[Scan-DC] Smithsonian Institution/National Zoo/National Archives

[Larry Van Horn]

>I'm not trying to be argumentative, but I thought I had heard that
>PassPort was in a different league than ProVoice and OpenSky when it
>came to the possibility of a future scanner.

Not a problem David. You can be argumentative all you want, I am very use to 
it. Ask my wife! ;-)))

I have talked to both manufacturers and both have indicated that their is NO 
plans for Passport. I must admit that had these conversations quite sometime 
ago. I probably should check back in on this subject. In the case of 
Passport it was my impression that it was a matter of economics - license 
cost vs usage.

I did not mean for you to get the impression I was lumping Passport in with 
ProVoice or Open Sky. The reason we don't have those two modes is because 
M/A-COM won't license them.

With all the interop issues I just do not see Passport being a major player 
in either PS or especially fed comms. In fact, I was very surprised that the 
Smithsonian is using this system in the DC area. Your taxpayer money at 
work. ;-)))

Larry Van Horn, N5FPW
President, Teak Publishing, Brasstown NC
Monitoring Times Assistant/Technical Editor
MT Milcom/Help Desk/What's New Columnist
Milcom Monitoring Post: http://mt-milcom.blogspot.com/
Btown Monitoring Post: http://monitor-post.blogspot.com/

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "David Schoenberger" <davidschoenberger at gmail.com>
To: "Larry Van Horn" <n5fpw at brmemc.net>
Cc: <Scan-DC at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Tuesday, January 22, 2008 2:15 PM
Subject: Re: [Scan-DC] Smithsonian Institution/National Zoo/National 
Archives


> Hi Larry,
>
> I'm not trying to be argumentative, but I thought I had heard that
> PassPort was in a different league than ProVoice and OpenSky when it
> came to the possibility of a future scanner.  I thought PassPort was
> an open standard since different manufacturers make portables/mobiles
> for it.  Therefore, I thought it was just a question of the scanner
> makers licensing the protocols, etc.  Correct me if I have this wrong.
>
> I realize that PassPort is not very big around the country yet, but I
> think there's going to be more and more of it, especially as LTR
> Standard users upgrade to the format.
>
> Dave
>
> On Jan 22, 2008 7:18 AM, Larry Van Horn <n5fpw at brmemc.net> wrote:
>> >Let's hope someone comes up with an LTR PassPort scanner soon, as
>> >these would be some interesting systems to monitor!
>>
>> Not going to happen Dave. LTR passport is a proprietary system that would
>> require an expensive license/decoder sytem. There just isn't enough of 
>> these
>> systems nationwide to justify a manufacturer going for it. That is what I
>> hear from the inside. The only way I see this happening is in the scanner
>> underground, someone developing a software based program and distributing 
>> it
>> via the net. But since this is a proprietary system, it would have to be
>> done quietly!
>>
>> I guess what I am saying is don't hold your breath. BTW you can add 
>> OpenSky
>> and ProVoice to that list. M/A-COM will not release a license for those
>> systems to either major scanner manufacturer. They have tried repeatedly.
>>
>> 73 all and good hunting,
>>
>> Larry Van Horn, N5FPW
>> President, Teak Publishing, Brasstown NC
>> Monitoring Times Assistant/Technical Editor
>> MT Milcom/Help Desk/What's New Columnist
>> Milcom Monitoring Post: http://mt-milcom.blogspot.com/
>> Btown Monitoring Post: http://monitor-post.blogspot.com/
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "David Schoenberger" <davidschoenberger at gmail.com>
>> To: "John M. Nash" <j.m.nash at verizon.net>
>> Cc: "ScanDC" <Scan-DC at mailman.qth.net>
>> Sent: Monday, January 21, 2008 7:23 PM
>> Subject: Re: [Scan-DC] Smithsonian Institution/National Zoo/National
>> Archives
>>
>>
>> > John,
>> >
>> > As far as I can tell, all the Smithsonian Museums on The Mall are on
>> > the system that includes the 407.3750 frequency.  Also, the American
>> > Art Museum and Portrait Gallery (located across from Verizon Center)
>> > are on this system.
>> >
>> > Let's hope someone comes up with an LTR PassPort scanner soon, as
>> > these would be some interesting systems to monitor!
>> >
>> > Dave
>> >
>> > On Jan 20, 2008 1:00 PM, John M. Nash <j.m.nash at verizon.net> wrote:
>> >> Good afternoon.  What is the current status of radio communications 
>> >> for
>> >> the
>> >> Smithsonian Institution and National Archives and Records 
>> >> Administration
>> >> on
>> >> the National Mall?
>> >>
>> >> The radioreference.com website lists a LTR Passport system that is
>> >> supposedly shared by the SI, NARA and the Holocaust Museum downtown, 
>> >> and
>> >> a
>> >> used by the Udvar-Hazy Center at Dulles.
>> >>
>> >> Are the SI museums on the above system or a separate LTR Passport 
>> >> system
>> >> listed on radioreference.com for the National Zoo?
>> >>
>> >> Can both of these LTR Passport systems be monitored, and if so, does
>> >> anyone
>> >> have updated talkgroup information for the Smithsonian Institution
>> >> museums
>> >> downtown, the National Zoo, and for the Archives Building?
>> >>
>> >> Any updated information is appreciated.  Please respond via Scan-DC or
>> >> directly at j.m.nash at verizon.net.
>> >>
>> >> Thank you,
>> >>
>> >> John Nash
>> >> Falls Church VA
>> >>
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