New Year's Eve in Las Vegas

[br0adband]

So it's that time of year again, now that the P25 Phase II system is in full swing with the LVMPD it appears we won't be able to monitor the NYE TGIDs anymore that were set up just for this one night's use basically - I don't guess they'll suddenly be non-encrypted just for tonight to make the air traffic available to all unfortunately.

I saw a news clipping yesterday that stated because this is such a popular tourist spot (well, it is I suppose) that the FBI and Homeland Security are working with the LVMPD this year and I can imagine it's accurate: while I can't say it's directly connected I have noticed Blackhawk helicopters flying over downtown this morning along with several other aircraft that really aren't something that happens very often if ever.

Just yesterday there was an old school Vietnam era Huey - you know, those incredibly loud thumping machines you can hear from 20 miles away as those rotors chop into the air - making multiple passes over the downtown Las Vegas area where I live and up and down the Strip to the Stratosphere and then back downtown. The really amazing thing?

It apparently belongs to the LVMPD for use in rescue operations as clearly noted by the labeling on it - the chopper itself was white in color but with clear black wording on the sides. Had never seen that before and I've been living here for over 13 years (with prior periods of residence from the late 90s and early 2000s as well). Definitely kept in good working condition and it was interesting to see flying around low and slow for maybe 15 minutes then it headed east down Boulder Highway out of view and ear-shot.

So it'll be a typical freakin' madhouse tonight I suppose. I plan to go out and get some groceries here in a bit but aside from that I think I'll be at home till about 11:55pm then head out to the balcony of our building to watch the fireworks for the 8 minutes they're supposedly going to last tonight.

Happy New Year, folks, even if it's a bit early and let's all hope (and pray, if you're into that sort of thing) that 2017 has something positive to bring to us all.

 

[bryan_herbert]

Officers use smartphone app to communicate during New Year's Eve celebrations on the Strip - Story

There were radio checks on Metro IF-1 but heard no further comms after that

Heard NV National Guard 'Task Force South' on NSRS TG 05-565

Also heard the ARES repeater (147.1800 | 447.3250) patched in to NVCORD53

 

[SCPD]

Numerous law enforcement entities were on a heightened alert this year. Considering everything that has happened and Intel on threats it is better to be prepared and make a presence then not at all. The app on smart phones is nothing new, at least in other areas of the country. LTE use in public safety is a growing thing. You'd be surprised how many small pds, and volume fire departments have then in use amazingly New Mexico rural areas are a big player testing and trying it out in the vast rural areas. No one's mentioned it so nobody has noticed but it is a added tool for responders to use.

 

[coolrich55]

So you can't hear the million dollar radio system in noisy crowds. Ok, whatever works for them I guess.

 

[Hooligan]

So, they deliberately do not encrypt the Dispatch & a few other TGs, but then they use 'security' as an important justification for the text system?! I can see how the text-system made it easy to broadcast minor alerts & other info to the multiple agencies deployed (though they also promote the various interoperability channels for that sort of thing), but if you're not expected to be able to hear your voice radio's speaker-mic or earpiece, how are you supposed to hear your LTE device chirp to indicate you've got a notification?! I guess it vibrates & flashes too.

Lovely -- I guess last night, LVMPD & other public safety agencies in the area had their eyes off the streets & people, and were looking at their smartphones, just like the dumb public does...

Anyway, despite the LTE devices, there was certainly a good amount of operational voice radio traffic on the various systems -- LVMPD, NSRS, et al.

Compared to the past couple years, there was more clear/secure FBI radio traffic as well.

An amusing thing to monitor was the RTC bus talk-groups, though the stupidity heard on those channels (even on a regular day) gets depressing.


I was up & scanning po-po fairly early this morning & was surprised at the number of reports of drivers passed-out in their cars -- engines-running & parked in the middle of various roads & parking lots.