County just went digital - We're locked out

[thebrunswicknews]

We have a BCD325P2 and a BCD996P2 and our county just went digital this morning. I realize encrypted is encrypted so my question isn't how can we decrypt it. My question is how to best request access to the scanner frequencies and would the scanners I mentioned above allow us to hear those channels? I've heard them mention on the analog channels that the digital channels are in the 700s.

Are there any scanners that pick up digital encrypted channels?

 

[UPMan]

A) What county is that.
B) You will find multiple instances of the answer: If they are encrypted, you'll never hear them on a scanner (it is illegal to do so).

That said going digital <> encrypted.

 

[QDP2012]

Looking at your profile location, I'm assuming you are referencing Glynn County Georgia.

The DB page indicates they used a "SmartNet" Trunking system previously/currently.

Going digital doesn't always mean going encrypted. Do you know for sure that they have actually encrypted?

Or, is it possible that they simply changed from "SmartNet" to something like "P25 Phase II" or "DMR"?

If so, then you might have some success by using your scanner to search and find the control-channel(s) on the new system, and then identify the talkgroups that are in-use.

If they went to "DMR" then you might need to upgrade your equipment.

Please share your findings here. Thanks.

Hope this helps,

 

[thebrunswicknews]

We're in Glynn County, Ga. We've spoken with a few people and they seem to indicate if we get written permission we can be granted access. They're on a P25 now and it is encrypted.

 

[QDP2012]

We're in Glynn County, Ga. We've spoken with a few people and they seem to indicate if we get written permission we can be granted access. They're on a P25 now and it is encrypted.

If it is encrypted, then you will not be able to decrypt it with a scanner. If you receive proper authorization (in writing) to receive the encrypted signal(s), you will need to purchase, or be issued, a professional radio which can be programmed with an encryption key.

Edit: Your options for being a feed-provider might be influenced by written agreements you probably will need to sign in order to gain authorization to decrypt the encrypted signal.

 

[ka3jjz]

It sounds like Glynn is migrating from their current system to this...

Southeast Georgia Regional Radio Network (SEGARRN) Trunking System, Savannah, Georgia - Scanner Frequencies

Right now the above shows only public services (in digital mode) is on that system, but it sounds like things are changing. A note in the Georgia forum might be in order to validate this. Never trust the users to think they know what 'digital' really means. It's all greek to most of the non-tech types...Mike

 

[thebrunswicknews]

I added those four frequencies listed in Glynn and I am getting some chatter now.

 

[UPMan]

The original request for quote summary by the county did mention P25 but did not mention encryption (but the full RFQ is no longer available on their site).

 

[thebrunswicknews]

I looked that up too but couldn't find the frequencies.

 

[ka3jjz]

I think you need to dig through the FCC records for those frequencies, assuming they are getting new ones and not using the ones they already have...Mike

 

[QDP2012]

I added those four frequencies listed in Glynn and I am getting some chatter now.

You probably already did, but be sure to enter (or download) the four tower-frequencies into your scanner as a P25 trunked-system, and not as individual conventional P25 frequencies.

Hope this helps,

 

[thebrunswicknews]

Thanks a lot! Right now I have the four frequencies in and they are broadcasting without encryption. So I'm going to program in the other channels I found in the FCC filing.

Do I need to worry about programming in the DEC? I programmed those in on our regular Motorola Type II Smartnet to tell which agency was currently broadcasting.

 

[EricCottrell]

Hello,

The SEGARRN system looks like a mixture of Digital and Encrypted. It is possible to mix 700 MHz and 800 MHz frequencies on the same system, so it is possible the frequencies on the old system will be migrated over to the new system.

Glynn Public Safety Agencies are not listed in the database, so you need to turn on ID Search and see if you can find the different talkgroups as they are migrated over. There maybe some other local people over on the Georgia forum watching this system that can help.

73 Eric

 

[thebrunswicknews]

I'm grateful for everyone's help. It seems like since our public safety radios have made the switch to digital the powers that be have allowed some channels through. So I've been diligently writing down the DEC channels as I see them appear on the display.

My question now is how do I go about getting the descriptions for these channels like they are displayed on this page: https://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?sid=395

Is it something that the local departments have to provide?

 

[JStemann]

Unless you or someone else has some type of "source" familiar with the system programming, you'll most likely have to listen to the traffic on the talkgroups(dec) and determine what they're being used for. Much of the system information in the database is determined in that way. Once you have good idea of what the talkgroups are used for you can submit the info to the database, then one of the administrators will update the system and it'll eventually look like the one you linked to.

Jeff.

 

[ka3jjz]

While there have been cases where folks have provided official descriptions, for the most part, these are deduced by members that monitor the system and document the alpha tags as they are used. Sometimes they are assigned by the DBAs from the notes provided by the members

Mike

 

[rtucker2000]

What agencies have you been able to find? I'm only getting fire, ems, and gsp.

 

[compuscan]

"you might have some success by using your scanner to search and find the control-channel(s) on the new system, and then identify the talkgroups that are in-use"

Sorry if this is a dumb question but I'm somewhat new to trunking systems. How do you search for control channels on a new system on a HP-1? I sometimes do a conventional discovery scan and find digital signals (have no idea what they are). Sometimes they are in the VHF-HI and sometimes in the 400 MHz & 800 MHz band. Trunking discovery scans seem to find new users on an existing system.

 

[EricCottrell]

Hello,

The digital signals could be one of a number of digital systems. The HP-1 will mute the audio when it stops on a P25 control channel. The word dat will be displayed on the screen if it is P25.

If you find something, the next step is to program the frequency as a P25 trunked system and turn on ID Search. Many P25 trunked systems broadcast a frequency map, so the scanner should receive any unencrypted talkgroups. The next step when you hear voice traffic is to identify the system and at least add other frequencies that can be used as P25 control channels.

73 Eric

 

[DickH]

I'm grateful for everyone's help. It seems like since our public safety radios have made the switch to digital the powers that be have allowed some channels through. So I've been diligently writing down the DEC channels as I see them appear on the display.

My question now is how do I go about getting the descriptions for these channels like they are displayed on this page: https://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?sid=395

Is it something that the local departments have to provide?

FYI. If you take the 800MHz talk group number and divide it by 16 you will have the 700MHz talk group number. The description should remain the same. At least that's how it's working in Portland, OR.