Orange County CCCS P25 Update

[tsalmrsystemtech]

The RCS never even made it to TDMA. All LE made the encrypted switch while old XTS phase 1 radios were still affiliating.

Paul

Well either way if it was FDMA or TDMA when the system upgraded LE is gone now now. I bet people thought other wise when the county upgraded and thought they felt safe they would keep what was still on the old system and would not lose any talkgroups. That got slapped down real quick. Hospitals are next. Watch how that works soon too.

 

[Peter_SD911]

Well either way if it was FDMA or TDMA when the system upgraded LE is gone now now. I bet people thought other wise when the county upgraded and thought they felt safe they would keep what was still on the old system and would not lose any talkgroups. That got slapped down real quick. Hospitals are next. Watch how that works soon too.

Oh just wait till the U.S.-DOJ makes the same "mandate" across the ENTIRE USA...

Buy Moto Stock Now!
MSI U.S. NYSE

 

[Randyk4661]

I've been listening the Metro net and OCFA dispatch channels on Broadcastify and Metro net is using 2 Oscar and 3 Oscar as tac channels and not the normal tacs. OCFA is still using their normal tacs. Isn't 2-O on the north cell and 3-O on the south cell?
Could this be a sign of encryption removing?
Since OCFA are still using the tacs on the countywide cell I don't think it's a maintenance thing.

Or am I getting my hopes up?

Thanks

 

[phipac]

I've been listening the Metro net and OCFA dispatch channels on Broadcastify and Metro net is using 2 Oscar and 3 Oscar as tac channels and not the normal tacs. OCFA is still using their normal tacs. Isn't 2-O on the north cell and 3-O on the south cell?
Could this be a sign of encryption removing?
Since OCFA are still using the tacs on the countywide cell I don't think it's a maintenance thing.

Or am I getting my hopes up?

Thanks

Metronet is being dispatched from one of the stations temporarily. They are receiving new dispatch consoles at the dispatch center and have gone manual for the time being.

No such luck!

 

[Randyk4661]

Metronet is being dispatched from one of the stations temporarily. They are receiving new dispatch consoles at the dispatch center and have gone manual for the time being.

No such luck!

Well Fudge with nuts even.
Thought it was to good to be true.

 

[RWPowell2]

Metronet is being dispatched from one of the stations temporarily. They are receiving new dispatch consoles at the dispatch center and have gone manual for the time being.

No such luck!

MetroNet Dispatch is working out of the ECC and for some reason I cannot understand is they only have access to the Countywide System. All the MetroNet Tac Channels are on the North and South Systems. 2-Oscar and 3-Oscar are on the Countywide System. Hopefully the work at the dispatch center will be completed soon.

 

[tsalmrsystemtech]

All the fire radios have a Zone for OTAP programming. Also, OTAR is enabled on their flashcodes for their radios.

Its been four years now. Its not happening and it was specifically told that its a budget thing and it will cost money for labor to program most likely 10K radios give or take a few. But all the radios are enabled for OTAP and OTAR and that's a true fact. Trust me its been four years now and if it was suppose to happen we would not be having this discussion anymore and this thread could be closed.

Oh BTW they also stream Metro Net - Central Net and OCFA to Broadcastify. So you can stream to what like 7 billion people in the world. I think thats what the world population is. Try and wrap your logical mind around this concept.

 

[ctadam12]

We need to push Placentia, Costa Mesa, and Laguna Beach to stream, too.

 

[tsalmrsystemtech]

Costa Mesa and Laguna Beach pushed hard for a 100 percent encryption. Both Fire Chiefs.

 

[ctadam12]

Not enough pushback from the public. If we don't constantly speak up about it, they think encryption is just wonderful. Write, call flood, visit and let them know encryption on the dispatch and response channels is not ok.

 

[Peter_SD911]

Not enough pushback from the public. If we don't constantly speak up about it, they think encryption is just wonderful. Write, call flood, visit and let them know encryption on the dispatch and response channels is not ok.

Why should I even support or donate to ANY charitable "causes" from FD's and LEO's who fully encrypt?

...and don't ask for my "help" in catching criminals that you broadcast on my local newscast.

I'm done with you.

"Scan Sexy...In The Clear."

 

[tsalmrsystemtech]

Why should I even support or donate to ANY charitable "causes" from FD's and LEO's who fully encrypt?

...and don't ask for my "help" in catching criminals that you broadcast on my local newscast.

I'm done with you.

"Scan Sexy...In The Clear."

Yeah why support them and their unions when they lock out the world. But its not their county or city employee's that want this. It goes higher up the chain on those decisions. But its now been 4 years in June after all of FIRE went to the dark. Its most likely not happening at this point. OC is just a lost cause. But over dew time The OCSD got want they wanted all along over the past twenty years when they wanted to encyrpt the fire with law enforcement when they went from UHF conventional to the 800 mhz trunking system.

 

[smichaelhenny]

Well that certainly sums up the unfun of scanning here in the OC. Fortunately Im on the North end of the County and can receive some great LA County stuff still. The app feed is just not the same but that’s a portion of what remains here. Scanning consists of the exciting Lifeguards and Animal Control.

 

[abr02]

Like many of us here, I have been listening to scanners for 40 years. I was a volunteer fire fighter for 20 years and still listen everyday where I live now in Ventura, I don't understand why the Fire Chiefs would want their channels encrypted. I fully understand PD's having their clearance and SWAT channels encrypted, but fire is a head scratcher. Those of us living in California are now living in "brush fire season" year round, and having the ability to hear dispatch and tac channels is a must! When we had the Thomas Fire being able to listen and knowing where the fire was and how fast it was moving west was invaluable. I heard the dispatch and knowing how windy it was that day, I called my nephew who lives in the hills north of Ventura and told him about the fire, and though it was about 8-10 miles away, it was moving west. He packed up his important stuff and had it in his truck ready to go, and within an hour he evacuated along with many of his neighbors well before the evacuation order went out. One only needs to see what happened in Maui, to see what can happen when people don't have the ability to listen to public safety during an emergency, since all of Hawaii's public safety are encrypted.

 

[Engine104]

I totally agree, Abr02...I would only add that as far as I know, LACoFD, LAFD, Verdugo, CalFire, and the Ventura Co FD, are not planning to go encrypted any time soon. LACoFD is rolling out a new list of UHF TAC frequencies soon, and they will be in the clear. OCFA, at least at this point, seems to be the outlier. The LACoFD encrypted talkgroups on LA-RICS are not, according to the department, intended for dispatch or TACs.

 

[Markb]

Yes, encryption for fire is a bit silly. Seems that HIPAA is the usual excuse. Fortunately for California there is little, if any, fire communications on encrypted or trunked talkgroups and can easily be monitored on VHF.

 

[smichaelhenny]

Living in Orange County, CA I have to go on “scanner vacations” to enjoy my SDS 100. I just. Returned from the Portland OR area and enjoyed listening to P25 Fire systems in Multnomah and Washington Counties. I was almost to the point of depression when the OC went dark on us after scanning since the early 1990’s. Fortunately I can receive a lot of Los Angeles County including South Bay and Verdugo Fire Authority. The apps leave something to be desired and are on a delay of at least 60 seconds and do not feature all of the tactical channels.

 

[RWPowell2]

I'm a retired communications technician that moved to California in the mid 60's. I was very impressed by the states communications system. Two things that impressed me was the microwave backbone and the amount of interoperability that connected all the counties and cities. This communications interoperability was a major support element to public safety. At the 1974 APCO Conference held in Palm Springs, I learned that other states were also impressed with the California system. When encryption became available, the state communications management rejected it because it would have impaired the state's interoperability.

I do not blame the fire chiefs for encryption, it was basically forced on them. Without getting into all the politics, there were many changes in Orange County government after the 1983 bankruptcy. The one bright lite in Orange County was the 800MHz Countywide Communications System planned in the late 90's and fully integrated when the fire departments were added in 2002. This Smart Zone System did have some problems, notably the interference with cellphones. This problem was resolved by an expenses re-banding of each and every radio in the county, estimated at 21,000 units.

It has always been an advantage for the public to have access to current events, the effects of climate change has made this even more of a necessity. I see no advantage to the citizens of Orange County to restrict access to vital fire communications.

 

[Randyk4661]

Living in OC, I have their VHF channels that are still in the clear programmed into my radio. I also listen to Cleveland NF during peak fire times as they are sometimes dispatched to wildland fires in the county. Animal Control will also be sent to help in evacuations of animals, Water department, road department multi agency tac channels are sometime used.
You may not hear the fire department at large events but chances are there are others you can listen too to get information.

Know what you can listen to now because in an emergency you may not have access to the information to program later.

 

[marcotor]

The one bright lite in Orange County was the 800MHz Countywide Communications System planned in the late 90's and fully integrated when the fire departments were added in 2002. This Smart Zone System did have some problems, notably the interference with cellphones.

The Fire encryption was driven in the planning stage for the upgrades by the then OCFA Chief Richter, who wanted "exactly what the PD's have", along with the increasing number of "buffs" showing up at scenes, even back then. Really had nothing to with with DOJ, or much of anything else. Then Chief Fennessy comes along and says let's un-do that, at least until he was shown the bill. And the bill was not for "flipping a switch" but touching every. single. radio. That's 22,000+ subscriber radios in the County. No nefarious intent, in spite of some who post endlessly here about how "easy" it would be, and they "must be hiding something", like that will guilt them into removing it.

And as long as I am on one, why have none of you who shout LOUDLY about how it's YOUR system, since tax dollars pay for it, filed any type of lawsuit to remove it? Seems a simple case, right?