BR area Scanner users

[2ridgebacks]

Is there anyone out here who can tell me why I no longer can pick up BR city PD? Did they just switch over to another system? Digital? I have been listening to BRPD on a trunking system for a couple of years and as of this week I no longer can. I can still get EBRPSO (17616) and everything else just no BRPD. Help!!

 

[LouisianaRebel]

They are outside of your house! jk.
Someone stole my scanner so I can't give info.

 

[Suburbazine]

BRPD is digital now. Actually they've been digital for a year or more.

 

[LouisianaRebel]

I was sitting at a gas station listening to LPSO on my scanner one late night. They said" suspicious suitcase at best stop by live oak"
I was like no way. Looked over and saw a suitcase sitting next the the gas pumps and no one else was there and the store was closed.
The cops pulled up and made us leave because it might blow up, which was a BS excuse, but it was insane because we were there for like 10 mins before the call came out.

 

[charlie12]

BRPD is digital now. Actually they've been digital for a year or more.

That's half right. They switched to 700mhz.

 

[Suburbazine]

That's half right. They switched to 700mhz.

Lol, getting it half right was half good, considering I don't have a scanner either.

 

[charlie12]

Lol, getting it half right was half good, considering I don't have a scanner either.

Without a new scanner that will do the new 700mhz P25 system you are pretty much out of luck.

 

[George]

BRPD is digital now. Actually they've been digital for a year or more.

Technically we are now 700 not 800. 700 is strictly LE and Govt.

 

[charlie12]

Technically we are now 700 not 800. 700 is strictly LE and Govt.

Not too strictly some private Co. like Acadian ambulance and other ambulance co. and hospitals or on LWIN

Only a few scanners on the market will work on the 700 P25 system.

 

[SigArmed1]

If you are looking to get one, I highly recommend the Uniden BCD 396T. Great little digital scanner. While on the subject, I've been hearing that Ascension SO will be going fully encrypted by years end. Anyone able to confirm that?

 

[nickatnite]

If you are looking to get one, I highly recommend the Uniden BCD 396T. Great little digital scanner. While on the subject, I've been hearing that Ascension SO will be going fully encrypted by years end. Anyone able to confirm that?

They've been using encrypted channels and also the 700mhz for a good while...

 

[SigArmed1]

I know they have been on 700mhz, because I've been listening since before they made the cut over, however, I don't believe they are using any encyption yet. At least not on dispatch or Tac. It's possible that they are using it on a very limited basis, possibly for narco/stakeout work but usually once it is implemented, Dispatch is one of the first to be encrypted.

 

[dwr461]

It's been explained to me that all public safety entities are going into the 700 range in order to clear out more frequencies for cell phone providers. EBR EMS is now in the 700 I believe or shortly will be. I know we have all the BRPD and BRFD channels for the most part on our mobile radios now. Not that we actually listen to the other agencies. Well I listen to fire ground if I'm the assigned unit standing by at a working structure fire.

Dave

 

[BOSS351]

Yep, they went to the 700 system last week (Wednesday or Thursday during the day). I was listening to them when the dispatchers for each district announced that "We are switching to the 700 system". I heard them do that for all 4 districts that I listen to. Oddly enough though sometimes they go back to the 800 system, maybe for "talk" or something else---I heard that this past Monday and Tuesday nights if I remember right. Apparantly the APCO 25 system allows the use of both 700 and 800?
I have a GRE PSR-500 and the BCD 396T will work as well. Radio Shack now has the Pro-106 which will do the job also if I remember right. They are presently on sale now at RS for 399.99 plus taxation. Yes, the days of "cheap" scanner listening are over I'm afraid. When they do all go encrypted we may not hear them for a while until someone makes a more expensive scanner for us to use!!

 

[nickatnite]

It's been explained to me that all public safety entities are going into the 700 range in order to clear out more frequencies for cell phone providers. EBR EMS is now in the 700 I believe or shortly will be. I know we have all the BRPD and BRFD channels for the most part on our mobile radios now. Not that we actually listen to the other agencies. Well I listen to fire ground if I'm the assigned unit standing by at a working structure fire.

Dave

Dave,
Partially true. A lot of agencies are still operating on the VHF (100-190 mhz) and UHF (400-512 mhz). When this was being laid out in the late 90's this was the brainchild so that ALL agencies could talk together for emergencies, blah blah blah.
So what happens? The .gov starts the project and each State, Parish entity applies for grants for the radios and equipment.

Here is a quick summary and see how they embed the .gov in this article.

At the December 9, 2008 Statewide Interoperability Executive
Committee (SIEC) meeting, the statewide ASTRO 25 compliant
(700/800MHz digital) system was officially named the “Louisiana
Wireless Information Network” or LWIN. The name is consistent
with the States of Mississippi (MSWIN) and Arkansas (AWIN),
which are also in the process of developing statewide ASTRO 25
compliant systems.
Gulf Coast Interoperability Conference:
The Gulf States Regional Center for Public Safety Innovations
hosted the second interoperability conference on December 10 –
11, 2008 in Mobile, Alabama. More than 100 participants attended
the summit from Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama.
Louisiana had the largest contingent of conference attendees
with more than 50 members and first responders. The purpose of
the conference was to give the attendees updates on Federal
programs and new technology. In addition the three States
agreed to form a Steering Committee to develop technical solutions
to address interoperability issues across state boundaries
and explore opportunities to develop Regional Investment Justifications
for future Homeland Security Grant applications, which
could result in increased funding for all three states.

Best Practice for PSIC Grant Management:
In October 2008, the Department of Commerce conducted its
first State audit of the Public Safety Interoperable Communications
(PSIC) Grant in Louisiana. The auditor’s initial comments have been very positive for GOHSEP with an official report
due in early spring. As a result of this successful audit, Brant
Mitchell was asked by the Departments of Commerce and
Homeland Security to speak at the annual Department of
Homeland Security Grants Conference to demonstrate a best
practice for managing the PSIC grants.

Communications Outreach:
On November 5 - 6, 2008, the Office of Interoperability conducted
three outreach events in Alexandria, Monroe, and
Bossier City. The events reached more than 130 first responders
in the three regions. During each event, participants were
able to get a background and update on the expansion of
LWIN, new policies for accessing and utilizing shared talkgroups,
and an overview of interoperability grants from the
Federal government and the State of Louisiana. If any region
is interested in receiving this overview, please contact Christiana
Dayries at (225) 358-5599 to schedule this presentation.

So, if something really major happens (think tinfoil hat here) the .gov CAN shut this system down!

 

[Chrisp]

If you have an iphone, there are several apps that let you listen in to radio broadcast. I don't remember the names, but I believe BRPD is on the list for several.

 

[dwr461]

OK NickatNIght,thanks, you obviously know more about it than I do. I just use the darn thing. I got listen to it for 84 hours every two weeks. I sure as hell ain't going to listen to it at home for entertainment purposes.

Dave

 

[sraacke]

BRPD is on the 700 system but you can still hear Fire and EMS on the old 800 for now.

Steve Raacke
Owner/Moderator
Scan Baton Rouge
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/scanbatonrouge/

 

[Suburbazine]

Isn't there a digital Uniden scanner that can be hacked/reprogrammed to pick up 700mhz?

 

[themcfarland]

the newer scanners allow for RE banding , which is just that.. flashing new freq ranges into the scanner..

apco 25 (9600) is still coverd by a few scanners but there is the uniden 250 I think that took the add on card that did not do 700 meg or the newer digital speed of 9600 BPS apco..

so when your out looking to buy.. dont get caught up in something that wont support apco 25 at 9600 baud on 700 megahertz old timers call it megacycles...