VTAC 12 and VTAC 13

[es93546]

So another note if a state agency needs a frequency they normally look at other state agencies to see if they have a frequency that could be shared. That means the Game Warden, Forest Service, Live Stock VHF channels might get adopted by DPS. Another great place to hide is in the APS trunked radio system. Who knows and please everyone wear a mask.

The "Forest Service" refers to a federal agency, as in the "U.S. Forest Service". The state has the "Department of Forestry and Fire Management" and I think that is what you intended to refer to. The state agency is referred to as "AZ DFFM" or just "DFFM" for short.

 

[AZDon]

I regularly receive MCSO Car to Car 158.91,
MCSO Lake Pleasant 159.30 and MCSO Search on 159.09. Lost them on VTAC 13 though I am sure they still have it for interoperability.

 

[Trizzle345]

As I said, I regularly could hear MCSO deputies in Sun City using VTAC-12 for informal car-to-car chit chat. And once in the Wittmann area when I was out that way. And there was the one time that ADOT was heard using it to inspect the underpasses for flooding. So I've commented here about it more than once.
I've not heard interagency use of them, but it makes sense that they would.

Every scanner listener should include all of the interoperability and common use channels in their regular listening.

National Interoperability (United States) Scanner Frequencies and Radio Frequency Reference

Scanner Frequencies and Radio Frequency Reference for National Interoperability (United States)

www.radioreference.com

Common Public Safety - The RadioReference Wiki

wiki.radioreference.com

John
Peoria

Have a question. So, let's say I download the frequencies I want to listen to from one of the programs; the listing you posted is in addition to these? So, are they not downloadable at the same time?

 

[es93546]

Have a question. So, let's say I download the frequencies I want to listen to from one of the programs; the listing you posted is in addition to these? So, are they not downloadable at the same time?

I think you are saying that if you want to listen to the Maricopa County trunked radio system and you program it, are the frequencies that have been discussed here, the VTAC frequencies, something you have to program at a different time. The answer to that is yes. The Sheriff's Office is on this fairly new P25 Phase 2 trunking system using 700 MHz frequencies. The database has a listing for just this system. The VTAC frequencies are listed by clicking onto the "Nationwide Frequencies" tab on the main database page, the one with all the states shown on a map. Once you clicked that tab, on the page displayed scroll down to "Interop" and click on "National Interoperability." You can load them from here and you have the option to program a few of them, most of them or the whole page.

I don't know what model scanner you are using, but on the Uniden scanner I have you can't mix trunking and conventional frequencies. Just create a conventional system for the conventional frequencies. You can place this system in any order with the other systems and sites you wish. I have my nationwide interoperability frequencies loaded into one system that I keep on the top of all my sites and systems, so it doesn't matter what state I'm in, I can always quickly find and cue up that system if I think those frequencies might be in use. When I'm traveling away from home I don't usually listen to the national interoperability frequencies. If I'm near a large incident (note: in a safe place far from the incident where I don't become some of the additional people/vehicles the incident has to deal with) that has a lot of agencies involved I will cue up that system. I also have a group in some systems, those systems with federal wildland fire/natural resource agencies in them, for all the National Incident Radio Support Cache (NIRSC) frequencies. If I get near a fire (subject to the note above) that has escaped initial attack and is large I then cue up this group. Otherwise I don't listen to it. This system can be found if you click onto "National Interagency Fire Center" on the same Nationwide Frequencies page under "federal."

If you are new to programming, especially from an online source, this can seem very complex. It isn't all that complex. If you create a system or site you don't like or that you think you've screwed up, just delete it and start over. Unfortunately the scanners instructions are probably hard to understand because they aren't written very well and the same likely exists for the software you are using. I've found that to be true for almost everything associated with computers. You have to work through the frustration stage. I've had my BCD325P2 for 8 months and I haven't figured out how to operate it all of its features. I'm used to another brand of scanner I bought in 2008, that is far more intuitive than the Uniden. But that other brand went out of business and the outfit that bought the brand is not investing in making something current. So I was forced to buy what I bought. The SDS 100/200's are probably no more simple or complex as the 325P2, but who knows.

I hope some of this helps!

 

[Trizzle345]

I have a WS1040. I enjoy listening to the scanner. Before I buy the license for the PRSEdit500, I wanted to re-educate by rereading the forums. I am looking to listen to DPS, Maricopa Sheriff, From Suprise to Wickenburg LE channels. I'm not interested in the Fire. I have Sheriff for LE where I live and never hear them because I don't think I have them programmed. I used to live in Glendale, then I moved, so I want my new area now.

When I read your post, it did sound like the interoperability channel was for listening to the cars communicating. I hear absolutely none of that. I hear Suprise from dispatch to a car and no conversations.

 

[cfsimmont]

If you want to listen to MCSO you are going to need a Phase 2 capable scanner, the WS1040 will only handle Phase 1. I don't hear too much on the conventional interop channels, most of the agencies in the valley use the Phoenix RWC Interop channels G-Deck and the Ocean channels are in the clear, H-Deck is encrypted.

 

[KB7MIB]

MCSO moved their informal car-to-car chit-chat to 159.3900. They don't use the VTAC's any longer. (It was actually a prohibited use of those channels in that manner.)

Your scanner won't allow you to listen to their main dispatch TG. But it can hear the few analog channels they still use.

158.9100 Car-to-Car (Simplex)
159.0900 "Search 8" (Repeater & Simplex, uses a DCS of 115 if your scanner has DCS capability)
159.3900 Car-to-Car (Simplex)

If you want to listen to their dispatch channels, you will have to upgrade and buy a new scanner capable of monitoring a P25 Phase II system. The RWC system that Surprise PD uses will eventually switch from Phase I to Phase II as well. Some TG's in the system have already switched.

John
Peoria

 

[Trizzle345]

Will this scanner get me covered for the P25 Phase II?
Whistler WS1065 Digital Desktop/Mobile Radio Scanner?
I have some other ideas for my WS 1040, upload and listen to what I can listen to.

 

[KB7MIB]

No, it is not P25 Phase II capable, and it also appears to be out of stock.

Here is a page from Scannermaster that lists the P25 Phase II capable scanners.

Digital P25 Phase II Scanners

Digital P25 Phase II Scanners

www.scannermaster.com

Your best bet, due to simulcast issues, would be the Uniden SDS-100 or SDS-200. They were purpose designed to handle the simulcast issues that you'll find with the RWC, TOPAZ RWC, and Maricopa County simulcast sites.

Granted, both the RWC White Tanks site that will allow you to hear Peoria PD and Surprise PD's main dispatch TG's (but little else on the RWC), and Maricopa County's White Tanks site that will allow you to hear MCSO's district 2 and district 3 TG's, isn't simulcast. And the AZWIN sites that carry DPS aren't simulcast at all. (The UHF to AZWIN patches are not quite 24/7, so UHF may be the better choice to listen to DPS Metro West and West Tac.) However, if you wanted to hear El Mirage PD, Glendale PD, or anything else on the RWC in the West Valley, you'll need to be able to monitor Simulcast G. If you want to listen to MCSO while mobile/portable in the Wickenburg area, Maricopa County's Wickenburg site is a simulcast site. As is the Anthem/New River area, the Central Phoenix area, and a few other areas.

The SDS-100 handheld appears to be out of stock, at least with Scannermaster. The SDS-200 base/mobile appears to be in stock. You can check with other vendors as well, of course.

John
Peoria

 

[es93546]

2

Will this scanner get me covered for the P25 Phase II?
Whistler WS1065 Digital Desktop/Mobile Radio Scanner?
I have some other ideas for my WS 1040, upload and listen to what I can listen to.

My PSR-600's that I use as a base and in one car, are fine for everything in my somewhat remote two county area. There is only one P25 Phase 2 system in operation and is the second trunked system in the county, is for Southern California Edison (SCE). It isn't simulcast up here, but is in other parts of the system in southern California. I don't need the SDS models so I didn't buy one. I don't care for the busy screens on each either. So I bought a Phase 2 scanner, the Uniden BCD325P2. I need something for SCE that will work with AA batteries as I always have plenty charged up and have a solar unit just for charging small batteries. I have a PSR-500 and a PRO-96 for all conventional and trunking minus the Phase 2. We will be visiting family in Scottsdale this Christmas and they live in a place where I could not pick up the older P25 Phase 1 repeaters, except Thompson Peak, which I can see from my wife's brother and SIL's house. I will be excited to see how this non simulcast radio will do under the circumstances. I know if I get some simulcast distortion I can always attenuate the signal and that might solve the problem.

My point is, that if your home is in a location, as KB7MIB mentioned, where you can only pick up one repeater, a non-simulcast scanner may do the trick. But, when you are mobile it will not work well.

Another disadvantage with the SDS-100 is the use of a proprietary (brand & model specific manufacturing) battery. I don't want this as in an emergency I can only use that battery, along with specific chargers, for the radio. The last proprietary battery I purchased was for a BC-100 back in the later 1980's. If Uniden doesn't come up with a AA battery scanner, I will have to live without a simulcast scanner until they do. My wife and I have a friend and ex RR member who lives in Payson, Arizona, who along with her late husband, did far more backpacking and boondocking than my career allowed for. She still has the solar chargers they rolled out onto their backpacks and at boondocking camps to keep AA's charged up for their scanners and ham radios. She is even more strongly opposed to proprietary batteries than I am. She wrote this in one thread and everyone tried to convince her she was wrong. She didn't budge and bought the 325P2 before I did. We both noted that Uniden screwed up in a few places, but the biggest problem is the 2 AA's get eaten up in 4 hours, sometimes less, sometimes more, depending on the amount of traffic received. It does plug into a computer for charging and linking to software so it works nicely on a desk. Without power though, the GRE's are far better. If GRE or Whistler was making a handheld Phase 2, simulcast scanner, they would likely go with AA batteries. GRE is gone for good. I don't think Whistler will ever make new scanner model, they have more profitable products.