Two Channels Go P25

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scanaholic

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Well, it looks like the whole area around Abilene is going P25 nuts. First, the Tye PD, big old metropolitan Tye, just a hole in the road, their department is now digital. I couldn't believe it!

I decided since I only have the Shack Pro-433, to just lock them out, since I'm not wealthy enough to afford a digital scanner. It wasn't 5 seconds I heard yet another channel giving out with that miserable "hash-buzzz" mess. I looked at the readout, and couldn't believe it was TxDot! I locked it out. I'd rather hear nothing as the unintelligible racket.

I like the 433 because I can get the local Edacs 800 trunking so well. So, guess I'll have to keep it and just lock 'em out as they jump on the "hash-buzzz" bandwagon, slowly narrowing down my monitoring. I've not heard the DPS in years due to their switch, but know I'm not missing anything but 10-28's.

The new technologies in radios ran off and left me financially as well as understanding how it all works, years ago. I'm guess I'm just from the old "just program the frequencies in and listen" crowd. :(
 

knightrider

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Don't feel bad Scan, I'm a lot the same way. I try to keep up with the technology just enough to understand the workings of it, but just don't always understand the so called benefits from it, especially since so many agencies across the U.S. have had very expensive problems with it. Another thing, is the licensing of the technology. Usually, by now the licensing has dropped enough to make it affordable for all of us to have one or two radios, but apparently they are a little greedy, and keeping the prices up, so it is reflected in the prices of the scanners when the manufacturers make and sell them. Even the cost of the actual two way gear is ridiculous!! Many times, by the time a system is installed, and put in operation, it is determined another 1 or 2 million dollars are required to get it running as wanted or needed... It all comes back on us as taxpayers... Oh but wait, we're told that Homeland Security is giving grants for this. Kool!! Wait, don't they get their money from our TAX DOLLARS?? Yeppers, I get a little testy about this sometimes. But, I guess I'll knuckle under, and pay the price soon to get a P25 capable radio, as much as I hate to think I will have to cut out something else to do it. A new Ham rig will have to wait...
Knightrider.... Retired LEO
 

scanaholic

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Abilene, TX.
Well said, knightrider! No telling how much tax money it cost to get Abilene PD on ProVoice. And we wonder what is wrong with the economy! Our law guys have the taste of Ross Perot using our tax money to satisfy that taste. Sickening.

Like you, I might eventually get a digital, but I don't know if they make one that will also trunk track Edacs. That's how little I know. Just never checked them out.
 

bwillcox

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The PSR600/Pro197 is a great scanner and will quite happily trunk track EDACS systems, so if there are any analog talkgroups remaining on the Abiliene system it'll get them.

The PSR500 is another good radio if the portable form factor is what you're after.

Neither will help you with the NoVoice issue yet. :mad:
 

scanaholic

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Question: Do digital signals travel farther than analog? I can't understand the advantage of digital radios over analog. I am tempted about that Shack scanner, but I wish they would put it on sale. That's the only way I might could swing it.

Thanks-
 

davidbond21

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New Braunfels, TX
Question: Do digital signals travel farther than analog? I can't understand the advantage of digital radios over analog. I am tempted about that Shack scanner, but I wish they would put it on sale. That's the only way I might could swing it.

Thanks-

All other things being the same, the signals travel the same distance. The difference has to do in the received audio. With analog as the signal becomes weaker, the audio starts to get noisier, all the way out to the point where there is no understandable speech. With digital the voice is converted into data bits, so the audio is the same out to the point at which the signal is so weak, the radio can't correctly or completely receive and/or decode those bits.

Now there is quite a bit of debate as to whether analog or digital is better when it comes to fringe reception, and a whole lot more opinions about the matter. I will say that it has been my general experience, using some P25 handhelds at 5W on the 2m band with my buddy that the digital mode has extended our simplex range almost 1/4-1/2 mile over the point where when using analog in the same test situation dropped out completely from the noise. Your mileage may vary.

You don't need to resist getting a digital scanner. Like it or not, P25 is here and spreading. You should just slowly start saving away money for a new scanner, and start looking on the internet for a good deal. If you are willing to be patient, hopefully by the time you have come across a great price, you will have saved up the money you need. And if you have any problems with programming, you have a large community here willing to help you learn how to use it.
 

texasemt13

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Hunter, TX
You don't need to resist getting a digital scanner. Like it or not, P25 is here and spreading.

It is becoming the de facto standard. As davidbond said, just save up. A great digital base scanner (that has a larger used market, and a cheaper one) is the RS Pro-2096. The only 2 limitations that most care about is no 700MHz trunking or NAC selectability. For P25 conventional though (DPS included) this is a great and sensitive receiver.
 

sudsyjkh

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Ottawa, on and Rochester, ny
Funny thing about this, after about 7 pm and most of the weekends tye pd are still analog on the Taylor County s.o. freque.
I was wondering why I hadn't heard any comms out of txdot lately though. Willl have to take the tone off that freque so I can hear the crisp digital comms.
 

scanaholic

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Abilene, TX.
I just called the local Shack, and they don't even stock digital scanners in the store! That beats all.

Just called another electronics store, they don't either. You can't find a digital scanner in Abilene in captivity! Weird
 
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scanaholic

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Abilene, TX.
I'm not certain the type digital they use around here. It may be encrypted some of it, I don't know. I know Shackelford Co. went digital some time back. Taylor and Callahan have the ability, but run analog most of the time. Nolan Co. went digital years ago about when the DPS did. I don't know if plunking down 500 clams would be worth it around here or not.
 

davidbond21

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I'm not certain the type digital they use around here. It may be encrypted some of it, I don't know. I know Shackelford Co. went digital some time back. Taylor and Callahan have the ability, but run analog most of the time. Nolan Co. went digital years ago about when the DPS did. I don't know if plunking down 500 clams would be worth it around here or not.

Just looking in the database there's not much around you that's P25, at least maybe not all that much to outright justify a digital scanner. You shouldn't rule it out though. Start saving the pennies away today and maybe in a couple years if a lot more agencies around start switching over, you'll not only have some money put away for a scanner, but hopefully in a few more years you'll be able to get some better prices on a used PSR-500/600 and/or Pro-106/197.

What I'd like to know is, for all you Abilene folks suffering under your "NoVoice", is whose house am I going to set up shop at (and maybe crack a few cold ones) after I drive up there one weekend with all of my ProVoice radio gear to take a little bit of the mystery out of that trunked system? :wink:
 

scanaholic

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Abilene, TX.
Interesting. I guess these I hear on digital aren't P25! Can't imagine what they call theirs then.
I may get one eventually. I have some money now, but just unsure about getting one. I'd need someone locally to program it. I'm not a rocket scientist.

I don't know about a house for you.

Thanks-
 
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