Upgrade keys for SDS100

[Mardi-Gras]

Hey! Total newbie here! I'm buying the SDS100 and the upgrade keys have me stuck! I live in Washington State about an hour North of Seattle. I want to pick up all Law Enforcement, fire and I'll be programming in their "secret" channels. I don't need railroad or anything like that so I was told I don't need the PROVOICE but the DMR probably?? Help! Thank you!

 

[AJAT]

What county/town or city are you trying to listen to. You probably will not need any upgrade keys if you just want to listen to public safety as most in Washington area you described are not DMR or Provoice. Those are mostly private businesses/ham radio. There may be one or two public safety groups that use DMR but I don't think so. If you let us know the area you want to program we can help out more. Also I am not sure what you mean by "secret" channels, and even if I did, I could not tell you because it would not be a secret anymore. Welcome to forums it is a great place to learn and have a little fun as well.

 

[Mardi-Gras]

Thank you very much! I'm in Skagit County Washington which is located about an hour North of Seattle Washington. We got Mt. Vernon, Burlington, Sedro-Woolley and a few surrounding towns. They call the secret police frequencies here the "devil channels because they have 3 sixes in them and they're not available to the public. So they're secret! Lol! Thank you again for your help!

 

[devicelab]

In fact, if you're in the Mt Vernon area then you won't even need 700/800 megs as I believe they're all on VHF/UHF in that area. You can listen to the DoD P25 trunk for Whidbey there but it's mostly encrypted. WSP is still VHF P25 up there.

Yeah, I don't think there's much DMR/NXDN in that area -- mostly commercial business stuff.

 

[AJAT]

They call the secret police frequencies here the "devil channels because they have 3 sixes in them and they're not available to the public.

When you say “not available to the public” what do you mean? Are they encrypted? If the “secret” Channels are in the clear and just not in the data base, submit them to this site so they will no longer be “secret” 🤫
Even if they are encrypted but you know what the agency used them for you can still submit them and just note they are encrypted.

 

[Mardi-Gras]

How do I do that? I don't want to get into trouble or have them change them. Lol

 

[Mardi-Gras]

In fact, if you're in the Mt Vernon area then you won't even need 700/800 megs as I believe they're all on VHF/UHF in that area. You can listen to the DoD P25 trunk for Whidbey there but it's mostly encrypted. WSP is still VHF P25 up there.

Yeah, I don't think there's much DMR/NXDN in that area -- mostly commercial business stuff.

Ok great! Thank you!

 

[AJAT]

How do I do that? I don't want to get into trouble or have them change them. Lol

Click on the submit info tab: Submit Data to RadioReference
Be sure to read the submission guidelines.


The data base on here is 100% compiled be listener submission. There are no secret frequencies police use that they hide from the public and they can’t easily change them. All of their frequencies require an FCC license that is publicly available and searchable. The challenge is to find out what frequencies are still in use, what agency is using them and for what purpose. If the police really don’t want you to listen they will encrypt their transmission. No scanner can decode the transmission and it is illegal to so. You will read a lot on these forums about the big “E” that means that the agency went full time encrypted and can no longer be monitored. That is becoming more and more common as agencies upgrade their systems.

 

[Wilrobnson]

Devil Channel? 666?

Dude, you DO realize Live Free or Die Hard was a movie, right?

 

[devicelab]

Devil Channel? 666?

Dude, you DO realize Live Free or Die Hard was a movie, right?

Don't mind him he's just cranky because HIS command center's outside temperature is like -5F

 

[Mardi-Gras]

Click on the submit info tab: Submit Data to RadioReference
Be sure to read the submission guidelines.


The data base on here is 100% compiled be listener submission. There are no secret frequencies police use that they hide from the public and they can’t easily change them. All of their frequencies require an FCC license that is publicly available and searchable. The challenge is to find out what frequencies are still in use, what agency is using them and for what purpose. If the police really don’t want you to listen they will encrypt their transmission. No scanner can decode the transmission and it is illegal to so. You will read a lot on these forums about the big “E” that means that the agency went full time encrypted and can no longer be monitored. That is becoming more and more common as agencies upgrade their systems.

I will do that! Thank you!!