McClain County

[Firecop203]

What equipment is needed to listen to things in my area? I used to listen on an old Regency scanner. Then they trunked, encrypted and digitized everything and all I can pick up is the weather. I’ve got several scanner apps on my phone and McClain County is not listed on any of them. Can’t help but wonder why.

 

[Freqed]

Encryption is the biggest killer, followed by some systems that are un-monitorable. Just because a system isn't on an App doesn't mean you can't scan it, it just means that no one is transmitting it to an App. If McClain County went encrypted your pretty much done.

 

[Firecop203]

I don’t really know enough about it to know if it’s encrypted or not. I’ve never been very electro-technical. The most advanced scanner I have at the moment is a Radio Shack Pro-89 which I think is a Uniden scanner with their name on it.

 

[WhatsnOKC]

DMR

You need a DMR capable scanner. Currently Whistler and Uniden offer these models, but they're not cheap. Plus on the Uniden scanners it is a small additional upgrade.

 

[plaws]

What equipment is needed to listen to things in my area? I used to listen on an old Regency scanner. Then they trunked, encrypted and digitized everything and all I can pick up is the weather. I’ve got several scanner apps on my phone and McClain County is not listed on any of them. Can’t help but wonder why.

Last I listened (there's not much going on across the river) it was regular ol' DMR. Which means you'll need a DMR-capable receiver.

Not cheap as pointed out. As for why there is no stream ... probably whoever hosts it doesn't have a DMR radio.

 

[Firecop203]

Encryption is the biggest killer, followed by some systems that are un-monitorable. Just because a system isn't on an App doesn't mean you can't scan it, it just means that no one is transmitting it to an App. If McClain County went encrypted your pretty much done.

I’ve got four different apps on my phone and iPad for scanning. McClain County and none of the cities in it are listed in the menu screens of any of them.

 

[dward42586]

It's the wave of the future. A lot of agencies around the country have gone completely encrypted.

 

[Freqed]

I’ve got four different apps on my phone and iPad for scanning. McClain County and none of the cities in it are listed in the menu screens of any of them.

That could mean that no one is supplying a feed to the apps, they have to get the transmissions from somewhere and the app's are all scanner feed's by people who monitor a system and link it to the net.

 

[dstew67]

There's no conspiracy here. They use the statewide OKWIN system now. They are not digital, nor encrypted. Get yourself a trunking scanner and you can hear them. I listen to them, but there's just not a lot of traffic.

 

[ecollins11]

McClain County is not encrypted they are on the 800 mhz OKWIN System


McClain County dispatches all county fire departments except Purcell, Blanchard and Newcastle.

Oklahoma Wireless Interoperability Network (OKWIN) (Motorola)
Motorola Type II SmartZone The McClain County Sheriff uses this system.

 

[Firecop203]

There's no conspiracy here. They use the statewide OKWIN system now. They are not digital, nor encrypted. Get yourself a trunking scanner and you can hear them. I listen to them, but there's just not a lot of traffic.

Any suggestions on what to get? Brand, etc?

 

[WhatsnOKC]

DMR and/or OKWIN

For a mobile, Uniden BCD996P2 or BCD536HP or Whistler TRX2 if you're wanting to listen to Blanchard and Newcastle (they use DMR type radios).
Their portable equivalents are BCD325P2 and BCD436HP, and Whistler TRX1.
If you only care about listening to the Sheriff's office and other rural agencies that use the OKWIN system, then you have many more options. The models listed above should last you longer than other scanners if the OKWIN system ever upgrades to P25 Phase II.

If you don't care about Blanchard and Newcastle, you can get away with an older Uniden BCD996XT mobile or BCD396XT portable, or Whistler mobile WS1065, or portable WS1065. You will need a scanner that has trunking and digital, as Rosedale, Wayne and Purcell all have digital talkgroups on the OKWIN radio system. Again, the disadvantage to these radios is they may have a bit shorter useful life if P25 Phase II becomes popular in a few years.

 

[Firecop203]

Thanks. That will give me something to check out and see what the prices are.

I want to listen to as much as I can. I live in Blanchard not far from the main road south to Chickasha. I see PD, FD and Ambulances go by every day. It would be nice to know what’s going on.

 

[nermel]

If you are just wanting to hear DMR around Blanchard, buy a ~$25 SDR Dongle, with a PC, use SDR# & DSD, and VB audio cable.

 

[Firecop203]

If you are just wanting to hear DMR around Blanchard, buy a ~$25 SDR Dongle, with a PC, use SDR# & DSD, and VB audio cable.

The closest thing I have to a PC is an old laptop that I keep around to do some things I can’t do on an iPad. I use it for a few things and turn it off till I need it again. Can you tell me what the rest of the stuff you mentioned is?