Oconto County Sheriff goes digital
- Thread starter otrebla
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AxelsHumanDad
Member
otrebla said:
that's Oconto N. I locked it out since it was encrypted every time I heard something.
I don't hear much encryption on Oconto W at 155.430. I hear very little traffic on Oconto S at 155.580, and haven't heard anything on Oconto E at 155.610. it's a 66 mile line of sight shot from here to Oconto though.
What is happening in those northern counties that are driving these small departments to run encrypted? A glut of grant money?
otrebla
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AxelsHumanDad said:
I didn't hear any encryption on 155.4300, but I did notice the CTCSS on this frequency has been changed from 179.9 to 97.4, 155.4300 will probably be the next frequency to go digital.
Is 155.5800 179.9 a sheriff or a fire frequency?
I didn't hear anything on 155.6100.
AxelsHumanDad
Member
all four were listed as sheriff. I have 155.805 for Fire/EMS.otrebla said:
AxelsHumanDad
Member
I also locked out Forest County since more is encrypted than not. I got tired of that "bleep, bloop, click, pause, bloop" sound encryption makes.otrebla said:
sounds like the scanner is broken. Marinette hasn't used it enough to drive me away _yet_.
AxelsHumanDad
Member
must be. or one heck of a salesperson. ;-)stateboy said:
Shawano County is still analog, but often go "code" - sounds like an open squelch. I don't know which is more annoying, "code" or digital encryption.
Menominee County is also digital with random encryption.
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RevGary
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According to my local equipment dealer, < ( HER WORDS, NOT MINE ) > "Homeland Security is throwing money at agencies to "upgrade" to secure communications protocols so the 'bad guys' can't hear what's going on as easilly as it used to be ( and off the record - to protect themselves from public scrutiny when things go wrong. Did we hear the words "cover up" in there someplace? ) These funds are being used properly by some agencies and are being totally misused by others. Internal politics at work? Probably. There is yet to be a standardization in most areas as to format and interoperability in multi agency tasking... one of the goals of Homeland Security... so all area agencies are on the same page. STILL not happening... and it is getting more difficult to coordinate multi agency responses, not easier."
I agree with most of what she mentioned. Hopefully, areawide coordination committees will start doing their jobs and actually come up with regional plans that work for everyone.
I agree with most of what she mentioned. Hopefully, areawide coordination committees will start doing their jobs and actually come up with regional plans that work for everyone.
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what a waste
Let me throw my two cents worth, about 8 years ago, in a county( central WI) I will not mention in which , one of our members( FIRE DEPT)was a state trooper and our LT, About every 6 months he would be on duty during meeting night and swing by, he had our county's SO CODED in his squad, now 97 % of what I heard was OK, but I also heard Pizza orders and other things that where not up to par, so I think you have to respect law enforcment and there right to under cover and coded channels, but there also should be checks and balances. IMHO the FEDS have royaly screwed up the DHS and interoperability, I am working on a project in the South right know that is a nightmare, and you should see these idiot 800 mhz salesmen with there digital garbage making claims they can't live up too, the end result will cost lives Fire, EMS and Law Enforcement and yes civilian, mean time the MOTO, EDACS and all the rest get fat on tax payers money !!
Let me throw my two cents worth, about 8 years ago, in a county( central WI) I will not mention in which , one of our members( FIRE DEPT)was a state trooper and our LT, About every 6 months he would be on duty during meeting night and swing by, he had our county's SO CODED in his squad, now 97 % of what I heard was OK, but I also heard Pizza orders and other things that where not up to par, so I think you have to respect law enforcment and there right to under cover and coded channels, but there also should be checks and balances. IMHO the FEDS have royaly screwed up the DHS and interoperability, I am working on a project in the South right know that is a nightmare, and you should see these idiot 800 mhz salesmen with there digital garbage making claims they can't live up too, the end result will cost lives Fire, EMS and Law Enforcement and yes civilian, mean time the MOTO, EDACS and all the rest get fat on tax payers money !!
Forest County used "secure" encryption heavily long before the current DHS $$ feeding frenzy. Almost nothing was in the clear in that county even 10 years ago. I think they use encrypted just because they can, not because it's all sensitive traffic. Oneida and Vilas counties use encryption only when it's needed...routine traffic is usually in the clear. I have heard rumors about officers shooting the bull when "secure", but who cares if they do...they could do it over a cell phone just as easily.
Andy
Andy
triryche
Member
Oconto basically did a Monkey see, Monkey do with Baycomm based on Marinette's simulcast system since thier counties are big and "long". I dont really have that much against digital but What the idea behind this Astro encryption 100% is what bugs me the most. I spend about 1/3 of my life up there now and this is about the 5th or 6th law enforcement agency that's become almost completely unmonitorable in the last 5 years. Forest still has some standard P25 but not much. Shawano Co. is also in the process now I've heard and Menominee Co. WI is also undecodeable. Onieda and Vilas don't have P25 yet but they wear the heck out of the DVP/DES encryption. I do enjoy monitoring the Michigan MPSCS P25 system however because encryption for the most part is only used on the drug and tactical channels. Slowly agencies in the UP are getting on.
Being involved with skywarn and ares/races, being able to monitor law enforcement is a crucial tool. We're loosing "interoperability" due to all these different protocols.
Regarding scanning P25 encryption:
The newer Uniden model scanners like the BC396 and BC996 both are smart enough to recognize the encryption and scan off of it so you don't have to listen to the garble. That was a wish come true!! As far as I know, the Rat Shack digitals can't do this yet. You can also enter channels in a "mode" of Digital, Analog, or Both so you aren't forced to listen to any analog skip on a digital frequency you have programmed since no PL is used. Works pretty slick.
I dont really have that much against digital but What the idea behind this Astro encryption 100% is what bugs me the most. I spend about 1/3 of my life up there now and this is about the 5th or 6th law enforcement agency that's become almost completely unmonitorable in the last 5 years. Forest still has some standard P25 but not much. Shawano Co. is also in the process now I've heard and Menominee Co. WI is also undecodeable. Onieda and Vilas don't have P25 yet but they wear the heck out of the DVP/DES encryption. I do enjoy monitoring the Michigan MPSCS P25 system however because encryption for the most part is only used on the drug and tactical channels. Slowly agencies in the UP are getting on. Being involved with skywarn and ares/races, being able to monitor law enforcement is a crucial tool. We're loosing "interoperability" due to all these different protocols.
Regarding scanning P25 encryption:
The newer Uniden model scanners like the BC396 and BC996 both are smart enough to recognize the encryption and scan off of it so you don't have to listen to the garble. That was a wish come true!!
As far as I know, the Rat Shack digitals can't do this yet. You can also enter channels in a "mode" of Digital, Analog, or Both so you aren't forced to listen to any analog skip on a digital frequency you have programmed since no PL is used. Works pretty slick.
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I definately agree with your point, Mike, that encryption hampers interoperability. It is an immense benefit for public safety personnel to have the ability to monitor other agencies so they can anticipate or assist in responding. Whether it be an agency calling in additonal staff in anticipation of being "Mutual Aided" to another jurisdiction or even a police officer keeping an eye out for something/someone for another agency.
Granted, encryption has it's place in certain instances, but 100% of the time is not needed and I believe harms public relations and the public suport for the department. (See City of Phoenix, AZ philosophy where their design specifications for their P25 system included that the system MUST be able to be monitored by the public.)
I can't believe the Fire Chiefs up there aren't hollerring about not being able to monitor.... or did they at least give the FD's access to their comms ?
Happy Holidays
Jim
Granted, encryption has it's place in certain instances, but 100% of the time is not needed and I believe harms public relations and the public suport for the department. (See City of Phoenix, AZ philosophy where their design specifications for their P25 system included that the system MUST be able to be monitored by the public.)
I can't believe the Fire Chiefs up there aren't hollerring about not being able to monitor.... or did they at least give the FD's access to their comms ?
Happy Holidays
Jim
AxelsHumanDad
Member
triryche said:
I must have the dumb model 996 then
.if I have "Set Audio Type" to 'all', I hear the garble and what is in the clear. if I set it as 'digital only' I hear the same. if I set it as 'analog only', I hear a buzz with a steady white noise-like rushing.
the only way for me to not hear the garble is to lock out the freq.
triryche
Member
" must have the dumb model 996 then .
if I have "Set Audio Type" to 'all', I hear the garble and what is in the clear. if I set it as 'digital only' I hear the same. if I set it as 'analog only', I hear a buzz with a steady white noise-like rushing.
the only way for me to not hear the garble is to lock out the freq."
Is this happening on ALL P25 you monitor? I know certain ones are goofy and don't work at all like you are saying but with Forest Co., it does indeed work on both my 396 & 996. When Forest uses Encryption, "ENC" will pop up on the display and the scanner actually ignores it. I will hear a brief "burp" of garbage and then it's gone. I know for some of these other oddball protocols like Oconto is using, it doesn't always work that way. It often will hang on the digital noise with an "LNK" on the display or nothing at all.
With Michigan's 9600 system, the ENC recognition has been foolproof so far and has been working great for me. I'm pretty sure signal strength also makes the scanner confused with digital.
.if I have "Set Audio Type" to 'all', I hear the garble and what is in the clear. if I set it as 'digital only' I hear the same. if I set it as 'analog only', I hear a buzz with a steady white noise-like rushing.
the only way for me to not hear the garble is to lock out the freq."
Is this happening on ALL P25 you monitor? I know certain ones are goofy and don't work at all like you are saying but with Forest Co., it does indeed work on both my 396 & 996. When Forest uses Encryption, "ENC" will pop up on the display and the scanner actually ignores it. I will hear a brief "burp" of garbage and then it's gone. I know for some of these other oddball protocols like Oconto is using, it doesn't always work that way. It often will hang on the digital noise with an "LNK" on the display or nothing at all.
With Michigan's 9600 system, the ENC recognition has been foolproof so far and has been working great for me. I'm pretty sure signal strength also makes the scanner confused with digital.
AxelsHumanDad
Member
triryche said:AxelsHumanDad said:I must have the dumb model 996 then
if I have "Set Audio Type" to 'all', I hear the garble and what is in the clear. if I set it as 'digital only' I hear the same. if I set it as 'analog only', I hear a buzz with a steady white noise-like rushing.
the only way for me to not hear the garble is to lock out the freq.
Is this happening on ALL P25 you monitor? I know certain ones are goofy and don't work at all like you are saying but with Forest Co., it does indeed work on both my 396 & 996. When Forest uses Encryption, "ENC" will pop up on the display and the scanner actually ignores it. I will hear a brief "burp" of garbage and then it's gone. I know for some of these other oddball protocols like Oconto is using, it doesn't always work that way. It often will hang on the digital noise with an "LNK" on the display or nothing at all.
With Michigan's 9600 system, the ENC recognition has been foolproof so far and has been working great for me. I'm pretty sure signal strength also makes the scanner confused with digital.
it might be a signal strength issue then. Forest, Menominee, and Portage counties are one "bar" or none on my 996 signal meter. all three are the only ones using digital with encryption around me(I'm in Antigo). I see the ENC flash occasionally from Forest, but haven't seen it from the others.
triryche
Member
PL for Oconto's "Law 2" repeater (155.430) is 97.4
That channel is possibly P25 capable already but is designed for Analog interop and mutual aid. 155.580 is now the South County fire repeater(s) with 91.5 PL and 155.610 has become Sheriff F-3 or "Law 3" which is a simplex only channel now. 155.805 seems to be running the old way yet as a repeater and for paging. Perhaps until all county fire radios are programmed?? All the repeaters are multiple sites now with simulcast so enjoy the occasional buzz and garble! Forget about even putting 154.755 in any radio. All secure comms. :roll: Look for Shawano to be on this trip soon too.
FYI to all:
I've had to turn on the 156.7 PL on WISPERN and the 146.2 PL on Point to Point up there while mobile because Marinette's and Oconto's P25 transmitters like to cause bleedover on these and a few other VHF freq's if CTCSS isn't engaged.
That channel is possibly P25 capable already but is designed for Analog interop and mutual aid. 155.580 is now the South County fire repeater(s) with 91.5 PL and 155.610 has become Sheriff F-3 or "Law 3" which is a simplex only channel now. 155.805 seems to be running the old way yet as a repeater and for paging. Perhaps until all county fire radios are programmed?? All the repeaters are multiple sites now with simulcast so enjoy the occasional buzz and garble! Forget about even putting 154.755 in any radio. All secure comms. :roll: Look for Shawano to be on this trip soon too.
FYI to all:
I've had to turn on the 156.7 PL on WISPERN and the 146.2 PL on Point to Point up there while mobile because Marinette's and Oconto's P25 transmitters like to cause bleedover on these and a few other VHF freq's if CTCSS isn't engaged.
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