BCT15X HELP

[ka3jjz]

It is NOT Phase 1 capable at all - it is strictly analog. But you are correct in saying that it can't monitor digital sigs. Phase 1 IS digital....Mike

 

[wcoriston]

IIERIKII, Motorola Smart Zone/Net Type 2 and P25 Phase 2 are two different things.

 

[fxdscon]

It is NOT Phase 1 capable at all - it is strictly analog. But you are correct in saying that it can't monitor digital sigs. Phase 1 IS digital....Mike

You are correct, I caught my error after edit time was up.

 

[IIERIKII]

This is all very confusing but I guess it just wont work...thank you all for the help

 

[code3kid]

The scanner does phase ll, so there is an old phase ll and a new phase ll? And this scanner will not do new phase ll? Thank you

There is no old and new phase II. There is TYPE II (analog) and PHASE II (P25) The analog CRESA system is depreciated.

 

[IIERIKII]

There is no old and new phase II. There is TYPE II (analog) and PHASE II (P25) The analog CRESA system is depreciated.

This is what I was trying to do

System Name:	Clark Regional Emergency Services Agency (CRESA)
Location:	Vancouver, WA OR
County:	6 counties
System Type:	Motorola Type II SmartZone
System Voice:	Analog
Last Updated:	June 26, 2017, 7:11 pm

 

[fxdscon]

This is what I was trying to do

System Name:	Clark Regional Emergency Services Agency (CRESA)
Location:	Vancouver, WA OR
County:	6 counties
System Type:	Motorola Type II SmartZone
System Voice:	Analog
Last Updated:	June 26, 2017, 7:11 pm

CRESA is moving to a new system, some of it may still be monitorable with the BCT15X.

Re-read posts #3, 7, and 15 back near the beginning of this thread.

.

 

[hiegtx]

Looking at the Clark County database page, it appears that it is incorrect, or at least misleading.

The old Clark Regional Emergency Services Agency (CRESA) system is labeled as Deprecated in the database, and no longer appears on the Clark County list of trunked systems at the bottom of the page. But on the page itself, it's still listed as a system the fire department, as well as Washington State University, use. The database page needs to be updated to remove the references to the Type II system.

 

[IIERIKII]

Looking at the Clark County database page, it appears that it is incorrect, or at least misleading.

The old Clark Regional Emergency Services Agency (CRESA) system is labeled as Deprecated in the database, and no longer appears on the Clark County list of trunked systems at the bottom of the page. But on the page itself, it's still listed as a system the fire department, as well as Washington State University, use. The database page needs to be updated to remove the references to the Type II system.
View attachment 86915

So does that mean cresa is no longer around? Would I be able to listen to it with the bcd996p2?

Maybie I should go about this a different way. What Im wanting to do is hear stuff in my local area (clark county wa and multnomah county or). Stuff like public safety,fire,ems and police...to my understanding police will not happen because they are encrypted
So with that said, should I try to send the bct15x back and get, lets say mabie the bcd996p2? For what I want to hear and whats in my area, would it be worth spending more money to get a better scanner?

 

[JimD56]

Do what you will with the 15X but you need a BCD996P2 or better. I would keep the 15x to run all my analog, like Civ Air, Mil Air, Mil Ground, rail, etc. That's how I run my stuff. Analog separate unit from Digital.

 

[IIERIKII]

Kind of switching gears here. Thinking about going hand held and looking at BCD436HP or BCD325P2.
I dont know enough about scanners now a days to make an informed purchase so Im needing a little help/advice. My main focus is Clark County WA and Multnomah County OR. Would like to hear CRESA,FIRE,EMS,SHERIFF,PUBLIC SAFETY ect...

Any advice or pros/cons for these?
Besides the "simple programming" using zip code, is there any other reason for me to get the 436 over the 325?

Thanks for any help.

 

[hiegtx]

So does that mean cresa is no longer around? Would I be able to listen to it with the bcd996p2?

Maybie I should go about this a different way. What Im wanting to do is hear stuff in my local area (clark county wa and multnomah county or). Stuff like public safety,fire,ems and police...to my understanding police will not happen because they are encrypted
So with that said, should I try to send the bct15x back and get, lets say mabie the bcd996p2? For what I want to hear and whats in my area, would it be worth spending more money to get a better scanner?

As I noted, the database page for the county is in error. Even though the old, Motorola Type II system is no longer active, and has been removed from the list of trunked systems at the bottom of the Clark County page, both the Fire and Washington State University listings refer to it as if it was still in use. If you look closely at the old Motorola system (which is no longer used) and the new CRESA 911 P25 Phase I system, you'll see that the frequencies used on the old system are now listed as in use on the new P25 system. If the old Motorola was still in use, then your BCT15X could receive it. But since everything has moved to the new, digital, system, your 15X is no longer an option, unless you kept it for other uses, as JimD suggested.

Kind of switching gears here. Thinking about going hand held and looking at BCD436HP or BCD325P2.
I dont know enough about scanners now a days to make an informed purchase so Im needing a little help/advice. My main focus is Clark County WA and Multnomah County OR. Would like to hear CRESA,FIRE,EMS,SHERIFF,PUBLIC SAFETY ect...

Any advice or pros/cons for these?
Besides the "simple programming" using zip code, is there any other reason for me to get the 436 over the 325?

Thanks for any help.

For all practical purposes, the 436HP, and it's base/mobile sibling the 536HP, will perform about the same, if using the same antenna. Similarly, the 325P2 and it's sibling the 996P2, are equivalent to each other. The 325P2 has a nice "hand friendly" size. But it only has two batteries, so they would not last as long as what you'd get on the 436HP, which uses 3 batteries. The 436HP or 536HP would get you the 'zip code' programming, which is great if you travel with the scanner & use a GPS. But for use at mainly your home area, you're better off creating Favorites lists based on what you want to monitor. As a number of scanner dealers have low, or no, stock on many of the models, prices are higher than they were a few months ago. The 325P2, which usually ran in the $370 dollar range, is now uo to $399. But in the past, before shortages pushed prices up, Amazon would often discount the 436HP from it's normal $425 to 430 range, down to within a couple of dollars of the 325P2's price. But with the current short supply, Amazon has zero stock. The only sellers listed are 'marketplace' companies, which are showing a cost of $550 and up. Currently, Bearcat Warehouse is showing the 436HP at $479.90, and the 325P2 at $379.90.

In your specific case, the 'elephant in the room' is Simulcast. The main Clark County site for CRESA 911 is listed as simulcast, as are the two largest sites on the Portland system in Multnomah County. Depending on your exact location, you might be lucky to be far enough away from the Portland sites that simulcast is not an issue. For your own county, you might, or might not, have simulcast problems. That question probably should be answered by someone in your state (and hopefully county). More on Simulcast, and it's affects, are in the Wiki. See this page:
Simulcast digital distortion - The RadioReference Wiki

 

[IIERIKII]

Thank you all for the help and advice...still a little confused but this thread has helped a lot

 

[astrousr]

Thank you all for the help and advice...still a little confused but this thread has helped a lot

OK, old CRESA radio system was Motorola analog only Type 2 system. That system is dead and buried for nearly three years. New system is P25 Phase 1, no Phase 2 talkgroups on the system. Nearly all law enforcement is encrypted, except for jail operations and State Patrol. All Fire, EMS, C-Tran, dog catchers, etc are non encrypted.