Birmingham/Jefferson...whuh?

[arturobandini]

I knew the BPD went to encryption but where is everything else? Perhaps I'm doing something wrong.

I had fire, sheriff, UAB, airport operations, CAPs, Weill wrecker programmed and they are all gone. I hadn't been scanning in about a year and today and I checked and nothing. I have a Pro-651.

 

[dave911]

Check the database. If it’s been a year, you need to update your frequencies. Hope that helps!

 

[arturobandini]

All of those places changed their frequencies in the last year? That seems like one hell of a coincidence.

 

[dave911]

The system did. Are you using the 700mhz frequencies? Look at the AFRN database.

 

[arturobandini]

I confess I don't know what AFRN is. I googled it and I got the Armed Forces Radio Network. Can I get AFRN on my Pro-651?

EDIT: I think I found it. Is this it and, if so, did everyone, including a private towing company and the airport go to AFRN? Alabama First Responder Network Trunking System, Varies, Alabama - Scanner Frequencies

 

[dave911]

That’s it.

 

[arturobandini]

Are the talkgroups P25 Manual?

 

[tvengr]

What programming software do you have?

 

[arturobandini]

I don't use software and I've been advised that my scanner, the Pro-651, is not capable of receiving AFRN.

 

[tvengr]

AFRN is P25 Phase 2 capable but Jefferson Co Sheriff and Fire and Birmingham Fire are all operating as P25 Phase 1 which your scanner can receive. Birmingham PD is fully encrypted so you will not be able to receive that. You may have simulcast distortion problems with your scanner depending on your location.

 

[arturobandini]

I thought everyone had moved over. I had things like Weil Wrecker, UAB police, JCSO, CAPs, and the airport programmed and they are all gone. I had only been away from scanning for, I don't know...8 months or so? All of them, every single one of them, decided to change frequencies in that amount of time?

I was told everything moved to AFRN. Perhaps I misunderstood.

 

[tvengr]

Jefferson Co used to be on its own Motorola Type II system. Fairly recently, they migrated to the AFRN P25 system.

 

[arturobandini]

Right. And the Pro-651 cannot operate on the AFRN system because it is not Phase 2 capable. It's now a doorstop. It gets nothing anymore.

 

[tvengr]

AFRN is Phase 2 capable, but Jefferson Co is operating as Phase 1 which your scanner can receive.

 

[arturobandini]

Thank you. Can you link me to a RR page with these frequencies?

 

[tvengr]

Use the Jefferson Co simulcast site.

Alabama Interoperable Radio System (AIRS) Trunking System, Varies, Alabama

Alabama Interoperable Radio System (AIRS) Trunking System Profile

www.radioreference.com

If you download Butel ARC500 software for the free trial period, I can give you the file already done.

 

[arturobandini]

Thank you, but isn't that the AFRN, which I cannot receive? Would I not use this one: Jefferson County Public Services Trunking System, Birmingham, Alabama - Scanner Frequencies

Thank you for the offer. I don't think they make software for Macs.

 

[tvengr]

You can receive any phase 1 talkgroup where the Mode is D. If the Mode is T, that is a TDMA (Phase 2) talkgroup which your scanner cannot receive.

 

[arturobandini]

This was very helpful, thank you. I'm starting to wonder if something happened to my radio in the last 8 months. I think it was still programmed, but I heard nothing.

 

[tvengr]

The problem is the radio is programmed to the old system. You have to update the programming.