Silent Running...

Submitted: Monday, Apr 11, 2005 at 21:04

ThreadID: 21974 Views:2832 Replies:9 FollowUps:16

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Andi

Hey all,
Has anybody heard, and is there any truth in the rumour that for those of us who enjoy having a little scan of the emergency services band on a Friday night may soon have our fun curtailed.
I am told that Emergency services (Police etc) are soon to change to some sort of unscannable system thus rendering the upper 20 Channels on my GME 4400 useless.
I was going to launch into some long diatribe about it being probably just as well, as anybody who listens to Police chatter on a regular basis will know that most of 'em treat the general public as just one step up from common crims. And I won't even mention the complete confussion that seems to reign when they are faced with a genuine crisis situation, ( I refer to the recent security guard shooting in Blackburn, Victoria, just two minutes away from where I live. Amazing stuff to listen to on radio!!!).
I'm sure it is just as well that if they are moving their frequency or scrambling their signal then they will now be able to feel safe in their mediocre treatment of the general public and their trivial problems like theft or burglaries. After all whats one more or less tradesmans tralier stolen or 4by broken into per shift to them.
Yes I am a little peeved at the minute but my origianl question remains.

P.S My best mate is a cop and he agrees with over half of my statement.

PPS Who will now guard the guards if we cannot.
My rant ends.
Andi

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Reply By: locallaw - Monday, Apr 11, 2005 at 21:46

Reply By: Rosco - Bris. - Monday, Apr 11, 2005 at 22:07

Reply By: ferris - Monday, Apr 11, 2005 at 22:14

Reply By: Colonial boy - Monday, Apr 11, 2005 at 22:16

Reply By: Member - Jeff M (WA) - Tuesday, Apr 12, 2005 at 00:02

Reply By: muzzgit (WA) - Tuesday, Apr 12, 2005 at 00:58

Reply By: Member - Brian (Gold Coast) - Tuesday, Apr 12, 2005 at 02:10

Reply By: Member - Wim (Qld) - Tuesday, Apr 12, 2005 at 07:27

Reply By: Nudenut - Tuesday, Apr 12, 2005 at 08:05

Tuesday, Apr 12, 2005 at 08:05

when they disappear form these channels think about getting your radio reprogrammed to have a 'private channel' on one of the 'silent ones' for you and a couple of mates?

AnswerID: 106300

Follow Up By: Andi - Tuesday, Apr 12, 2005 at 11:17

Tuesday, Apr 12, 2005 at 11:17

Thats not a bad idea, I gather it would be fairly straight forward for a comms joint as these channels are currently receive only.

FollowupID: 363337

Follow Up By: Nudenut - Tuesday, Apr 12, 2005 at 11:21

Tuesday, Apr 12, 2005 at 11:21

It should only be a programming thingo...but make sure they are not being used....or else!

As uhf is losing favour to mobile phone i doubt if these channels will ever get used again.

FollowupID: 363340

Follow Up By: Member - Jeff M (WA) - Tuesday, Apr 12, 2005 at 14:42

Tuesday, Apr 12, 2005 at 14:42

Yep, you watch the commercial channels free up when "push to talk" get's activated on the GSM network, will probally be some good philips, icom and tate radios on the second hand market cheap too!

FollowupID: 363366

Follow Up By: Nudenut - Tuesday, Apr 12, 2005 at 15:44

Tuesday, Apr 12, 2005 at 15:44

i thought full duplex was the next thing to come...meaning you dont need to push to talk when you've engaged in a conversation?

FollowupID: 363386

Follow Up By: Member - Jeff M (WA) - Tuesday, Apr 12, 2005 at 16:05

Tuesday, Apr 12, 2005 at 16:05

"Push to talk" means you can have selected people on your phone that you can just push a button and talk to them like using a CB or Commercial Radio. ie. Hold down button #1 and talk to your van driver instantally, push #2 and talk to your boss or push #0 and broadcast to all members in your group.
Sounds pretty cool. Don't know how expensive it will be though. But at least couriers etc would always have coverage in the metro areas.

FollowupID: 363389

Follow Up By: BenSpoon - Tuesday, Apr 12, 2005 at 16:06

Tuesday, Apr 12, 2005 at 16:06

PTT is already out and widesperead- the nokias have it, esp the shock resistant series.
Bloody hefty fines for transmitting on commercial bands without a license, but yes it can be done, within a certain range.
In regards to the old radios, most of them need to be reprogrammed, and unless you have the rib box for reprogramming, or can get it cheap, the general cost of about $50 isnt always worth it, especially considering most of the commercial radios have a lower number of channels selectable than common public band UHF (8 or 16, as opposed to 40 in the public spectrum)
If you are concerned about privacy- check the features of your current radio- you may even have something in there that can help you out now.

A useless bit of info- The Motorolas that are now being dished out to UK plods have built in GPS, LCD screen, GSM PTT and the motorola privacy plus feature. Hit an alarm on the radio, and the nearest radios get sent your location, also base can send mug shots of wanted people to your radio LCD screen. Wouldnt mind a couple of those things!

FollowupID: 363390

Follow Up By: Member - Jeff M (WA) - Tuesday, Apr 12, 2005 at 16:11

Tuesday, Apr 12, 2005 at 16:11

I was under the impression that PTT was still being tested in Sydney only, maybe melborne and sydney now, was not aware it was in Perth.
Heafty fines only count if you get caught. The ACA are so slack you would have to be an idiot or very un lucky to get caught talking car to car on a private channel.
Re-programing most radios is a simple matter of getting the correct pin outs, solidering up a cable and downloading the software off the web. Older radios can be a bit more of a mission but Taits and Icoms are very easy.

FollowupID: 363394