Escambia County Public Safety now on P-25

[Altpensacola]

road ops and more.

Worth noting:

The Escambia County Sheriff's Office is now encrypted.

Escambia County Fire Dispatch is currently simulcast on the old VHF frequency, at least for now. Once a call moves to one of the three new TAC channels, you will hear nothing without a P25 scanner.

Does anyone have a complete Escambia County frequency list? Here on RR I can't find the new frequency for the Road Dept, for instance. (Useful after storms to hear about roads blocked!!!)

Road Ops did not go digital, they are still 453.625 I believe.


Bama How come you can't hear EMS? It must be just alligned North and south, not wide. We no longer have to switch to north to talk to the Century Unit or Atmore.
They will be installing more receivers in the future BTW.
And there is no time frame for stopping the simulcast dispatch for fire. Not all the volunteers are ready.

 

[atmvoice]

EMS Dispatch is countywide -- I'm hearing all of the south end traffic in the north end. EMS Admin is very choppy in the north end.

As for the fire dispatch simulcast, it is suppose to continue for some time for the volunteers with pagers only. However, there is talk that they will only simulcast the dispatch and some few minutes thereafter on a call -- not a full simulcast for the duration of the run.

 

[wise871]

Road Ops did not go digital, they are still 453.625 I believe.

All I'm getting is a databust on that frequency.

 

[wise871]

Looks like ECSO loaded up the codes on the console. There now 100% encrypted. Only channels in the clear are:

A7 Info Net (Records Check)
A8 Mutual Aid (Analog)

They have closed the doors hard. I wonder if the money spent is going to reduce crime for the fact out of the 3 major counties (Escambia, Santa Rosa, and Okaloosa) Escambia has the worst and highest crime rate. I wonder how many criminals were arrested had scanners or used Smartphone apps and that going encrypted will help fight crime.

 

[mk262]

Looks like ECSO loaded up the codes on the console. There now 100% encrypted. Only channels in the clear are:

A7 Info Net (Records Check)
A8 Mutual Aid (Analog)

They have closed the doors hard. I wonder if the money spent is going to reduce crime for the fact out of the 3 major counties (Escambia, Santa Rosa, and Okaloosa) Escambia has the worst and highest crime rate. I wonder how many criminals were arrested had scanners or used Smartphone apps and that going encrypted will help fight crime.

I don't think there was a LE stream in Escambia prior to their p25 transition, thus mobile apps weren't the problem.

 

[wise871]

I guess it's time to update my scanners and lock out all the Escambia SO channels. I'll keep one radio open just for the hell of it.

 

[BamaScan]

How Odd to keep the Records Check frequency open. I would won't my records encrypted.

 

[thomast77]

Looks like ECSO loaded up the codes on the console. There now 100% encrypted. Only channels in the clear are:

A7 Info Net (Records Check)
A8 Mutual Aid (Analog)

They have closed the doors hard. I wonder if the money spent is going to reduce crime for the fact out of the 3 major counties (Escambia, Santa Rosa, and Okaloosa) Escambia has the worst and highest crime rate. I wonder how many criminals were arrested had scanners or used Smartphone apps and that going encrypted will help fight crime.

This is a huge Public Safety Hazard atleast for those of us who listen. If I were to here of a Hot Pursuit I would avoid the area. Now I can't because they encrypted everything. If I get hit by a car in a pursuit (Which is unlikely but still possible) I would sue the Sheriff's Department.

I heard a story about a man in S. Florida who was at home listening to his scanner when he heard a hot pursuit in his area. Then the badguy (who was armed) bailed in his neighborhood and ended up at his backdoor. He got there just in time to lock the back door to keep the guy from coming into his house!! He never would have known if there was encryption. I am surprised I have never heard of a lawsuit in a case like this. If anything happens to me in Escambia county that could have been prevented you better believe I am going to look for a lawyer.

The bottom line is those who supposedly seek to protect and serve are making us vulnerable to the criminals. They are also becoming the Secret police. Who is supposed to police the police?

 

[wise871]

What it comes down too is this. What you can't hear doesn't get reported. What doesn't get reported doesn't make the news. Since it doesn't make the news, then crime is under control and the Sheriff looks like good. Sheriff gets re-elected. Remember when he first took over the department, he was always in the media about how great things were. Now you don't even see the guy. He has pissed off a lot of officials and citizens and his chanes of re-election is not looking too good due to the rise in crime.

As we all know Escambia County is like the Wild West in the Florida Panhandle. Crime is on the rise and they can't control it. The only thing they can control right now is what the media reports and what citizens hear. The Sheriff did post in a forum once about the encryption and made a comment about "if only the good citizens were listening”, and then there wouldn't be a need for encryption. I can't remember the news or any police report ever stating that a criminal had used a scanner or smartphone app to evade the police. Besides in this area, they mainly use there cell phones and MCP's for sensitive communications.

I've been in this area for 20+ years and crime there was never as bad as it is right now. I use to call the Panhandle Mayberry RFD back in the day. Now it's the Wild West. I no longer have to go to Atlanta to watch the news about shootings and robberies.

 

[BamaScan]

Is there any news on the Private Analog Fire Repeaters. I know that Beulah would use 154.755 for a Tac Frequency. Wonder if they will keep it up ? Or will they be forced to move to a new Digital Repeater.

 

[atmvoice]

Is there any news on the Private Analog Fire Repeaters. I know that Beulah would use 154.755 for a Tac Frequency. .

I've been told that the county will not renew the FCC licenses for fire ground channels like the Beulah channel you mentioned. If the individual departments pay for the expenses, they can keep the channel. Beulah is the only department that has expressed an interest in keeping their channel for running their Sausage Festival every year.

 

[CORN]

Bye bye Pensacola Beach

I guess I'll just have to take my money and twice a year weekly visits elsewhere. I'll just wait till the Blue Angels come to another venue I travel to. Hello Virginia Beach!!! And Oceana Naval Air Station. Chances are they aren't even conducting law enforcement type comms all the time now. They are more than likely cutting up and cussing and talking derogatory about folks in a jokingly matter. Encrypted = Cover Ups!! Not officer safety. But whatever. It's the govt voice versusu just mine so piss on all of them.

 

[Clarky]

Fire Tac 1 (North)

Last night there was a Box Alarm in Century and the responding units were assigned to Fire Tac 1 (North).
I live near Pensacola Beach and couldn't hear any of the units on my Pro-106. I double checked the frequency and the NAC, both were correct. Is any one else having a similar issue? I am thinking their new system repeater must be very low powered.

 

[BamaScan]

I am wondering the same thing Clarky . Low Power. Tonight there was a small fire in Century and Tac 1 Fire North was activated. I could hear Tac 1 North Fire with about 2 bars on an outside antenna and my Homepatrol. It was clear. So I went to the Century Sheriff Frequency even though it was encrypted I recieved it with 2 bars also on an outside antenna. Before the change to digital the Century Sheriff Analog Frequency I could hear it on a rubber duck inside my house. I am only 15 miles from Century. One would figure that the Digital would be stronger here. I have noticed if the Homepatrol recieves 2 or more bars I will recieve it. Less than 2 bars it will not hear it.

 

[atmvoice]

The TAC 1 North is only broadcast on the northern towers in the county. It is not broadcast in the south. On the TAC 2 & 3 south channels, they are not broadcast in the northern part of the county. I can't hear either in McDavid, Walnut Hill or Century.

BamaScan -- I believe Tac 1 North is broadcast off the tall county tower at Camp 5, on Bratt Road south of West Hwy 4. Perhaps there are other locations, but I know that was the main tower for the old county fire north.

 

[Clarky]

Fire Tac 1 (North)

Thanks guys.

Motorola has sure fooled a lot of people, digital was supposed to be the latest & greatest system. Definitely not in my opinion. However I can now hear all the units on scene vs the old C.D Channel.

 

[Altpensacola]

some thoughts

Corn, you are going to boycott the best beach and summer location in the U.S. and a Blue Angel’s show because one agency, the Sheriff’s Office is encrypting? OK! There is still plenty to listen to.


Folks that are discussing the reception of the Fire North Tac, stay tuned, the system is installed, but it is not a final project. More receivers are budgeted for coming years and Chief Sanders says he is continually gathering data on where weak areas are. The initial receiver set up has best reception for TAC 1 north, TAC 2 central and west and TAC 3 south.

Some facts about digital, whether influenced by profit or technology (which is usually both) the reality is that analog is no longer supported. The County alpha paging system is becoming obsolete, our analog Zetron paging system also. They can’t even find parts, or pagers anymore, luckily it was solid equipment, but the electronic world has gone digital. It might make a comeback someday like vinyl records and analog stereos, so put those scanners in storage until then!

 

[Altpensacola]

and as far as Motorola pushing a digital system on the County I think they would have much rather sold a tie in to the already existing Pensacola analog trunk system, the bid for that was several times more than the P25. Millions.
It would have been a much better system for in-county inter op, but Escambia did not want to pay for that.

 

[CORN]

Corn, you are going to boycott the best beach and summer location in the U.S. and a Blue Angel’s show because one agency, the Sheriff’s Office is encrypting? OK! There is still plenty to listen !

That's not the only agency. The stupid sissies of the federal govt also have their TRS at the Navy base with all the "good" TGIDs encrypted full time. Bogus!! When they were in the clear (once the system came online) I never heard anything top secret. Who gives a crap about traffic stops and such and post checks. I used the comms on the TAC channels with traffic control during the 2010 Blue Angels homecoming to get a handle on when I might be able to leave with lesser traffic. This year I was going at it blind and giving it a guess. Encrypting day to day run of the mil traffic is a disservice and does nothing for officer safety.

As for plenty of stuff to listen to: I'm a milair fan and the panhandle used to be action packed. Not anymore. KNPA only has trainers (besides the Blues, who's also on the govt hit list), as well as Whiting Field, I can hear trainers here on weekends. Eglin has been raped of their aircraft. A handful of test unit planes fly, that's it. Tyndall Raptors only go up at certain times the rest of the times it's dead air. So unfortunately a great place for scanner listeners has deteriorated over the years. I'm sure eventually it all will but we shall see.

Virginia Beach on the other hand offers: Langley AFB (3 active Raptor units), NAS Oceana (Master Jet Base East Coast) and NAS Norfolk (E-2s) and Shipyard. The panhandle has the prettiest beaches no doubt but I'll give up a pretty beach for non stop scanner action any day.

 

[wise871]

Corn
As far as the Mil Air traffic, there is tons to listen too. My scanners are non-stop in the evening times with traffic on the Eglin and Navy ranges. During the day or weekends you won't hear much since many of the training missions are at night. Except for a very select few channels, all the main UHF Mil Air frequencies are in the clear.

Eglin is getting busy again now that the 33rd is getting the F35. They were the largest squadron with the F-15 but they got rid of them for the F35 and there slowly getting them in. Hurlburt mainly flies at night and very busy. I hear Whiting traffic on a daily bases as the students are flying around the area.

Also if your trying to monitor the 380 DOD P25 LMR Net (Air Force & Navy) granted a few of the talk groups have gone encrypted but I can tell you there are over 500+ talk groups that are not. Some are more active than others but there there. I've lived here for 26+ years and my 8 scanners are always going with full activity day and night.
Dan