Williamsburg,York Co. and JCC Trunked system

[mikext]

Anyone have any tips for scanning this system with a RS PRO-96 It seems to be encrypted on fire/rescue or is it operator error thanks, Mike

 

[RagnarD]

Hi Mikext,

The Williamsburg James City County TRS is a real pain in the backside to scan just for that reason (encryption).

I don't even fool with it any more.

73
de
chris
kq4z

 

[rbenn]

I recently visited Williamsburg on a family trip and tried to tune in to this system. Not only do they use encryption, but the TGs and conversations that are encrypted seem to vary on a regular basis. I even heard conversations where 1 half was encrypted and the other half was not. Seems like a bizarre way to operate.

Randy

 

[kg4rgn]

Been listen to the system from the very start, easy to listen to with a BC 396T.

 

[BoxAlarm187]

KG4RGN --

I'm curious about your post. I have seen people post on here a number of times that the JCC/York system is not even worth programming in your scanner since they're running so much encrytion. Do you find this to be the case also?

 

[n4jri]

A PRO-96 user's view

I always feel like I'm doing weak signal work with Wmbg/JCC on my PRO-96--even when in downtown Williamsburg. Richmond/Henrico/Chesterfield has far more range away from its area of use.

Either the PRO-96 simply doesn't like the 9600 baud as much, or there is something in the JCC system itself that it doesn't deal with well.

I have wondered if some of the perceived encryption may just be the signal breaking up.

73/Allen (N4JRI)

 

[fmon]

I disagree on the 96 and 9600 baud systems. The 96/2096 do very well on VA STARS (VHF), WV Interop (UHF) and IL STARCOM21 (800) systems.

Also, encryption is encryption, no matter which scanner is used. While setting in the parking lot at York High and running Pro96Com out of my 96 and listening at the same time on my 2096, encryption was abundant on both radios at the same time on the same talkgroups, many times on school bus traffic.

I agree with Chris, who has both the 396 and 96 - not worth monitoring.

 

[BoxAlarm187]

Chris and Frank, thanks for the info.

 

[LEH]

Boxalarm 187,

I have the York/JCC system programmed in to my digital scanners. I live in York County, so even a little info is helpful.

As to encryption. Way too much, seems like every other transmission is encrypted regardless of the talk group. So one only gets half a conversation. Sometimes its the mobile units who are encrypted then its the dispatcher.

If you don't live in the county and at least want to know a little of what's happening, it really is a waste of time. My 396 doesn't put out the garbage, but it still stops on the encrypted transmissions.

While I'm on encryption, I thought I heard the Park Service (which is now digital) using encryption the other day. THE PARK SERVICE

 

[BoxAlarm187]

Lynn, thanks, that's what I was looking for. I travel quite a bit, but don't make it to Tidewater as often as I would like, so I don't get to monitor the JCC system all that much. As I complete the programming on my 996T tonight, I won't even bother putting that system in.

 

[ZR1LT5]

One thing that York County did (I'm not sure if JCC or Wmsbg did this also) is continue to broadcast their Fire/EMT calls on their old frequency 154.400. You can't hear the units but just the base. I'm told they did this because all of the individual fire fighters, who had cheaper scanners, complaining they would have to spend $500 to listen while off duty.

 

[tuttleje]

Williamsburg Fire and James City County Fire dispatchers still broadcast on VHF. Williamsburg is 154.145 and JCC is 154.355. I listen to the James City, Williamsburg, York trunked system quite a bit. With the exception of a few police and fire units, almost all the transmissions in Williamsburg and James City on the Police and Fire systems are not encrypted. The exception is that the JCC and Williamsburg public works talk groups are always encrypted (just lock them out). York County Fire and Police have a tendency to encrypt more often. However, there is no real logic to what they chose to encrypt. I have heard animal control talk groups encrypted. At the same time, the police were conducting sensitive operations in the clear.

 

[rbenn]

One thing that York County did (I'm not sure if JCC or Wmsbg did this also) is continue to broadcast their Fire/EMT calls on their old frequency 154.400. You can't hear the units but just the base. I'm told they did this because all of the individual fire fighters, who had cheaper scanners, complaining they would have to spend $500 to listen while off duty.

Most counties that upgrade their systems maintain the conventional freqs for fire/rescue dispatch. It's not so much the scanners that they're concerned with, but the Minitors and Plectrons that volunteers use for alerting. It would cost a lot of money to replace these.

Randy

 

[ZR1LT5]

Most counties that upgrade their systems maintain the conventional freqs for fire/rescue dispatch. It's not so much the scanners that they're concerned with, but the Minitors and Plectrons that volunteers use for alerting. It would cost a lot of money to replace these.

Randy

I was just quoting what the radio manager for York County told me....of course, he probably left this part out thinking I wouldn't understand it. He's just that way. I work for York County and he's a hard guy to talk to.