[Scan-DC] Best scanner for new DC P25?

[Doorgunner]

This is all a very interesting conversation...
Public Safety channels on public frequencies=public information.

Thirty years or so ago, when I worked for UPI out of the San Diego Union 
Tribune, the SDPD was one of the first to go trunked or something new that 
stopped all outsider listening. The newspaper took them to court and 
suddenly was given 3-4 programmed listen only Motorola handsets for the city 
desk to monitor, the 4 dispatch basic channels. They could then assign a 
reporter or photog as needed, so then I listened to the newspaper frequency, 
453.000, it kind of made my job easier. That was my all nighter next to the 
bed frequency.

Then a few years later I noticed police using secondary Nextel phones and 
following new devices to keep traffic off the official recordings that could 
be used in court...

I understand the need for undercover units, but a fire department??? Somehow 
the right to privacy thing has gotten mixed up. People on business bands 
like small city taxis, ambulances, and tow trucks, reveal names and address 
all the time, but that is not illegal. The DC PD and FD systems already 
sounded terrible audio wise, I wonder what the audio quality is now?? I 
suspect they had 30 year old repeaters???  Encryption use to be a signal and 
battery eater on handhelds when I worked next to the USSS at the White 
House, they had to swap in new batteries every couple of hours as the 
encryption was always working.  I might have missed some prior conversation, 
on the legality on all of this??? Sounds to me they are just spending 
Homeland Security grants that seem easy for the asking.

How is that company that does emails of police calls for profit, that I 
actually have a subscription to, (I would have to look at my credit card to 
recall the name) can listen to the encrypted DC traffic?

But I think the hobbiest/media world of listening has gotten much much 
smaller and there is no one to fight for the rights to listen to public 
information on public airwaves.

Sorry if I got worked up...

Was Fairfax County, VA, on P25 part of the change too? I reloaded/tuned up 
my BC436HP, and get Fairfax PD and FD, but it  is really cleaned up and 
audio perfect, I can hear wispers. It could have just been me or my scanner 
needed the update. I am not an ACE at all of this anymore.

Thanks in advance group....

Paul Richards/News photographer/Centreville, VA






-----Original Message----- 
From: Joel Kahn
Sent: Tuesday, December 30, 2014 9:41 PM
To: Scan DC
Subject: Re: [Scan-DC] Best scanner for new DC P25?

If all you are interested in is DC, I wouldn't waste the money for the 
couple of unencrypted channels, which by the way, may also go encrypted. 
There is a rumor that the new Mayor is going to unencrypt the communications 
system, but it is much harder to get them to unencrypt than to encrypt so 
she may lose that battle if she even tries.

Any of the newest radios, Uniden 436, 536, Whistler 1080 can do TDMA (Phase 
II P25) and you can also hear PG County, Loudoun, and some more are moving 
to TDMA, as long as they do not also go encrypted.

Joel R Kahn


________________________________
From: Peter Rothschild <lists at peter-rothschild.com>
To: 'Scan DC' <scan-dc at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Tuesday, December 30, 2014 7:58 PM
Subject: [Scan-DC] Best scanner for new DC P25?


What's the best scanner for the new DCFD P25 system?  My ol' reliable Pro 96
is now a paperweight.  It looks like I should be able to get TG 02-Main and
the hospital channels and not much else, so I'm not sure I want to spring
for $500-ish for a new scanner.  But if I do, what would you recommend?

--Peter--

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