Need help with digital and CTCSS/DPL tones

[rootbeerefloat]

Hello! I am new to the radio community and am looking for some help. I just purchased a Baofeng UV-5R radio and had some questions about how to listen to some channels. I live in the Bentonville, Arkansas area, so any frequencies I refer to can be found on the website here. After playing with this radio for a while, I have been able to program and listen to some frequencies, including NWS, FRS, and local sheriff and EMS radio.
My problem comes when I try to listen to fire, police, or city radio. When listening to the police frequencies 453.775 and 460.075, I just get a short burst of static every couple of seconds. When listening to fire or city frequencies on 453.825, 453.4125, and 464.7875, I either get constant static, or a weird noise that sounds like a car driving down the road. Does this mean that these frequencies are encrypted? Do I need to do something with CTCSS/DPL settings? On the website referenced above, it says that some of these are using color codes. Would this prevent me from listening on this radio?

Also, does anybody happen to know if/how I could turn off transmission on this radio, just so I don't accidentally transmit on a law enforcement frequency?

Thank you for any help or advice. It is much appreciated.

 

[slicerwizard]

You're trying to listen to digital voice traffic with an analog receiver. Not going to happen.

Program all channels to TX on a dead/unused frequency. Then you'll never walk on the cops.

 

[JohnnyGent]

Hello! I am new to the radio community and am looking for some help. I just purchased a Baofeng UV-5R radio and had some questions about how to listen to some channels. I live in the Bentonville, Arkansas area, so any frequencies I refer to can be found on the website here. After playing with this radio for a while, I have been able to program and listen to some frequencies, including NWS, FRS, and local sheriff and EMS radio.
My problem comes when I try to listen to fire, police, or city radio. When listening to the police frequencies 453.775 and 460.075, I just get a short burst of static every couple of seconds. When listening to fire or city frequencies on 453.825, 453.4125, and 464.7875, I either get constant static, or a weird noise that sounds like a car driving down the road. Does this mean that these frequencies are encrypted? Do I need to do something with CTCSS/DPL settings? On the website referenced above, it says that some of these are using color codes. Would this prevent me from listening on this radio?

Also, does anybody happen to know if/how I could turn off transmission on this radio, just so I don't accidentally transmit on a law enforcement frequency?

Thank you for any help or advice. It is much appreciated.

Welcome to the hobby! But SlicerWizard is talking truth. That radio won't do it.
Scan On.

 

[Australia4001]

Your radio will not decode digital ,
You need a digital scanner capable of listening to what ever flavor of system your trying to listen to .

 

[chief21]

It appears as if most of the folks you want to listen to are operating on DMR, a digital mode. The few scanners that can receive DMR signals tend to be top tier, and DMR might be an extra-cost option on some.

 

[kh6sz]

Also, does anybody happen to know if/how I could turn off transmission on this radio, just so I don't accidentally transmit on a law enforcement frequency?

If you are using "Chirp" to program your radio, on the left side of the screen you should see "Settings" Click that and then click "Other Settings". In that menu you should have 2 options. One for VHF TX Enabled, and one for UHF TX Enabled. Just make sure you both options are not checked and it will disable the transmitter. Hope this helps.

 

[spongella]

Welcome rootbeerefloat. I like your name.

Question comes to mind, do these digital voice transmissions use DCS tones? I also hear these type of transmissions (as described by rootbeerefloat) on my Bearcat 125AT, but the nice thing is, it has a temporary L/O button for that. Other times, on that same frequency I will hear regular analog voice comms.

 

[kayn1n32008]

Question comes to mind, do these digital voice transmissions use DCS tones?

Digital transmissions do not use DCS/CTCSS


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Whiskey3JMC]

Wow, police in Bentonville primarily use DMR? That's quite unusual. Only Baofeng to my knowledge that CAN pick up DMR is this one...
https://www.amazon.com/Baofeng-Digital-400-480MHz-Transceiver-Ultra-long/dp/B01LZ0FZFQ