Sometimes I hear bursts of noise and fluttering - what are those transmissions?

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Sum_Guy

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I bought a BF-F8HP for county police (OPP) I think they use 800 MHz trunking. Anyways, more often than I can tolerate sometimes the scanner picks up transmissions that consist of a burst of what sounds like white noise (maybe 5 seconds but variable) that ends with what sounds like someone putting a stick into a fan (ie a fluttering sound lasting a few seconds). Are those digital transmissions?

Is there any way to have the scanner bypass those transmissions? They happen on the same channels that I'm hearing EMS on (141/142 MHz).
 

Enjoi19

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The OPP/MTO/MNR and EMS share the same frequencies on their trunked system (currently Bell FleetNet). You are very likely hearing the digital P25 signals from the OPP/MTO/MNR transmissions.

If you want to "bypass" it, you need an actual scanner capable of trunking. The radio you have is not a scanner and does not support trunk tracking. There are plenty of used and new options out there that would handle it fine.

I've given a fairly detailed answer about using the Baefeng radio as a scanner in Ontario here: OPP dispatch frequency
 
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Whiskey3JMC

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At the bare minimum the OP will need a scanner that can trunk track P25 Phase-I, see FDMA scanner list here. The system here is a Smartzone system with a mixture of analog and digital talkgroups with the OPP talkgroups being digital. All talkgroups listed as mode "D" are monitorable with a supported receiver while those listed "DE" are fully encrypted and therefore cannot be monitored by any receiver. Hope this helps
 

Enjoi19

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A proper P25 Phase 1 scanner would also enable you to listen to your local (London) fire department, as they operate on a trunked system as well. Even with the OPP and EMS headed for encryption in the near future, fire is very fun to listen to. It would certainly open more options for listening.

A good used scanner around here would run you around $300 to get into Phase 1 territory.
 

Forts

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As already alluded to, the BF-F8HP will not do the job. The OPP are on a VHF (not 800 MHz) trunking system using P25 digital, which that radio can't do. Your only option would be to monitor the repeaters from the cars (and for the love of God make sure you can't transmit on them!)

Also, as mentioned, the days of listening to the OPP are severely numbered.
 

Sum_Guy

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Based on the list of links to audio samples posted by scanmanmi, what I am hearing is Motorola ASTRO VSELP. It has the correct combination of white-noise combined with a stick hitting a fan. I know my scanner does not have 800 MHz coverage so I won't get OPP. I listen to a local website that provides EMS + Fire + OPP in the same stream and I can hear the same EMS broadcasts on my radio (about 10/20 seconds earlier) but the website scanner has some ability to filter out the Motorola digital garbage.
 

gary123

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The noise you describe is a digital transmission. As everyone has said you have the wrong equipment to monitor anything. I would be looking at a Uniden BCD436 or 536 or a SDS100 or 200 to start. Do a bit of R&D on scanning digital systems as well to give yourself some background.

If in doubt as here in the forums. There are a lot of people here who will be happy to answer your questions.
 

mikewazowski

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Based on the list of links to audio samples posted by scanmanmi, what I am hearing is Motorola ASTRO VSELP.

IMBE not VSELP.

I know my scanner does not have 800 MHz coverage so I won't get OPP. I listen to a local website that provides EMS + Fire + OPP in the same stream and I can hear the same EMS broadcasts on my radio (about 10/20 seconds earlier) but the website scanner has some ability to filter out the Motorola digital garbage.

OPP are not 800MHz and it’s not Motorola digital garbage, it’s digital voice that your cheap Baofeng won’t decode.
 

Sum_Guy

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I didn't think it was worthwhile to even look at digital-capable receivers because I thought all digital transmissions (regardless who is doing the transmitting) was encrypted.
I thought OPP was going digital two years ago. Or maybe they did, and it's not encrypted yet? If OPP are not 800 MHz then is Fire? I don't think I can get Fire on the Baofeng. I have many hobbies and interests and only superficially involved in this radio stuff and I can't devote the time or brain-space for knowing everything about everything, but I do appreciate the answers I get from the questions I ask.
 

Enjoi19

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I didn't think it was worthwhile to even look at digital-capable receivers because I thought all digital transmissions (regardless who is doing the transmitting) was encrypted.
I thought OPP was going digital two years ago. Or maybe they did, and it's not encrypted yet? If OPP are not 800 MHz then is Fire? I don't think I can get Fire on the Baofeng. I have many hobbies and interests and only superficially involved in this radio stuff and I can't devote the time or brain-space for knowing everything about everything, but I do appreciate the answers I get from the questions I ask.

The OPP has been digital for a VERY long time. Digital does not equal encryption - it's just another way of transmitting voice. What is coming is an upgrade to their system that will likely put encryption onto their communications.

OPP, EMS, MTO, MNR, share a VHF (mostly in the 141-143 MHz) trunked system.

Your local fire department runs on an 800 MHz, digital P25 trunked system.
 

Forts

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I was still living in London when they switched, so it was early 2000's for sure. I still recall the London North EMS talkgroup going live early because they were having issues with the conventional repeaters.... and the EMS crews were astounded at how good the 'new' system sounded (even though they were/are still analog).

If you are in London (which I see some people mentioning)... London Police and Fire and on an 800 MHz P25 trunking system. LPS is fully encrypted, LFD is not.
 
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