Kershaw911
Member
Can anyone confirm the information for Bell County Public Safety is correct? I noticed it hasn't been updated since December 2015. Specifically Temple PD, I am no longer able to hear anything on their TGID's
Bell County Public Safety
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Don't quote me on this, but I think Temple is pretty locked down (i.e. encrypted). Their PD, from a distance, seems to be somewhat out of control, but, hey, at least they gave us open carry of handguns in Texas. Send them a TPIA request and ask for their talkgroups. GOVERNMENT CODE CHAPTER 552. PUBLIC INFORMATION
Kershaw911
Member
That's kind of what I thought. I heard someone say they were going to do it so the "criminals" can't monitor them, but when you try to hide your communications from law abiding citizens that's pretty shady to me. So I guess I should change the topic of this post to, " What type of encryption is TPD using and are there radios that can monitor them?"
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What kind of scanner are you using? Almost all of Temple PD traffic is Pro-Voice digital. These are the talk groups starting with 09. Once in a while the analog talk groups are used but it is rare. So if you are not Pro-Voice capable you are locked out. And as far as encryption is concerned I have never heard it used on any talk group on the entire Bell County system.
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And as a side note you will not be able to break encryption, no matter what system it is on.
Scanners capable of receiving ProVoice systems (with a paid upgrade) are:
BCD436HP
BCD536HP
BCD996P2
BCD325P2.
I use the 436HP on DFW Airport's ProVoice system.
As noted, no scanner made will decode encrypted transmissions.
Kershaw911
Member
I've got a bc346xt. It worked a few years ago, but I just recently picked it back up and noticed the change. I guess I'll be upgrading to a 436HP. Before I spend the money, can anyone confirm you can hear TPD traffic on one?
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Yeah you need to upgrade. I use the 436 and it works perfectly in Bell County.
Two SDR dongles and a free download of Digital Speech Decoder Plus is probably still cheaper than paying for the Uniden upgrade...
I haven't pulled the trigger on that one either. Between San Antonio--and now Temple--I guess it would be worth it.
Very good to hear that they are broadcasting in the clear.
I haven't pulled the trigger on that one either. Between San Antonio--and now Temple--I guess it would be worth it.
Very good to hear that they are broadcasting in the clear.
Abilene and DFW Airport are the other ProVoice systems active at this time, though both of those are on the path to move to P25 Phase II systems.
Kershaw911
Member
Noob question, what is this SDR dongle you speak of, and is it something I can use with my radio?(Uniden346XT). Or would I still have to upgrade to a digital 436HD or similar and use that instead of paying the extra $50 for the update?
Temple PD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Myv8wXP2YW0
In order to hear Temple PD, you either need a dongle setup or a ProVoice Upgrade on either the Uniden 436/536HP digital scanners. Since the 436/536 Firmware upgrade/update was offered, other scanner models have been added. If you don't own one of these radios or have a dongle setup, you won't hear Temple PD.
Please, take notice of the many identified talk groups I have found. I was the one who submitted the information during December of 2015. Please, plug these unidentified talk groups into Sentinel and help me figure things out. I need help. http://forums.radioreference.com/texas-radio-discussion-forum/324813-temple-pd-digital.html
Also, there is a Bell County P25 system that has been in place for many years. I've not heard a peep out of this radio system.
I also need help in determining the ProVoice system at the Temple VA. I don't currently own a dongle setup. I also found one Copperas Cove PD talk group not listed. But, I have only heard this fire up once, not enough to verify.
I submitted the talk groups that I confirmed either through listening and/or observing marked and unmarked units. Some of the ones I have identified were county wide.
You are more than welcome to help me with this entire project of monitoring the Temple PD and the rest of Bell County.
I have been monitoring and documenting the Temple PD for a while now after the ProVoice upgrade on my 436HP. No, Temple PD is not encrypted. I listen to Temple PD, including surveillance channels, for a good while now. When I identify an unknown or monitored talk group, I do the following: 1) activate my Uniden recorder; 2) monitor the entire transmission to determine the nature of the call; and 3) enter the talk group of the monitored agency and the nature of the transmissions into a table. I am summarizing what I'm hearing. When I am sure of what I am hearing, whether it is countywide or Temple PD, I will submit said information. However, I won't submit things without certainty.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Myv8wXP2YW0
In order to hear Temple PD, you either need a dongle setup or a ProVoice Upgrade on either the Uniden 436/536HP digital scanners. Since the 436/536 Firmware upgrade/update was offered, other scanner models have been added. If you don't own one of these radios or have a dongle setup, you won't hear Temple PD.
Please, take notice of the many identified talk groups I have found. I was the one who submitted the information during December of 2015. Please, plug these unidentified talk groups into Sentinel and help me figure things out. I need help. http://forums.radioreference.com/texas-radio-discussion-forum/324813-temple-pd-digital.html
Also, there is a Bell County P25 system that has been in place for many years. I've not heard a peep out of this radio system.
I also need help in determining the ProVoice system at the Temple VA. I don't currently own a dongle setup. I also found one Copperas Cove PD talk group not listed. But, I have only heard this fire up once, not enough to verify.
I submitted the talk groups that I confirmed either through listening and/or observing marked and unmarked units. Some of the ones I have identified were county wide.
You are more than welcome to help me with this entire project of monitoring the Temple PD and the rest of Bell County.
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Freedom Of Information
In Waco, I called out the PIO with Waco PD on their FB page after they announced they were migrating to a new system. He told me that Waco PD wanted citizens to listen for the good, hilarious, and scary things cops encounter on a daily basis. He said there would be encryption used on the more obvious channels such as Narcotics, etc. To this very day, he has kept his word. I don't believe Temple PD would be so open-minded.
Since none of the tactical channels are to be included in the live feed, I thought others could plug in the talk groups and listen. Again, when I am 100% sure, I will submit such.
At present, there is no identified encryption on the Bell County System. Since I have worked with Temple PD before, I know strongly believe that they will indeed flip the switch if they are identified, particularly the narcotics, SWAT, and other talk groups that have not been submitted by this listener. Temple PD tends to be very secretive. However, this might be changing since the new police chief seems to be forward-thinking since he came from KC. I am not wanting to stir the hornet's nest by submitting a talk group submission. Yes, my method is surely slow, but accurate.
In Waco, I called out the PIO with Waco PD on their FB page after they announced they were migrating to a new system. He told me that Waco PD wanted citizens to listen for the good, hilarious, and scary things cops encounter on a daily basis. He said there would be encryption used on the more obvious channels such as Narcotics, etc. To this very day, he has kept his word. I don't believe Temple PD would be so open-minded.
Since none of the tactical channels are to be included in the live feed, I thought others could plug in the talk groups and listen. Again, when I am 100% sure, I will submit such.
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Kershaw911
Member
Thanks Ensnared, that's exactly the info that I was looking for! I'd love to help with identifying all the TPD ID's but it's going to be a while before I can afford to upgrade my scanner. Thank you to everyone who replied!
Dongle Route
The Dongle route is much cheaper. Since two dongles are being used, one is used for decoding while the others is used for following the radio conversations as in Trunktracker. I am quite certain someone will end up correcting me here, but I don't give a rip today.
Here is the web page for this incredible product. I hear this works the same. I believe you can only monitor one radio system at a time with this device; however, having two sets of dongles on two computers might expand your listening ability. Airspy SDR# | Low Cost High Performance Software Defined Radio
I believe I will have to start a new thread for Bell County. Truthfully, I thought that Temple was the only digital TG on this system, but I was wrong. I have recordings indicating a talk group that sounds like surveillance. One of particular interest is 03-031. I have seen PV (ProVoice) on the radio screen when this talk group was employed. Perhaps, I will hear it again to confirm that this channel is associated with judicial activities in the county. I might need to submit with a "M" for mixed mode. Good luck with Dongle if you so choose. At present, this TG appears to be associated with the Constable's judge. I know of no Killeen digital talk groups.
From what I have learned, from a reliable Law Enforcement informant, Bell County spent gobs of money on a data perimeter that allows video and other evidence to be freely sent over the internet or whatever system they are using to exchange such. I don't know if this system uses radio frequencies or what. This might explain why Killeen never took the digital plunge.
I have not encountered the Dongle route yet, but I am going to be purchasing such in the near future in order to analyze Baylor PD. Baylor is operating on an unknown DMR system. I am too stupid to figure out how to analyze this system using my 436HP.
The Dongle route is much cheaper. Since two dongles are being used, one is used for decoding while the others is used for following the radio conversations as in Trunktracker. I am quite certain someone will end up correcting me here, but I don't give a rip today.
Here is the web page for this incredible product. I hear this works the same. I believe you can only monitor one radio system at a time with this device; however, having two sets of dongles on two computers might expand your listening ability. Airspy SDR# | Low Cost High Performance Software Defined Radio
I believe I will have to start a new thread for Bell County. Truthfully, I thought that Temple was the only digital TG on this system, but I was wrong. I have recordings indicating a talk group that sounds like surveillance. One of particular interest is 03-031. I have seen PV (ProVoice) on the radio screen when this talk group was employed. Perhaps, I will hear it again to confirm that this channel is associated with judicial activities in the county. I might need to submit with a "M" for mixed mode. Good luck with Dongle if you so choose. At present, this TG appears to be associated with the Constable's judge. I know of no Killeen digital talk groups.
From what I have learned, from a reliable Law Enforcement informant, Bell County spent gobs of money on a data perimeter that allows video and other evidence to be freely sent over the internet or whatever system they are using to exchange such. I don't know if this system uses radio frequencies or what. This might explain why Killeen never took the digital plunge.
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Kershaw911
Member
So you need two of the SDR dongles to listen to Pro-Voice, one for signal, and one for voice? Since they're only $20 for one I might order one this week and give it a shot, but I don't want to pay for two if one will do. lol
Also, I found this one on Amazon. Would this be sufficient?
https://www.amazon.com/RTL-SDR-DVB-T-Stick-RTL2832U-R820T/dp/B00C37AZXK
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Don't use the black ones.
Here are two that will work. Same price or cheaper than the one you linked. One has faster shipping.
http://amzn.to/2mrgQux
http://amzn.to/2luyNsX
It'll be best to have 2 of them.
Here are two that will work. Same price or cheaper than the one you linked. One has faster shipping.
http://amzn.to/2mrgQux
http://amzn.to/2luyNsX
It'll be best to have 2 of them.
Kershaw911
Member
Just picked up two of them. I'll let you know how they work. Thanks!
Kershaw911
Member
So I got my SDR dongles, but I'm having a hard time picking anything up. Does anyone have a working setup that I can copy? I've tried searching for one but everything seems to be out of date.
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