Fire dept. Dispatch trunked vs. Conventional

[FLRAILMAN]

Greetings:
I am in the process of purchasing a new scanner & after searching the rr database for floridas fire dispatch frequencies, i've noticed nearly every county & city has switched to trunked systems however a number of departments simulcast on vhf & uhf frequencies. Is this just a transition period whereby the nontrunked frequencies will be eventually eliminated or will they always be simulcasted?
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance.
Flrailman.

 

[gcr33]

If you don't have a trunked radio in Florida you will not hear much. There are still a number of counties that are not trunked but all the bigger population areas are. Some of them have retained VHF tone out channels because they may have "plectron" type devices that set off buzzers, or pagers for on/off duty personnel. All the action however will be on the trunked side. Martin Co. utilizies VHF for tone outs, some or maybe all in Collier Co.
I strongly recommend biting the bullet and getting a digital capable trunking scanner. Buy a used one if you want to start that way.

 

[FLRAILMAN]

Florida F.D.s Trunked or conventional

GCR33
Thanks for the your timely & very informative response. I think I'll grab a GRE PSR-400 from A.E.S tomorrow & see what happens.
FLRAILMAN

 

[FLA2760]

I agree with GCR33. I am in Hernando County and I have a PRO 163 and 164. My local PD and FD is on a Motorola trunked system. I still use my old RS PRO 70 to hear Sumter and Lake counties. One by one all the jurisdictions seem to be going to trunked and in some cases digital systems. I prefer the way it was. The VHF signals are a hoot to listen to when there is a good tropo going on. I have heard St. Johns County, Putnam County and Clay County when conditions are right. This is with a Diamond RH77 antenna.

 

[gcr33]

And while Lake Co.SO is vhf they have 2 digital channels and they are putting up a 700/800 system. Probably a 9600 baud system.

 

[FLRAILMAN]

Fd dispatch coventional vs trunking

Again guys thanks for your very informative responses, I just picked up the GRE PSR-400 today from AES & will start loading frequencies & systems tonight, again, thanks.
FLRAILMAN

 

[FLA2760]

And while Lake Co.SO is vhf they have 2 digital channels and they are putting up a 700/800 system. Probably a 9600 baud system.

I have heard about this. I am pretty sure when they go to 700 or 800 MHz I will not be able to hear them from where I am. The 9600 baud system you mention I am unfamiliar with. Can the "baud system" be monitored by the current scanners?

 

[FLA2760]

Again guys thanks for your very informative responses, I just picked up the GRE PSR-400 today from AES & will start loading frequencies & systems tonight, again, thanks.
FLRAILMAN

You made a wise choice, that is a good scanner. Will you be programming it via a PC? It makes it much easier. Enjoy.

 

[FLA2760]

And while Lake Co.SO is vhf they have 2 digital channels and they are putting up a 700/800 system. Probably a 9600 baud system.

I have heard about this. I am pretty sure when they go to 700 or 800 MHz I will not be able to hear them from where I am. The 9600 baud system you mention I am unfamiliar with. Can the "baud system" be monitored by the current scanners?

 

[rmiller818]

I have heard about this. I am pretty sure when they go to 700 or 800 MHz I will not be able to hear them from where I am. The 9600 baud system you mention I am unfamiliar with. Can the "baud system" be monitored by the current scanners?

9600 Baud is the bit rate that the newer digital trunking systems are using, but yes, the digital scanners can monitor these systems as long as they are not encrypted.

 

[FLA2760]

9600 Baud is the bit rate that the newer digital trunking systems are using, but yes, the digital scanners can monitor these systems as long as they are not encrypted.

Thank You.

 

[FLRAILMAN]

Fire Disp w/PSR-400

FL2760, My first attempt was manual entry which was a total disaster, I am going to program it via computer. Wish me luck.
FLRAILMAN