The future of Digital

[xxxsandman]

I bought my 1st portable digital scanner a couple weeks ago, a Uniden BCD396T. It's a fine scanner and I programmed it up with all the State DPS stuff. I live in NE Oklahoma, by Pryor. I can't pick up the State DPS system in my area. So, I took the new portable with me on my next trip to Tulsa. About Claremore I started picking the DPS System up and by Catossa it was clear.

I was hoping I might hear my 1st digital comms, but quickly found out anything digital was encrypted. At least during my 3 hours of listening.

I read that Tulsa is trying to move all of it's agencies to Digital soon. I suppose they too, will be encrypted once digital. I mean, why wouldn't they encrypt it, once they make the move to digital? Is there any reason they would run digital without encryption? I can't think of any. The quality of the analog communications on the Tulsa DPS system was superb, so I don't know of any reason to switch Digital, other then encryption. So now I ask myself why I spent the extra $ buying a digital trunking scanner, instead of an anolog one.......

James

 

[N_Jay]

Encryption options still add cost and complexity to a digital radio system.

They also add complexity to the management of the system.

Plus they stir up (mostly unfounded) fears of inappropriate covert intentions.

 

[kikito]

So now I ask myself why I spent the extra $ buying a digital trunking scanner, instead of an anolog one.......

James

Not all digital systems and communications are or will be encrypted.

The main drive and funding for new digital systems is coming from the Homeland Security grants and the (somehow misguided) efforts to fight terrorism, which are both used as a pretext to run "closed" systems/communications. Other reasons are the push to comply with federal mandates of narrowbanding/spectrum efficiency and interoperability, which converting to digital is not absolutely necessary to accomplish any or all of those objectives.

Like N_Jay mentioned, many agencies will not use encryption because, especially on big systems, it substantially increases the budget and maintenance of the system. Not to mention, adding one more *possible* point of failure/malfunction and possibly hindering interoperability between agencies if the encryption implemention is not done properly.