SAFE-T P25 Thread

[JStemann]

I've been eyeing a phase 2 capable scanner (bcd536), not just because of the potential phase 2 upgrade, but my home patrol 1 has a few annoyances that I think would be resolved with actual buttons. Aside from the price of the scanner, I'm a little concerned about the use of encryption on the new system. I've read that it's pretty easy/cheap to activate basic encryption on the new Motorola radios, no idea on the ef johnson or kenwood radios.

Has anyone heard anything one way or the other? I suspect the only reason it's not heavily used right now is cost. Barring any big sales, I'll probably hold off a while until the new system gets up & running across most of the state to add another scanner, anyway.

Thanks,
Jeff.

 

[DJ11DLN]

I've been eyeing a phase 2 capable scanner (bcd536), not just because of the potential phase 2 upgrade, but my home patrol 1 has a few annoyances that I think would be resolved with actual buttons. Aside from the price of the scanner, I'm a little concerned about the use of encryption on the new system. I've read that it's pretty easy/cheap to activate basic encryption on the new Motorola radios, no idea on the ef johnson or kenwood radios.

Has anyone heard anything one way or the other? I suspect the only reason it's not heavily used right now is cost. Barring any big sales, I'll probably hold off a while until the new system gets up & running across most of the state to add another scanner, anyway.

Thanks,
Jeff.

I was told that widespread ENC was unlikely for a variety of reasons, but possible, in fact it's possible now on all non-analog TGs. Not going to get into it any deeper than that (I like having a source of info and I know he watches RR and specifically this thread) but I do hope he's right.

As to the other, I'd think that so long as the gear was compatible, i.e. they're using the non-proprietary version, then no problem...

 

[INDY72]

There will be more encryption than on the legacy system but it will not be everyone all the time. Remember the standard option for all new gear from vendors (Especially Motorola) is for encryption to be on. It is up to the individual agencies to turn it off on their TG's. I would expect a lot of the full time tactical and spec ops TG's to be E. Most of the dispatches should still be in the clear. All of the Mutual Aids are slated to be clear at this time. IN is not as paranoid as say AL and FL on this topic.

 

[Dispatch2323]

When should we program our scanners for the new P-25 State system in Central Indiana?

 

[INDY72]

As of the last timeline I saw: Phase 1, June thru July. Phase 2 90 days later. Phase 3 90 days after that, and so on. So lets say, 2 begins online September/October, 3 in January/February 2016, 4 in May/June 2016, 5 in October/November 2016, and 6 in March/April 2017. The Smart Zone should go bye bye for good by December of 2017 or sooner for primary ops for most users. Full offline of it should happen in 2018 at the latest.

 

[INDY72]

Hence the reason I am populating the State TG's and will also start populating Zone 2 County/Municipalities, and the RR's. After that, I will add rest of known Zone 1 Sites, and then TG's....

 

[INDY72]

I will be doing an big update on my next day off. Been organizing a lot of stuff on my laptop, and about got it ready to format properly and get it in the db. Advance notice... Last week of July, don't expect to hear a lot on my end, as I will be doing Gen Con the 30th thru the 1st of August. That entire week will be prepping things for the Con, and of course working extra hours so I can enjoy those days off. If anyone else is an gamer, I hope to see you there! (I will be spending lots of time playing Pathfinder, Shadowrun, Battletech, Twilight 2000, and in the dealer room. So look for the big dude with 2 scanners and gaming gear!)

 

[Steve73]

When should we program our scanners for the new P-25 State system in Central Indiana?

I set up a separate bank with my area P25 agencies that way when they come on it's there and ready.

 

[markbart]

Safe-t P25

I set up a separate bank with my area P25 agencies that way when they come on it's there and ready.

I've set up a new trunk system on Pro-197 and a wild card.

markbart

 

[INDY72]

Will be adding more County/Municipal and State TG's over next few days. A few of them I need to get current data on once they go live as use of the original TG assignments has changed on the original SAFE-T before the switchover to P25.

 

[venom6733]

when creating a system in freescan with a bcd996t for this new p25, do i choose "p25 standard (digital xt)" "p25 one trunk freq (digital xt)" or "mot type II/p25" ??

Thanks

 

[SCPD]

when creating a system in freescan with a bcd996t for this new p25, do i choose "p25 standard (digital xt)" "p25 one trunk freq (digital xt)" or "mot type II/p25" ??

Thanks

P25 Standard Digital XT

 

[venom6733]

thx Goham...i wasnt sure if the (digital xt) meant that to use the p25 setting, i had to have a bcd996xt scanner...as far as the band plan goes...will that automatically be obtained thru the control channel or is that something ill have to manually add?

 

[SCPD]

thx Goham...i wasnt sure if the (digital xt) meant that to use the p25 setting, i had to have a bcd996xt scanner...as far as the band plan goes...will that automatically be obtained thru the control channel or is that something ill have to manually add?

It is for the XT scanners but works on the 996T just make sure you have the latest firmware on the 996T not sure what the last update was I think 3.02 if some one else knows they might list it for the 996T I used the P25 Standard XT on the 996T before and worked fine.

Sorry just seen the other the CC Data will set the band plan for you on the P25 so no need to set up a band plan it will auto do it for P25

 

[venom6733]

ive got the latest firmware in it... 3.02.00 so it should be good i hope, guess ill find out when my zone gets changed...thanks again

 

[markanderson]

new safe-t

when is Crawfordsville site change over to new p25 and what will be the new frequency and talkgroup

 

[eaf1956]

Well, Here we are in July how does the P25 upgrade going? Or when can we expect testing or implementation to start in SW Indiana? I saw in a prior MILF post about Phase 2 in SEPT/OCT, so why do they want to wait to start the next phase?

 

[INDY72]

From my sources: Things will start hopping after July 4th weekend. And about the waiting: Each phase is being done in steps to allow for plenty of testing etc... Each phase is going to take about 90 days to implement. Southeast IN will pop over the next 90 days. Southwest IN begins popping over in September/October and so on. In or around Spring/Summer of 2017, the old legacy Smart Zone system will probably be fully offlined.

The delays also allow for time to make sure that everyone has radios properly programmed etc. The slow phase in is partly also an attempt to get everyone time to get new radios. Other States are going with the "tell you start getting ready, you have an year" then switch over the whole system in one go method. IN is phasing over. Not to mention that Motorola has at least 3 very large upgrade projects going on in IN simultaneously.

 

[eaf1956]

Does that not create a period of time when the Statewide users will not have full coverage? Where part will be on one system and others on the other system. Or are they going to do some sort of cross-patching?

From my sources: Things will start hopping after July 4th weekend. And about the waiting: Each phase is being done in steps to allow for plenty of testing etc... Each phase is going to take about 90 days to implement. Southeast IN will pop over the next 90 days. Southwest IN begins popping over in September/October and so on. In or around Spring/Summer of 2017, the old legacy Smart Zone system will probably be fully offlined.

The delays also allow for time to make sure that everyone has radios properly programmed etc. The slow phase in is partly also an attempt to get everyone time to get new radios. Other States are going with the "tell you start getting ready, you have an year" then switch over the whole system in one go method. IN is phasing over. Not to mention that Motorola has at least 3 very large upgrade projects going on in IN simultaneously.

 

[INDY72]

Both systems will be online until everyone has P25 radios and is on the P25 system. The new gen of radios will have both systems in them. When they upgraded the IDPS to P25, they had both up and running for an short time. Everyone had both the analog and P25 systems in their radios, and at least with IMPD, they switched one division at an time. Once everyone was on the P25, they kept the analog as backup until they made sure everything was working. Once all the users were on the P25, and things were working smoothly, they killed the analog operations. With SAFE-T, most users will be doing the same thing. The Statewide users, such as ISP, DNR, DHS etc, will use the P25 where it is available, and the legacy system where it is not. There will be patches etc set up where they are needed, and then once the full system is done they will use P25 full time Statewide. The main issues will be more localized in the County/Municipality arena. If users are properly trained, there will be few, if any hiccups. That is also what part of the delay is about. Training everyone on how the transition will happen, and how to operate during it. How to use the newer radios, and switch between both the legacy and P25 systems etc. Example: Lets say ISP D-33 is undergoing the transition. In the radios they will have both systems set up. For Dispatch there will be something like say - ISP DISP and ISP DISP* The one with the star will be the new P25 one. If they need to contact Dispatch and are in an area not yet P25, they would use the non starred TG. There will most likely be simulcasting on both systems until things get settled down.

Point being, there are many ways they can work out issues until the transition is complete. And then around 2020, you get to see more testing and such as TDMA (P25 Phase 2) rolls out.

The first things you should hear on the P25, will be range/coverage testing, and then some full time usage. For FD's there will be some transitional testing especially as they work out the best options for how to deal with P25 and SCBA's. Since P25 has been around a while now, they have found out the best "fixes" and "workarounds" for dealing with the audio issues with the SCBA's. Back when P25 first started being used, there was a lot of issues with that area. And also, expect most FD's to use Locution Dispatching and only the smallest agencies sticking with pure human vocal dispatching in the near future on the P25 system.