Do i need a analog or digital trunking scanner for....

[Nobodyknows713]

I need OK highway patrol and oklahoma city police.. State of Oklahoma DPS / City of Tulsa Trunking System, Various, Oklahoma - Scanner Frequencies OHP looks like it's analog trunking..

I cant really see what Oklahoma City PD is using, I just noticed that some months ago they apparently went to trunking because all of the VHF channels are silent now.. Any help is appreciated.

 

[bezking]

I've moved your thread to the OK forum. Please post questions specific to your state in your state forum.

 

[Freqed]

I need OK highway patrol and oklahoma city police.. State of Oklahoma DPS / City of Tulsa Trunking System, Various, Oklahoma - Scanner Frequencies OHP looks like it's analog trunking..

I cant really see what Oklahoma City PD is using, I just noticed that some months ago they apparently went to trunking because all of the VHF channels are silent now.. Any help is appreciated.

http://forums.radioreference.com/ok...-forum/37231-listening-oklahoma-city-faq.html

 

[peterjmag]

Nope don't waste your money. Get an analog trunking scanner. The City of Oklahoma City PD and FD went to a Pro-Voice/EDACS system that is not able to be monitored by any scanner on the market. EMSA went to the State 800 trunking system the you have underlined in your previous thread. They too can't be monitored any longer because they use encrytion.

As for Oklahoma County SO they are still on their UHF and OHP is all mainly state 800. I read here a few weeks ago that some of the OCPD and OCFD TXs might start showing up on the state 800 for patches to other agencies to communicate but I will let OKC guys go into that further.

Hope this helps...

 

[Nobodyknows713]

Thanks Peter, I see you're a Tech also So basically, OHP is encrypted and OKC PD cant be read by todays line of scanners. If i read your post right.
Yeah i still have OK County Sheriff on 460.400 and 460.350 ... For now lol

Freqed
I read the sticky but it's also nearly 2 years old. Alot can happen in 2 years. *Correction* 3 years old.

 

[SABRE46]

OHP is not encrypted... easily monitored on the state system

 

[Nobodyknows713]

OHP is not encrypted... easily monitored on the state system

Oh ok cool, Peter said State 800 was encrypted..

So i need a regular analog trunking scanner then?.. If i can get OHP and OK County then a trunking scanner should be worth the investment.

 

[peterjmag]

No sir, I wasn't being clear enough. EMSA which is on the state 800 is digital encrypted. OHP and most others on the state 800 are analog and in the clear. Enjoy...

 

[woodyrr]

I am going to approach this differently. If all you are interested in is the OHP and the OCPD / FD links from the OKC EDACS system, then all you need for now is an analog trunking scanner. The Oklahoma City Police district channels: Hefner, Santa Fe, Will Rogers, and Spring Lake have just become active on the system within the past month and are still experiencing some teething problems.

On the other hand, new agencies are joining the DPS system regularly and some of their talkgroups are P25 digital and are not encrypted. Tinker Air Force Base has many P25 conventional channels - four fire channels and two security channels, among others. These are digital and are likewise, not encrypted. P25 digital is the future and more and more agencies are moving to this mode.

I - me - myself - would not waste money on an analog scanner. I already have several old timer conventional scanners that are beginning to more closely resemble bricks with each passing day. For my listening preferences, lack of P25 digital capability is a deal breaker. I am also a Uniden man. I use the BCD996T and BCD396T. Others here in the Oklahoma City area can point you toward Radio Shack and GRE digital scanners that are frequently on sale, if you decide to go that route. Please look to the immediate future before you make that purchase decision. And hold on. There are others here in the area that have just as passionately held opinions as I.

Welcome to the forums.

 

[Nobodyknows713]

ahh thanks guys for the clarification.. What i think i'll do for now is try a ebay analog scanner. I saw the prices on the digital ones and that's not going to happen anytime soon lol

 

[Freqed]

ahh thanks guys for the clarification.. What i think i'll do for now is try a ebay analog scanner. I saw the prices on the digital ones and that's not going to happen anytime soon lol

Look for a Uniden BC796D on eBay, digital and probably about 200-300 price range, or a BC250D that has a digital card with it, or one that doesn't and then you could get a Digital card later. Uniden scanners offer the ability to monitor I-Calls and most Radio Shack units don't.

 

[Nobodyknows713]

Look for a Uniden BC796D on eBay, digital and probably about 200-300 price range, or a BC250D that has a digital card with it, or one that doesn't and then you could get a Digital card later. Uniden scanners offer the ability to monitor I-Calls and most Radio Shack units don't.

Thanks for the tip! I have a BC sportcat from ebay on it's way, Mainly for WX and the few VHF/UHF that still exist. I looked at some low end trunking scanners and nothings really jumping out at me so far and I don't really want to spend $300 on a scanner right now.. The wife would kill me. lol

 

[plaws]

Look for a Uniden BC796D on eBay, digital and probably about 200-300 price range, or a BC250D that has a digital card with it, or one that doesn't and then you could get a Digital card later. Uniden scanners offer the ability to monitor I-Calls and most Radio Shack units don't.

Like 'usr, I too, am a Uniden Man and even once owned a BC250D (nice radio).

But unless you can get a '250 ridiculously cheap (<$200-250?), do yourself a favor and get the BC296D instead.

Same radio at first look, but will handle 9600-baud control channels once they eventually come to Oklahoma and, more importantly, can handle rebanded systems.

 

[plaws]

But unless you can get a '250 ridiculously cheap (<$200-250?), do yourself a favor and get the BC296D instead.

Got caught up in the moment. Never mind the old stuff. Get ya a BC246T. No digital, but handles the rest. As cheap as $109 on eBay (one there right now - item 270459552070).

"Refurbished", sure, but that's probably better than "used" ...

 

[Nobodyknows713]

Got caught up in the moment. Never mind the old stuff. Get ya a BC246T. No digital, but handles the rest. As cheap as $109 on eBay (one there right now - item 270459552070).

"Refurbished", sure, but that's probably better than "used" ...

Well I might have to get me one of them! Thanks

 

[woodyrr]

Like 'usr, I too, am a Uniden Man

Point of clarification: I believe that 'usr is a GRE man.

He seems to be the one who manages to find them by the case for next to free.:wink:

 

[radioblake]

I have a pro-164 From Radio Shack a good scanner, It will be a while before
i can afford a digital scanner.

 

[n5usr]

Point of clarification: I believe that 'usr is a GRE man.

He seems to be the one who manages to find them by the case for next to free.:wink:

Nah, just one freebie! But I did feel like I was buying them by the case when I picked up three at a time...! Got the freebie (a handheld) when RS dropped their sale price by *another* $100 the week after I bought. Went back for the refund, watched the salesman squirm a bit, then when it came time to refund I said I wanted the fourth scanner. Came out with a one penny refund!

But yes, I do like GRE. (I have RS only because of the sales, otherwise would have gotten the GRE versions instead of the rebranded ones.) Not to say I don't / wouldn't like Uniden - I've just never used one.

Now, to add to this thread, while an analog scanner is fine for the system (I have a PRO-164, same as GRE PSR-300 that works great) there are some limitations - but not because it's analog. Rather, the way they handle talkgroup IDs. At least the scanners I've used have limited room for TGIDs, so if you really want to be able to listen to anything and everything on the state system, you're stuck - they won't all fit. With the newer generation of scanners (at least, the PRO-197/106 nee PSR-500/600) you can dump the entire state system in with tons of room to spare!

I also prefer the programming interface. Many find it difficult, but it just Makes Sense to me - far more so than "banks of channels" like the older units did (where I lost more channels than I used since I never wanted to switch on 50 or 100 or - heaven forbid! - 200 frequencies at a time!).

But there is definitely a hefty price premium to pay. I would certainly not have bought all mine if it weren't for the sales!

 

[plaws]

Point of clarification: I believe that 'usr is a GRE man.

He seems to be the one who manages to find them by the case for next to free.:wink:

Actually. it was you I was thinking of!!!

Sorry, 'usr!

I did have a Radio Shack trunking-capable scanner ... the Uniden-built Pro-2050 that they cleared out a few years ago at $50. Sold it a few months later - lack of a serial port killed it for me. And I do have two other RS units ... a Pro-7 and a Pro-7B.

 

[HogDriver]

If you ever had any intention on monitoring Federal or Military freqs, go digital. As was stated earlier, more and more departments are converting so save yourself the future diappointment!