Harris / Montgomery County PD and FD for Stringing?

[m3bella]

Hi everyone,
I'm on the border of MOCO and Harris County and looking at stringing. I worked in broadcast TV/network (technical) for over 1.5 decades, now I'm self employed and looking to re-engage in a slightly different capacity.

I know absolutely nothing about scanners, radios, freqs, etc. I came across Broadcastify and I'm able to listen to calls on there, but it seems like I'm listening to several channels simultaneously. I'll hear the dispatcher say, "caller says they heard shots fired at 123 Any St" and then the online scanner skips to another (different) call, then later goes back to the shooting call.

Is there a "beginner's guide" to listening to PD/EMS/FD? If I need to invest in a handheld scanner, does it have to be digital? Can anyone recommend a good (beginner) scanner?

Thank you in advance for your help.

 

[Enforcer52]

Everything you are trying to listen to is P25 digital and Simulcast. The only handheld scanner that will handle them is the Uniden SDS100 which runs around $650. And it has a large learning curve to it's operation for a new user to a scanner. But it is the only one that will do the job you are wanting to do.

 

[m3bella]

Everything you are trying to listen to is P25 digital and Simulcast. The only handheld scanner that will handle them is the Uniden SDS100 which runs around $650. And it has a large learning curve to it's operation for a new user to a scanner. But it is the only one that will do the job you are wanting to do.

Thank you, I appreciate your reply. I see much talk of the SDS100 while reading through groups and YouTube.

 

[kmartin]

Montgomery county sheriff and PDs are fully encrypted so you won't be able to listen to them, the fire departments aren't. However Harris county is still in the clear

 

[hiegtx]

(Note: I am not in your metro area, being in Dallas. So, my comments on various systems are based on what I've seen noted in the forums, or what is currently shown in the database for systems in your area of interest.)

As Enforcer has already noted, most of the activity in your area of interest is carried on trunked radio systems, such as TxWARN. TxWARN is used by almost all of the cities and counties in your area. A large number of the sites that carry the radio traffic in question are Simulcast. And, as noted, the only true scanners that can handle trunked systems are Uniden's SDS100 (portable) and SDS200 (base/mobile). The cost for these are about $650 for the SDSS100, and $700 for the SDS200.

The Unication pagers also handle simulcast well, and are a small, convenient to carry, size and rugged (based on posted comments). Cost, depending on model selected, are near or above those for the SDS100 & SDS200. The Unication pagers, not being 'true' scanners, , in that you cannot enter or edit channel information without a PC. They are also limited to monitoring one site, and once set of talkgroups, at a time. You can enter multiple other sites, or lists of talkgroups, but only access (monitor) one at a time.

For Montgomery County, Conroe uses that county's trunked system, with almost all of city's law enforcement using encrypted talkgroups. Encrypted transmissions cannot be received by any scanner (or the Unication pagers). Conroe Fire appears to mostly be 'in the clear'. Montgomery County itself, including the Sheriff's department, uses TxWARN but is almost fully encrypted for law enforcement & fire talkgroups. Waller & Walker also use TxWARN, but are mostly in the clear.

For Houston, PD & Fire dispatch channels are in the clear, but almost everything else is encrypted. Many of the Harris County talkgroups are shown as 'not encrypted' so you would be able to hear them.

Without going through all of the various cities & departments, you can see, in the database, which are encrypted, and those that are not, look in the Mode column.

A capital T means that the talkgroup is P25 Phase II. A capital D indicates P25 Phase I. (The SDS series scanners can handle either.) A capital E beside the T or D mode entry indicates full time encryption is in use. A lower case e indicates encryption is used part of the time, If encryption is in use at that time, you will not be able to monitor it, but if not currently encrypted, you would be able to listen.

Yes, there is a learning curve in understanding how to program the scanners. But there is a wealth of information available to help. There are 'step by step' "how to" instructions available in a number of places, both in the Wiki here on RadioReference, as well as the "Easier to Read" manuals site. (See this.) There are also a number of videos posted online, with step by step illustration of the needed steps. Take a look at the bottom of the SDS100's Wiki page for some examples.

You can also download and install Uniden's Sentinel software for the SDS series scanners, before you receive, or even order,your scanner. While there is a 'learning curve', you might have a slight advantage over someone who has other scanner models. You would not be fighting the "this is not the way we did it" factor that someone familiar with other units may encounter. Without previous scanner experience, you won't be dealing with memories of using other scanner models.

Enforcer has given you good start. Hopefully, others in your area can also provide additional information.