troubadour1318
Member
What radio system can I program into my radio shack pro-651 to hear San Antonio Fire/EMS or SAPD?
San Antonio Fire/EMS?
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Unless there is some system I am unaware of, I believe you would be unable to hear them on the Pro-651. San Antonio & Bexar County are just about exclusively on their EDACS/ProVoice system. There are several Uniden scanners that can utilize a paid upgrade & receive ProVoice, and of the two feeds I see, one specifically states that a Uniden 436HP is used for the feed. I upgraded one of my 436HP's so that I could listen to DFW Airport's ProVoice system.
On the database page, I do see a few conventional talk-around frequencies, and some conventional fire frequencies listed for Bexar County, but that's about it.
Steve, what is your distance from the airport? I'm looking at upgrading to a newer scanner, and am wondering if it would be worth it for me to buy the 436 for the pro voice upgrade as the airport is the only system with pro voice that I would listen to.
jasday,
I'm about 15 miles southeast from the airport proper (straight distance, driving distance is about 25 miles).
I can hear the airport on my 436HP if I use one of my rooftop antennas. Using one of the R/S 800MHz antennas (or the Remtronix equivalent), I need to get about to the Trinity River, somewhere west of downtown, to receive them in my truck.
I suspect you'd be able to hear them from Ponder. You would have less interference than I'm dealing with. I have multiple cell sites around me, and am sandwiched between down Dallas, with SMR systems on many of the taller buildings, especially the 'Green Monster', and Cedar Hill, the Mother of All Intermod.
Bear in mind that the Airport had indicated on a request for extension of time for construction on their planned P25 system that it was scheduled to be activated this fall in the November/December time frame. See the request here. (Click on Waiver-Extention of Time in the 'Attachments'.) If that holds, then the EDACS would no longer be active in about six months. I got the upgrade when it first was available, so I've had a longer time to use it.
Besides the 436HP and 536HP, the ProVoice upgrade can also be applied to the 325P2 and the 996P2. I have the 325P2, but only added the DMR upgrade to it. I figured that since ProVoice is headed for retirement, having one scanner capable of receiving it was sufficient.
Yes all FD and EMS here in SA are exclusivity on the Provoice system. And the conventional talk-around channels are rarely used and they are also in Provoice mode. A Uniden withe the Provoice upgrade is worth it I feel. From people I know in the city they are going to take the EDACS system all the way till the end of life which is the end of this year. and probably a little beyond. The city and county just upgraded to newer Harris radios that support P25 phase II. So that is the direction they are going in the future but are just barley in the bidding process for a new P25 system for daily use.
scrotumola
Member
To answer the OP's original question, to use the Pro-651, you would have to program in the SAUA 700 mhz system. The problem is, is that a P25 user would have to be subscribed/affiliated to your preferred provoice edacs 800 talk group in order for the traffic to be carried on the 700 system.
There are an increasing number of users/radios on the 700 side, so more and more traffic is being carried on the system, but it is not consistent. SAFD/EMS dispatch can be simulcast for weeks at a time, and then disappear. The fireground tac channels pop up when something is going on and a user switches over, but there is no guaranty.
Its better than nothing at all.
Enjoy your stay.
~S~
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