Icom r20

[icomR20]

Heres a newbie question


Im thinking of purchasing an ICOM R20 ...I prefer unblocked because I feel that it can do more. What more can a unblocked one do than blocked?

My next question is if I have a certain frequency (thats it below)

163.6250 P25 Repeater Channel 1 ("400" Units) Whatcom


Can the Icom R20 getthat signal? would it need to be unblocked or will blocked work as well?

 

[Air490]

The unblocked receiver covers all of the 800MHz band.
As to the frequency you are interested in, that appears to be a digital P25 transmission. The R20 is an analogue receiver, so will be unable to receive transmissions on that frequency.
If you are looking at digital signals, you need to look at the digital scanners made by GRE and Uniden.

 

[icomR20]

Hi thanks for the info...

what make and model scanner would work for that purpose?

 

[whiskeytango]

Digital Scanners

those are all digital capable. and check out the wiki section at the top of this page, poke around there for a lot of general info

 

[ManFish]

Heres a newbie question


Im thinking of purchasing an ICOM R20 ...I prefer unblocked because I feel that it can do more. What more can a unblocked one do than blocked?

My next question is if I have a certain frequency (thats it below)

163.6250 P25 Repeater Channel 1 ("400" Units) Whatcom


Can the Icom R20 getthat signal? would it need to be unblocked or will blocked work as well?

I am soon going to be a fully certified law enforcement officer & I know that possession of an unblocked receiver in the United States is a federal offense. That law was enacted to eliminate illegal monitoring of cellphone transmissions. I personaly know a number of local undercover law enforcement officers who rely on cellphones to assist in their investigative work & I dont think that they would appreciate people listening in on their conversations while trying to apprehend extremely dangerous criminals. Thanks for your cooperation.

Manny

 

[N8IAA]

I am soon going to be a fully certified law enforcement officer & I know that possession of an unblocked receiver in the United States is a federal offense. That law was enacted to eliminate illegal monitoring of cellphone transmissions. I personaly know a number of local undercover law enforcement officers who rely on cellphones to assist in their investigative work & I dont think that they would appreciate people listening in on their conversations while trying to apprehend extremely dangerous criminals. Thanks for your cooperation.

Manny

Manny, the frequency he asked about is in the federal government area. The I-20 won't do P-25. Any digital scanner that decodes P-25 will work. The 96, 106/500, or, 396XT are good choices for monitoring. The only problem may be that this frequency is also encrypted. Which no scanner on the market can monitor.
Larry

 

[whiskeytango]

the only thing unblocked means is it receives cell phone transmissions, which is illegal, but if u can get one then i guess mr officer manny will be waiting for you

 

[icomR20]

So theres no scanner on the market which will do what I am looking for?

Larry you mentioned 106/500 or 396xt will work... how do I find out if the frequency is encrypted?

 

[K2KOH]

I am soon going to be a fully certified law enforcement officer & I know that possession of an unblocked receiver in the United States is a federal offense. That law was enacted to eliminate illegal monitoring of cellphone transmissions. I personaly know a number of local undercover law enforcement officers who rely on cellphones to assist in their investigative work & I dont think that they would appreciate people listening in on their conversations while trying to apprehend extremely dangerous criminals. Thanks for your cooperation.

Manny

Manny, none of the scanners out there would be able to monitor cell phones, anyway. The digital signal used by cell is different from APCO P25. Good luck on your endeavor!

 

[icomR20]

?

Anyone with a make and model which will find the frequency I am looking for?

 

[mciupa]

Uniden BCD396XT,GRE PSR 500, RadioShack Pro 106 if you want handheld models

 

[N8IAA]

So theres no scanner on the market which will do what I am looking for?

Larry you mentioned 106/500 or 396xt will work... how do I find out if the frequency is encrypted?

If you have a scanner that you can put the frequency into. If it doesn't sound like 'in the clear' voice transmission means P-25. Any noise when the signal is present (usually a white noise, open squelch sound) means that it is encrypted. That is why I suggested a Pro-96, it is cheaper and less complicated than the others I mentioned. I'll leave it up to you as to what you want to do I edited because I forgot it was a conventional, P-25 frequency.
Larry

 

[trashcan]

I am soon going to be a fully certified law enforcement officer & I know that possession of an unblocked receiver in the United States is a federal offense. That law was enacted to eliminate illegal monitoring of cellphone transmissions. I personaly know a number of local undercover law enforcement officers who rely on cellphones to assist in their investigative work & I dont think that they would appreciate people listening in on their conversations while trying to apprehend extremely dangerous criminals. Thanks for your cooperation.

Manny

Its not illegal to own a unblocked scanner its illegal to sell and manufacture them I have a unblocked scanner ( pro2006 ) nothing has come over mine in the Cell band in years .But no one no one is picking up their comm's .most cops I know use Nextel's and no scanner can pick up them .

 

[ltjweiss]

besides i think cell phone transmissions are encrypted anyway arent they? gsm?

 

[icomR20]

so theres nothing out there that can get this signal

My next question is if I have a certain frequency (thats it below)

163.6250 P25 Repeater Channel 1 ("400" Units) Whatcom

I guess its ecrypted? and nothing works? or is there something?

 

[N8IAA]

so theres nothing out there that can get this signal My next question is if I have a certain frequency (thats it below) 163.6250 P25 Repeater Channel 1 ("400" Units) Whatcom I guess its ecrypted? and nothing works? or is there something?

Read my post #12, as to what you can use to monitor the frequency. You can use a Pro-96/2096, GRE PSR-500/600, RS Pro-106/197, Uniden 396XT/996XT to monitor that frequency. The 96 is your cheapest way to go. The others range from $450-$$500. You make the choice.Whether,or, not it is encrypted, is a great question to ask in your state forum. But, there is no scanner made that hears encrypted comms in the clear.
HTH,
Larry

 

[CLynch7]

I've got a Bearcat 800xlt (the old one) and it has complete coverage of the 800mhz band, where cell phones used to be. There are no phones there now, they are are 1.8-1.9 ghz and super-encrypted. I bet that the 800 mhz band won't remained blocked for much longer since it is public safety these days.

/optimistically

 

[N_Jay]

I've got a Bearcat 800xlt (the old one) and it has complete coverage of the 800mhz band, where cell phones used to be. There are no phones there now, they are are 1.8-1.9 ghz and super-encrypted. I bet that the 800 mhz band won't remained blocked for much longer since it is public safety these days.

/optimistically

The 800 MHz cell band is STILL the 800 MHz cell band.

It will stay blocked because it will take a law to get passed to unblock it, and there is no one working on that.

And yes, all cellphones today (both 800 and 1.9) are digital, and most digital formats include encryption.

 

[ltjweiss]

Icom IC-R20 Wide Band Receiver scanner- Unblocked - eBay (item 140375530472 end time Feb-16-10 21:39:32 PST)
yep dont bother unless you are very serious about the investment

 

[N8IAA]

Everyone, he is trying to find what scanner to use to monitor the frequency of 163.625, conventional P-25.
Larry