Worth co. Sylvester Ga.

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KF4ZNL

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Doles Ga.
Sylvester is changing to digital system how can I monitor new frequencies? what scanner do I need I'm a storm spotter and I monitor so I know whats going on amd where.
 
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You cannot monitor without a computer and specific software, or at all if it is encrypted. It is a MotoTRBO system. So in summary, Dougherty/Albany is P25 TRS, Lee county is going P25 TRS this fall, Worth is MotoTRBO, and the rest are VHF. I also saw a Mitchell county municipal agency officer with MotoTRBO. Paging will likely remain analog in worth. Otherwise as a ham, you will have other hams to talk to and work with for storm spotting but that will be the extent. Also remember that there are new DSTAR repeaters at Phoebe Putney and Tift Regional that provide good coverage, if you can afford the equipment.
 

N8IAA

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Another county that got suckered into believing that narrowbanding means going digital (which means the radio shop makes a huge profit):mad:
Larry
 

procopper7005

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Most county officials in S Ga. barely know what email and texting is, so when it comes to making decisions about complex equipment they are clueless.

I know of one former county sheriff in GA who thought digital meant no one could listen with a scanner. He was surprised when a news reporter called him and told him he was listening to the narcotics unit patch a VHF body wire into an unencrypted talk group.
 
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Plus Terrell county's sheriff just went to jail. Lots of fun in south Georgia. Some counties buy the radios to be narrowband compliant but like the "privacy" digital gives them. One county was priced higher for conventional narrowband radios than the MotoTRBO radios, making the choice clear in their minds.

Just sad for the scanning community, and interoperability sometimes suffers if the county doesn't know what it is doing. I can say that some of these counties seem to have much bigger problems than their radio systems. One county I talked to had their fire administrator complain that he had to shut down a fire station and dismiss the firefighters to pay for their new P25 trunking system, making them depend more on volunteers than they previously had to.
 

JRayfield

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MOTOTRBO radios are priced lower than the analog-only Professional Series radios (such as the CDM series and HT series). And MOTOTRBO radios don't have to be used in digital mode - they work great in analog mode. So the MOTOTRBO XPR-series radios are much better 'buy' than the older CDM and HT series (some models of which have already been discontinued (after all, the CDM and HT line is now about 10 or 11 years old)).

John Rayfield, Jr. CETma

Plus Terrell county's sheriff just went to jail. Lots of fun in south Georgia. Some counties buy the radios to be narrowband compliant but like the "privacy" digital gives them. One county was priced higher for conventional narrowband radios than the MotoTRBO radios, making the choice clear in their minds.

Just sad for the scanning community, and interoperability sometimes suffers if the county doesn't know what it is doing. I can say that some of these counties seem to have much bigger problems than their radio systems. One county I talked to had their fire administrator complain that he had to shut down a fire station and dismiss the firefighters to pay for their new P25 trunking system, making them depend more on volunteers than they previously had to.
 

MTS2000des

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plenty of agencies are looking at TRBO/DMR and Nexedge because it is affordable digital. Truth is, if you are REPLACING existing legacy wideband only analog radios and infrastructure, DMR/Nexedge doesn't cost more than comparably priced mid to high tier analog radios, in some cases it's actually less.

The NX300 is an example. Same analog only equivalent is the TK-2180/3180, actually costs more. Same with repeaters. There is no requirement to run them in the digital domain.

Narrowband digital does in some cases, outperform narrowband analog in fringe areas. No static, multipath, and encryption does not cost much more if anything (standard on Hytera DMR radios, software encryption is just a mouse click and enter your desired keys in CPS) and doesn't degrade DAQ like the old days.

The sucker factor comes in where perfectly functional narrowband capable radios and infrastructure get replaced at the direction of salesmen who want to make a big ticket versus a small contract on a narrowband job. It's the difference between a few grand for a mostly labor only job of reprogramming and tuning versus an outright big ticket sale of a new system. It isn't the radio sales guys' fault, blame the uneducated customer with a fat wallet who writes a blank check and asks no questions. This is where a good independent "think tank" of radio knowledgeable people could be effective. Hams would be great if they were interested, but my experience has taught me most are too involved with other things to care- until their scanners fall silent in some cases.

Scanning as we know it is changing. Enjoy it while we can.
 
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N8IAA

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Could be....but then again, do you have proof to back up your 'claim'? John Rayfield, Jr. CETma

John, I'm not going to get into a flame war with you. I know you believe in MotoTRBO as evident in your multiple posts everywhere on RR. It is just my personal opinion to comment on what I perceive a problem here in GA and elsewhere. Just as it is your right to post your opinion.
Is digital a better format? Yes, when done correctly. The GSMNP and Blue Ridge mountain linked system is a beautiful thing to monitor in conventional P-25. The need for upgrading is a definite one. But, as MTS2000des has stated, it can be done for a lot less. I much prefer listening to the digital format on trunked systems in my metro area than the old analog. Properly getting info to those who have been in the dark ages far too long is neccessary so they can make the most informed and cost effective decision.
Thank goodness I have ham radio. I can still talk around the world on HF, and if I choose, digital formats.
JMTCW,
Larry
 
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