Digital Scanning

[StickyBit]

I have a BCT15X and have been very happy with it. I had thought about getting a BCD996XT I was curious to know how I can find out if digital radio is used in my area. (as that seems to be the main differences between the BCT15X and the BCD996XT) Is there any particular indications that I should look for in the Radio Reference database?

 

[kf7yn]

What area are you in? There are a few digital TGs on the UCAN system, mainly Midvale PD & West Valley PD. Hill AFB trunked system is mostly digital, otherwise you may not find that more than double the price is worth the small amount of digital in use in N Utah. The BCT15X is probably the best analog trunktracker on the market.

 

[StickyBit]

I am located in Cache Valley. I suppose what I mean to ask is, by looking at the Radio Reference database, is there a way to tell if I get or could get any digital signals? - Cache County, Utah (UT) Scanner Frequencies and Radio Frequency Reference

 

[wbloss]

Hello fellow Cache Valleyian - if that's a word! In Cache there are no ongoing digital comms. There are some encrypted digital, but you can't decode that anyway. What is fun (for me) is to listen to Idaho's 700 Mhz system which IS all digital. Their repeater at Lava Hot Springs covers Cache Valley quite well. It's odd to be driving around say Hyrum and hear IHP in Inkom talking.
As the other fellow mentioned HAFB big system is digital near 400 mhz, but cannot be heard in Cache. If you travel much out of the state many new systems are digital...so put that into the equation.
73's Wally

 

[StickyBit]

I think I may have answered my own question. By looking at the page dedicated to the specific system ( Utah Communications Agency Network (UCAN) Trunking System, Various, Multi-State - Scanner Frequencies ) , and paying attention to the "System Type" and "System Voice", I was able to reference the wiki for the value in that table, and understand if Digital was available on that system or not, where I lived. Does this seem accurate?

From what I gathered, with the system known as "UCAN" being a "Analog and APCO-25 Common Air Interface", I understand it to be that Digital is available, but analog is also available, to ensure compatibility between analog and digital systems.

P25 CAI - The RadioReference Wiki - To me, this means that Digital Voice is available on an analogue trunking system. Does my BCT15X receive digital voice on an analogue trunk?

I'm a bit confused, and trying to understand and learn. Please correct me where I may be wrong. Unfortunately, this is not my profession, nor do I have anyone to show me the ropes.

 

[wbloss]

UCAN does not use digital for 99% of its comms.
Only some special things like Narc or "special Ops" or "Patient info" for ambulance in a very few municipalities use digital encoded (scrambled) In other words now you do not need digital for UCAN. You DO need it for Idaho, which you can here in Cache Valley.

 

[kf7yn]

Your BCT15X is analog only, but like Wally said, you will hear at least 99% of the action on the UCAN system on analog. All of the UCAN digital is in SL County.

 

[StickyBit]

Thanks for the replies guys.

As far as the System Types, am I following that correctly, in the pages I found in the wiki?