396T in Brazoria and Galveston counties

[patchman]

I am planning a trip to Surfside Beach and Galveston and wondering if I can monitor PD, FD, Sheriff etc on my 396T or do I need to upgrade to a phase 2 capable scanner?
Thanks for your help.

 

[hiegtx]

I am planning a trip to Surfside Beach and Galveston and wondering if I can monitor PD, FD, Sheriff etc on my 396T or do I need to upgrade to a phase 2 capable scanner?
Thanks for your help.

You would be better off with a Phase II capable scanner.

Look at the TxWARN P25 system in the database:
https://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?sid=4563

In Brazoria County, Surfside itself is Phase I, but in other agencies in the county, there is a mix of both Phase I & Phase II.

For Galveston, much of the county is still Phase I, but Galveston (city) has some talkgroups that are either Phase II, or are being used as both Phase I & Phase II. (If a Phase I radio, incapable of Phase II, is using the talkgroup, it's usage defaults to Phase I for the conversation. If all units are Phase II, communications will be only in Phase II.)

Of course, Houston itself is Phase II, though much of it is encrypted. There are a few 'mutual aid' talkgroups that are using Phase I. (See Houston Police and Fire P25 - The RadioReference Wiki for more information.)

 

[motorola_otaku]

Of course, Houston itself is Phase II, though much of it is encrypted.

This is not necessarily true. Virtually everything you could easily hear on the old UHF system you can still hear now, with the exception of HFD's tac channels and the HPD tacs (which were simplex on UHF anyway.) I get the impression that a lot of out-of-towners think Houston isn't scannable, when in fact there is quite a lot to listen to.

Within Harris County there are only four police departments that are completely encrypted: Bellaire, West University, Jacinto City, and Jersey Village, and two of those aren't even on the Houston system.