Upgrade time

[_CJ_]

Hey all,

We've had an analog for along time ( Battle Creek, Calhoun), but hoping to listen to local and state police again (if possible?).

I know I have a lot of reading to do. Hoping can get pointed in right direction on what type of scanner I need to be looking for. Mainly looking for fire, ems local and state police. Thx!

 

[GeneseeCoMI]

The local police in Calhoun County is encrypted and no scanner can decrypt it. Everything else is in the clear. There's dozens of digital scanners to chose from:

The Radio Shack Pro 18, the Radio Shack Pro 96, the Radio Shack Pro 106, the Radio Shack Pro 197, the Radio Shack Pro 2096, the Radio Shack Pro 651, the Radio Shack Pro 652, the Radio Shack Pro 668, the Uniden BC296D, the Uniden BCD325P2, the Uniden BC796D, the Uniden BCD396T, the Uniden BCD396XT, the Uniden BCD996T, the Uniden BCD996XT, the Uniden BCD996P2, the Uniden HomePatrol-1, the Uniden Home Patrol-2, the Uniden BCD436HP, the Uniden BCD536HP, the GRE PSR 500, the GRE PSR 600, the GRE PSR 800, the Whistler Group WS1040, the Whistler Group WS1065, the Whistler Group WS1080, the Whistler Group WS1088, the Whistler Group WS1098, the Whistler Group TRX-1 and the Whistler Group TRX-2.

 

[_CJ_]

Well that stinks for the local, but much appreciated on getting me pointed in the right direction.

 

[drdispatch]

On the plus side, all of our MSP units transmit in the clear, even on the encrypted talkgroups. So if you get a scanner that automatically mutes encryption, you can still listen to MSP on the county TG's, you just wouldn't be able to hear dispatch. But you wouldn't have to put up with the annoying squawking sound, either.

 

[fords_1989]

encrypted

The local police in Calhoun County is encrypted and no scanner can decrypt it. Everything else is in the clear. There's dozens of digital scanners to chose from:

The Radio Shack Pro 18, the Radio Shack Pro 96, the Radio Shack Pro 106, the Radio Shack Pro 197, the Radio Shack Pro 2096, the Radio Shack Pro 651, the Radio Shack Pro 652, the Radio Shack Pro 668, the Uniden BC296D, the Uniden BCD325P2, the Uniden BC796D, the Uniden BCD396T, the Uniden BCD396XT, the Uniden BCD996T, the Uniden BCD996XT, the Uniden BCD996P2, the Uniden HomePatrol-1, the Uniden Home Patrol-2, the Uniden BCD436HP, the Uniden BCD536HP, the GRE PSR 500, the GRE PSR 600, the GRE PSR 800, the Whistler Group WS1040, the Whistler Group WS1065, the Whistler Group WS1080, the Whistler Group WS1088, the Whistler Group WS1098, the Whistler Group TRX-1 and the Whistler Group TRX-2.

so even if i did the bcd996p2 dmr provoice upgrade it will not decode encrypted talkgroups like msp without the squawking sound. thanks ron from westland mi area

 

[drdispatch]

so even if i did the bcd996p2 dmr provoice upgrade it will not decode encrypted talkgroups like msp without the squawking sound. thanks ron from westland mi area

Now you're talking about 3 different things:
1) ProVoice.
2) DMR.
3) Encryption. There is no scanner capable of decrypting those transmissions, and in fact it is illegal to do so. All MSP units in Calhoun County transmit in the clear. (Without going into great detail, suffice it to say that it is how they have their radios programmed.)

What I was trying to point out is that if you get a scanner that automatically mutes encryption (like the BCDx36HP series - there may be others that I'm not familiar with), you will still be able to hear Calhoun County MSP units on Calhoun County talkgroups. You will NOT be able to receive transmissions from dispatch or any other agency's mobile units. My reasoning being that it's preferable (IMO) to hear only part of the conversation as opposed to none of it.

 

[kayn1n32008]

so even if i did the bcd996p2 dmr provoice upgrade it will not decode encrypted talkgroups like msp without the squawking sound. thanks ron from westland mi area

Scanners are not capable of decrypting encrypted communications because they lack the hardware to perform decryption.

DMR and Provoice are only different digital voice formats, they are not encryption algorithms.

There are 2 separate upgrades available for that scanner. One adds the ability to decode unencrypted DMR transmissions, the other add the ability to decode unencrypted Provoice transmissions


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[GeneseeCoMI]

By everything else is in the clear I meant fire and EMS in Calhoun County which is what _CJ_ was asking about. I guess I should have specified that. Sorry for any confusion. All public safety for Calhoun County is on the MPSCS (a Project 25 Phase I system) which all of the scanners on the above list can decode (except encrypted talkgroups) without any add-ons.

To decode DMR systems, like the Calhoun-Jackson Counties Road Department or FireKeepers Casino, you will need a DMR capable scanner.