How do I listen to Indiana DNR

[Lstadick]

I have no idea how to do this which is why I am asking for help. I would love to listen to the Indiana DNR frequencies and if I need to purchase a scanner that would be fine. I just have no idea where to start or which one to purchase. Or can I listen to the frequencies on my phone? Any help is greatly appreciated

 

[mass-man]

Jump right in…DNR is on a shared statewide system! You would have to identify which repeater site you are near, program the DNR info and sit back and wait!
The Indiana SAFE T system is Phase 1 P25 so a scanner capable of that is a must!
Check the database here on RR to determine what site is near you!!!

 

[Lstadick]

I am near the fishers Geist area and is there an inexpensive scanner you would recommend?

 

[GTO_04]

I am near the fishers Geist area and is there an inexpensive scanner you would recommend?

You will want to monitor the Hortonville and District 52 towers. Neither tower is simulcast. So you will not have to worry about the simulcast reception issues.

You will also hear DNR conservation officers on the Hamilton County MESA system 3. However, Hamilton County is going to fully encrypt their law enforcement talkgroups, so I would not go out and spend $700 a SDS100 or SDS200 since they will be useless after that for your purposes. You really do need a simulcast capable scanner to monitor Hamilton County.

I don't have a lot of experience with the newer less expensive Uniden scanners so I can't make an informed recommendation there. A less expensive scanner like my 996XT would work very well for the local SAFE-T towers.

GTO_04

 

[Lstadick]

Thank you for the information. So I know the two frequencies that I want to listen to. If purchasing a scanner is it not as simple as just going to these frequencies and listening? Sorry I literally know nothing about this stuff!!

 

[mass-man]

If you look it says the Indiana Project Hoosier SAFE-T net is used primarliy by DNR! Those frequencies you circled may not be used at all, or very little in case the P25 system goes down. It is not as simple as plugging in those two. It takes a scanner capable of Phase 1 P25 reception. There are many on the used market, the 396XT is a portable, the 996XT a base unit. An old HomePatrol 1 would also work. There are others, a few made by Whistler, but I'm not familiar with them.
You just no longer just plug in channels, frequencies. The scanner scans a group of frequencies in the background, and stops when a talkgroup you have entered is used! Allows for many more users. You would program the Horton and District 52 sites as GTO_04 mentioned and then the talkgroups for DNR.
Here is the system iinfo...https://www.radioreference.com/db/sid/8084
Sadly it ain't as simple as it used to be. Hoping someone close to you offers help and guidance.
Good luck...

 

[INDaviation]

The VHF frequencies are rarely used if at all. Look under the DNR listing on the Project Hoosier SAFE-T page. There are two dispatch talkgroups, one for the north region law enforcement and one for the south region. Each DNR district has it's own Parks talkgroup and a tactical talkgroup for law enforcement. There are also a few statewide talkgroups for investigations, forestry, fire operations, fish and wildlife, etc.

Indiana Project Hoosier SAFE-T TG Category: Department of Natural Resources - Enforcement

Indiana Project Hoosier SAFE-T TG Category: Department of Natural Resources - Enforcement Details

www.radioreference.com

Indiana Project Hoosier SAFE-T TG Category: Department of Natural Resources - State Parks

Indiana Project Hoosier SAFE-T TG Category: Department of Natural Resources - State Parks Details

www.radioreference.com

Indiana Project Hoosier SAFE-T TG Category: Department of Natural Resources - Conservation Operations

Indiana Project Hoosier SAFE-T TG Category: Department of Natural Resources - Conservation Operations Details

www.radioreference.com

 

[GTO_04]

You will definitely want to monitor the DNR talkgroups on the SAFE-T. The DNR VHF frequencies are used very little nowadays. Hamilton County is in the North Region, so those will be the talkgroups you are most interested in. So this all means you will need a P25 capable scanner.

GTO_04

 

[IndyScan]

Once you get set up & IF you monitor the Hamilton County system, the DNR units start with a 4 & they are on the Sheriff Dispatch Talk Group (on occasion). Carmel units also start with 4 but are on another Talk Group.

Your best bet is to monitor the District 52 Indianapolis ISP Post (Site 37) on the SAFE-T System. There is a lot of DNR traffic on the North Region Dispatch talk group, but you will hear more than just the units in Hamilton County (again, the 4## units are the DNR Units that cover the Hamilton County area).

As others have said, the 159 MHz frequencies are rarely (if ever anymore) used; you need a scanner capable of scanning a digital Trunk System. You will have everything you need if you can find a used SDS100 of a 996XT that GTO_04 recommended.

 

[west-pac]

Are you going to be listening from a DNR campground? If so, it wouldn't be a bad idea to put those 159Mhz freqs in a scanner.

 

[INDY72]

INDNR uses the VHF as backup, and in areas where SAFE-T is not as dependable, such as down in those valleys in like Brown County... Though the newer site down there has killed a lot of the dead zones that used to be more numerous.

 

[west-pac]

INDNR uses the VHF as backup, and in areas where SAFE-T is not as dependable, such as down in those valleys in like Brown County... Though the newer site down there has killed a lot of the dead zones that used to be more numerous.

What new site in Brown county? Site 2.84? That site has been on the air for years, and the license for that site has been cancel for about just as long.

 

[tvengr]

I am near the fishers Geist area and is there an inexpensive scanner you would recommend?

For the Fishers area in Hamilton County, you would want to use the Hortonville site on the SAFE-T statewide system:

1 (1)

032 (20)

Hortonville

Hamilton, IN

851.9125

852.8875

852.9125

853.3625c

853.4875c

853.975c

You only need to enter the control channel capable frequencies which are followed by a lower case "c". Do not include the "c" when you program the frequency. All of the frequency information is carried on the control channel.

 

[west-pac]

You only need to enter the control channel capable frequencies which are followed by a lower case "c". Do not include the "c" when you program the frequency.

I've never thought to say that, but I've also never ran across that either. Have you heard of someone doing that? Idk if it's even possible to do that via software (I don't use the softwares).

 

[INDaviation]

For the Fishers area in Hamilton County, you would want to use the Hortonville site on the SAFE-T statewide system:

1 (1)

032 (20)

Hortonville

Hamilton, IN

851.9125

852.8875

852.9125

853.3625c

853.4875c

853.975c

You only need to enter the control channel capable frequencies which are followed by a lower case "c". Do not include the "c" when you program the frequency. All of the frequency information is carried on the control channel.

The ISP D52 site might be a better choice as it's much more powerful. I don't think the Hortonville site carries as much traffic.

 

[INDaviation]

I've never thought to say that, but I've also never ran across that either. Have you heard of someone doing that? Idk if it's even possible to do that via software (I don't use the softwares).

All of my favorites lists are programmed with CC only. It works on the Uniden scanners.

 

[west-pac]

All of my favorites lists are programmed with CC only. It works on the Uniden scanners.

I'm certainly not talking about that. I'm talking about not adding the "c" to the frequency.

 

[INDaviation]

Sorry, I guess I misunderstood. Also, I can confirm Sentinel won't let you type in a letter in the frequency space.

 

[west-pac]

The ISP D52 site might be a better choice as it's much more powerful. I don't think the Hortonville site carries as much traffic.

Hortonville and D52 are both licensed at the same power level (250 watts ERP).

 

[INDaviation]

Weird. I've never been able to copy it as well the Post 52 site even when I'm up there. Maybe they're not running it at full power or maybe I'm still not getting close enough. I digress....