Picking a Scanner

[altuser]

I live in OKC and want to scan local police with a handheld. I have been looking at either the BCD996P2 or the BCD325P2. If I get either of those do they need a upgrade / software download? Pulled out my old scanner and realized that everything has changed. From what I am reading OKC is encryped? If anyone could help me a bit I would appreciate it.

 

[toad99]

I use a 996P2 and listen to all OKC area systems. For OKC, you will need the Provoice upgrade if you want to hear the OKC fire department, all the OKC police dispatch channels are repeated on the OKWIN system as well; the other OCPD channels are encrypted. OKC is transitioning to P25 Phase II soon, so you would not need the Provoice option in the future. OKWIN is also transitioning to P25 as well. OKWIN can suffer from analog simulcast distortion, but the OKC system does not seem to be affected. To make life easier, programming software is a must; I use Freescan.

 

[altuser]

I use a 996P2 and listen to all OKC area systems. For OKC, you will need the Provoice upgrade if you want to hear the OKC fire department, all the OKC police dispatch channels are repeated on the OKWIN system as well; the other OCPD channels are encrypted. OKC is transitioning to P25 Phase II soon, so you would not need the Provoice option in the future. OKWIN is also transitioning to P25 as well. OKWIN can suffer from analog simulcast distortion, but the OKC system does not seem to be affected. To make life easier, programming software is a must; I use Freescan.

when you say the "the other okc channels are encrypted" do you mean like tatical. can you hear transmission from the car back to the dispatch or is that encrypted as well?

 

[altuser]

I use a 996P2 and listen to all OKC area systems. For OKC, you will need the Provoice upgrade if you want to hear the OKC fire department, all the OKC police dispatch channels are repeated on the OKWIN system as well; the other OCPD channels are encrypted. OKC is transitioning to P25 Phase II soon, so you would not need the Provoice option in the future. OKWIN is also transitioning to P25 as well. OKWIN can suffer from analog simulcast distortion, but the OKC system does not seem to be affected. To make life easier, programming software is a must; I use Freescan.

can you hear the officers reply from car to dispatch? or is it dispatch only? Seems i have so much reading to do. This has changed alot from buying a old radioshack scanner and punching in some numbers.

 

[toad99]

Yes, you can hear all traffic on the dispatch channels (dispatch to car and car to dispatch and car to car).
All of the other talkgroups (channels) such as Impact, tac, and investigations are encrypted and you will not hear them. I see that the tac talkgroups in the database don't show as encrypted, but I have never heard anything on them. You can monitor the dispatch comms on the OKWIN system as well so no Provoice capability is needed for the police, just for the OKC fire dept.

If you want to monitor Bethany, Warr Acres, Mustang or Yukon, Provoice will be required.

However, I have found that a scanner with Provoice gives a much cleaner audio than the feeds to the OKWIN system (Provoice is digital audio). The audio volume can vary quite a bit from one transmission to another, however.

Yes, today's trunking systems are vastly more complex than in the simple days of one frequency per channel. Trunking (similar to the systems that cell phones use) is now used to conserve the number of actual radio frequencies used for a large system. So instead of individual frequencies for each use, a "talkgroup" number is now assigned for each "channel" (such as OCPD Hefner Dispatch) and and the whole thing is computer controlled, with the actual radio frequencies used jumping from one to another. In a very large system like OKWIN, there are many "sites" that supply the actual radio frequencies and computer control for different locations, but the talkgroup assignments are the same throughout the system. Also, the trend is to go to digital audio, too. You will need to read up on this stuff in the Wiki section of Radioreference.

 

[altuser]

Yes, you can hear all traffic on the dispatch channels (dispatch to car and car to dispatch and car to car).
All of the other talkgroups (channels) such as Impact, tac, and investigations are encrypted and you will not hear them. I see that the tac talkgroups in the database don't show as encrypted, but I have never heard anything on them. You can monitor the dispatch comms on the OKWIN system as well so no Provoice capability is needed for the police, just for the OKC fire dept.

If you want to monitor Bethany, Warr Acres, Mustang or Yukon, Provoice will be required.

However, I have found that a scanner with Provoice gives a much cleaner audio than the feeds to the OKWIN system (Provoice is digital audio). The audio volume can vary quite a bit from one transmission to another, however.

Yes, today's trunking systems are vastly more complex than in the simple days of one frequency per channel. Trunking (similar to the systems that cell phones use) is now used to conserve the number of actual radio frequencies used for a large system. So instead of individual frequencies for each use, a "talkgroup" number is now assigned for each "channel" (such as OCPD Hefner Dispatch) and and the whole thing is computer controlled, with the actual radio frequencies used jumping from one to another. In a very large system like OKWIN, there are many "sites" that supply the actual radio frequencies and computer control for different locations, but the talkgroup assignments are the same throughout the system. Also, the trend is to go to digital audio, too. You will need to read up on this stuff in the Wiki section of Radioreference.

Thank you for the replys. I am thinking about buying a BVD436HP, then i should be covered if they go over to phase 2? I do appreciate your time.

 

[toad99]

The 436 would do anything that you need for the OKC area. The Sentinel programming software for this radio uses the RR database and makes setting up Favorite Lists easy. I know the advertising for the 436 indicates that all you need to do is put in your zip code, but customization for your own listening situation is the way to go. This scanner is both simple and complex at the same time; just read the features list in the RR Wiki section. My 436 gets used every day; I’ve had it for a few years now and still don’t use a lot of it’s features.

 

[altuser]

The 436 would do anything that you need for the OKC area. The Sentinel programming software for this radio uses the RR database and makes setting up Favorite Lists easy. I know the advertising for the 436 indicates that all you need to do is put in your zip code, but customization for your own listening situation is the way to go. This scanner is both simple and complex at the same time; just read the features list in the RR Wiki section. My 436 gets used every day; I’ve had it for a few years now and still don’t use a lot of it’s features.

Ok, thank you. looks like i will try to grab one. do i need a DMR upgrade for anything in OKC?

 

[Soundman]

This should help View and Compare Your Police Scanner Options | Scanner Master .

 

[toad99]

You will need DMR for the OKC fire dept, Warr Acres, Bethany, Mustang, and Yukon police and fire. The OKC Police dispatch channels are repeated on OKWIN, which is presently analog in the OKC area.

I would suggest that you download the latest Sentinel software from Uniden and play with that. Use the database to create favorite lists, quick keys for the lists, etc. Set up a profile for your new scanner as well.

One thing that may be a bit confusing is that Sentinel program deals with Profiles and Favorite Lists, which are separate entities. Favorite lists don't change when you pick or create a different Profile. A Profile is really a set of radio specific settings. When you have Sentinel write the programming to the scanner, be sure to turn on the Monitor and Download boxes in the Scan Selection tab for all your favorite lists, and also to check the appropriate Quick Key boxes under the Quick Keys Status tab. Every Favorites List should have a Quick Key assigned to it. If you forget to check the boxes in the Quick Keys Status tab, you will get the dreaded "Nothing to Scan" on the scanner display (you can afterwards enable the quick keys on the scanner itself).

You can't edit a Favorite List until you highlight it and then click the "Edit Favorites List" icon up top.

I think the "Nothing to Scan" is the most common programming error with the new Uniden scanners.

 

[mule1075]

You will need DMR for the OKC fire dept, Warr Acres, Bethany, Mustang, and Yukon police and fire. The OKC Police dispatch channels are repeated on OKWIN, which is presently analog in the OKC area.

I would suggest that you download the latest Sentinel software from Uniden and play with that. Use the database to create favorite lists, quick keys for the lists, etc. Set up a profile for your new scanner as well.

One thing that may be a bit confusing is that Sentinel program deals with Profiles and Favorite Lists, which are separate entities. Favorite lists don't change when you pick or create a different Profile. A Profile is really a set of radio specific settings. When you have Sentinel write the programming to the scanner, be sure to turn on the Monitor and Download boxes in the Scan Selection tab for all your favorite lists, and also to check the appropriate Quick Key boxes under the Quick Keys Status tab. Every Favorites List should have a Quick Key assigned to it. If you forget to check the boxes in the Quick Keys Status tab, you will get the dreaded "Nothing to Scan" on the scanner display (you can afterwards enable the quick keys on the scanner itself).

You can't edit a Favorite List until you highlight it and then click the "Edit Favorites List" icon up top.

I think the "Nothing to Scan" is the most common programming error with the new Uniden scanners.

ProVoice not dmr for the FD.

 

[simpilo]

My method is looking at the specs first and reviews. Some may say reviews are just a section for people to moan about it but nah. I believe in the most amount of reviews with highest rating is a witness to the quality of the product and shipping. Somewhat of a so to speak 'reputation' tell-all.

Picking a scanner these days can be difficult compared to like 1994 when you can walk into Radio Shack and listen to the demo radios on display. That's why we need reviews. People who took the risk and want to recommend or not the radio seems fair enough to me. I won't touch sellers with no ratings nor their product without a rating. I am not big on risks when I have to pay nearly $1,000.

I'll look at classifieds but I won't consider buying unless the seller is in my city. I prefer paying in person upfront with the scanner in my hand.

I haven't bought a scanner since 1997. I use SDR dongles for trunking. If I were to have the money my pick would be the BC996 because it was reported it handles simulcast distortion best in the Oklahoma City area.

Oklahoma City has 2 EDACS sites with a total of 32 LCN's all Provoice emissions are wider and stronger than OKWIN Site 8's 16 LCN's Thats 48 total LCN's. Simulcast distortion hell, Where I am at I probably could listen to all the inputs being so close to Shartel and Robert S Kerr. Nice antenna farm on that building

 

[toad99]

Yes, the OKC FD and listed towns would use Provoice, not DMR.

I’m not sure why, but with an omnidirectional antenna (like a handheld scanner) the OKC Provoice and analog channels never have simulcast distortion. OKWIN, however, is terrible. I have a 996XT that is pretty bad with an Omni antenna, so it’s connected to a 6 element 800 MHz Yagi antenna to eliminate simulcast distortion on the OKWIN analog system. The directional antenna is great.

In case anyone is wondering, my SDS100 on the OKWIN system in OKC has worse distortion than my 436.
It’s very hard to listen to. So I guess that the SDS100 simulcast goodness is only for digital.

 

[simpilo]

Yes, the OKC FD and listed towns would use Provoice, not DMR.

I’m not sure why, but with an omnidirectional antenna (like a handheld scanner) the OKC Provoice and analog channels never have simulcast distortion. OKWIN, however, is terrible. I have a 996XT that is pretty bad with an Omni antenna, so it’s connected to a 6 element 800 MHz Yagi antenna to eliminate simulcast distortion on the OKWIN analog system. The directional antenna is great.

In case anyone is wondering, my SDS100 on the OKWIN system in OKC has worse distortion than my 436.
It’s very hard to listen to. So I guess that the SDS100 simulcast goodness is only for digital.

Trunk88 handles simulcast distortion well monitoring OKWIN. It has a narrower audio band pass compared to Unitrunker. A wider pass will let more side stronger 'channel' to leak in on the wanted channel. RTL-SDR is a fair choice for trunking in a simulcast distortion infested area. The problem is portability. Sometimes I wonder if Unitrunker is set wider than 6.25khz.

I know you speak of the SDS100 but this is my example of a cure. SDS100 probably could be checked if 6.25khz is set. We don't want any wider than that on system with packed LCN's like Oklahoma City and OKWIN combined.

Small picture of wanted channel sandwiched between two much stronger and a little wider EDACS Provoice signals. This is why we want 6.25khz set. Any wider will have distortion.

Including a 53 seconds sample of Trunk88 monitoring OKWIN with a high input volume to detect for simulcast distortion. A little still exists but weak. https://vocaroo.com/i/s1yADC6vRyeY