Wondering

[kentraco]

Is it still true that there's no legal way to modify the PRS600 to scan Volusia (Florida) Sheriff's Office Motorola Phase II trunked frequencies?

All of the surrounding counties have gone to Phase II as well, and there's not much else of interest to scan unless you're into planes taking off and landing.

I thought I saw something about a software download, but the details were way over my pay grade.

 

[cmjonesinc]

Even if there was a way to modify it to work on a phase ii system it still wouldn't work because nearly everything there is encrypted.

 

[KevinC]

Is it still true that there's no legal way to modify the PRS600 to scan Volusia (Florida) Sheriff's Office Motorola Phase II trunked frequencies?

Nor is their an illegal way.

 

[jtwalker]

Way, way, way over your pay grade apparently.

 

[kentraco]

Considering the system now used by the Volusia Sheriff's Office, are there base/mobile scanners you would suggest as a substitute for my GRS600?

 

[jtwalker]

Considering the system now used by the Volusia Sheriff's Office, are there base/mobile scanners you would suggest as a substitute for my GRS600?

One issued by Volusia Co Sheriff’s office. Not the same model, but a radio actually issued by the sheriff’s office.

The VCSO uses encryption (as does most LE agencies in FL) so the public cannot listen in.

 

[buddrousa]

Your only way to listen to them is
1. JOIN THE DEPARTMENT
2. Go Eat with one and listen
3. Ride around in the Police Car

 

[kentraco]

I'm almost 85, so #1 is out. But I have done the other two.

 

[buddrousa]

Well that is the only way you are going to hear ENCRYPTED POLICE SIGNALS.

 

[tvengr]

Your only way to listen to them is
1. JOIN THE DEPARTMENT
2. Go Eat with one and listen
3. Ride around in the Police Car

I'm almost 85, so #1 is out. But I have done the other two.

I hope #3 wasn't due to committing a crime.

 

[rf_patriot200]

Is it still true that there's no legal way to modify the PRS600 to scan Volusia (Florida) Sheriff's Office Motorola Phase II trunked frequencies?

All of the surrounding counties have gone to Phase II as well, and there's not much else of interest to scan unless you're into planes taking off and landing.

I thought I saw something about a software download, but the details were way over my pay grade.

Encryption is a Deal breaker for you.

 

[kentraco]

I hope #3 wasn't due to committing a crime.

Nope. Somehow I've avoided the long arm of the law...so far. And my wife works at the Branch Jail, so her stories from there would be enough to keep me on the straight and narrow.

I did a few ride-alongs and, pre-COVID, was a volunteer with the VSO's "Crimes Against Seniors" unit, speaking to groups all over the county.

 

[kentraco]

Encryption is a Deal breaker for you.

Yeah. That's unfortunate. I don't put a lot of miles on my car anymore, but I did like having the VSO chatter as background noise. I have no patience for broadcast radio, having worked in the medium.

 

[buddrousa]

@tvengr
No #3 is used like in our area as Citizens Police Academy.

 

[kentraco]

@tvengr
No #3 is used like in our area as Citizens Police Academy.

Here, they eliminated ridealongs for non-LEO people to make sure there were enough such opportunities for recruits.

 

[kentraco]

Running the FUNC/SCAN operation on my PSR-600 in the "All" mode, I was surprised that it detected only one active frequency (with the squelch set at about 10 o'clock). I live just outside of Orlando in Volusia County and used to get quite a bit of chatter from the nearby airport and pilots.

I didn't expect to pick up anything in the "Public Safety" mode, as all of that around here is encrypted.

If there's so little to hear, I might as well pull the scanner from my car.

 

[tvengr]

I didn't expect to pick up anything in the "Public Safety" mode, as all of that around here is encrypted.

Unfortunately, Brevard County encrypted all public safety on their new system also. You still have the airport, railroads, amateur radio repeaters, and all of the other conventional analog and P25 frequencies. You will not be able to receive any of the unencrypted talkgroups on the Volusia County system which are all P25 Phase 2 and your scanner is capable of P25 Phase 1 only.

 

[lebrunmn]

If there's so little to hear, I might as well pull the scanner from my car.

I know it's disappointing when you can no longer listen to a favorite system, but I wouldn't give it up, just yet. There still may be lots to listen to in your area:

1. You might have a fire simulcast conventional channel(s) that's still active. Can't say for certain, since I'm not local.
2. Orlando area sounds interesting, if you're a railfan. Florida Railroads (Florida) Scanner Frequencies and Radio Frequency Reference
3. FRS/GMRS/MURS channels can be interesting in a suburban area--The 600 has this search pre-programmed.
4. You can just put the scanner into spectrum sweeper mode, and see what you hear--you never know.
5. If you're really desperate, program some amateur radio repeater outputs--some of those folks never shut-up. (And I say this as a ham of more than 20 years!)

Best of luck!

 

[lebrunmn]

You still have the airport, railroads, amateur radio repeaters,

Great minds...

 

[kentraco]

I know it's disappointing when you can no longer listen to a favorite system, but I wouldn't give it up, just yet. There still may be lots to listen to in your area:

1. You might have a fire simulcast conventional channel(s) that's still active. Can't say for certain, since I'm not local.
2. Orlando area sounds interesting, if you're a railfan. Florida Railroads (Florida) Scanner Frequencies and Radio Frequency Reference
3. FRS/GMRS/MURS channels can be interesting in a suburban area--The 600 has this search pre-programmed.
4. You can just put the scanner into spectrum sweeper mode, and see what you hear--you never know.
5. If you're really desperate, program some amateur radio repeater outputs--some of those folks never shut-up. (And I say this as a ham of more than 20 years!)

Best of luck!

Thanks for responding.

Actually, the only channel I did pick up was the unencrypted Daytona Beach fire dispatch. I know there are others like it in five nearby towns, so there may eventually be something on those..

Isn't spectrum sweeper mode set by pushing FUNC and SCAN? That's what I'm running and why I'm so surprised not to hear more activity. I did have all of the amateur radio repeater outputs in the County individually programmed for several days but heard nothing.

I got my basic ham license last year to make it legal to have the scanner in my car and got a promotional price on a Explorer QRZ-1 transceiver. I have no interest in transmitting, and I never heard anyone else when I scanned the bands with that unit, either.