TPD has switched!

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Randmaster

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Well, so far, Tuscaloosa PD have gone digital...


... and encrypted.


How disappointing. All that's left is Northport, UA, and the state.

Their NACs are the same as their previous DCS.
 

CORN

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Wow I can't believe I heard the last of their analog last weekend when I was there for the air show. Sorry to hear they went communist and fully encrypted. What a waste.
 

ts548

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wow i can't believe i heard the last of their analog last weekend when i was there for the air show. Sorry to hear they went communist and fully encrypted. What a waste.

hahahahaha
 

Randmaster

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So what would become of interoperability? We had a tornado about a year ago, and the city and county had incompatible systems. I'm kinda tired of hearing it's all about officer safety, when in reality they want the general public to remain ignorant. I don't see how having scrambled transmissions is safe. They have cell phones, landlines, and SouthernLinc for privacy. What more could they want?
 
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So what would become of interoperability? We had a tornado about a year ago, and the city and county had incompatible systems. I'm kinda tired of hearing it's all about officer safety, when in reality they want the general public to remain ignorant. I don't see how having scrambled transmissions is safe. They have cell phones, landlines, and SouthernLinc for privacy. What more could they want?

Why would they care about interop? They've got cool new toys to play with!!!

Seriously though, that seems to be the attitude with a lot of public safety these days. They don't care about interop, reliability, or anything like that. All they care about is having the "latest and greatest" at the taxpayer's expense. Of course, the person that decides what the "latest and greatest" is, is usually the guy selling the radios!

Wonderful, isn't it?
 

Randmaster

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You're absolutely right. I really didn't want my taxpayer money to go to the encryption part. Really, there's nothing that can be done. I always thought TPD was an "open community" department, but this is like a giant middle finger to the public. Oh, well...
 

ts548

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So what would become of interoperability? We had a tornado about a year ago, and the city and county had incompatible systems. I'm kinda tired of hearing it's all about officer safety, when in reality they want the general public to remain ignorant. I don't see how having scrambled transmissions is safe. They have cell phones, landlines, and SouthernLinc for privacy. What more could they want?

Just because a department is running encryption doesn't mean they can't have interoperability. I would love to slap the person who first said if your running encryption you couldn't have interop with other departments. Its just plain false. This is why you setup event channels on your trunk system. They are for INTEROPERABILITY.
 

Randmaster

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True. Anyway, it would have been acceptable if TPD had left their channel 1 in the clear. At least that would give some insight to the general public so they would know what's going on around them.
 
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Even if they have event channels encryption still prevents surrounding departments that are not on the same system from listening in. I know in Jefferson County it's not uncommon for fire and police dispatch as well as some of the Chiefs in both to monitor the P25 system here to get an idea of anything that may be going on right on the edge of their jurisdiction(wild fires, pursuits, etc.).
 

Delco99

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Okay, now that the entire department has gone digital and encrypted my question is what scanner will decode the transmissions. I have a Radioshack Pro 106 digital scanner, and since they switched it won't decode any of the transmissions. It does fine with TFD and the sheriff department's digital system, so I'm thinking TPD may have went with one that cannot be decoded. I am looking at the Uniden BCD396XT digital scanner, but I don't want to sink that much money into a scanner if it doesn't do more than my Pro 106.
 

Randmaster

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Well, so far, I've only heard channels 1 and 3 to be encrypted through yesterday and this morning. I feel there's a 50% possibility that channels 2 and 4 are the same way. If anyone in Tuscaloosa or surrounding area hears anything, feel free to post.
 

ts548

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Even if they have event channels encryption still prevents surrounding departments that are not on the same system from listening in. I know in Jefferson County it's not uncommon for fire and police dispatch as well as some of the Chiefs in both to monitor the P25 system here to get an idea of anything that may be going on right on the edge of their jurisdiction(wild fires, pursuits, etc.).

This is why you have dispatcher's relaying information. Being able to listen is a mute point (literally).
 
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This is why you have dispatcher's relaying information. Being able to listen is a mute point (literally).

Important information from dispatch isn't always accurate and they seem to never relay all information thats given to them. Dispatch is for dispatching. IMO it is very important for departments to be able to scan/listen to agencies out side of their area so they know whats going on and if they need to get ready to respond should they get toned out for M/A. I know Center Point Fire monitors several digital agencies such as BFRS and JEFFCO. Many times they have gotten ready to respond and are in the trucks and even on the road before they are even toned out, as JEFFCO usually dispatches their deputies before fire is dispatched. In St. Clair County we listen to Argo fire because we have an automatic M/A agreement with them and should they get a fire we (Springville) automatically responds. Dispatch isnt always on their feet realizing they need to tone out Springville as they dispatch for 20 some other fire departments. The good thing is the new MOTOTRBO system for St. Clair County will only be a "pilot" program for the time being and only certain departments will get a X amount of radios to test. Right now they have three out of four repeaters up and working. No word on when the trial will begin but I hope they find its a BIG mistake!
 

Radio1967

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Tpd's switch

Don't like the encryption because I depend on hearing TPD in relation to my job..
 

Randmaster

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I wish Tuscaloosa County was a little like Jefferson in terms of all departments keeping tabs on each other by means of scanners. It's like saying, "I always got your back, bro."
 

CORN

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This is why you have dispatcher's relaying information. Being able to listen is a mute point (literally).

Hey Motorola and encryption supporter can it!! Encryption for run of the mill dispatches are a waste of funds and serve NO purpose. Your average criminal doesn't use scanners to commit their crimes. Even these scanner feeds are no threat. It you use it you have no idea what/where the call is located because you can't see the frequencies. Supporters of encryption other than sensitive tac Comms are the ones who should be slapped!!! My point, encryption is stupid for normal dispatches and only swat and Vice Comms should be encrypted. Get a life!!
 

Connxx

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SCPD

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ts548 you must be a yes man for "M" since you have a defensive attitude about encryption plus after looking at other post it looks like he has a attitude period!
I myself like to know what is going on in my neighborhood it may involve my safety like a escaped criminal or other threat,who is going to let me know when they break down my door? is a dispatcher going to tell me to remain calm if I am luck enough to call 911? I think not and think encryption is way over board and over rated and does more harm than good.

ts548,you may rally all you want in your state about encrypted crap but this is Alabama where things are done different and we need no outsider to tell us how to handle our communications.
 

Randmaster

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Since TPD is encrypted, it actually would've made sense to leave just their channel 3 encrypted, as it's their NCIC channel that reveals a lot of confidential information about an individual.

I'm glad to see there are people here who think that general dispatch encryption is useless.

On another note, has anyone heard anything on their channel 2 being encrypted? I've heard just ONE transmission that was in the clear for two seconds, until my scanner resumed scanning. That gave me some hope knowing that channel 2 may be clear.
 
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