Trooper Listening to Scanner?

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mrdelia

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Today I heard a Div 5 Trooper say he “was monitoring York County on Scanner”.

To my knowledge York County is encrypted. Is he listening to a legacy simulcast frequency? Or is he referring to a different type of radio and just called it a scanner.

If it is a legacy frequency Can someone post it? I can’t seem to find it in the database..

Thanks
 

greenthumb

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fmon

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Today I heard a Div 5 Trooper say he “was monitoring York County on Scanner”.

To my knowledge York County is encrypted. Is he listening to a legacy simulcast frequency? Or is he referring to a different type of radio and just called it a scanner.

If it is a legacy frequency Can someone post it? I can’t seem to find it in the database..

Thanks
These are the Div 5 legacy frequencies.
Division 5 Chesa 159.165000 FM CTCSS 146.2
Division 5 Chesa 159.135000 FM CTCSS 127.3 (I think this is for Peninsula area).
 

SCPD

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Some two-way radios have the ability to scan other channels. This might be the case here.
 

tglendye

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...
To my knowledge York County is encrypted. Is he listening to a legacy simulcast frequency? ...
Thanks

I took another look at the database and above the system talkgroups and frequencies it says that there is "sporadic encryption on all channels... up to 50%" sometimes. I was thinking they were always encrypted before I checked. He could have a digital scanner and was listening to the TG's while they were unencrypted or maybe the legacy fire/ rescue vhf channels.

I don't have any knowledge of how York works. I know at one time, some troopers here in Rockingham had uhf portables loaned to them by the Sheriff's Office, when they had extra inventory. Since we're now Pro-voice w/ $3,200 radios... I don't think that is happening anymore. I do know one Game Warden who has a M/A-Com portable issued by the County, but it is because he is associated as a volunteer in fire/ rescue.

My guess would be the trooper w/ a scanner and unencrypted TG's. Just my guess, though.
Todd
 

MOTORHEAD3902

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My question to the OP is exactly WHAT was the tropper referencing being able to hear? If he was monitoring fire/ems traffic- then he could have been hearing it over the old VHF channel if it is still simulcast. I understand that the S/O traffic is encrypted (A LOT) and would be less reliably heard, so this would be less of a possibility.

I would wager he was hearing a fire/ems call on the old conventional channel, if I had to guess.
 

mrdelia

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Should have been more clear

The trooper was reffering to the location of a SO deputy who was out with a disabled vehicle on I64. At the time VSP was getting wrong info about where the vehicle actually was.

Yes, it appears to me anyway, that York County SO has gone to all encrypted. I do still listen to fire through the legacy freq.

I was wondering if he was reffering to a radio that has the ability to decode encryption given the propper codes or if there are still legacy freqs being used for York County SO.

Thanks
 

RagnarD

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It is not uncommon for LEO's to have a scanner in their vehicle. It helps to let them know what is happening with the other agencies in their area.

To the O/P my guess is that the trooper was listening to York/JCC TRS just like we do (hopefully with a radio that ignores encrypted TG's :)) and heard the traffic referenced by the O/P.
 

mike_s104

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Another reason to NOT use encryption on regular dispatch TGs/freqs. I understand that sometimes the police need a secure way to communicate, so if you have the ability to encrypt, I'm sure its not much of a stretch to have another channel/TG/freq that's 100% encrypted leaving the dispatch in the clear. Look at Clarke Co. VA. I also think this is another good example to have scanners in all units with the capability to monitor all surrounding agencies. Sometimes hearing both sides on a scanner as one of us have done and hearing the lack of communications between agencies is almost humorous because all it would take would be a scanner. I'm sure MOTORHEAD3902 has a scanner or two.
 

Ghstwolf62

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Keep in mind a lot of troopers have local 2 ways in their units as well and monitor that way. It also allows them to communicate with local PD and SO. Heck our SO out here even has CBs and I think uses them for Tac channels. :)

At least some SO and FDs have scanners as well here. Seems a nearby agency who has a MA freq has a fit if it actually gets used by anyone other than their agency so scanners are used to monitor it.

Not to mention a lot of the PS use their radios on scan to listen to everything and all out here have the ability to switch to someone else's channel if they need to.

Out in Texas last year on the north side of Dallas on 35 I heard some type of LE doing speed traps on the FRS/GMRS freqs.
 

mike_s104

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Keep in mind a lot of troopers have local 2 ways in their units as well and monitor that way. It also allows them to communicate with local PD and SO. Heck our SO out here even has CBs and I think uses them for Tac channels. :)

At least some SO and FDs have scanners as well here. Seems a nearby agency who has a MA freq has a fit if it actually gets used by anyone other than their agency so scanners are used to monitor it.

Not to mention a lot of the PS use their radios on scan to listen to everything and all out here have the ability to switch to someone else's channel if they need to.

Out in Texas last year on the north side of Dallas on 35 I heard some type of LE doing speed traps on the FRS/GMRS freqs.

Brings up the idea that VA agencies still need to use and support SIRS too.
 

Ghstwolf62

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Brings up the idea that VA agencies still need to use and support SIRS too.

Yeah but a few years ago I heard someone calling in repeatedly to SO on SIRS and finally called dispatch to tell them.

The dispatcher informed me they didn't even keep it on anymore but thanks anyway, they'd check.
 

resqpig

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I know in Botetourt, SIRS is used semi-regularly between Troopers and SO. Troopers do not have SO's channels, but many do have scanners. Botetourt Dispatch has to be told often that a unit is calling them on SIRS due to a interference issue which causes constant static in dispatch. Many times Troopers will just use their cellphone. On the other hand, Bedford Troopers have SO portables from what I understand. SO also has CB's, but most Troopers don't in Botetourt.
 

mike_s104

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Yeah, but not every agency is like that. It's a big state.

I know Loudoun Co. monitors it and talks to troopers from time to time. The last time I heard them using it was on the way to work and thought "Wow, that's pretty cool to hear used again." I think Fauquier Co. has a TG on their system that is patched to SIRS; not sure if its on all the time or not.
 

tglendye

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SIRS= "State Inter-agency Radio System"... I think that's right, anyway. Law enforcement only, in Va. It is 39.540

Todd
 
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