Encryption, Is it worth it buying a scanner?

[N8IYR]

Hi all, great site. I was involved in Public Safety in the 1980s, back when most radio traffic was VHF Hi band and MSP was still in the 40 meg range. UHF was the big new thing. After looking at a Uniden 396T and the Pro96, and the cost of them, is it worth the money.
From what I see, several agencys are going encrypted? KPD (Kal. Public Safety) Allegan etc. Is Michigan State police planning on encrypting? Who else?
If I spend $500+ on a Scanner, I want to be able to listen to Police, Not just EMS and Fire, otherwise its not worth it to me.
Can anyone shead some light on this for me?
PLEASE HELP! I am just getting interested in monitoring again, and about ready to buy one.
If not, Im buying a new Ham radio for the car and call it good
Thanks in advance!

 

[bigbluemsp]

No MSP doesn't have any plans of encryption anytime soon.

 

[N8IYR]

Thanks Big blue

Is anyone else besides the 2 I mentioned unable to be monitored with one of the fore mentioned scanners?

 

[bigbluemsp]

Clinton County Sheriff is ProVoice so you can't monitor them on the EDACS system. But I think RDALE said you can hear them on the MPSCS patch the have.

 

[rdale]

Allegan is not encrypted, they are just on an unmonitorable system -- but you can listen to their link on MPSCS just as you can with Clinton Co. MSP has just a few encrypted talkgroups, ones you'd expect, and as bigblue mentioned nobody is jumping on that bandwagon ($$$$$)

In the database you'll see an "E" next to any encrypted talkgroups. That should answer your question about addl agencies...

 

[N8IYR]

Thanks for all the info. Now I need a Scanner??

Looks like it will be worth it after all. I will have to find the data base, Im new to this site. Any suggestions on a Scanner. I want a portable, but will listen mostly in my car and hotel rooms while I travel mainly western MI. Hotels from Cadillac North. Or from my Home office in Kalamazoo (Richland area)
I like the looks and size (at least from the Pics I have seen) of the Uniden 396T but the Pro 96 isnt bad ether.
Any thoughts from anyone?
Is the data base mentioned downloadable direct to ether of these radios?

 

[bigbluemsp]

Either the Uniden or RS ones are good. They both have pluses and minuses. Its all on the money and the use.


Look in the Michigan area for a few threads that talk about it.

 

[netfire]

No MSP doesn't have any plans of encryption anytime soon.

Hi BigBlue and the rest of you. I was in Iosco Co a yr or 2 ago at Radio Shack in Oscoda off of US-23. An employee which is also a R.A.C.E.S member told me that MSP and DNR were going Encryption in that area. Do you know of this BigBlue or anyone else? Also anyone looking for older model scanners from RS, go there.

 

[bigbluemsp]

Only some CID, Narc, EST, and investigative channels are encrypted. They wont encrypt the regular channels.

 

[rdale]

And to follow up - I have plenty of communications from MSP higher-ups collected that make it clear they will not be encrypting.

 

[N8IYR]

Any romuors on Kalamazoo County Sheriffs Dept and Kalamazoo Twp PD on the encription, sense Kal City is?

Also what info is normally sent by the data terminal and not on the Air? Any standard for that. Just wondered what we are missing.

 

[netfire]

Also what info is normally sent by the data terminal and not on the Air? Any standard for that. Just wondered what we are missing.

Things they don't us to monitor.