Scanning El Paso

[acer6830]

I recently relocated to El Paso, and I think I have my Uniden SDS 100 and 436 HP programmed pretty well according to the latest Radio Reference frequencies. I have a question about Texas DPS. I went ahead and programmed in the entire State of Texas frequencies for DPS, since the SDS 100 is pretty fast. However, here in El Paso, I rarely ever
hear DPS? When I was in McAllen, TX, I heard them all the time? I thought I read that DPS and El Paso PD/County was encrypted, but I occasionally hear DPS, but briefly. I can't believe there isn't more traffic that I am missing? Anyone know what might be going on? Thanks in advance.

 

[nd5y]

I recently relocated to El Paso,

I'm sorry to hear that. I hope you don't have to live there a long time.


Since I haven't lived there for decades I can't verify anything.
The database appears to me to be missing a lot of things and the city/county trunked system listing appear to be incomplete.

If you don't hear DPS on their own VHF P25 conventional frequencies that probably means they mainly use the city/county trunked system in that area.

That means you will have to figure it out yourself. You will need to:
1. Compare the trunked system frequencies in the db against FCC licenses.
2. Determine what frequencies and sites are missing or wrong.
3. Add your own sites.
4. Scan everything in wildcard/search mode to find talkgroups that are not in the db.
5. If you have something that shows radio IDs then see if any of the radio IDs match the ones allocated to state agencies according to the Texas Statewide Coordinated P25 Radio Unit ID Range Management Plan.

 

[acer6830]

OK...Very helpful...I will dig in further. Thanks for you reply Tom!

 

[acer6830]

Does anyone know if DPS in El Paso is encrypted. Since moving here, I rarely hear any activity on their channels. I have the whole state of Texas DPS programmed in just in case. When I was in McAllen, TX just a couple of months ago, I was able to monitor Texas DPS all the time from Weslaco?

 

[Giddyuptd]

DPS has talkgroups on the el paso county vhf encrypted system.

They do use conventional vhf here and there depending where they are and out of range of the el paso sites.

Most of their local traffic occurs now for way west traffic on the el paso county vhf encrypted system.

Keep in mind there is a lot of other sites for the el paso region, in database but youd have to be near those conventional repeaters as they use microwave still and dont rebroadcast anymore to neighboring sites. You'll still hear them but not a lot like it use to be.

Eventually the city is going to follow same suit as county and stay on 700 trunking.

Fwiw I do know there is a few new channels p25 conventional they had but I dont know exactly what they are or if they were bundled into the county vhf trunking system.

But without doubt I can hear them on our issued mobiles on the el paso vhf county encrypted system for neighboring oem purposes.

Most your large cities who use a trs will definitely have dps use, while vhf conventional is maintained for the rural areas.

Being they run all band mobiles it isnt a issue like it was few years ago.

Also dont mistaken the newer 700 traffic you may find on Franklin site as Texas dps, el paso pd. New Mexico state is working on a site there to go online in near future though once fully built out NMSP is going solid encrypted.

 

[Giddyuptd]

I'm sorry to hear that. I hope you don't have to live there a long time.


Since I haven't lived there for decades I can't verify anything.
The database appears to me to be missing a lot of things and the city/county trunked system listing appear to be incomplete.

If you don't hear DPS on their own VHF P25 conventional frequencies that probably means they mainly use the city/county trunked system in that area.

That means you will have to figure it out yourself. You will need to:
1. Compare the trunked system frequencies in the db against FCC licenses.
2. Determine what frequencies and sites are missing or wrong.
3. Add your own sites.
4. Scan everything in wildcard/search mode to find talkgroups that are not in the db.
5. If you have something that shows radio IDs then see if any of the radio IDs match the ones allocated to state agencies according to the Texas Statewide Coordinated P25 Radio Unit ID Range Management Plan.

The city of el paso db is pretty accurate for 700 Minus several encrypted missing talkgroups. Only reason the city hasnt encrypted yet fully is subscriber hardware and some other hardware needing to be updated but once it all is they will follow suit with what sheriff wiles did with law Enforcement count wide including socorro, Anthony, horizon who will or have started to utilize the county vhf system. Horizon still uses its conventional vhf channel sometimes.

County vhf has not been bothered by most as everything minus a handful of fire departments for the county and surrounding small towns are on vhf trs in clear, anything law enforcement is fully strapped end to end. There is a few fire talkgroups which are encrypted including some fire grounds on the county vhf trunk system.

The whole pro voice thing back then was never accurate and there was only a few uses of a make shift edacs system for the county of el paso it was used as a barter to get Motorola to be down to them. There was a lot of coverage issues at the 1 site that had got erected back in the late 90s or early 2000s and they for most part only used it at the events for security details for off duty deputies at places like the don haskins etc.

 

[acer6830]

Does anyone know if DPS in El Paso is encrypted. Since moving here, I rarely hear any activity on their channels. I have the whole state of Texas DPS programmed in just in case. When I was in McAllen, TX just a couple of months ago, I was able to monitor Texas DPS all the time from Weslaco?

Thanks you very much for the reply...I think that explains it! Sorry to hear that though.

 

[Nomore1007]

I have most of the 700/800mhz system on my Broadcastify feed and Calls. I had the 155mhz part listening, but had to take it down because of computer constraints. I will try to put it back in and look for DPS on it. I do know that DPS also can be heard on some of their 150mhz p25 frequency

 

[acer6830]

Thanks for the reply...will check it out!