What is "DMR", "NXDM", & "ProVoice", and do I need them?

[Mobilman44]

I currently have a Uniden BCD 436 HP and am seriously thinking of getting an SDS 200. In looking at the order formats, they offer DMR, NXDM, & ProVoice as options. These are suggested if the transmissions in my area use these formats. I live in north central Harris County (TX) near Montgomery county and don't know if the area transmissions use these formats or not. So I guess I have four questions here:
- How do I determine if DMR, NXDM, or ProVoice is used for area transmissions?
- If needed, is DMR worth the $75, and what will it provide?
- If needed, is NXDM worth the $75 and what will it provide?
- If needed, is ProVoice worth the $75 and what will it provide?
I apologize for my rash of newbie questions, but you all are easily the best providers of good advice around!
Thank you!!!

 

[GTR8000]

Look at the database for Harris and Montgomery counties and see if there are any listings for mode type DMR or NXDN (not M) that you are interested in listening to. They are all digital modulations, similar to how P25 is a digital modulation. ProVoice is/was used on some EDACS systems, so if you have any EDACS around there check to see if any talkgroups are digital...if so they are likely using ProVoice. MOTOTRBO systems are a flavor of DMR.

Of course make sure none of these are encrypted, as you won't be able to listen to any of that whether you have the upgrades or not.

Oh and $75 for those keys is a waste of money. You can register your scanner on my.uniden.com after you get it and purchase the keys and enter them yourself. $60 for DMR, $50 for NXDN or ProVoice.

 

[GTR8000]

PS - Your 436HP is capable of the same optional formats, not just the SDS series. Note that each scanner must have unique keys to upgrade, so you can't buy one key and use it in both scanners.

 

[KevinC]

Check out the FD agencies in your area as lot are going to NXDN...

Cypress Creek Communications Center

All repeater channels are also available in talk-around (simplex) mode.

Frequency	Input	License	Type	Tone	Alpha Tag	Description	Mode	Tag
453.12500	458.12500	WPGZ339	RM	192.8 PL	COM 1 Response	COM 1 EMS Response	FMN	EMS-Tac
453.42500	458.42500		RM	031 DPL	COM 2 Dispatch	COM 2 Dispatch	FMN	Fire Dispatch
460.62500	465.62500		RM	032 DPL	COM 3 SW Ops	COM 3 SW Operations	FMN	Fire-Tac
453.43750	458.43750		RM	047 DPL	COM 4 NE Ops	COM 4 NE Operations	FMN	Fire-Tac
453.82500	458.82500		RM	606 DPL	COM 6 PVFD	COM 6 PVFD	FMN	Fire-Tac
453.75000	458.75000	WQCB984	RM	88.5 PL	COM 7 KVFD	COM 7 KVFD	FMN	Fire-Tac
453.80000	458.80000	KUY422	RM	311 DPL	COM 8 Champi	COM 8 Champions	FMN	Fire-Tac
453.02500	458.02500	WQWZ977	RM	432 DPL	COM 9 CCVFD	COM 9 CCVFD	FMN	Fire-Tac
453.52500	458.52500		RM	703 DPL	COM 10 SFD T	COM 10 Spring FD Tactical	FMN	Fire-Tac
460.12500	465.12500		RM	346 DPL	COM 11 CCVFD	COM 11 CCVFD	FMN	Fire-Tac
453.37500	458.37500	WPPG950	RM	192.8 PL	COM 12 KVFD	COM 12 KVFD	FMN	Fire-Tac
453.67500	458.67500		RM	351 DPL	COM 13 CCVFD	COM 13 CCVFD	FMN	Fire-Tac
453.30000	458.30000	WQWZ977	RM	141.3 PL	COM 15 CCVFD	COM 15 CCVFD	FMN	Fire-Tac
453.10000	458.10000	WPGZ339	RM	114.8 PL	COM 16 Stafford	COM 16 Stafford Dispatch	FMN	EMS-Tac
453.48750	458.48750		RM	516 DPL	COM 17 PVFD	COM 17 PVFD	FMN	Fire-Tac
460.07500	465.07500		RM	343 DPL	COM 18 SFD T	COM 18 Spring FD Tactical	FMN	Fire-Tac
460.25000	465.25000	WQFC321	RM	023 DPL	COM 20 ESD48	COM 20 HCESD 48 Fire Dispatch	FMN	Fire Dispatch
461.82500	466.82500	WQHM246	RM	115 DPL	COM 21 ESD48	COM 21 HCESD 48 Fire Tactical 1	FMN	Fire-Tac
453.16250	458.16250		RM	116 DPL	COM 22 ESD48	COM 22 HCESD 48 Fire Tactical 2	FMN	Fire-Tac
453.28750	458.28750		RM	116 DPL	COM 23 ESD48	COM 23 HCESD 48 Fire Tactical 3	FMN	Fire-Tac
453.47500	458.47500	WPZQ439	RM	532 DPL	COM 25 West Ops1	COM 25 West Fire Operations 1 (ESD 48 and Westlake)	FMN	Fire Dispatch
461.55000	466.55000		RM	210.7 PL	COM 26 WFD 2	COM 26 Westlake Fire Department 2	FMN	Fire-Tac
453.12500	458.12500	WPGZ339	RM	1 RAN	COM 1 Response	COM 1 EMS Response (Digital)	NXDN	EMS-Tac
460.62500	465.62500		RM	63 RAN	COM 3 SW Ops	COM 3 SW Operations (Digital)	NXDN	Fire-Tac
453.43750	458.43750		RM	52 RAN	COM 4 NE Ops	COM 4 NE Operations (Digital)	NXDN	Fire-Tac
453.82500	458.82500		RM	6 RAN	COM 6 PVFD	COM 6 PVFD (Digital)	NXDN	Fire-Tac
453.75000	458.75000	WQCB984	RM	7 RAN	COM 7 KVFD	COM 7 KVFD (Digital)	NXDN	Fire-Tac
453.80000	458.80000	KUY422	RM	8 RAN	COM 8 Champi	COM 8 Champions (Digital)	NXDN	Fire-Tac
453.02500	458.02500	WQWZ977	RM	9 RAN	COM 9 CCVFD	COM 9 CCVFD (Digital)	NXDN	Fire-Tac
453.52500	458.52500		RM	56 RAN	COM 10 SFD T	COM 10 Spring FD Tactical (Digital)	NXDN	Fire-Tac
460.12500	465.12500		RM	60 RAN	COM 11 CCVFD	COM 11 CCVFD (Digital)	NXDN	Fire-Tac
453.37500	458.37500	WPPG950	RM	2 RAN	COM 12 KVFD	COM 12 KVFD (Digital)	NXDN	Fire-Tac
453.67500	458.67500		RM	59 RAN	COM 13 CCVFD	COM 13 CCVFD (Digital)	NXDN	Fire-Tac
453.30000	458.30000	WQWZ977	RM	3 RAN	COM 15 CCVFD	COM 15 CCVFD (Digital)	NXDN	Fire-Tac
453.10000	458.10000	WPGZ339	RM	57 RAN	COM 16 Tac	COM 16 Tactical, EMS East (Digital)	NXDN	EMS-Tac
453.48750	458.48750		RM	62 RAN	COM 17 PVFD	COM 17 PVFD (Digital)	NXDN	Fire-Tac
460.07500	465.07500		RM	61 RAN	COM 18 SFD T D	COM 18 Spring FD Tactical (Digital)	NXDN	Fire-Tac
453.16250	458.16250		RM	21 RAN	COM 22 ESD48 D	COM 22 HCESD 48 Fire Tactical 2 (Digital)	NXDN	Fire-Tac
453.28750	458.28750		RM	22 RAN	COM 23 ESD48 D	COM 23 HCESD 48 Fire Tactical 3 (Digital)	NXDN	Fire-Tac
453.47500	458.47500	WPZQ439	RM	25 RAN	COM 25 W Ops 1 D	COM 25 West Fire Operations 1 (ESD 48 and Westlake) (Digital)	NXDN	Fire-Tac
451.42500	456.42500	WPPW540	RM	036 DPL	CC Interop A	Interoperability A	FMN	EMS-Talk
452.20000	457.20000		RM	365 DPL	CC Interop B	Interoperability B	FMN	EMS-Talk
452.35000	457.35000		RM	051 DPL	CC Interop C	Interoperability C	FMN	EMS-Talk
452.22500	457.22500	WPEE211	RM	371 DPL	CC Interop D	Interoperability D/CCEMS Event	FMN	EMS-Talk
451.42500	456.42500	WPPW540	RM	55 RAN	CC Digital A	Digital A - Business/OTAP	NXDN	EMS-Talk
452.20000	457.20000		RM	54 RAN	CC Digital B	Digital B - Business/OTAP	NXDN	EMS-Talk
452.35000	457.35000		RM	53 RAN	CC Digital C	Digital C - Business/OTAP	NXDN	EMS-Talk
452.22500	457.22500	WPEE211	RM	51 RAN	CC Digital D	Digital D - CCEMS Event/OTAP	NXDN	EMS-Talk
155.71500	151.46000	WQBV485	RM	203.5 PL	COM 30 Clov	Cloverleaf VFD and North Channel EMS	FM	Fire Dispatch
458.07500		KUY422	M	192.8 PL	FM 1960 FG 1	FM 1960 Fireground 1/Mutual Aid 1	FMN	Interop
458.06250		KUY422	M	192.8 PL	FM 1960 FG 2	FM 1960 Fireground 2/Mutual Aid 2/CCEMS Administration	FMN	Interop
453.50000			M	192.8 PL	FM 1960 FG 3	FM 1960 Fireground 3/Mutual Aid 3	FMN	Interop
453.16250			RM		West Tac 2	Westlake FD - West Tactical 2, Paired with TxWARN talkgroup 1590	NXDN	Fire-Tac
453.47500	458.47500	WPZQ439	RM	432 DPL	WFD 453 D432	Westlake FD	FMN	Fire-Tac
453.66250		WPZQ439	RM		West Tac 1	Westlake FD - West Tactical 1, Paired with TxwARN talkgroup 1588	NXDN	Fire-Tac
453.55000	458.55000	KWF853	RM	192.8 PL	Pch MCFD T13	Patch to Montgomery County Fire Tactical 13	FMN	Fire-Tac
461.51250			RM		W I-10 Talk	West I-10 Fire/EMS - Talk-Around	FM	Fire-Talk
461.57500			M	703 DPL	SpringVFDAdm	Spring VFD - Administration	FMN	Fire-Talk
464.50000	469.50000		RM	192.8 PL	CCEMS CmdVeh	Cypress Creek EMS - Command Vehicle	FMN	EMS-Tac
460.02500	465.02500	WRBV541	RM	1 RAN	CCEMS 460.025	EMS Dispatch	NXDN	EMS Dispatch

 

[Mobilman44]

THANK YOU !!!
I went through all of the Harris & Montgomery county listings (Thank you Radio Reference) and found several with NXDM and a few DMR but none with ProVoice / EDACS.

 

[n1das]

THANK YOU !!!
I went through all of the Harris & Montgomery county listings (Thank you Radio Reference) and found several with NXDM and a few DMR but none with ProVoice / EDACS.

NXDN, not NXDM.

 

[Mobilman44]

My error..........yes my area has NXDN and not (that I could find) NXDM.............

 

[hiegtx]

THANK YOU !!!
I went through all of the Harris & Montgomery county listings (Thank you Radio Reference) and found several with NXDM and a few DMR but none with ProVoice / EDACS.

I think the "closest" active EDACS/ProVoice systems to you in the Houston area would be the San Antonio/Bexar County system, and the Four County Coastal Bend system in the Corpus Christi area. The EDACS system type is no longer being sold, and the manufacturer no longer actively supports it. Both those systems are scheduled to be replaced by newer systems and that transition is in progress.

 

[fxdscon]

If needed, is DMR worth the $75, and what will it provide?
- If needed, is NXDM worth the $75 and what will it provide?
- If needed, is ProVoice worth the $75 and what will it provide?

-
As GTR8000 pointed out in post #2, if you plan to get any of the paid upgrades for your scanner, do not pay a dealer $75 to install them at the time of purchase. You can install them yourself at any time for much less than the dealers will charge you. It's a very simple and quick procedure that just takes a few minutes. You can purchase a digital key direct from Uniden for any or all of the upgrades at any time you wish after you receive your scanner. A 24 character digital key will be issued to you immediately for each upgrade that you wish to purchase. Best to get used to your scanner for a little while before purchasing any upgrades.... you'll want to verify what systems are in range that would need the upgrades, and to be sure no issues pop up right away that might necessitate returning the scanner.

All you do is enter the digital key into your scanner through the menu system... no programming is involved. The upgrades in your scanner will be activated immediately.

 

[scanfan03]

Just a FYI. The comm center referenced above is no longer in service. ESD 11 has taken over the medical side of things and kicked cypress creek ems to the curb. So there really isn't much NXDN stuff on Northcomm as of right now. Now, that doesn't mean there won't be in the future as they just upgraded their stuff for NXDN.

 

[paramedic228]

Just a FYI. The comm center referenced above is no longer in service. ESD 11 has taken over the medical side of things and kicked cypress creek ems to the curb. So there really isn't much NXDN stuff on Northcomm as of right now. Now, that doesn't mean there won't be in the future as they just upgraded their stuff for NXDN.

The Comm Center is only dispatching CCEMS units (basically a private service now). The listing above, for the most part, is obsolete (as scanfan03) mentioned.
North Comm is dispatching now for Ponderosa, Klein, Spring, Champions Area and Cypress Creek fire departments. The only digital (NXDN) channels as of right now are Com 1, Com 3, Com 16 and Com 18.
Control dispatches the ESD 11 ambulances via telephone. The EMS channel though is Com 1.

Note: I bought my NXDN upgrade directly from Uniden after I already had my SDS200 and installed the upgrade myself. It's easy (and cheaper).

 

[paramedic228]

I currently have a Uniden BCD 436 HP and am seriously thinking of getting an SDS 200. In looking at the order formats, they offer DMR, NXDM, & ProVoice as options. These are suggested if the transmissions in my area use these formats. I live in north central Harris County (TX) near Montgomery county and don't know if the area transmissions use these formats or not. So I guess I have four questions here:
- How do I determine if DMR, NXDM, or ProVoice is used for area transmissions?
- If needed, is DMR worth the $75, and what will it provide?
- If needed, is NXDM worth the $75 and what will it provide?
- If needed, is ProVoice worth the $75 and what will it provide?
I apologize for my rash of newbie questions, but you all are easily the best providers of good advice around!
Thank you!!!

You can see my reply below to scanman03 as well, but in our area (I am also in your same area), for the MOST part, you won't need any of the upgrades, unless you want to listen to those channels that I mentioned below. In that case, you would want the NXDN upgrade. But, you can buy it direct from Uniden and install it yourself for less. What agencies are you scanning now?

 

[tunnelmot]

Agreed.
-If you are concentrated on law enforcement, Phase II P25 will fill almost all needs.
-As you drill down to some of our local fire comms, NXDN could be beneficial to you.
-If you want to go further down the rabbit hole into various commercial/school district/industry monitoring, then both NXDN and DMR would be beneficial.

In the Gulf Coast/Houston region Provoice would be virtually worthless.

 

[Robert721]

I just did the NXDN upgrade but I am not hearing anything on the North Com fire channels. I am only hearing dispatch on the old analog channels.

 

[Ensnared]

I currently have a Uniden BCD 436 HP and am seriously thinking of getting an SDS 200. In looking at the order formats, they offer DMR, NXDM, & ProVoice as options. These are suggested if the transmissions in my area use these formats. I live in north central Harris County (TX) near Montgomery county and don't know if the area transmissions use these formats or not. So I guess I have four questions here:
- How do I determine if DMR, NXDM, or ProVoice is used for area transmissions?
- If needed, is DMR worth the $75, and what will it provide?
- If needed, is NXDM worth the $75 and what will it provide?
- If needed, is ProVoice worth the $75 and what will it provide?
I apologize for my rash of newbie questions, but you all are easily the best providers of good advice around!
Thank you!!!

I don't see any EDACS and/or ProVoice in Harris County; however, I do see DMR and NXDN. DMR seems to be associated with various school districts. However, I do see one DMR for Jacinto City PD talk group, but it is fully encrypted. Atascocita VFD uses NXDN.

 

[rkumetz]

I just did the NXDN upgrade but I am not hearing anything on the North Com fire channels. I am only hearing dispatch on the old analog channels.

Unless you are noting activity on a frequency and you can't hear anything you may be wasting your money on upgrades.

Most radio shops will add digital to licenses when making changes to save money and time down the road. Which format they
add will depend on whether it is public safety (mostly P25) or "other" (DMR, iDAS/NXDN) There is some crossover but P25 radios
are a bit pricey to buy if you don't need them. Whether the license has DMR or NXDN mostly depends on what brand of radios the
entity is using and what brand their radio shop sells. Provoice / EDACS is a Harris format. Those radios are pretty pricey for anyone other
than federal or public safety to buy so most of them end up with P25 anyway. Legacy EDACS customers may still be using it.

To summarize: Just because the modulation type is ON the license doesn't mean it is being used.

 

[Fireman4404]

I think the "closest" active EDACS/ProVoice systems to you in the Houston area would be the San Antonio/Bexar County system, and the Four County Coastal Bend system in the Corpus Christi area. The EDACS system type is no longer being sold, and the manufacturer no longer actively supports it. Both those systems are scheduled to be replaced by newer systems and that transition is in progress.

The San Antonio/Bexar County EDACS system is still up and running and it’s patched to the AARRS P25 system right now. At least as much as it can be. With AARRS coming online, there were a ton of new talkgroups added. Especially for county fire. For the most part, the city and county have both switched over to P25 now. There’s still a few stragglers with some of the small municipalities that haven’t gotten switched yet. It’s mostly due to programming just hasn’t happened for some of these places yet so it’s still a work in progress for a while.