[FedCom] Re: P25 Digital For or Against?

[Ken]

Seems to me in monitoring digital, that as long as you have the remote 
base/repeater facilities close
to the user, than it works fine.  Once you start getting away a few miles 
(especially with digital) & a portable radio there's problems.  Also 
portable to portable can have some problems.   With anlog NFM, you might get 
some noise in the system, with digital you might not hear anything at the 
other end other than some tones/hash when the system is unable to decode the 
voice.  I can remember in rural Michigan on a 173.XXXX frequency, using a 1 
watt portable FM being able to talk about 20 miles to a remote base station 
with the antenna mounted on  the facilities water tower.  Would be 
interesting to see some side by side comparison today with a 1 watt digital 
& analog w/t (which I don't think they make a 1 watt digital w/t).

http://mrtmag.com/mag/radio_debate_digital_standard/
http://www.p25.com/resources/P25TrainingGuide.pdf

Comments from others who monitor P25 & NFM federal?

Ken

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Blaine Brooks" <blaine.brooks at verizon.net>
To: <fedcom at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Sunday, October 15, 2006 10:45 PM
Subject: [FedCom] Re: Heard in Portland Area 10/10/06
..snip..snip..

> I'm all for P25
> (it has a crisp, clear, and stronger signal to me).
> So far, in my 'hood, the new signals have been
> a combo of clear and encrypted traffic, dependent
> on agency and usage. All in all, not very different
> from the old systems and protocol, as far as
> scanning.