Suitable scanners for major Kansas radio systems...

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joeuser

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I think it might be a good idea to help out hobbyists when they are trying to figure out exactly what scanners will work for the various Kansas based systems. So if you are familiar with a Kansas system & a scanner that will work to monitor it, please contribute. List these units in no order of preference. Any mistakes, questions, or comments can be addressed below.

Hopefully, this can get pinned for future reference!
 
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joeuser

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KSICS:

Uniden -
BCD536HP
BCD436HP
Home Patrol HP-1
BCD996XT
BCD396T
BCD996T
BCD396T
BC796D with BCi 25D card
BC296D with BCi 25D card



Radio Shack-
Pro-652
Pro-651
Pro-18
Pro-197
Pro-106
Pro-2096
Pro-96



GRE-
PSR-500
PSR-600
PSR-800



Other-
 
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kd0ega

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Topeka/Shawnee Co.

I monitor Topeka and Shawnee county law enforcement, fire, emergency management and EMS with both a PRO-92 and a BCD996T. I use the PRO-92 because there is still some activity on 800 MHz. analog...very little. The BCD996T is dedicated to Shawnee counties P-25 Phase 1 system. I have the KSICS channels that pertain to North East Kansas programmed into the BCD996T as well that would be utilized during a disaster or for severe weather events.
 

kd0ega

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What was the purpose of starting a new thread for this? Any P25 scanner can cover the Kansas TRSs. Plain and simple.

It was not that long ago....3-4 months ago that "I" was looking for a post like this to either be already posted ( till now it wasn't) or to be posted.....at that time I was on the fence as to which way to go scanner wise and I had a bunch of unanswered questions. Topeka/Shawnee county, for the most part, had already converted over to the P-25 system and I was behind the 8-ball with my analog scanner.

If a moderator or some one else from the administrative staff takes issue with the OP that's one thing....but for a member at large to take it for granted that everyone who is either lurking this site or is a member knows all there is to know about every thing scanner wise within the state of Kansas is something else all together....you worry about what goes on in Florida and we will do our absolute best to hold down the fort here in Kansas.... Plain and simple.
 

joeuser

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I was hoping to be able to edit my OP so I could consolidate this info, for whatever reason - you cannot edit posts at some point... Wonder if I need special permissions to edit my own posts?

This is my goal, I think every state section should have one. Sure you can dig around - read what a scanners abilities are, find out where you live & what they are using, & put it all together. You could just go to the state sections of the forum & find out what your options are for your area, with no bias.
 

joeuser

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Anyone know if the BC250D will work on KSICS?


RR says the system is: Project 25 Phase I - APCO-25 Common Air Interface Exclusive


RR says this about the BC250D: Please note that this scanner will not track a P25 trunking system. While it can decode P25 digital voice (with the optional BCi25 card installed) it cannot follow a P25 (9600 bps) control channel.

RR says the BC250D will handle: APCO-25 Common Air Interface (with the optional BCi25 card installed)

A search turned up a fella in Salina monitoring with this rig but that was 2008...
 

hiegtx

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Anyone know if the BC250D will work on KSICS?


RR says the system is: Project 25 Phase I - APCO-25 Common Air Interface Exclusive


RR says this about the BC250D: Please note that this scanner will not track a P25 trunking system. While it can decode P25 digital voice (with the optional BCi25 card installed) it cannot follow a P25 (9600 bps) control channel.

RR says the BC250D will handle: APCO-25 Common Air Interface (with the optional BCi25 card installed)

A search turned up a fella in Salina monitoring with this rig but that was 2008...
It won't.

KSICS is a P25 Phase I system, so it has a 9600 bps control channel data stream. The 250D, and the base/mobile sibling 785D, cannot track these systems. See the note right under system type compatibility on the 250D's Wiki page (which you quoted). These two scanners will work on a Motorola Type II system that uses digital talkgroups, as long as a custom band plan is not required. It was not set up to allow firmware updates for the tables needed for rebanding.

Also, for the Kansas City Metro MARRS system, note that the 296D/796D, as well as the Pro-96/Pro-2096, will not work on all of the sites. The Johnson County Simulcast site uses both 700 & 800MHz frequencies (at least that's what the database shows). Those four scanners cannot trunk-track frequencies in that range. For the Pro-96 or 2096, you can "unlock" the 700MHz band via software, those scanners were designed before that band was in use. They may be able to receive the frequencies conventionally, but will not track them in a trunked system.
 

joeuser

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It won't.

KSICS is a P25 Phase I system, so it has a 9600 bps control channel data stream. The 250D, and the base/mobile sibling 785D, cannot track these systems. See the note right under system type compatibility on the 250D's Wiki page (which you quoted). These two scanners will work on a Motorola Type II system that uses digital talkgroups, as long as a custom band plan is not required. It was not set up to allow firmware updates for the tables needed for rebanding.

Also, for the Kansas City Metro MARRS system, note that the 296D/796D, as well as the Pro-96/Pro-2096, will not work on all of the sites. The Johnson County Simulcast site uses both 700 & 800MHz frequencies (at least that's what the database shows). Those four scanners cannot trunk-track frequencies in that range. For the Pro-96 or 2096, you can "unlock" the 700MHz band via software, those scanners were designed before that band was in use. They may be able to receive the frequencies conventionally, but will not track them in a trunked system.
Outstanding, thank you very much for answering this. I wasn't positively sure.
 

KSDeputy

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The new P 25 Phase II system Shawnee County built is online and working. I was told it is a digital P 25 phase II system. I may be incorrect, but that is what I was told. I am on the fence as to what digital portable scanner to buy. I had a Uniden BCD436HP, but there were so many negative comments about it when it first came out, I returned it. I am waiting to hear what is said about the new Whisler, to help me decide between the two. If the new system is not phase II, I apologize. I am a user, rather than a technician. I like this thread. I think it is useful for guys like me that used law enforcement radios for many years, watched the changes, and also liked listening at home and mobile on scanners.
 
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joeuser

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The new P 25 Phase II system Shawnee County built is online and working. I was told it is a digital P 25 phase II system. I may be incorrect, but that is what I was told. I am on the fence as to what digital portable scanner to buy. I had a Uniden BCD436HP, but there were so many negative comments about it when it first came out, I returned it. I am waiting to hear what is said about the new Whisler, to help me decide between the two. If the new system is not phase II, I apologize. I am a user, rather than a technician. I like this thread. I think it is useful for guys like me that used law enforcement radios for many years, watched the changes, and also liked listening at home and mobile on scanners.
I said it before and I'll say it again, just because you read negative comments doesn't mean the radio is bad & you should return it. First of all, systems are different, their setup with antennas are different, there are just to many variables involved. I have no issues with my 436, works great. If this system is phase two the 4/536 is your best bet. Radios only perform as good as the antenna that is used, for the most part.
 

KSDeputy

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I must apologize, the new SN County P 25 system is a Phase I system. When I returned the BCD436HP it was the only portable, except Radio Shack, that would pick up the new system. I am glad I returned it, as the new Whisler may be a better radio. If not I can always buy another Uniden. Thanks for your advice, and thanks for this thread it really helps non-technicians like myself see what is available. When they rebanded, and changed from analog to digital, I have 6 analog scanners that are useless in this area. Hopefully some part of the US is still using analog for the next two years and I can sell them. Same thing happened when TV's went digital, although I am still using two Sony 15" favorites with converter boxes. Wish those worked on analog scanners.
 
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