Need "Reassurance" (Going to buy a new Scanner)

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k9idx

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Hi all,
Been a couple years since I had a scanner and am planning to purchase the TRX-2.
I'm here in Lake County and am quite aware that encryption is a "thing" up here.
That being said, has encryption "ruined" the Lake County experience?
Looks like Chicago Police and ISP are still open, so I don't think I would just be listening to the silence, but I could use some expert feedback from this audience.
Regards and thanks - Jim
 

CQ

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Exosphere
Hi all,
Been a couple years since I had a scanner and am planning to purchase the TRX-2.
I'm here in Lake County and am quite aware that encryption is a "thing" up here.
That being said, has encryption "ruined" the Lake County experience?
Looks like Chicago Police and ISP are still open, so I don't think I would just be listening to the silence, but I could use some expert feedback from this audience.
Regards and thanks - Jim

I got one months ago but returned it before my period ended.

Maybe you could wait for their relabeled 1095/98 model sometime next year...
 

K9DAK

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Hi Jim... former resident of your town (west side) here. As far as I'm concerned yes it has. I do see that your PD dispatch entry in the database was updated yesterday, so they may still be using it in the clear... I'm too far away now to hear it.

Anyway, I'd been scanning in Lake County for over 40 years when my town switched to the StarCom system and encrypted, just weeks after I bought a WS-1088 to be Phase II capable... what a disappointment. The only thing we listen to now is our and a couple neighboring FDs.

That said... I now have a TRX-1 and love it... works well on the NWCD StarCom system where I work in Schaumburg... again, FD only.

You might want to wait to see what the new Whistler offering that's supposed to arrive this quarter is like though... will likely work much better on the Phase II StarCom TGs... at least you could listen to Animal Control!

Hi all,
Been a couple years since I had a scanner and am planning to purchase the TRX-2.
I'm here in Lake County and am quite aware that encryption is a "thing" up here.
That being said, has encryption "ruined" the Lake County experience?
Looks like Chicago Police and ISP are still open, so I don't think I would just be listening to the silence, but I could use some expert feedback from this audience.
Regards and thanks - Jim
 

k9idx

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Oct 19, 2018
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WESTBERG
Thank you.

Hi Jim... former resident of your town (west side) here. As far as I'm concerned yes it has. I do see that your PD dispatch entry in the database was updated yesterday, so they may still be using it in the clear... I'm too far away now to hear it.

Anyway, I'd been scanning in Lake County for over 40 years when my town switched to the StarCom system and encrypted, just weeks after I bought a WS-1088 to be Phase II capable... what a disappointment. The only thing we listen to now is our and a couple neighboring FDs.

That said... I now have a TRX-1 and love it... works well on the NWCD StarCom system where I work in Schaumburg... again, FD only.

You might want to wait to see what the new Whistler offering that's supposed to arrive this quarter is like though... will likely work much better on the Phase II StarCom TGs... at least you could listen to Animal Control!

Yeah, that's what I was worried about.....Yes, Gurnee is still in the clear and I am actually listening to them on my SDR dongle. On the other dongle, I am listening to fire and it is, for the most part, quiet as you can imagine. If Police goes encrypted, there's nothing, other than Great America, to listen to.
I think I will simply remain "on-hold" for now. ISP and Chicago PD would be fun to listen to, but they're not overly "relevant" and not necessarily worth the $400....and imagine if they go encrypted.
Milwaukee is toast, too, which is actually closer than Chicago to me.
I could hook the scanner up to a beastly antenna on my tower, but then I'm stuck in the ham shack which is in the basement.
As for Animal Control.....well, I think I'd be pretty ticked if that was all I could listen to.
Sticking to my dongle for the moment (that sounds weird) - Jim K9IDX
 

k9idx

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Oct 19, 2018
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WESTBERG
Thanks for the responses

All,
Thanks for the views and the responses.
After looking at the threads and getting some additional feedback from locals, it sounds like Lake County activity is scant or at least not overly interesting, so I will continue to hold.
The $40 in dongles are taking care of Gurnee for me and it "feels like" Starcom 21, despite pages and pages of entries, is a bit of a dud for listening pleasure.
We do love road trips, so I may still pull the trigger before our family's next road trip, but for now it will be an old laptop and the dongles (which hopefully I can get to decode Phase II by the end of the weekend).
Thanks again - Jim
 
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