Pro-164 in Tacoma Wa.?

[dTardis]

I am looking at getting a Pro-164. I live in Tacoma Wa. I know that getting a full digital like a Pro-106 might be better, but I am having a difficult time understanding the lists in the database. I looks like the 164 would be able to track most of the freq's used in my area, but I am not sure if they are using digital voice which appears to be key. I am new to this, so any help would be great!

 

[icom1020]

TPD uses P25 with Encryption on Tac freqs, but the dispatch and the rest of the city services are analog. You're probably ok for a couple of years IMHO. Ft Lewis is digital , can't think of any others nearby.

 

[luminoxs]

You would be saving your money to get the Pro-164... It is on sell now for $169.99 compared to the Pro-106 going for $499.99. There are a few things that are P25 (Digital).. Border Patrol (VHF conventional), FPS (UHF conventional), Coast Guard (VHF conventional), IWN (P25 digital trunking with 95% encrypted channels), TSA (VHF conventional, heard about them, but never decoded them) and the military bases ( McChord AFB and Ft Lewis - UHF Trunked). Like dTardis said, there is a few P25 channels with the SERS, Seattle, KC and TPD TRS but they are all encrypted if using P25. So with "all" of the P25 out there, your not missing much. With you living in Tacoma, you would be able to decode military trunking and maybe FPS. That's about it. If I am missing any other P25 systems (trunked or conventional), let me know.

 

[dTardis]

You would be saving your money to get the Pro-164... It is on sell now for $169.99 compared to the Pro-106 going for $499.99. There are a few things that are P25 (Digital).. Border Patrol (VHF conventional), FPS (UHF conventional), Coast Guard (VHF conventional), IWN (P25 digital trunking with 95% encrypted channels), TSA (VHF conventional, heard about them, but never decoded them) and the military bases ( McChord AFB and Ft Lewis - UHF Trunked). Like dTardis said, there is a few P25 channels with the SERS, Seattle, KC and TPD TRS but they are all encrypted if using P25. So with "all" of the P25 out there, your not missing much. With you living in Tacoma, you would be able to decode military trunking and maybe FPS. That's about it. If I am missing any other P25 systems (trunked or conventional), let me know.

OK I'm new so if there a glossary that I need to check out please point me there, but what is IWN, FPS, SERS, TRS.
I would guess TPD is Tacoma Police Department.

Thanks for the info. It does sound like the 164 will get be by for a while at least, which is what I was hoping.

 

[luminoxs]

IWN: U.S. Dept. of Justice: Integrated Wireless Network
TRS: Trunk Radio System
SERS: Snohomish County Emergency Radio System
FPS: Federal Protective Service

On a side note, that Pro-164 should last you at least 3-5 years before everything goes 100% P25

 

[dTardis]

Great Thanks for the information!!!