active Thunder Bay users

[jaray]

Any active Thunder Bay forum users on lately? About to finalize my order for a BCD396XT handheld unless someone who knows our area tells me not to waste the money for a digital trunking unit for around here.
I can sure save alot by going with a good analog trunking unit but I certainly don't mind paying the extra for the digital and I do travel.

I've been reading alot and seem to be getting some conflicting info about whether the OPP in this area are digital or analog trunked. I was told I can get cruiser repeaters on analog so I'm wondering if going digital I'd get dispatch/ops stuff in addition. Unless maybe that particular stuff is encrypted.

Anyone who knows about this area? Someone from here even better for a chat.

thanks from a newbie just diving in...

 

[VE3JSO]

the 396xt is a good choice opp mto enforcement is digital and in the clear for the most part so you will need to a digital scanner for them and i see that thunder bay ps is on edacs provoice which no scanner will be able to pick them up.

 

[jaray]

thanks for that info...I knew about Tbay Police being edacs but happy to know I can get OPP and others in the clear with a digital...time to place my order and start the earning curve.

 

[VE3JSO]

Not a problem

 

[vindictive42]

396xt

I have owned my bcd396xt for just over a year and love it. If you need help and live in the Thunder Bay area, let me know and I will try to answer your questions.


VA3ONE

 

[jaray]

I have had a couple issues that I just can't figure out, so your offer for a bit of help is definitely welcomed.
How best do we contact each other about this? I have a premium membership so I assume I can be PM'd....does that work?

 

[East_Algoma]

TB PS CAN be monitored via a program called DSD 160

search on here for dsd 160 , decodes provoice , ageis etc...

 

[jaray]

thanks East_Algoma....very interesting.
Been reading a bit about this and I see conflicting into between different sites on whether or not I need a discriminator tap for my model Uniden (BCD396XT).
This link seems to say no, but maybe its not about the same thing... can you expand at all?
Trunked Radio Decoders - The RadioReference Wiki

 

[scantbay]

Jayray,

I tried decoding Tbay police on DSD a few months back. I was able to receive and follow the signals on a PSR800 but It appears they are encrypted on top of using Provoice modulation. I'm not 100% sure that all the talkgroups are encrypted, but I suspect they are given the relative newness of the system and the fact that I never did pickup any clear voice transmissions. There is usually enough activity on the other clear channels to follow any events in the city and surrounding areas without listening to the city ps.

I have a Uniden BCD396T and it works great on fleetnet. The 396XT should be a great unit for listening in Thunder Bay. I'm pretty sure it does not have a built in discriminator tap like the PSR800, which might not be big deal given the apparent encryption of the edacs provoice used by the city police.

 

[wrees]

Hi, I am in Thunder Bay and interested in having a chat re radio systems here. I have a 396xt and am very happy with it. Also worked with DSD a couple of years back. I kinda got busy with work and fell away from it all for a bit. MSG me if your interested in getting together for coffee and helping each other out with these new digital modes.

Wayne