Scanner to monitor dcfd

[mspad94]

Hi,

I'm looking to purchase a scanner than can listen in on DCFD. I know it has to be a trunking scanner, but beyond that not much...any suggestions?

 

[beastieboy101]

You will need to get a Digital Trunking Scanner. I have the both the Radioshack Pro-96 and the GRE PSR-500. Both of mine work great on the DCFD system they are currently using. MPD you can't receive since they are encrypted and on the new project 25 system.

There are people saying that DCFD is going to move over to the new project 25 system that the MPD is on now; but it is only able to be monitored with a GRE PSR-800; since this new P25 system is Phase 2 and uses TDMA format. ONLY the PSR-800 can listen to these types of systems. However some of the talkgroups are in FDMA format now and able to listen to using my PSR-500 and Pro-96. Also DCFD is talking about encrypting more if not all of the radio traffic which wont be able to be scanned by any scanner.

Hope this helps you out somewhat.

 

[dtscho]

Yeah, at this point, I'd definitely get a scanner that can do Project 25 Phase II. The new Unidens (BCD436HP and BCD536HP) should be out in January, if you don't want to pay a lot for a GRE PSR-800.

I believe all the TDMA talkgroups on the system now are encrypted, but as the system gets more users (DCFD, etc.), there will almost certainly be unencrypted TDMA talkgroups that you'll want to monitor.

Dave