Can I listen to the RCMP, Fire Dpt, Paramedics with this scanner?

[rogerclemens]

Hi. I am really new to radio scanning.

I just bought this Uniden 100 channel scanner for $60 from my cousin. But I can't listen to anything. I can catch some weather channels but no fire trucks, no police and no paramedics. Is it impossible to catch their signals?

If it is, what kind of models should I buy? Can you name some models? Also, what channels do they use in lower mainland?

 

[mark2117]

That scanner in particular doesn't look to be a trunking scanner so RCMP maybe, where exactly in Canada are you?

 

[rogerclemens]

That scanner in particular doesn't look to be a trunking scanner so RCMP maybe, where exactly in Canada are you?

Coquitlam, BC

 

[rogerclemens]

That scanner in particular doesn't look to be a trunking scanner so RCMP maybe, where exactly in Canada are you?

I checked the name of the model. It is BC 72XLT

http://www.uniden.com/products/productdetail.cfm?product=BC72XLT


Can it pick up the police channels that use digital systems?



If not, what models can pick them up?

 

[Chilliwack40]

If not, what models can pick them up?

If you're looking to listen to Police and Ambulance in Coquitlam, you're out of luck. All emergency services in Coquitlam use E-Comm WARS, which is ProVoice digital, which no scanner commercially available can recieve. You can listen to Coquitlam Fire as their channels are analog.

WARS System Information is listed here:

http://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?sid=2218

 

[rogerclemens]

If you're looking to listen to Police and Ambulance in Coquitlam, you're out of luck. All emergency services in Coquitlam use E-Comm WARS, which is ProVoice digital, which no scanner commercially available can recieve. You can listen to Coquitlam Fire as their channels are analog.

WARS System Information is listed here:

http://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?sid=2218

Then what do the cops and paramedics use? They must be using some kinds of radio scanners. What do they use? Is it available on the market?

 

[torontokris]

If its Provoice then the past poster is correct you currently cant buy a scanner to listen to them.

And the cops and paramedics would use professional 2 way radios that are programmed for them, not scanners.

Sorry but your scanner is VERY low end
Great for Nascar, or weather, CB, aircraft, FRS radios or the 450 bussiness action band
You CANT get anything in the 800mhz
You CANT get digital
RCMP ONLY if its analog in the clear in the 400mhz range, and most are encrypted (cant be heard on any scanner).

 

[rogerclemens]

If its Provoice then the past poster is correct you currently cant buy a scanner to listen to them.

And the cops and paramedics would use professional 2 way radios that are programmed for them, not scanners.

Sorry but your scanner is VERY low end
Great for Nascar, or weather, CB, aircraft, FRS radios or the 450 bussiness action band
You CANT get anything in the 800mhz
You CANT get digital
RCMP ONLY if its analog in the clear in the 400mhz range, and most are encrypted (cant be heard on any scanner).

Do you think there will be any radios in the civilian market that can detect these frequencies anytime in the future?

Or is it gonna be impossible forever to hear them?

 

[masonb]

Not unless someone wants to loose lots of potential money

 

[SkipSanders]

Effectively, you'll never be able to listen to them. 'Pro Voice' is a proprietary voice modulation system of a single manufacturer. Unless they CHOOSE to release it to the public (and scannner manufacturers), it can never be legally available in a scanner.

More to the point, regardless of Pro-Voice or P-25, police and fire are moving toward much more if not complete encryption of all signals. Once they do that, no listening, unless they allow it.

Yes, some genius crypto-hacker might 'break' it. Taking about a month to do. When the code in use changes every week. Or day. You won't ever again hear 'live' comms once they encrypt.

There will probably always be 'something to listen to', but police and fire may not be among them, in 5-10 years.

To understand 'proprietary', think 'Original Formula for Coca-Cola'. Company held secrets. Legally enforcable. They don't have to tell you, and they can keep you, in court, from using the info in any way, because it's not 'yours' to use.

 

[rogerclemens]

Effectively, you'll never be able to listen to them. 'Pro Voice' is a proprietary voice modulation system of a single manufacturer. Unless they CHOOSE to release it to the public (and scannner manufacturers), it can never be legally available in a scanner.

More to the point, regardless of Pro-Voice or P-25, police and fire are moving toward much more if not complete encryption of all signals. Once they do that, no listening, unless they allow it.

Yes, some genius crypto-hacker might 'break' it. Taking about a month to do. When the code in use changes every week. Or day. You won't ever again hear 'live' comms once they encrypt.

There will probably always be 'something to listen to', but police and fire may not be among them, in 5-10 years.

To understand 'proprietary', think 'Original Formula for Coca-Cola'. Company held secrets. Legally enforcable. They don't have to tell you, and they can keep you, in court, from using the info in any way, because it's not 'yours' to use.

Don't you think that the second runner companies will copy the system and sell the products to private consumers?

 

[SkipSanders]

No, because copying the 'system' is illegal. You MUST HAVE PERMISSION of the owning party to make radios using their proprietary format. If they give that permission, they lose sales over 'privacy'. They don't give permission.

If they DO, they charge high for it, per scanner. Every P-25 capable scanner pays a fee to the voice codec owner, and not a small one. It's a significant part of the cost of any digital scanner.

And none of it applies to encryption, which is seperate, and applies regardless of modulation, whether analog, P25, or 'other'. Encrypted means, 'no listening'.

 

[warrior420]

It is possible to use a ProVoice radio to listen as long as its not ProVoice Encrypted. At least twice the price of a digital scanner and programming knowlege and software would be needed. I have no clue on how to actually do that though.

 

[rogerclemens]

Can a "Jaguar 700p" pick up their communications?

 

[stuck22]

Most of the Departments in the Lower Mainland are on this Blasted E-Comm System. So if your going to keep your scanner here are a few things you can listen to that are still Conventional.

North Vancouver/West Vancouver/Bowen Island Fire Departments
169.230 East, 159.390 West, 154.800 Bowen

Burnaby Fire Department
154.400

Sasamat Fire Department
158.175

Port Coquitlam Fire Department
861.7125

Surrey Volunteer Pagers
154.310

Pitt Meadows Fire Department
152.000

Langley Fire Department
171.660 Township, 162.465 City.

Maple Ridge Fire Department
410.1125

 

[rogerclemens]

Most of the Departments in the Lower Mainland are on this Blasted E-Comm System. So if your going to keep your scanner here are a few things you can listen to that are still Conventional.


410.1125

Can a Jaguar 700p pick up the E-Comm?

 

[stuck22]

Yes. A Provoice capible radio can pick up RCMP & BCAS Communications. But its slightly illegal.

 

[RiceCake]

Damn these companies all making their own systems.
ProVoice is like the black plague of scanning.