Red Wave Radio

Scenario:
Our local Police department switched over recently to a 800 MHz Motorola
ASTRO? SMARTNET? DIGITAL radio system.
(http://www.motorola.com/LMPS/pressreleases/CGISS0010.html)
<--- press release regarding switch over.

As far as I know from what I've read, the bc250d will pick up their
communications ok, as long as it is not an encrypted signal. The press
release says the Police radio system operates in both digital and analog
for interconnectivity with other agencies, and I am guessing that means
that it won't be encrypted, but rather basic digital modulation.
However, one of their Forensic Ident guys says the system is
"encrypted".
I don't really think many of the officers were educated on the system,
other then how to use it, so can I assume from the press release and
common sense that he probably just confused encryption with normal
trunked digital modulation?

I don't want to spend $1000 canadian on the scanner and find out it
doesn't work!

Thanks in advance for your input,
Geoff Howe
Photographer - Moose Jaw Times-Herald

By the sounds of it, being in both digital and analog, you probably wouldn't
even need the digital scanner.  Would sound to me that most communications
would be rebroadcast in analog anyway...  I'm sure there will be some that
would not, but generally I would believe that most would be...

PH

P.S.  Just an opinion, no childish remarks from anyone are welcome.

Quote:> I'm one of those many who are dying to get their hands on the new bc250d
> as soon as it is released later this year. I have a question regarding
> it's usability that I'm still a little shaky on.

> Scenario:
> Our local Police department switched over recently to a 800 MHz Motorola
> ASTRO? SMARTNETT DIGITAL radio system.
> (http://www.motorola.com/LMPS/pressreleases/CGISS0010.html)
> <--- press release regarding switch over.

> As far as I know from what I've read, the bc250d will pick up their
> communications ok, as long as it is not an encrypted signal. The press
> release says the Police radio system operates in both digital and analog
> for interconnectivity with other agencies, and I am guessing that means
> that it won't be encrypted, but rather basic digital modulation.
> However, one of their Forensic Ident guys says the system is
> "encrypted".
> I don't really think many of the officers were educated on the system,
> other then how to use it, so can I assume from the press release and
> common sense that he probably just confused encryption with normal
> trunked digital modulation?

> I don't want to spend $1000 canadian on the scanner and find out it
> doesn't work!

> Thanks in advance for your input,
> Geoff Howe
> Photographer - Moose Jaw Times-Herald

Quote:> My assumption would be that it would NOT be encrypted...  If it were, how
> would it allow for "interconnectivity with other agencies"?  I can't see

Because the other agencies probably have the decryption key, or they use a
separate non-encrypted group.

Quote:> By the sounds of it, being in both digital and analog, you probably
wouldn't
> even need the digital scanner.  Would sound to me that most communications
> would be rebroadcast in analog anyway...  I'm sure there will be some that
> would not, but generally I would believe that most would be...

 - Rob

Quote:> I don't really think many of the officers were educated on the system,
> other then how to use it, so can I assume from the press release and
> common sense that he probably just confused encryption with normal
> trunked digital modulation?

 - Rob