Newbie- is Union Co., NC on viper or the old system?

[lrobin5000]

Hi everyone- I'm seeking help for my dad. He was a volunteer fire fighter in Union County, NC 30 years ago and the scanner was on 24/7 in our house. As he got older and couldn't respond anymore, the scanner eventually got turned off (at my mom's request-I guess she was finally ready for some peace and quiet, haha). Anyway, I would like to set him up to listen again if possible. I know the systems have changed a lot w/ the introduction of VIPER so I really don't know which type scanner is needed. He has an old Uniden BC355N but I think it's the old system because I can't really get anything to pick up. Before I go out and purchase an expensive digital scanner, I want to make sure it's what he really needs to follow the radio traffic in Union County (police/fire/ems). Can anyone confirm if that's the system they operate on? Thanks so much!

 

[kg4pbd]

Union county is on the Charlotte UASI system. It's a P25 digital system. All Union county fire, ems and sheriff are on this system. Law enforcement is at least partially encrypted, if not completely. Fire is in the clear. You would need a P25 digital capable trunk tracking scanner.

You can find more information about the system here:

Charlotte UASI Trunking System, Charlotte, North Carolina

Charlotte UASI Trunking System Profile

www.radioreference.com

Union county traffic is carried on the Union county simulcast site. Since it's simulcast your best options will be a Uniden SDS series scanner, or a Unication pager. Both of those are pricey options. In the meantime you can still hear fire dispatch on 155.22, which you can listen to on the BC355N.

Viper is active in this area with state agencies like the NCSHP. Viper is also a P25 digital system.

 

[lrobin5000]

Thank you so much- that's exactly the info I needed!!

 

[hamstang]

Union county is on the Charlotte UASI system. It's a P25 digital system. All Union county fire, ems and sheriff are on this system. Law enforcement is at least partially encrypted, if not completely. Fire is in the clear. You would need a P25 digital capable trunk tracking scanner.

You can find more information about the system here:

Charlotte UASI Trunking System, Charlotte, North Carolina

Charlotte UASI Trunking System Profile

www.radioreference.com

Union county traffic is carried on the Union county simulcast site. Since it's simulcast your best options will be a Uniden SDS series scanner, or a Unication pager. Both of those are pricey options. In the meantime you can still hear fire dispatch on 155.22, which you can listen to on the BC355N.

Viper is active in this area with state agencies like the NCSHP. Viper is also a P25 digital system.

Union County Fire is on 154.220, not 155.220

 

[kg4pbd]

Oops. Miss typed. Thanks for catching that.

 

[thevig]

I just got back into scanning about 5 days ago after a 12+ year hiatus. This thread confirms what I suspected when I went to visit my parents yesterday. Only thing on conventional was fire as mentioned above. Only thing I heard on the Union simulcast was some fire/ems. Lucky for me I live in Charlotte and have more then plenty to listen too.

Back in the mid 90's I worked as a bench tech for Carolina Communications in Monroe, and can remember discussions way back then about law/fire/ems going to a trunking system some day. I see thay someday finally happened.

 

[Nyshadow]

I just got back into scanning about 5 days ago after a 12+ year hiatus. This thread confirms what I suspected when I went to visit my parents yesterday. Only thing on conventional was fire as mentioned above. Only thing I heard on the Union simulcast was some fire/ems. Lucky for me I live in Charlotte and have more then plenty to listen too.

Back in the mid 90's I worked as a bench tech for Carolina Communications in Monroe, and can remember discussions way back then about law/fire/ems going to a trunking system some day. I see thay someday finally happened.

I took a 20+ year hiatus from scanning, just got my Uniden BCD996P2 delivered from amazon on Saturday, which from what i ready should be able to pick up most things in Charlotte.