Is buying a New Scanner Worth it and will it keep up with Today's Communications Protocols?

[mule1075]

Bottom line is do the research for the area you want to monitor and see what's going on. After the research you can then decide if you should buy or not. It really is as simple as that no muss no fuss sure you might be taking a risk if the area decides to go quiet. Is it worth the risk and expense that is for the individual to decide.

 

[trentbob]

Like I was saying, during prohibition everybody drank. If they outlawed cigarettes people would still smoke and drugs are illegal but anybody that wants them does them.

If the situation gets so bad that it pretty well snuffs out any ability to monitor anymore people will still listen.

I'm not going to go into the details here because it wouldn't be appropriate but it would probably break down to a private streaming service for a considerable fee.

Every once in awhile a speakeasy will be closed, I mean a radio will be bricked.

Where there's a will there's a way.

 

[ten13]

Comparing the hobby of monitoring a radio to a drug addiction or alcoholism maybe apropos in some cases, but it is a little extreme. Anyone who can't give it up is probably in worse shape then the addicted mentioned.

As far as "streaming" goes: who in their right mind it going to put up a web site "streaming" an encrypted system, when they have illegally unencrypted the signal?

As I say, unless you belong to a volly ambulance corps or FD, or affiliated in some other way, the access to ANY radio (encrypted or not) is going to become difficult and probably impossible as time goes on.

 

[darkness975]

What's the alternative?

Apparently nothing

 

[trentbob]

Comparing the hobby of monitoring a radio to a drug addiction or alcoholism maybe apropos in some cases, but it is a little extreme. Anyone who can't give it up is probably in worse shape then the addicted mentioned.

As far as "streaming" goes: who in their right mind it going to put up a web site "streaming" an encrypted system, when they have illegally unencrypted the signal?

As I say, unless you belong to a volly ambulance corps or FD, or affiliated in some other way, the access to ANY radio (encrypted or not) is going to become difficult and probably impossible as time goes on.

<sigh> I was not trying to compare hobbyist to drug addicts sorry you saw it that way I was just using examples.

This kind of service probably wouldn't necessarily be used by hobbyist anyway but maybe media types or tow truck operators Etc. If a hobbyist had the money maybe they could get on board too.

People are always looking to make a buck or to exploit a situation.

This would not be a public site that is advertised with everyone knowing about it. It would be Word of Mouth between people who protected it. Not saying this is being done or that it would be done we're only thinking out loud here about a problem that potentially someday could destroy the hobby. Geez.

 

[W8RMH]

Actually the percentage of agencies going to encryption is very low when compared to the number of agencies nationwide. I asked a Motorola rep and was told it is less than one percent.

Here in Ohio Columbus only has two encrypted TGs, SWAT TAC and NARCOTICS. Cincinnati's dispatch is in the clear. There are a few counties that have gone to encryption, but they have had integrity issues over the years and feel it's best to hide what they are doing.

 

[trentbob]

Actually the percentage of agencies going to encryption is very low when compared to the number of agencies nationwide. I asked a Motorola rep and was told it is less than one percent.

Here in Ohio Columbus only has two encrypted TGs, SWAT TAC and NARCOTICS. Cincinnati's dispatch is in the clear. There are a few counties that have gone to encryption, but they have had integrity issues over the years and feel it's best to hide what they are doing.

Yes, around me in the Philly area and suburbs it's a mixed bag. We have entire County's going dark as each new system goes online. The state police also eventually when their system is completed reportedly will be dark.

My County chose to be in the clear but has one Ops Channel for each Police Zone that is dark and they can switch over to it anytime they choose. Philly police and fire are in the clear but any sensitive TGs are dark. It seems like a trend coming.

My point was that equipment is not going to keep up with new protocols eventually but people will always keep trying.

 

[N4VKF]

The same argument can be made about buying a new computer and/or upgrading operating system versions. Or I just have to get that new cellphone version because i have an 8 and need the 10X.

It has to be a personal decision about how much you want to spend on technology to truly enjoy the hobby or I you don't need to then don't fix what is broken.

It gets worse if you are into Ham radio and need that next and best HT, HF Rig, or Hotspot.

 

[kh6sz]

You'd be surprised how entertaining the school buses TGs around here can be. It's usually more interesting than listening to some of the nearby rural counties sheriffs

School buses can get pretty interesting to listen to at times! Fights, missing children, accidents, etc. Believe me, I know, that's my job!

 

[IcomIcR20]

School buses can get pretty interesting to listen to at times! Fights, missing children, accidents, etc. Believe me, I know, that's my job!

Thank you for your service I don't know how some of those driver keep their cool with some of the stuff they are calling in or with all the bedlam you can hear in the background!

 

[paulmohr]

You have to really like kids. My brother drives a school bus and he is this big 270 lb 6'4" biker looking guy. But in reality he is a big teddy bear that rescues basset hounds and like trains lol. I am like 5'3" 140 lbs and I am the crazy one. He used to be a prison guard though so kids are probably nothing for him.

 

[hardsuit]

steveb1965 - that's the rub. While most of our Nation will go digital and Phase II, not everyone will go Encryption. some areas still will go Encryption. there is really nothing to be done here. In my area I live in a 9 county Super Region, where all the PD and services need to talk to one another. so, Largely they don't Encrypt. I recommend getting at least a Digital Phase II scanner and possibly one of the NEW SDR scanner with ability to demodulate SIMULCAST better. these are the Whistler TRX-100 & 200 scanner coming soon and you can get the Expensive Uniden SDS scanners , but you will HAVE TO pay extra in order to receive NXDN, DMR among others. whereas Whistler provides both Superior software (EZ SCAN ) as well as NXDN and DMR for FREE.

 

[jafarm66]

I think it depends on if you can afford it primarily. If the scanner you have covers your needs there is no reason to upgrade unless it is beginning to have problems. Now if your area is upgrading systems (in your case P25 phase 1 to P25 phase 2) an upgrade would be needed. When upgrading you should make sure if there are DMR or NXDN systems you wish to hear as well as simulcast trunked systems. All these variables can add or lessen the cost of your new scanner. I would recommend you listen to all the scanners you are considering and see which one you like the most.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[darkness975]

In my area there are not a lot of DMR or NXDX, at least right now from what I have seen, so even though I did get an sds100 to add to my collection I did not get any upgrades, at least not at this time.

@steveb1965 if you have not done so already, check the databases to see how many systems around you are encrypted, how many are simulcast, how many are NXDX/DMR, etc.

If there are a large percentage of encrypted systems then it won't matter but if there are digital systems that are in the clear then I say go for it.

I am hearing things on my sds100 that do not come in on my other scanners for the simple fact that they are either a heavily simulcast affected system, or some other Factor. Yes sds100 is simply better at decoding then the others. Don't get me wrong, the others are functioning fine and they still pick up plenty of Transmissions, it's just that the sds100 is the latest iteration with the most chances of receiving the largest amount of Transmissions.

I'm not making a specific pitch for sds100, it doesn't matter whether you go with Uniden, Whistler, or whatever. What is important are the options and features offered.

 

[ten13]

Even FACEBOOK is going encrypted.....

Facebook Inc., which became the world’s biggest social network by encouraging people to share photos and messages publicly, said it is now betting on the opposite: that the future of social media lies in private messaging and small-group chats.

In a major shift in strategy, Facebook plans to offer encrypted messaging across all of its major products and allow people to make private conversations ephemeral, Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg wrote in a blog post.

Facebook Plans New Emphasis on Private Communications

 

[darkness975]

Even FACEBOOK is going encrypted.....



Facebook Plans New Emphasis on Private Communications

No it isn't, they still have access to all of your Communications. Probably more so.