Fear of going Digital, then they Encrypt?

[MeanStreaker]

Hey all, as you can tell from my other recent thread, I have a lot of learning to do. Radioscan was nice enough to recommend some scanners to me in a PM since my Pro97 can't work with the rebanding around Montgomery County.

My question is, if I drop the cash on a $350-500 digital scanner, are there good odds they will encrypt and it wouldn't matter anyway? Anyone have a sense of that likelihood?

 

[krokus]

I would say not super likely. There are added expenses and hassles associated with encryption.

 

[Nasby]

I would say get the digital scanner. There's alot of great radio traffic to hear on the MARCS system in Ohio. Of course you would also be able to monitor the Montgomery Co. radio system. If they would ever become encrypted, you could always just sell the scanner and recoup most of the money. A well cared for digital scanner seems to hold its value pretty well. If you do some checking, you can often find new digital scanners on sale at various retailers for alot less than $350.00. Or you could get a gently used one from the RR for-sale forums, Ebay, etc. for around $200.00 or so.

 

[jackj]

If your local Public Service folks are digital then odds are that at least some of their talk-groups are encrypted. My county went digital and the law (sheriff and PD's) have the ability to encrypt their traffic but they don't as a general rule. Our Fire Departments do not have the ability to encrypt so all of their traffic is in the clear. I think that Fire/EMS traffic is much more interesting than listening to the sheriff or local PD's traffic stops. I would go ahead and spend the money for a new digital scanner, if you find out that all of the traffic you are interested in monitoring is encrypted then, as snjct2000 pointed out, you could always sell your scanner and recover most of what you've spent.

 

[SCPD]

Ive always been amazed at why a city would encrypy their fire department unless they dont want crowds showing up at fire scenes. Here in Springfield Ohio they use ProVoice, and Ive heard a rumor it may be going away. As for law enforcement I understand but why Ohio uses encryption for speed enforecemnt, do they really think that many are monitoring them on MARCS?
Seems our tax dollars are used for whatever they want with no respect to the fact we pay for them to use, we shgould be able to listen. Right?