San Francisco Public Safety going Digital June 2021

KD6JEK

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I used to also monitor in 1974 started out with a Lafayette Guardian 6000 multi-band AM/FM/VHF HI and LO with UHF. Now I have a Home Patrol II and a BCT 436 handheld but does this mean now I will no longer be able to monitor SFPD or SFFD or any of their public service radios with my new Uniden scanners?

Your Uniden scanners should work so long as it's not encrypted. Otherwise, you can forget it...
 

stingray327

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I guess I misunderstood this so SFPD is not going to be encrypted in June 2021 but are going digital and because they are doing this I can still pick them up on the Home Patrol II scanner and BCD 436 handheld scanner?
 

mmckenna

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I guess I misunderstood this so SFPD is not going to be encrypted in June 2021 but are going digital and because they are doing this I can still pick them up on the Home Patrol II scanner and BCD 436 handheld scanner?

Digital and Encrypted are two separate things.

When they go digital, you'll still be able to receive them.
When they add encryption to talkgroups on top of the digital, you will not.

Since some talk groups will likely stay in the clear, you'll be able to hear them.
 

nokoa3116

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Rumor updates: Public Works will be the first to transition over. Then PD, TDMA only, with encryption only during certain incidents, certain "tactical" channels, etc. There was an option of going encrypted via handheld, only for over the air record checks, but that hasnt been determined. Apparently, normal dispatching will be in the clear, except for TDMA.
I have been in contact with the police department and was told something similar that the initial call dispatch will be transmitted in the clear, and the rest encrypted to comply with the CLETS requirement.
 

footage

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I have been in contact with the police department and was told something similar that the initial call dispatch will be transmitted in the clear, and the rest encrypted to comply with the CLETS requirement.
If true, that's good news. Right now everything's in the clear except for some test transmissions on new digital TGs that correspond to formerly encrypted TGs. But most SFPD talkgroups are still only transmitting "all" (i.e., all-channel) messages. So far I have monitored TGs A1 through A8 and A11, plus B3.
 

footage

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I notice the P25 system has mostly been down since last night except for TG 828 and scattered other xmsns. The fire announce (60102) is also down since yesterday afternoon.
 

stingray327

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If true, that's good news. Right now everything's in the clear except for some test transmissions on new digital TGs that correspond to formerly encrypted TGs. But most SFPD talkgroups are still only transmitting "all" (i.e., all-channel) messages. So far I have monitored TGs A1 through A8 and A11, plus B3.
So will the frequencies change in June 2021 from what is now current? What I have currently programmed will have to be reprogrammed just like I had to do with the Solano County SCRC with Fairfield PD and Suisun PD?
 

inigo88

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So then I should be able to delete the current SFPD channels and take the new ones of the Sentinel database?:unsure:

I would hold off until a full transition has occurred, but eventually the 800 MHz system will be completely vacated and turned off. In the mean time you should scan both systems, as generally users from one will gradually migrate to the other, and it rarely happens all at once.
 

stingray327

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I would hold off until a full transition has occurred, but eventually the 800 MHz system will be completely vacated and turned off. In the mean time you should scan both systems, as generally users from one will gradually migrate to the other, and it rarely happens all at once.
(y)Thanks for that info. That does makes sense. Plus I cannot pick up SFPD from base only mobile and I don't go down there as often as I used to. I am more concern about CHP monitoring as I have noticed that certain areas like the Oakland (Bronze) have disappeared:unsure: and CHP is easier to monitor from base.
 

footage

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Watching the system take shape continues to be fascinating. TGs seem to come and go from day to day as radios are tested and issued to people on certain tours. There will be hours of silence and then SFFD will come up for the evening. Some SFPD district TGs light up for all-channel transmissions and then temporarily for a shift or two, then go dark.

Some TGs are predictable from the legacy arrangement on the analog system. But there are also TGs, especially between other TGs in the SFPD and SFFD blocks, that are popping up and suggest either new assignments or perhaps errors. Is it typical for odd TGs to pop up in testing but not get programmed into radios?

And does anyone have any confirmed lists other than what you can compile based on air?

My analysis tool is a P25RX running its own software.
 

officer_415

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That is sort of like lowering or increasing their power of transmission? I guess the same can be said for Napa also? I also used to pick up sacramento, West Sac., Auburn but no more reception??? :unsure:

Well if you're having problems with all those areas, then it might be a problem with your equipment. If it was just Oakland, I thought maybe you just didn't have line of sight to the transmitter they're using. Anyway, this is off-topic for this thread, so if you want to discuss it further I would start a new thread in the CA statewide forum.
 

stingray327

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Well if you're having problems with all those areas, then it might be a problem with your equipment. If it was just Oakland, I thought maybe you just didn't have line of sight to the transmitter they're using. Anyway, this is off-topic for this thread, so if you want to discuss it further I would start a new thread in the CA statewide forum.
Ok well at least know I get Auburn, San Jose and Napa but not Oakland so perhaps they changed their transmitter site.
 
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