question about okc new system and my radios please ??

[scanneradio2001]

i own a radio shack pro 2067,pro 2052 and pro 93 scanners. im confused i am told that i cannot listen or monitor the new oklahoma city system , i thought the only reason they went to this trunked system is to interact with other systems such as the ohp , but ive heard otherwise, when i monitor mustang police i can hear when okla city air one and other units patch in with them , someone please cut the confusion and let me know the truth , many thanks scanneradio2001 e mail scanneradio2001@yahoo.com

 

[dstew67]

Welcome, scannerradio2001.

You can still monitor OKC on their VHF system. You can also monitor them on the new EDACS system, but most likely only for a short time. The new EDACS system is a ProVoice system, and you're right that scanners are not able to follow ProVoice traffic. They are simulcsasting their VHF traffic in analog right now, so if you plug those channels in, you should be able to monitor the talkgroups for now.

As for the issue of interoperability, that issue has been commented on several times in this forum. The new system will create basically the same situation we have now. To provide the ability for OCPD and OHP to talk, the dispatcher will have to "patch" the two systems together in specific events.

There is one possible caveat though. I heard an OHP officer on low band in OKC say that he was "...stopping by the city to get my new handheld programmed...". Since I heard him on low band, I know he was within a couple miles from me. Since he said "the city", and not "the radio shop", like they normally refer to their radio shop, I'm thinking he meant OKC's radio shop. It could be that he purchased an EDACS radio, or was issued one by OKC. It could also be that he was simply referring to his normal Motorola handheld being programmed by their radio shop.

I do know that he was here in OKC, and I know that it was going to be a short trip, because the other OHP unit that he was talking to was going to meet him for lunch afterwards. Interesting, huh?

 

[Gilligan]

Definitely interesting. I would say that he did not buy that radio -- not unless he's just working for fun -- cause those radios cost a fortune. I think they're somewhere around a grand a piece. I wonder if they either added some new patched talkgroups to the OHP system to patch to the EDACS or if maybe he is having some conventional mutual aid (ITAC) frequencies programmed. Just a thought.

 

[dstew67]

Very good thinking Gilligan. MAM1081 and I were speculating earlier about how the NCSPAC freqs might be used for mutual aid with Edmond, Norman, OHP, etc. The only thing that draws me away from that conclusion is that he mentioned his "new handheld". It still could be that he got a new handheld MTS and was just getting that programmed, but maybe not...