Listening to VSP troopers near me?

[Tippyman88]

I live in Amelia County, and have the local Sheriff dispatch channel tuned in and working great. Every once in a while, an officer will ask dispatch is there are any troopers in the area, and dispatch will say something like: “trooper 1234, last name doe.” The officer will then thank dispatch and, I assume, radio the trooper.

Is that what’s happening? And if so, how can I pick up on it? I’m using a UV5R, suboptimal I know...

 

[n3obl]

Looks like your local channels are analog which a baofeng will pick up. The VSP uses STARS system which is a VHF trunk p25 system that you will need a p25 digital trunking scanner to monitor their specific channels.

It sounds like your local troopers do monitor the sheriff channel in case something happens and they can be reached quickly vs sheriff dispatch having to call VSP by phone and relaying info to them.

 

[BoxAlarm187]

It could be any number of things, but most likely, they deputy is simply calling the trooper via cell phone if there's no additional traffic. There's also the chance that the trooper and deputy are communicating directly on SIRS (39.540Mhz), a non-repeated frequency which you'll need to be close to the trooper and/or deputy to hear.

 

[fredva]

To add to Box Alarm's comment, the system that the deputy and the trooper are communicating on is not going to be STARS, as that is almost exclusively used by state agencies. A trooper may talk on a county radio system - depending on the type of system - but you are unlikely to hear a deputy get on a state police talkgroup.

 

[N4VKF]

I live in Amelia County, and have the local Sheriff dispatch channel tuned in and working great. Every once in a while, an officer will ask dispatch is there are any troopers in the area, and dispatch will say something like: “trooper 1234, last name doe.” The officer will then thank dispatch and, I assume, radio the trooper.

Is that what’s happening? And if so, how can I pick up on it? I’m using a UV5R, suboptimal I know...

Did It appear like the dispatcher was calling the trooper on the radio or just replying to the deputy because maybe they have his schedule?

 

[Tippyman88]

Did It appear like the dispatcher was calling the trooper on the radio or just replying to the deputy because maybe they have his schedule?

Dispatch definitely checked the schedule and informed the deputy what trooper was in the area, then the deputy (I assume) contacted the trooper by some means, whether radio I don't know.

It just got me thinking that I'm only picking up my local police, and that Chesterfield, Richmond, and VSP use something different. I looked into the STARS system, and n3obl was right, it's P25 Phase 1, so I'd need a P25 Phase 1 or 2 scanner for that.

The Radio Reference page for Richmond says Richmond police use 854.23750 (Mode FMN), and Chesterfield Police uses 851.18750 (Mode P25).

Is it even worth getting a scanner that will do both, or is it all going to be encrypted anyway and a waste of money?

 

[BoxAlarm187]

The Radio Reference page for Richmond says Richmond police use 854.23750 (Mode FMN), and Chesterfield Police uses 851.18750 (Mode P25)....Is it even worth getting a scanner that will do both, or is it all going to be encrypted anyway and a waste of money?

All law enforcement in Richmond, Henrico, and Chesterfield is encrypted, but fire/EMS is not. As for the frequencies you listed, those are just a couple of the 40+ frequencies used by the Capitol Regional radio system (it's a giant shared system between lots of different agencies).

Some agencies are moving to Phase II, others are on Phase I for the forseeable future. For example, next door in Powhatan, their new system will be Phase II when it comes online next year.

Remember that all Phase II scanners will also do Phase I.

 

[Tippyman88]

Well, police is what I’m mainly interested in. Looks like I won’t waste my time with buying a scanner then.