Dallas/Fort Worth Reception

[ab5r]

Let me first say that I am aware that simulcast problems and encryption is prevalent in the DFW area, sadly.

I am anticipating a move to Arlington, TX by the end of April and would appreciate any comments or reports about their reception from scanner users within the DFW area. Indicating where you are would be helpful too.

Thank you much.
Jerry AB5R

 

[rn1nduk1]

Last I understood, most everyone on Tarrant County system encrypted as far as public safety goes. Just drove thru there today, but was not monitoring as most of that system was encrypted

 

[K5TXC]

Fort Worth Regional Radio System: Fort Worth PD ENC Arlington PD ENC Burleson PD ENC Crowley PD ENC Dalworthington Gardens PD ENC Johnson County Sheriff ENC Cleburne PD ENC Irving PD ENC Grand Prairie PD ENC Everything thing else is in the clear. There are many channels to listen to with exciting action on them.

 

[ab5r]

OUCH. That just about eliminates everyone.

K5TXC, could you enumerate some examples of the other "exciting channels" with exciting action?

 

[Project25_MASTR]

Mansfield selectively uses encryption (which is where I live) but all of the primary dispatch traffic is in the clear but tactical groups and fireground however are encrypted but you can still see when those radios reaffiliate to the tactical/fireground traffic and in the case of Mansfield...dispatch usually moves an entire incident off to common tactical/fireground groups. I used to have a map of all of the P25 sites on FWRRS from back when I was doing a lot of BDA/DAS jobs for NFPA compliance with Bearcom. Also, most of the ER-to-Ambulance talkgroups are clear as well (I don't know what the new TGID of the new Texas Health ER in Mansfield) and I honestly haven't bothered looking lately.

In somecases such as with Arlington, you can get around some simulcast distortion by monitoring Grand Prairie sites or the site in Mansfield since chances are decent southern Arlington units will roam over to Mansfield and/or Grand Prairie.

 

[Harold]

OUCH. That just about eliminates everyone.

K5TXC, could you enumerate some examples of the other "exciting channels" with exciting action?

Visit the Database.. FWRRS has multiple layers and thousands of talkgroups. Plenty of Law Enforcement in the clear as almost every smaller agency is monitorable. To communicate with each other, the encrypted agencies must patch or move to an Interop channel. In a nutshell what he pointed out was Fort Worth, Arlington, Grand Prairie, Irving and all of Johnson County encrypt their law enforcement. Leaves about 33+ other law enforcement agencies in Tarrant County still operating In the Clear. All FDs are in the clear as well as MedStar(although they dispatch by Logis). And in my 40 years as scanner hobbyist, if I want " "exciting channels" with exciting action " I don't get it by listening to Patrol Channels.

 

[TexTAC]

Fort Worth system still has a lot of unencrypted talk groups (I think FD are mostly unencrypted if I remember correctly) and I can pick some up from Plano. Dallas PD and FD are all on conventional frequencies. From 10pm till 2am Dallas PD/FD are non stop. I have Dallas PD/FD set up as priority scan and during the evenings it moves from one PD/FD channel to the next barely scanning my non-priority systems. Always something going on in Dallas. Aviation is active in DFW metroplex if you are into that as well as Ham/Skywarn during storms and emergencies.

 

[hiegtx]

Don't overlook the Interop talkgroups on FWRRS and some of the other systems (such as GMRS). Oftentimes, when there is an incident that encompasses more than one jurisdiction, since the encrypted agencies don't pass out the 'secret handshake' encryption code to other agencies, you'll find them talking to each other on an Interop TGID. That's especially the case when there is a vehicle chase, and DPS101 or Dallas Air One is assisting the ground units. (I presume that the Ft Worth PD copter might also do the same, but I'm out of range to hear their activity if they use Interop talkgroups.) Fairly regularly, I'll hear DPS101 working with Garland or Mesquite on a chase or suspect search, on the GMRS interop talkgroups.

 

[KI5IRE]

Mansfield selectively uses encryption (which is where I live) but all of the primary dispatch traffic is in the clear but tactical groups and fireground however are encrypted but you can still see when those radios reaffiliate to the tactical/fireground traffic and in the case of Mansfield...dispatch usually moves an entire incident off to common tactical/fireground groups. I used to have a map of all of the P25 sites on FWRRS from back when I was doing a lot of BDA/DAS jobs for NFPA compliance with Bearcom. Also, most of the ER-to-Ambulance talkgroups are clear as well (I don't know what the new TGID of the new Texas Health ER in Mansfield) and I honestly haven't bothered looking lately.

In somecases such as with Arlington, you can get around some simulcast distortion by monitoring Grand Prairie sites or the site in Mansfield since chances are decent southern Arlington units will roam over to Mansfield and/or Grand Prairie.

Since when are Mansfield fireground channels using encryption? This was not the case when I was in town and listening just last month..

 

[Project25_MASTR]

Since when are Mansfield fireground channels using encryption? This was not the case when I was in town and listening just last month..

I last checked on them about 8 months ago and was getting constant encryption alerts. As I said, I don't check on it all that often.

 

[Harold]

Since when are Mansfield fireground channels using encryption? This was not the case when I was in town and listening just last month..

They are not. Listened to a full response on a structure fire yesterday. And although we can't really identify all encrypted talkgroups on the system. I have not seen any that appeared to be associated with Mansfield PD. Using Unitrunker, once you identify a radio ID you can see if it comes up on any other talkgroups, has not been the case so far.