Seems the logic should be just the opposite. There's clearly interest in community members within the group. Seems they need to elect better, more transparent officials that support dispatch in the clear.
Alabama Interoperable Radio System (was: Alabama First Responder Network)
Seems the logic should be just the opposite. There's clearly interest in community members within the group. Seems they need to elect better, more transparent officials that support dispatch in the clear.
Well the guy who runs the group recently has posted misinformation about Loxley PD involving a crash from a pursuit. He posted that the officer crashed when in fact it was the person they were chasing crashed. That ticked off Loxley PD. But the guy doesn't own a scanner, only uses a scanner app or Broadcastify itself and the only LE channels on there is the state troopers. I'm guessing Loxley PD is just taking precautions for if he ever does get a scanner.
That's disappointing. I guess it's only a matter of time before the few remaining police departments flip over as well.
I noticed that when Loxley was on BCERN the other day their also sounded more like NXDN patch audio, but they still had their radio IDs. I wonder if that was somehow related...
I noticed that when Loxley was on BCERN the other day their also sounded more like NXDN patch audio, but they still had their radio IDs. I wonder if that was somehow related...
Yes I noticed that too from a chase they were in last night, the audio wasn't as good as usual. I was told that as long as there are two systems (P25 and NXDN) that the BC Law channels won't get encrypted due to the complications it would involve.
anyone know any talk groups from limestone county area yet.
With my SDR, I’ve identified a number of talk group IDs they’ve been transmitting on but most of the groups have only had encrypted transmissions. Hoping that’s not going to be the case. Athens PD and Limestone County Sheriff currently transmit everything on the UHF frequencies. Can anyone confirm if any of the Limestone County work is being held up by delays with Giles County, TN? Rumor was that they were upgrading to 7/800 in conjunction with each other.
AIRS is a joke anyways
why you say that
radiopro52
Member
Has Orange Beach PD finally gone encrypted? Last time I was down there they were still in the clear.
Yes, sadly, they flipped the switch at the start of April this year, both on the main channel and the ops channels.
There's a tac channel (22212) listed that's still in the clear but it's mostly the b-team hunting down lost dogs and doing golf cart inspections. The PD also shows up in the clear from time to time on the special events channel for concerts and sporting events.
radiopro52
Member
Thanks for the confirmation. Sad indeed, but not surprising either. It's a miracle that they were in the clear for as long as they were really.
Again, thanks to the jerks who stream police audio and/or post online what they hear over the air.
radiopro52
Member
I don't think anyone was streaming their traffic online (at least through broadcastify), unless someone just recently started doing so. Makes me wonder what made them decide to flip the switch now.
Just streaming in general, but there is a guy down here who seems to want to post things he hears online. Years ago I was under the impression that even telling someone else what you heard on a scanner was illegal.
I've never been really clear on what the law says, exactly, but I know it's considered good etiquette to not go blabbing about what you hear in public forums, especially if it's laced with speculation and opinion.
It wouldn't surprise me if the switch to encryption was hastened because of social media posts, but that has also been the trend for law enforcement for a long time now, so it could be coincidence. Before Orange Beach it was Loxley, before Loxley it was Foley, if I remember right. Whether any other agency in this area was in the clear before switching on encryption is something I've always been curious about.
It wouldn't surprise me if the switch to encryption was hastened because of social media posts, but that has also been the trend for law enforcement for a long time now, so it could be coincidence. Before Orange Beach it was Loxley, before Loxley it was Foley, if I remember right. Whether any other agency in this area was in the clear before switching on encryption is something I've always been curious about.
I remember back in the day when the county was on VHF I would block them because the calls were so boring. Of course, that was about 300,000 people ago.
I've always heard that police work in most agencies is 95% tedium and 5% excitement, so it wouldn't surprise me if the vast majority of their calls are still pretty mundane even with the explosive growth of the county. That seems to be my experience with the few PDs still in the clear around here. At least there's still a few interesting things to listen to for now. I get particular jollies at listening to some of the smaller towns where there's still a bit of "Andy of Mayberry" vibe to police and fire work.
Edit to add: One thing I'd love to know more about is the history of the public safety systems along this stretch of the gulf coast, but unfortunately finding historical information on scanner frequencies, old 10-codes and signal codes, and stuff like when cities and counties migrated from VHF to UHF or the old analog trunked systems is impossible to find. I know I've mentioned in other threads in years past that I vacationed down here as a kid in the 80's and 90's and always brought a scanner but rarely heard anything from any police departments while at the beach, so I don't know if they just weren't very busy back then, or I had the wrong frequencies, or what. By the time I grew up and moved down here permanently everyone was on AIRS or the NXDN system.
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