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Windsor Area Events
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Heh an older article but one I hadnt seen before,....Police crackdown on information - Running Chatter
I didnt realize the switch was covered more that a few words in the media,...
The text...
Windsor Star
Police crackdown on information
By Monica Wolfson Fri, Apr 24 2009 COMMENTS(66) Running Chatter
There will probably be few -- if any -- local crime stories that we report anymore.
It's not that we don't have an interest or don't feel crime isn't news.
It's because the Windsor Police Services have eliminated access to scanner chatter so we don't hear police calls anymore. See story.
We get some fire information, but I imagine that will be siphoned off too.
It's a draconian world we live in when the police get to decide what crime information the media gets.
The police think they've come up with some kind of good compromise, but it's terrible. It's horrible. It's an affront to democracy.
They have created a web site where they list some 911 calls. But it's not every 911 call they get and there's a bare bones description so you can't even tell if it's worth running out to.
And did I mention there is a 20-30 minute delay between when the police get the emergency call and when it appears on the web site? Oh, and I must have forgotten that the list of 911 calls they let us see is filtered by a supervisor who uses his discretion to pass along information. Can you get a bigger filter?
So there will be no more pictures of police arresting criminals. Heck, there will be no more reporting of fugitive captures like the guy who two weeks ago ran the U.S. and Canadian border and then was cornered by the Windsor S.W.A.T. team in west Windsor.
The descriptions the police are providing are generic and lack the details we used to hear over the scanner that prompts us to cover a story. So for example, they have accident pi. That's an accident with personal injury. Heck that could be something serious or lame like a broken arm. We don't cover broken arms, but if it's a roll over with serious life threatening injuries, we would. See the difference? See how out of that description we can't tell the difference? And since those calls aren't appearing in real time, it's garbage to us. If you get to an accident scene 45 minutes after it was called in, there's a chance, a big chance, nothing will be there.
The police don't own information and shouldn't be allowed to dole it out as they see fit.
So please, don't complain to us. Tell city council or members of the police services board that you don't want to have your crime information filtered by the people who are supposed to investigate crime.
I'm also not convinced what the police are doing is even legal. For decades, the media has had access to police scanner information. It helps us independently cover crime. Now we are heavily dependent on the police to provide us information they allow to filter out. There is something morally corrupt in this change. I just don't see how it's legal for police to shut off the information taps when the information doesn't belong to them.
Your Comments
news camera
Sadly many police and a few fire services are going encrypted and ALL in Ontario including the OPP have plans for same within the next 2-3 years. Encryption doesn't cost much anymore and there is no difference in audio quality for the end user. For now the Windsor fire dept is digital clear on the new 800mhz trunk system and EMS is analog clear on the provincial fleetnet system and there is local transit, works and hydro to listen to for some of the stuff. (radioreference.com) has a fair bit of the stuff you need.
Some police services in the states have gone digital-clear for the main operations channels and encrypted for the undercover and tactical stuff which makes sense.
Obviously media relations are not good in windsor and not getting any better or they would turn off the encryption on the main divisional talkgroups.
Reality is and as much as we don't like it, the media have no god given right to monitor police radios anymore than police computers or whatever, media have been monitoring because they can and now they can't.
From the police perspective, crime will now be out of sight and out of mind of the public and it will make the chief look good and the force look good but when they go to council for more money for more officers good luck! council won't be seeing crime in the paper and on TV anymore and will be reluctant to give the police any additional funding.
We are moving towards the police state of ontario though, right now it's police that are encrypting but in the next few years fire and ems, transit, hydro and works radios will also be encrypted and there will be nothing getting out.
Another thing that's happened in areas already encrypted is the police have stopped talking to the media because they know the press don't know what's gone on at a scene, they can lie, they can simply not comment.
The police can shoot and kill someone and we will never know, they don't have to tell us, a large number of break ins and street crime can happen a couple of blocks away from me and I will never know because the police don't tell us but my scanner does and as a result I take appropriate safety precautions.
It's sad, it will mean the end of crime and other news coverage and ultimately the end of the media as we know it in ontario in about three years.
It's become an obsession in all areas of law enforcement and the fire services in ontario from the provincial government on down to encrypt the radios and shut down the media and take bad things out of the paper and TV, that does not make for a safer ontario though, if anything it gives the public a false sense of security and safety.
The crime is still happening.
And just what is the problem with with the media getting pictures and video of the cops doing good police work and arresting the bad guys?
How do you get the road safety message across without showing crashes?
and what is wrong with news photos of firefighters making rescues?
It all ends with encrypted radios.
I didnt realize the switch was covered more that a few words in the media,...
The text...
Windsor Star
Police crackdown on information
By Monica Wolfson Fri, Apr 24 2009 COMMENTS(66) Running Chatter
There will probably be few -- if any -- local crime stories that we report anymore.
It's not that we don't have an interest or don't feel crime isn't news.
It's because the Windsor Police Services have eliminated access to scanner chatter so we don't hear police calls anymore. See story.
We get some fire information, but I imagine that will be siphoned off too.
It's a draconian world we live in when the police get to decide what crime information the media gets.
The police think they've come up with some kind of good compromise, but it's terrible. It's horrible. It's an affront to democracy.
They have created a web site where they list some 911 calls. But it's not every 911 call they get and there's a bare bones description so you can't even tell if it's worth running out to.
And did I mention there is a 20-30 minute delay between when the police get the emergency call and when it appears on the web site? Oh, and I must have forgotten that the list of 911 calls they let us see is filtered by a supervisor who uses his discretion to pass along information. Can you get a bigger filter?
So there will be no more pictures of police arresting criminals. Heck, there will be no more reporting of fugitive captures like the guy who two weeks ago ran the U.S. and Canadian border and then was cornered by the Windsor S.W.A.T. team in west Windsor.
The descriptions the police are providing are generic and lack the details we used to hear over the scanner that prompts us to cover a story. So for example, they have accident pi. That's an accident with personal injury. Heck that could be something serious or lame like a broken arm. We don't cover broken arms, but if it's a roll over with serious life threatening injuries, we would. See the difference? See how out of that description we can't tell the difference? And since those calls aren't appearing in real time, it's garbage to us. If you get to an accident scene 45 minutes after it was called in, there's a chance, a big chance, nothing will be there.
The police don't own information and shouldn't be allowed to dole it out as they see fit.
So please, don't complain to us. Tell city council or members of the police services board that you don't want to have your crime information filtered by the people who are supposed to investigate crime.
I'm also not convinced what the police are doing is even legal. For decades, the media has had access to police scanner information. It helps us independently cover crime. Now we are heavily dependent on the police to provide us information they allow to filter out. There is something morally corrupt in this change. I just don't see how it's legal for police to shut off the information taps when the information doesn't belong to them.
Your Comments
news camera
Sadly many police and a few fire services are going encrypted and ALL in Ontario including the OPP have plans for same within the next 2-3 years. Encryption doesn't cost much anymore and there is no difference in audio quality for the end user. For now the Windsor fire dept is digital clear on the new 800mhz trunk system and EMS is analog clear on the provincial fleetnet system and there is local transit, works and hydro to listen to for some of the stuff. (radioreference.com) has a fair bit of the stuff you need.
Some police services in the states have gone digital-clear for the main operations channels and encrypted for the undercover and tactical stuff which makes sense.
Obviously media relations are not good in windsor and not getting any better or they would turn off the encryption on the main divisional talkgroups.
Reality is and as much as we don't like it, the media have no god given right to monitor police radios anymore than police computers or whatever, media have been monitoring because they can and now they can't.
From the police perspective, crime will now be out of sight and out of mind of the public and it will make the chief look good and the force look good but when they go to council for more money for more officers good luck! council won't be seeing crime in the paper and on TV anymore and will be reluctant to give the police any additional funding.
We are moving towards the police state of ontario though, right now it's police that are encrypting but in the next few years fire and ems, transit, hydro and works radios will also be encrypted and there will be nothing getting out.
Another thing that's happened in areas already encrypted is the police have stopped talking to the media because they know the press don't know what's gone on at a scene, they can lie, they can simply not comment.
The police can shoot and kill someone and we will never know, they don't have to tell us, a large number of break ins and street crime can happen a couple of blocks away from me and I will never know because the police don't tell us but my scanner does and as a result I take appropriate safety precautions.
It's sad, it will mean the end of crime and other news coverage and ultimately the end of the media as we know it in ontario in about three years.
It's become an obsession in all areas of law enforcement and the fire services in ontario from the provincial government on down to encrypt the radios and shut down the media and take bad things out of the paper and TV, that does not make for a safer ontario though, if anything it gives the public a false sense of security and safety.
The crime is still happening.
And just what is the problem with with the media getting pictures and video of the cops doing good police work and arresting the bad guys?
How do you get the road safety message across without showing crashes?
and what is wrong with news photos of firefighters making rescues?
It all ends with encrypted radios.
f150crew2002
Member
The other 3 letter security company used by the city is ORB.
Fire Truck In Accident
Channel 9 local news at 6 was reporting one of our fire trucks was involved in a accident ,..didnt hear on the scanner because , well I just dont have it on much anymore , there is not much to listen to ,..did anyone catch any details?
Channel 9 local news at 6 was reporting one of our fire trucks was involved in a accident ,..didnt hear on the scanner because , well I just dont have it on much anymore , there is not much to listen to ,..did anyone catch any details?
Have been hearing the SunWing 737 during the winter taking people where its warmer ,..
Its seasonal flights are about to wrap up so I walked out the back yard & snapped a few shots
Its seasonal flights are about to wrap up so I walked out the back yard & snapped a few shots
I think that has to with drainage or sewer work , possibly redoing the road , I *think* the moving of the fence is only temporary...
as long as they dont build behind my house im ok ,....
that's all I could gather from here anyway ...
Construction and Detours Map
As a sidenote if you want to know whats coming in at the airport this is a nifty site....
FlightAware > Windsor Airport (Windsor, ) [CYQG/YQG]
other than that scanners are pretty quite here , im experimenting making a mil-air groundplane this summer
see what I get with that ...& maybe I can find a deal on a mil air scanner at the pawnshops...
as long as they dont build behind my house im ok ,....
that's all I could gather from here anyway ...
Construction and Detours Map
As a sidenote if you want to know whats coming in at the airport this is a nifty site....
FlightAware > Windsor Airport (Windsor, ) [CYQG/YQG]
other than that scanners are pretty quite here , im experimenting making a mil-air groundplane this summer
see what I get with that ...& maybe I can find a deal on a mil air scanner at the pawnshops...
I hear ya, i invested ina short wave radio which it is alot better in getting milair stuff, got a icom r75 from a member here on RR and he is also from windsor, been experimenting with that, so far so good, having alot of fun with that. Good link to have to see whats coming in at the port. I wish i could have a home where the backyard is a runway I'm jealous . Scanning yes has been pretty much dead, catch the odd fire call here and thier, and some action over in detroit on the mpscs system. I can never catch milair from selfridge unless they do something on the weekend.
I'm jealous . Scanning yes has been pretty much dead, catch the odd fire call here and thier, and some action over in detroit on the mpscs system. I can never catch milair from selfridge unless they do something on the weekend.
hmm well if you have a radio that gets the 225-400 in am mode & 139-143 in am & a decent antenna you should get milair stuff , its just a matter of timing , they usually fly once in the morning & again in the afternoon around 2 pm ,
The R75 wow thats a nice radio , I sometimes use my old sangean to listen to the military shortwave stuff
I usually have it parked on 11175 khz listening to this USAF High Frequency Global Communications System - The RadioReference Wiki
It can be nice here if your a plane spotter , but who knows what eddie will build here to ruin it,....hopefully they wont ,,,I do hear the surrounding OPP which sometimes involves things in Windsor
I can get the Det system but its pretty choppy here , maybe if I had the base scanner with the outdoor antenna I could get it better , there is some interesting monitoring there...
The R75 wow thats a nice radio , I sometimes use my old sangean to listen to the military shortwave stuff
I usually have it parked on 11175 khz listening to this USAF High Frequency Global Communications System - The RadioReference Wiki
It can be nice here if your a plane spotter , but who knows what eddie will build here to ruin it,....hopefully they wont ,,,I do hear the surrounding OPP which sometimes involves things in Windsor
I can get the Det system but its pretty choppy here , maybe if I had the base scanner with the outdoor antenna I could get it better , there is some interesting monitoring there...
Yep for sure, yes id o have a milair scanner the 2 scanners i have is BC898t which is used soley for civ. and milair, then i have the pro-2096, which i use for the trunked digital stuff. I do have a discone up about 25 feet which i hope to extend further up once the warmer weather comes. Going to have to rent a 30 foot ladder so i can get to the roof of my house. Would you know a place here in town that would sell a antenna mount, i need one that can attach to both sides of the eave on the back of my house, going from one side to the other, hard to explain lol It needs to fit a 3inch pole
hmm not sure about that type of mount , maybe the source or home depot ? is it something like this?
http://www.tvantennainstaller.com/images/antenna_and_eve_mount.jpg
as far as airband stuff I find if your just high enough to clear most surrounding objects , height isnt as critical as it is for ground based things , but then im not as brave as I once used to be ,..I like to be able to easliy get to & maintain my antennas , I also like to keep the coax as short as possible , if I ever upgrade & get a directional antenna pointed at the DET system , I might need the height then
http://www.tvantennainstaller.com/images/antenna_and_eve_mount.jpg
as far as airband stuff I find if your just high enough to clear most surrounding objects , height isnt as critical as it is for ground based things , but then im not as brave as I once used to be ,..I like to be able to easliy get to & maintain my antennas , I also like to keep the coax as short as possible , if I ever upgrade & get a directional antenna pointed at the DET system , I might need the height then
tusker305
Member
Here are some of the more active HF Freqs I monitor.
5.717 USB Canadian Forces SAR Primary (ALL SAR Tasking Canada Wide (57 Upper)
8.992.0 USB CanForce MACS Net: aircraft east of 90 deg west
9.007.0 USB CanForce MACS Net: aircraft east of 90 deg west
11.232.0 USB CanForce MACS Net: Initial contact freq aircraft east of 90 deg west
US Coast Guard Communication Area Master Station Atlantic, Chesapeake VA
5.696 USB USCG CAMSLANT Chesapeake
8.986 USB USCG CAMSLANT Chesapeake
11.232 USB USCG CAMSLANT Chesapeake
The USCG Freqs are also Nationwide, I have caught CAMSPAC SanFrancisco and Kodiak
The radio gods smiled a number of years ago on a winter night and we listened to Kodiak searching for a fishing boat for about 5 hours, and then it was gone as quick as it came.
11.175 USB Used to be good, EAM (Emergency Action Messages) NORAD
That should help get you started. Remember a good long antenna in the clear is a good time for you. That Icom R75 is a great rig, I have 5..........Well not right now... But I will, someday I will, oh someday.
5.717 USB Canadian Forces SAR Primary (ALL SAR Tasking Canada Wide (57 Upper)
8.992.0 USB CanForce MACS Net: aircraft east of 90 deg west
9.007.0 USB CanForce MACS Net: aircraft east of 90 deg west
11.232.0 USB CanForce MACS Net: Initial contact freq aircraft east of 90 deg west
US Coast Guard Communication Area Master Station Atlantic, Chesapeake VA
5.696 USB USCG CAMSLANT Chesapeake
8.986 USB USCG CAMSLANT Chesapeake
11.232 USB USCG CAMSLANT Chesapeake
The USCG Freqs are also Nationwide, I have caught CAMSPAC SanFrancisco and Kodiak
The radio gods smiled a number of years ago on a winter night and we listened to Kodiak searching for a fishing boat for about 5 hours, and then it was gone as quick as it came.
11.175 USB Used to be good, EAM (Emergency Action Messages) NORAD
That should help get you started. Remember a good long antenna in the clear is a good time for you. That Icom R75 is a great rig, I have 5..........Well not right now... But I will, someday I will, oh someday.
I'll have to try some of those freq's , in the summer I have a lil hf radio connected to an old racetrack pa speaker in the back yard , I often pipe whatever im monitoring out there ,after work usually have a fire going
& sit back in the lounge chair looking at the sky & pondering what Im hearing lol
this year we know we are gonna have the red bull race ..airshow , & they are moving the downtown midway to the WFCU center ...& theres things like fireworks & such , theres always something to hear
& sit back in the lounge chair looking at the sky & pondering what Im hearing lol
this year we know we are gonna have the red bull race ..airshow , & they are moving the downtown midway to the WFCU center ...& theres things like fireworks & such , theres always something to hear
Yes Foe that same exact mount. I wonder if Techumseh satellitte would have something like that?
Thanks Tusk for the freq's i'll have to monitor those.
Not really scanner related , but info for anyone that frequents the windsor thread...
Just a reminder , for anyone in Windsor ,...there has been a rash of car break ins ,...& I got hit last night
woke up & car door was wide open ,...many things were in the car but they only took a toonie out of the ashtray believe it or not...I did make a report to assist the police in mapping it out , & they were great to deal with...
related news article...
Windsor thieves grab Canadian Tire Money
Just a reminder , for anyone in Windsor ,...there has been a rash of car break ins ,...& I got hit last night
woke up & car door was wide open ,...many things were in the car but they only took a toonie out of the ashtray believe it or not...I did make a report to assist the police in mapping it out , & they were great to deal with...
related news article...
Windsor thieves grab Canadian Tire Money
Its ball game season again ,...The pilots in the aircraft towing the banners over the games on weekends can often be heard chatting about all sorts of things on the air to air freq of 122.750
heard them most of the day sunday.
heard them most of the day sunday.
Selfridge C.G Chopper Down in Lake Near Sarnia
I was not monitoring any radios at the time , I wonder if anyone monitoring caught anything ....
I only heard it as reported on the news
Coast Guard Helicopter Goes Down in Lake Huron
Also heard a flying school plane directed to pull up & go around from windsor tower to allow a fox , to get shooed off the runway .....
marine & air activity should be on the increase with the nicer weather here
I was not monitoring any radios at the time , I wonder if anyone monitoring caught anything ....
I only heard it as reported on the news
Coast Guard Helicopter Goes Down in Lake Huron
Also heard a flying school plane directed to pull up & go around from windsor tower to allow a fox , to get shooed off the runway .....
marine & air activity should be on the increase with the nicer weather here
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