then please let me know. Ideally I don't want to pay more than £200 for one. I don't mind buying a faulty one and repairing it, if digital ones are really that expensive.

Back to the more realistic option, does anyone know a scanner that can pick up 16Hz frequency? I read somewhere that its easier to modify a mobile phone, because they work on similar frequency.

 

[azezal]

I have done quiet a lot of research into them now. They are not FRS, they are PMR446. Not that this helps me in any way. I am still trying to figure the frequency I should modify them to although I suspect I need 16 Hz or something. Sorry but I am completely noob on this.

 

[azezal]

Ok I think I have the hang of things almost. I either need a device or be able to modify my walkie talkies, mobile, to pulse at 17.6Hz and broadcast at 400MHz.

 

[hfxChris]

I have to mention it... there are other countries whose scanning laws are as just as liberal as the US.

 

[SCPD]

I have to mention it... there are other countries whose scanning laws are as just as liberal as the US.

This is very true, especially for Canada in addition to the UK, and the EU nations.

 

[zz0468]

I have done quiet a lot of research into them now. They are not FRS, they are PMR446. Not that this helps me in any way. I am still trying to figure the frequency I should modify them to although I suspect I need 16 Hz or something. Sorry but I am completely noob on this.

Very little of what you're saying here is making any sense.

I think it's safe to say that you're not going to be able to modify your radios to listen to public safety. There's very little IT knowledge that will translate to radio in a practical sense that would allow you to make such a modification. All I'm getting from your posts and some of your terminology is a profound lack of understanding of RF. I don't mean that as an insult, but I do mean to say that you have a great deal to learn before you'll be able to successfully modify your radios to get them to do what you want - and even then, it's likely to be impractical or impossible.

You're far better off purchasing a purpose-made receiver, like a scanner, and doing it the way everyone else does.

 

[davidmc36]

. I am sure............ if I buy a faulty high end digital scanner and dedicate the time to get it working, I could probably get it cheap.

I don't mind buying a faulty one and repairing it, if digital ones are really that expensive.

I would expect this to be nigh impossible. If a current generation digital scanner is faulty, it is most likely terminal or something that would have to go to a professional repair shop. With all the minature SMC's, many of which are proprietary that you can not purchase "over the counter", you would have a very hard time repairing a faulty unit.

Save up your beans and buy a nice scanner.

16 hz would not be a radio communication frequency. That is at the lower end of audible sound that an infant can hear.

If your local pulic safety is using this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terrestrial_Trunked_Radio

I am pretty sure it will be impossible to listen to them. Digital Scanners are not that kind of digital

 

[N_Jay]

I have done quiet a lot of research into them now. They are not FRS, they are PMR446. Not that this helps me in any way. I am still trying to figure the frequency I should modify them to although I suspect I need 16 Hz or something. Sorry but I am completely noob on this.

I am a bit confused.

If you are a NOOB, then I doubt you have the technical wherewithal to modify a highly integrated consumer product to do a task that it was not designed for and does not have the hardware or software capabilities for.

If you have the technical skills to accomplish the above task, then you should also have the research skills to find all the information you need.

If you think you fall into the later, you may be mistaken because your questions clearly place you in the former.

(Did I say that nicely enough?)

 

[trace1]

I suggest you post your question in the UK forum, Americans are just a tad clueless.

Got to agree with you one this one!

(Did I say that nicely enough?)

Sounds quite nicely to me.

 

[rvictor]

I've done a bit more research and found that police for instance are now using terrestrial trunk radio system. It works on 16Hz frequency. Produced by 02 and called Airwave.

It sounds like the system in use is the one described here:

Terrestrial Trunked Radio - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

If that's the case, it states that all communications are encrypted. Not only are you unlikely to be able to modify your existing equipment to listen to these communications, but, in all likelihood, you will be unable to even purchase, at any price, equipment containing the necessary hardware and software to decrypt the communications.

If your existing radios are, in fact, PMR446, they operate at 446MHz and are similar to the radios designated as FRS and GMRS in the U.S.

If you have the capabilities necessary to convert your walkie-talkies to this task, you may be missing out on a career with MI6.

Not to mention, of course, that even if you could do this, it would be illegal to listen to these communications.

Dick

 

[N_Jay]

Thanks for info. I've done a bit more research and found that police for instance are now using terrestrial trunk radio system. It works on 16Hz frequency. Produced by 02 and called Airwave.

How did I miss this gem?
You need to hone your research skills.

The AIRWAVE branded TETRA system is owned by O2, but was produced by Motorola, but with the TETRA being a fairly rigorous standard probably has components from several of the TETRA suppliers.

16 Hz is the packet rate, not the frequency.

Back to the more realistic option, does anyone know a scanner that can pick up 16Hz frequency? I read somewhere that its easier to modify a mobile phone, because they work on similar frequency.

My guess is you have nowhere near the understanding to grasp what you are asking let alone the skill to undertake the task.