BCD396T Windsor area?

[FoeHammer]

OK been a scanner use for years , am in windsor area & looking at upgrading to the 396T , anyone in this area have one ? I've read many areas around us now using the p25 encrypted ,...sigh how does it work with our system
Also what are the main issues ? theres a new fimware flash , and the silkscreen printing on it smears off according to some reports , anything else?
I 'm going to ask them to flash it before they send it to me , & see what they say

 

[sunfireguy]

Re: bcd396t

I am from leamington but I work in Windsor, I have a Bc246t and it works fine for me. I can't see why you would have a problem with it. The County Police are going p25 encrypted, I haven't heard anything about the Windsor Trunk, but who knows.....

 

[FoeHammer]

Well the issues with the new flash to fix bugs & the ink coming off are specific to the BCD396T , I did look at the unit u have which is essentialy the same minus the p25 digital , but decided to hold out & keep saving for the 396T
where did you get your Bc246t anyway?

 

[joegen62]

BCD396T In Windsor

Well I just bought one from the states so I will be spending some time getting used to dynamic memory allocation. I'v done some homework on it and it seems to be pretty cool. As far as the county cops going encryption there really is not much we can do about that. Not much stuff going on in the county anyway. A few drug bust or two .
Anyway I will keep you posted
Bye for now

THEY SAY KNOWLEDGE IS POWER SO,
FREE THE POWER AND HAVE FUN.

Joey the Bull.

 

[woody_461]

I almost bought the RS 2096 digital scanner, but decided to wait.Rumour is the Windsor police are going to migrate to Fleetnet.I would expect it to be encrypted also because of the proximity to Detroit(border security issues).Seeing the county police go encrypted makes it even more worrisome for me.

We can only hope more services don't go encrypted, or scanning in this area (Essex County)will be useless.

I can still hear analog CCAC (ambulance)calls on Fleetnet with my Optocom (closed mode), as well as the Windsor trunk.

Next question is what the city/county fire depts. are going to do?The county fire system is antiquated.

Ugh...my post sounds so depressing, sorry for that.

 

[FoeHammer]

well this the dilemma I'm in I would like to get back into scanning again ,
the main thing is this encryption business , its a shame that uniden worked so hard to come up with a great product & now the main thing people will want to use it for goes encrypted , Our rural areas are p25 encrypted ,so I have been trying to find out weather or not the windsor police will go this route as well but its pretty hard to find out whats planned , I'm tempted to contact them & ask but I don't know how id explain wanting to know the techical details & future of thier communication system.........
Id imagine it would be more complicated & costly for windsor to now go encrypted , unless they do a complete switch over to p25, seems it wasnt to long ago they put out the cash for the trunked system ,also its a city system there are other agencies on it , for instance a fire truck can call pd over city channel , so how would that work?
I guess it would either all go encryped or those that need to contact wpd could switch to enc mode ,...what about interoperatability with detroit will they both have the same encryption technology?I dunno , when I think about it id imagine wpd going encrypted would cause some headaches with inter agency and cross border interoperability , & wouldnt it make more sense to not spend in that area till they see what they are gonna have to do for rebanding?but then again i look all around me at the lil counties & someone convinced them to go encrypted,... so i dunno , the best thing i could come up with was to look at thier budget
posted on thier site Its the wpd budget through 2008
theses are the following radio related that I found there...
Under special projects technology section
Voice/data mobile communications Automatic vehicle location system
-complete wps voice & data communication needs assesment
-upgrade cad& mdt software
-conduct pilot with Versaterm over data channel ( whats this mean?)
-replace 79 mdt's
-through 2006-07 replace 1 third of motorola portable radios
-electronic crown brief disclosure-coordinate implementation with crowns office ( again i have no idea what this means)
-Rcmp c.p.i.c interface implement & review technology & security measures & infrastructure ( ?)
There was some other things there too but didnt seem radio realated
So I dunno but to me ,...I didnt see a thing about going p25 or going encrypted , but hey who knows I didnt hear much before everything else went either , but it does seem like thier budget has some major spending allready planned , can they afford to just say oh ya and tack on some digital with a side dish of encryption on there would ya...I just dont know , I wish there was a way I could know for sure whats gonna happen to help me decide when & if I should buy the bcd396t even if I knew id get say a few years out of it or so....,...its a good chunk of change to spend , to have it sit in drawer somewhere cuz u cant hear anything on it , If anyone knows or knows how I can find out with reasonable certainty weather or not Windsor police will be going digital encrypted , lemme know cuz i dont want to spend that kinda money again and only get like a year out of it ,
If it were to last say 7 years its like subscribing to listen to the pd for 100 bux a year yikes! expensive but not nearly as much of a bummer as if it would only last 1 or 2 years ,....... :shock:

 

[woody_461]

A link I found on this site.Look at the news section.

http://www.radioreference.com/modules.php?name=TRSDB&sid=95&nopt=1

Nothing is definite about encryption.Hopefully they will only encrypt sensitive info like they currently are.We took a big hit in traffic when MDT's were implimented by the PD.I hope you get some real answers about this.

 

[FoeHammer]

Yes , Thanks Marv ,been using the bc895 here & ya the mdts did quiet things down
I dont see anything there about encryption , but would they tell you if it was planned I dunno ,Ill try & reseach what detroits plan is I guess as I suppose we will follow suit , maybe they know whats coming ,....

 

[nwadler]

Dont forget that there are a few trunking places that are apco so you would need a new scanner to track them.

 

[FoeHammer]

Yes thats true nwadler This is why I'm looking at upgrading to the BCD396T
Apco 25 capable ,...as it does look like eventually my city (Windsor) will be going digital ,

Windsor officials are currently planning to upgrade their present Type II TRS to an ASTRO (APCO-25) TRS, within the next two years, with the addition of several new tower sites across the city and adjoining areas.

that shouldnt be a problem ,..But what I'm worried about is
Are they going to be Encrypted as well....
This is what I'm trying to find out , Once Windsor goes p25 , will it then go encrypted as well , as the counties around it have done? thus rendering my new BCD396T the most expensive toy I never really got any use out of?

Now that news quote was posted on 2002-06-27 18:53:35 7 was supposed to be the 2 year plan , well we havent switched yet so who knows , but like I say the digital is not the problem , but what I need to know is Will they also go encrypted? this is what will determine weather or not I upgrade now , or at all,......

 

[mikewazowski]

but like I say the digital is not the problem , but what I need to know is Will they also go encrypted? this is what will determine weather or not I upgrade now , or at all,......

You will never know until they actually go on the air.

In the meantime, buy the scanner and enjoy the other stuff that's out there to listen to. If they do go unencrypted P25 then you'll be all set. If they go encrypted, then you will have gotten the use out of it until then.

 

[FoeHammer]

very true mike , thanks for your response ,thats exactly what my girlfriend says , she says shes tired of me agonizing over this decision & to just get the darn thing lol , but im just thinking of how I would be so terribly totally bummed for an unreasonable amout of time if like 6 months or a year after I get it , it is only good for listing to the Tim Hortons drive through window...

 

[scnnr]

but like I say the digital is not the problem , but what I need to know is Will they also go encrypted? this is what will determine weather or not I upgrade now , or at all,......

You will never know until they actually go on the air.

In the meantime, buy the scanner and enjoy the other stuff that's out there to listen to. If they do go unencrypted P25 then you'll be all set. If they go encrypted, then you will have gotten the use out of it until then.

I agree with Mike, Stop worrying about what might happen, get the radio and enjoy. Besides being in Windsor won't you be able to monitor the OPP stuff, Michigan State system as well as Detroit City? Seems to me there should be all kinds of monitoring for you :lol:

Randy

 

[dtravers]

The City of Detroit's new project 25 system will be a subsystem of the
MPSCS Digital. Windsor Police and Fire must be able to communicate
With DFD, DFD-EMS, DPD, we share a common emergency action plan.

DFD, DFD-EMS, DPD (excluding DPD Narcotics, Major Crimes, Sex Crimes, Homicide and Tatical Services ( Bomb Squad / SRT) will not be encrypted.

If Windsor is encrypted on their system, they will not be on the Detroit system. 25 Talk groups are reserved for Windsor on that system.

This is all secret info so don't tell anyone. lol

 

[woody_461]

Well, there you go FoeHammer.That information is what you were after.Very informative post of 'top secret' information.lol.

Thanks, dtravers, that clears a lot up. I might even take the plunge to digital soon.

 

[Forts]

-conduct pilot with Versaterm over data channel ( whats this mean?)

London Police has been using this for several years on their EDACS system. Basically it gives the officers instant access to all sorts of information via the work stations in the cruisers. Mug shots, court records etc etc. All the data is transmitted thru their trunked radio system. You can read all about it here: http://police.city.london.on.ca/Technology/TechnologyOverview.htm

And I wouldn't worry about Windsor going encrypted within 6 months or a year. These things take time to roll out. As you mentioned yourself the budget documents show replacing 1/3rd of the portables... One would imagine they will want them all replaced before making a major upgrade to the system such as P25 and/or encryption. It's certainly not all going to come together in the next 6 months.

 

[FoeHammer]

Ok then from what I have learned I am making an edcated guess that Windsor will not be fully encrypted (when they eventually switch to p25)
based on these factors:

-Interoperatability with Detroit:..

The City of Detroit's new project 25 system will be a subsystem of the
MPSCS Digital. Windsor Police and Fire must be able to communicate
With DFD, DFD-EMS, DPD, we share a common emergency action plan.

DFD, DFD-EMS, DPD (excluding DPD Narcotics, Major Crimes, Sex Crimes, Homicide and Tatical Services ( Bomb Squad / SRT) will not be encrypted.

-If Windsor is encrypted on their system, they will not be on the Detroit system. 25 Talk groups are reserved for Windsor on that system.

This is all secret info so don't tell anyone. lol

-Cost/Budget Looking at thier budget posted on the Windsor Police homepage , the most significant radio related items are replacing 1/3 of portables & many MDT's from wear & tear i guess ( which isnt cheap) this goes through 2008 So I would assume that major item such as upgrading to p25 (& or ENC) would only occur somewhere after 08 , as these upgrades are not even mentioned on the budget yet.

-WPD are on a 800mhz trunked sys that currently has ENC cabability if they truly wanted to go ENC wouldnt they have allready done so ( sensitive units allready use enc i belive)

-There are many users on the system Buses public works fire etc .currently they can easily contact WPD if they see something or need help
would it make sense to encrypt wpd talk group and make it more complicated for crossagency communications?

-Cost , Im guessing ENC is more costly that a standard radio system

So like I say when I think about it I just can't see the benifit of them going encrypted , to me it would cause more headaches for what they need to be able to do & would kind of waste a very flexible city trunked system
Now why when the surrounding rural areas upgraded , they chose a vhf (fleetnet?) system & then chose to encrypt , baffles me , seems it would have made sense to go 800mhz & add a tg for windsor , but I dunno maybe it's cause they need the vhf for the longet distances? but encryption for a force that in comparison isnt as busy? i don't get it .....
Still its in the back of my mind , I have a feeling that if something big were to happen , it would be no time before pretty much everything in ontario & michigan went enc.
But for now I'm gonna lean towards beliving I'm go nna get a reasonable useful life from this radio & see about ordering it , I guess the next few hurdles wil be , will I be lucky enough to dodge the issues I've heard about?
-bad speakers ,rattle or speakers just goes dead
-survive being flashed to latest firmware (some havent apprently)
-bad silkscreen (not too big an issue)

hopefully those arnt too widespread....

 

[scnnr]

-Cost , Im guessing ENC is more costly that a standard radio system

So like I say when I think about it I just can't see the benifit of them going encrypted , to me it would cause more headaches for what they need to be able to do & would kind of waste a very flexible city trunked system
Now why when the surrounding rural areas upgraded , they chose a vhf (fleetnet?) system & then chose to encrypt , baffles me , seems it would have made sense to go 800mhz & add a tg for windsor , but I dunno maybe it's cause they need the vhf for the longet distances? but encryption for a force that in comparison isnt as busy? i don't get it .....
Still its in the back of my mind , I have a feeling that if something big were to happen , it would be no time before pretty much everything in ontario & michigan went enc.
But for now I'm gonna lean towards beliving I'm go nna get a reasonable useful life from this radio & see about ordering it , I guess the next few hurdles wil be , will I be lucky enough to dodge the issues I've heard about?
-bad speakers ,rattle or speakers just goes dead
-survive being flashed to latest firmware (some havent apprently)
-bad silkscreen (not too big an issue)

hopefully those arnt too widespread....

My God Foehammer, you certainly are being overly paranoid don't you think :wink: I am surprised that you even bought a scanner before what with the way you are carrying on about encryption.

I realize that it's a lot of money to invest in today's newest scanners, but that is the price that we have to pay if we want to monitor the things we want to hear. I make it a policy to just live it day by day. If I worried about what will happen next year or 2 or 3 years from now I would never buy anything. If you can afford it , buy your new toy and have tons of fun playing with it.

Randy

 

[FoeHammer]

I suppose your right , I have been accused of being paranoid before , but I prefer to call it being cautious & finding out all I can before jumping in .
Anyway my gf called the order as I have some screwy shifts this week ,& they asked for my ham callsign, I wasnt aware , only hams could get these
It was easy enough for her to find at least , hanging on the wall of the shack ,...apparently industry Canada has a list of just who has these? hmmm here comes that paranoia again , ........

 

[mrweather]

I have a source in WPS who says they probably won't go encrypted because of voice quality issues. Many of the officers just don't like the sound.

That may be true with encryption over analog but Astro is different.

Unless of course they get in a fringe area or have a poorly adjusted vocoder.

They really do need to upgrade their system since it's 10+ years old. I don't see them going to Fleetnet simply because the 800 infrastructure is already in place.