Scanning Jackson County and Scottsboro? was: New Guy

[mpbird]

Hello All, my name is Jim and I just joined the forum. I live in Jackson County and am interested in listening to public service - primarily fire and police. I don't currently own a scanner but will be searching through the threads here to educate myself.

I do have a quick question about the Scottsboro PD. From my limited research thus far I believe they are operating digitally using DMR. Does anyone know if they are encrypted as well which would be nice to know and I could halt any further efforts in listening to them.

Thanks in advance and look forward to monitoring the forum.

Jim

 

[KG4DRF]

Not for certain because it has been a little while since we had the Jackson county bank turned on but we were hearing them on their analog frequency.
Will say "if" they have gone totally to DMR do not get the Whistler 1040 or 1065. They don't get DMR

 

[KG4DRF]

Oh, and welcome to the world of scanner listeners

 

[Scanner_Rider]

mpbird,
Welcome to the world of scanner listening. Digital is different , but there are scanners that work pretty good in getting digital and conventional analog frequencies still in use.
The database software program for my Uniden BCD436HP still shows Jackson County as primarily conventional but most agencies are going or already have gone digital.

When I bought my scanner as my county started transitioning to digital, when I told the customer contact at Scanner Master , the company I ordered from which agencies I wanted to be able to listen to, they programmed the digital and analog frequencies I needed at their store and it worked for me out the box.

Also following the instructions that came with the scanner, I was able to save the programming to the programming software and do a zip code search and add some new digital talk group I.D.s and conventional analog frequencies while deleting the ones my scanner found that I didn't want.

Although the scanner I bought to replace my old one has large capability reading the scanner board here ,I learned while it would work, it doesn't lock out like the old scanners but avoids as it scans over any avoids so I keep mine to only the digitals in the 20 mile radius of me and the old analog repeater frequencies ALEA still use.

I was a bit shocked at the cost of my scanner at first but I have gotten about 5 years of use out of it so far and it serves me well to warn me if there are high speed chases or field fires in my area.

A couple years ago I had my scanner with me in my vehicle and my dogs in their run kennel when I heard my VFD being called to a field fire heading towards my property, so I turned around and came in from the parallel path back home to avoid the responding fire trucks and as many of the volunteers in their POVs to get my dogs and go to my parents place out of range of the smoke and fire threat as the VFD set some of their trucks and vehicles up in the field behind my house.

Hope this information is of help to you but you will find good information on the scanner boards here. on RR.

 

[mpbird]

Hi guys, thanks for the welcome.

 

[Scanner_Rider]

If you haven't purchased a scanner yet, calling the ScannerMaster folks may help because from what I understand from some of the longer term participants and admin here , they are some of the folks who keep this reference board up and have a good selection and reputation that goes back decades.

Some of the folks here referred me to the toll free customer line and although over the phone, the customer rep was as informative as talking with a tech at the local radio store when most every mid size town had a radio store with technicians who knew how to outfit a customer for the best fit without breaking the customer's budget.

 

[bamahandyman]

Hi Jim,
Been a while since i have been here. Scottsboro is DMR. PD dispatch is the clear as well as FD. That being said, the dispatcher themselves are in the clear, the actual response from the officers WT and cars is encrypted. Just about everything else in jackson county is analog and in the clear. I have the Whistler TRX-2. Yes its expensive but gets just about everything out there that can be picked up. Im in Marshall county. and listen to a lot from here as well just about every surrounding county. Hope this helps. Stay safe and good luck.

 

[tvengr]

Been a while since i have been here. Scottsboro is DMR. PD dispatch is the clear as well as FD.
[QUOTE

Do you have color code/TGID/slot info for Scottsboro PD, FD, and PW? The OP will need that. It isn't listed in the database.

 

[bamahandyman]

When I’m not at work , I’ll go on and note them, and get them to you. I’m off tomorrow so should have time.

 

[tvengr]

Thank you!

 

[bamahandyman]

"Do you have color code/TGID/slot info for Scottsboro PD, FD, and PW? The OP will need that. It isn't listed in the database"
OK tvengr, here is what i have:
Scottsboro 153.485 (PD- DMR color -1 slot 1 or 2- tgid 201)
(FD-DMR color -1 slot-1 tgid 9)
(PW-DMR color -1 slot 2 or 1 tgid 11)

 

[tvengr]

Thanks! I'm sure that mpbird will appreciate it.