Question about Strathroy-Caradoc Police Service

[hotpocket]

So I just had a question about SCPS. On the DB it’s saying that they are on a DMR unencrypted system, using frequency 143.445

When I look that frequency up on tafl.johnathanmorgan.net nothing comes up in the Strathroy area.

When I look Strathroy up on tafl.mckie and look to where the frequency should be, 143.445 isn’t showing up at all.

Can anyone confirm A) that SCPS is actually using that frequency, and B) if they are in fact unencrypted. Just trying to confirm that accuracy of the DB to help out my fellow users ☺️

 

[BC_Scan]

frequency up on tafl.johnathanmorgan.net nothing comes up

Way back in the day the gov't removed listing referring to PD services, that's why.
Here's a thought why not tune into that frequency and see what comes up instead of questioning the database. If it is indeed not ENC, count yourself lucky, virtually all of Canada is ENC for PD. (correct me if I am wrong)

 

[hotpocket]

Way back in the day the gov't removed listing referring to PD services, that's why.
Here's a thought why not tune into that frequency and see what comes up instead of questioning the database. If it is indeed not ENC, count yourself lucky, virtually all of Canada is ENC for PD. (correct me if I am wrong)

I appreciate the reply. I didn’t mean to offend you by “questioning the DB”. I didn’t know about the government removing listings referring to PD, especially since all the frequencies for the OPP are listed, and if you do a simple search on Mckies TAFL for the keyword “police” you
can see a whole bunch of results. I’ll even include some screenshots for you.

There are also a bunch of frequencies that aren’t in the database that I’ve personally picked up on my scanner. It’s just nobody else has updated the DB, that’s why I was asking if perhaps SCPS moved to a different frequency and because generally speaking as you pointed out most frequencies are encrypted, nobody noticed the switch.

If I lived in the Strathroy area of course I’d have tried to scan it myself. And no, not virtually all police in Canada are encrypted. Yes, most of them are, but you can also find a few that aren’t. Just because something is encrypted doesn’t mean people aren’t interested in cataloging them. Otherwise nobody would have spent all this time cataloging the LMRN system as even before it was implemented everyone knew it was going to be encrypted

 

[Muxlow]

A lot of departments don't "own" their frequencies and they lease or rent from a communication provider, so you wouldn't see THAT agency show up on a TAFL search because in a way "they" don't own that frequency.
Or if the city/municipality owns the radio system, it's just registered to the city and could have PD, Fire, PW and whatever other city services
Think most provincial agency's all come back to GMCB?

Coming full circle around annnnnnnd yes that is the correct frequency for SCPS

 

[hotpocket]

A lot of departments don't "own" their frequencies and they lease or rent from a communication provider, so you wouldn't see THAT agency show up on a TAFL search because in a way "they" don't own that frequency.
Or if the city/municipality owns the radio system, it's just registered to the city and could have PD, Fire, PW and whatever other city services
Think most provincial agency's all come back to GMCB?

Coming full circle around annnnnnnd yes that is the correct frequency for SCPS

That definitely explains it! I guess Strathroy Caradoc is much too small for them to own their own infrastructure. That’s probably reserved for cities like London, Windsor, Toronto, etc

 

[mikewazowski]

That definitely explains it! I guess Strathroy Caradoc is much too small for them to own their own infrastructure. That’s probably reserved for cities like London, Windsor, Toronto, etc

How did you come up with that assumption? SCPS more than likely has 143.445MHz licenced to them but you can't see it because it's considered a protected frequency. There's another TAFL list not available to the public which contains protected frequencies. More than likely SCPS's frequency assignment is on that list.

BTW, most of those frequencies returned when searching on "police" don't even belong to any police department. Seems most of them are backup fire base stations located at police stations.

 

[hotpocket]

How did you come up with that assumption? SCPS more than likely has 143.445MHz licenced to them but you can't see it because it's considered a protected frequency. There's another TAFL list not available to the public which contains protected frequencies. More than likely SCPS's frequency assignment is on that list.

BTW, most of those frequencies returned when searching on "police" don't even belong to any police department. Seems most of them are backup fire base stations located at police stations.

I was going by what Muxlow was explaining. I don’t know anything about the public vs protected lists, that’s why I was making the original post. Didn’t realize me asking for a little extra knowledge was going to set people off. I’m sorry

 

[mciupa]

The crux of this discussion is that 143.445 MHz is correct, but not sure of the encryption status. A person local to Strathroy may be able to disclose this if they wish. It's always a noble gesture to help fellow users out.

 

[hotpocket]

The crux of this discussion is that 143.445 MHz is correct, but not sure of the encryption status. A person local to Strathroy may be able to disclose this if they wish. It's always a noble gesture to help fellow users out.

I feel like some time ago it was displaying as encrypted. I think in the “mode” column it showed “DMRE”, but I don’t know if the DB differentiates between DMR and DMRe/E anymore. I’m trying to see if I can locate any other DMR channels anywhere that actually displays that. Maybe that’s why I got confused

Edit: Just checked and the LHSC - Victoria campus Portering talkgroup is definitely showing DMRE, so I don't think thats what is at play here

 

[mciupa]

Good memory. I looked back at the submission made in Sept. 28, 2024 and the member claimed he heard the frequency in the clear. I asked him to send me an audio sample via email to confirm it was SCPS. I changed the database with mixed feelings as the local people liked it not being known publicly that it was monitorable, I wanted the listing to be accurate, however.

 

[Muxlow]

They were tinkering with encryption for a while, but Spectrum could never get it working correctly. Too many garbled transmissions.

Another example for a city that does their own thing is Sarnia. Six conventional repeaters around the city for the Police who are P25 AES. And another five or six for Fire, too (also P25 AES) Why they don't have their own trunking system, who knows?

St Thomas PD is DMR AES with Aylmer, but St. Thomas Fire is DMR, no encryption. Could they have their own little four channel trunking system? Sure?
..forgot where i was going with this all so, umm..

Last time I even monitored SCPS, I was able to hear them. Wasn't that long ago either, but I'd hazard a guess they are on the prowl to upgrade from their 4550/6550 radios.

 

[hotpocket]

They were tinkering with encryption for a while, but Spectrum could never get it working correctly. Too many garbled transmissions.

Another example for a city that does their own thing is Sarnia. Six conventional repeaters around the city for the Police who are P25 AES. And another five or six for Fire, too (also P25 AES) Why they don't have their own trunking system, who knows?

St Thomas PD is DMR AES with Aylmer, but St. Thomas Fire is DMR, no encryption. Could they have their own little four channel trunking system? Sure?
..forgot where i was going with this all so, umm..

Last time I even monitored SCPS, I was able to hear them. Wasn't that long ago either, but I'd hazard a guess they are on the prowl to upgrade from their 4550/6550 radios.

Hmm, so basically if I’m in the area, enjoy it while I can. With the way technology is progressing it’s probably only a matter of time before there’s a system that SCPS can get working properly 😆

 

[LesWurk]

nice tower at the station

Street View · Google Maps

Explore a place in a more immersive way in Google Maps.

maps.app.goo.gl

 

[Forts]

SCPS hasn't used 4550/6550 gear in years now. Long since upgraded.

 

[VA3ADP]

I was there twice. First in 2019 and then in 2023. They were in the clear last time I was there.

 

[Muxlow]

SCPS hasn't used 4550/6550 gear in years now. Long since upgraded.

Oh, wow. I would have expected Spectrum to not be bothered upgrading them.