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SpikeoKc

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Hey guys i am new to this forum and thought i would post and say hello. I have been into all types of radios and scanners since i was a kid. I just recently got back into the hobby after a few years of being out of it. I had a question you for guys. I am looking into getting all new equipment and i plan on starting with getting a scanner. I used to have a Uniden Bearcat BC350A scanner which seem to pick up all the freq. i wanted to listen to but that was some time ago. I have been reading and i saw that OKCPD has switched to a new pro voice system which i don't know much about. The question i have for you guys is what kind of scanner should i look into buying so i can pick up the freq. in okc for most departments.
 

HogDriver

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I have a Pro 106; 197 setup with Win500 for the programming software. I would be willing to share my file if you chose to go with those radios.
 

SpikeoKc

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I was looking at that scanner to buy so that would be great. yea i noticed that okcpd did go to provoice which is a bummer. I noticed that the sheriff is still on the Motorola system.
 

WX5JCH

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You can sometimes pick up okc pd on the state okwin system. It's not always linked but it's the only way around provoice.
Jim
>>>>

These are links from the Oklahoma City EDACS System.

The Oklahoma City System also has links to RMA 2-A through RMA 2-E for Police and Fire radios

DEC HEX Mode Alpha Tag Description Tag
48112 bbf A OKC FireLink Link to Oklahoma City Fire (activated by OKC Fire) Interop
48144 bc1 A OKCFDTacLink Link to Oklahoma City Fire Tactical Channels (activated by OKC Fire) Interop
50416 c4f A OKC AirprtFD Link to Oklahoma City Will Rogers Airport Fire (activated by OKC) Interop
51952 caf A OKCPDSantaFe Link to Oklahoma City Police Santa Fe Division (always active -- OKC site) Law Dispatch
52464 ccf A OKCPDWilRogr Link to Oklahoma City Police Will Rogers Division (always active -- OKC site) Law Dispatch
52976 cef A OKCPD Hefner Link to Oklahoma City Police Hefner Division (always active -- OKC site) Law Dispatch
53488 d0f A OKCPDSprngLk Link to Oklahoma City Police Springlake Division (always active -- OKC site) Law Dispatch
54000 d2f A OKCPDBrickTn Link to Oklahoma City Police Bricktown Division / Special Event (always active) Law Dispatch
54256 d3f A OKCPD Airprt Link to Olahoma City Airport Police (activated by OKC PD) Interop



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

plaws

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Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but our hobby is slowly fading away.

If I listened to the doomsayers when I was told not to bother with a scanner because it was all going to 800 MHz and there are no scanners for that, I would have missed out on 30 years of monitoriing.

It is true: there are no scanners that will decode ProVoice. However, if you look at Oklahoma Wireless Interoperability Network (OKWIN) Motorola Trunking System, Various, Oklahoma - Scanner Frequencies, you'll see that OCPD is linked to that system (which is a Motorola mostly-analog system). OCFD is patched, too, but only occasionally. EMSA is on OKWIN, but is P25-encrypted.

If you're adventuresome and have a spare radio that you can put a discriminator tap in, you can decode ProVoice (and some of the other modes that use the "monopoly chip" by DVSI). But you'll need a computer for that so you can't hang it on your belt.
 

Freqed

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As far as a scanner goes, you can chose from Uniden, Grecom and Radio Shack among others. It depends on whether you want a handheld or desktop/mobile unit. Check out some of the radios in their forums elsewhere on this site, then check around locally (Ebay/Craigslist) for used models to save some money over new. I have had great success on ebay, but craigslist brings you to option to see the goods working and all before you decide to buy. Scanner programing these days can be a real nightmare but with software offered (both free and paid) that link to this site it is really quite easy.
 

SpikeoKc

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Do you guys think they will ever make a new scanner that can pick up the pro voice system? Also thank you for all the info given to me so far.
 

xerb1962

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If I listened to the doomsayers when I was told not to bother with a scanner because it was all going to 800 MHz and there are no scanners for that, I would have missed out on 30 years of monitoriing.

It is true: there are no scanners that will decode ProVoice. However, if you look at Oklahoma Wireless Interoperability Network (OKWIN) Motorola Trunking System, Various, Oklahoma - Scanner Frequencies, you'll see that OCPD is linked to that system (which is a Motorola mostly-analog system). OCFD is patched, too, but only occasionally. EMSA is on OKWIN, but is P25-encrypted.

If you're adventuresome and have a spare radio that you can put a discriminator tap in, you can decode ProVoice (and some of the other modes that use the "monopoly chip" by DVSI). But you'll need a computer for that so you can't hang it on your belt.

X2

Exactly Plaws, I have been hearing this for years. "Scanning as we know it is over."

Geez....some people.
 

plaws

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As far as a scanner goes, you can chose from Uniden, Grecom and Radio Shack among others.

It's really just Uniden and GRE since almost all of the Radio Shack-branded radios are from GRE (the Pro-2050 was Uniden made, but those haven't been sold in years).

AOR occasionally brings out something as do Icom and sometimes Yaesu (both known more for amateur radio gear) but I count all three as "niche" players.

And Uniden v GRE is like Ford v Chevy. We all know that Fords suck because we all own Chevies. Likewise, we all know GRE radios suck because we all have Unidens.


Peter
Uniden man (and Electra man before that) since 1982
 

SpikeoKc

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Ok i have decided on getting the GRE PSR-700 for all my trunking needs and the Uniden for BC355c for all my other VHF/UHF Freq. i need to listen to. I just want to make sure that the GRE PSR-700 will work with most trunking system in our area.
 

Freqed

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Ok i have decided on getting the GRE PSR-700 for all my trunking needs and the Uniden for BC355c for all my other VHF/UHF Freq. i need to listen to. I just want to make sure that the GRE PSR-700 will work with most trunking system in our area.

Depending on your travel habits, I would recommend the 800 or 600 because there is intent to make the State system P-25 Digital and if you travel out of state everyone around us is already Digital (not 100% on Texas) Arkansas, Kansas are both P-25 on their State systems so you would be better served to have a Digital capable scanner.
 

darkwolf

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I have the bcd396xt from uniden I have been most happy with this scanner has not gave me any troubles at all

Depending on your travel habits, I would recommend the 800 or 600 because there is intent to make the State system P-25 Digital and if you travel out of state everyone around us is already Digital (not 100% on Texas) Arkansas, Kansas are both P-25 on their State systems so you would be better served to have a Digital capable scanner.
 

peterjmag

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Do you guys think they will ever make a new scanner that can pick up the pro voice system? Also thank you for all the info given to me so far.

No, this is like Microsoft becoming open source and making it's code available. Not gonna happen. Pro-Voice is proprietary just like Microsoft. They make their money from being proprietary and not being scanable. Sorry...
 

HogDriver

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It's really just Uniden and GRE since almost all of the Radio Shack-branded radios are from GRE (the Pro-2050 was Uniden made, but those haven't been sold in years).

AOR occasionally brings out something as do Icom and sometimes Yaesu (both known more for amateur radio gear) but I count all three as "niche" players.

And Uniden v GRE is like Ford v Chevy. We all know that Fords suck because we all own Chevies. Likewise, we all know GRE radios suck because we all have Unidens.


Peter
Uniden man (and Electra man before that) since 1982

I've had no problems with my pro 106/197! It picks up analog as well as digital and P25.
 

ecollins11

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If you want to hear Provoice you need spend some dollars an get a commerical 800 mhz EDACS HT or a EDACS Mobile with provoice and have it programed for the OKC Edacs system receive only.
 

papadoc

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If you want to hear Provoice you need spend some dollars an get a commerical 800 mhz EDACS HT or a EDACS Mobile with provoice and have it programed for the OKC Edacs system receive only.
This is true. You can find them on eBay. One store in particular I've seen comes complete with rapid charger, antenna and new battery. Everything except the mic, including free programming for your area, minus the ability to transmit. They even explain how they program the radios to not transmit (Receive Only Programming). But that package will cost you at least $1000.00 from them.
 
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plaws

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This is true. You can find them on eBay. One store in particular I've seen comes complete with rapid charger, antenna and new battery. Everything except the mic, including free programming for your area, minus the ability to transmit. They even explain how they program the radios to not transmit (Receive Only Programming). But that package will cost you at least $1000.00 from them.

That's pricey, but when you consider that a digital handheld scanner is only half that and that for the "upcharge", you get a professional-grade unit, that's really not bad.

Do you have the name of the eBay store?
 

Freqed

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edacsradios.com/ is what I discovered from a seller on ebay, only one offering 1k radios programmed. Not seeing anything about non-transmitting radios and I don't think you could buy a radio and say program it for OKC without some sort of permission from OKCPD.
 

papadoc

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Do you have the name of the eBay store?
Freqed named the store. It's edacsradios.com. You'll find the portables they sell on the Portables page. And you'll find their policy on programming radios on the Programming page, including their policy on non-transmitting, where I got the link to Receive Only Programming. According to their policy, it's up to you to abide by the Local, State, & Federal Laws in your area. So I take it they don't need permission to program it, since they make that disclaimer very clear on the Programming page.
 
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