Shopwatch digital listening ?

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gmham
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Shopwatch digital listening ?

Post by gmham »

Guys have posted over on the Scottish scanning section but guess I may get more joy here ?! Like many towns my local shopwatch ( Dunfermline in five ) has went digital, now appreciate that if the signal is scrambled then forget it but if not then a suitable bit off software and a half decent SDR receiver should allow me to listen in. Question is if I was to buy one off these relatively cheap dualband digital radios would I easily be able to tune into the digital signal from the shopwatch channel again if it was unscrambled or do you need to know certain codes that would be difficult to obtain before it will decode hence easier with the PC software ?
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Re: Shopwatch digital listening ?

Post by thelad »

Better with a SDR stick and cheaper.
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Re: Shopwatch digital listening ?

Post by gmham »

Okay thanks to be honest kinda fancy updating my puxing / Baofeng dual band handies anyway so cost is not that much off a problem. If I did go down this route again how easy is it to decode the digital signal without knowing the codes or whatever is required ?
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Re: Shopwatch digital listening ?

Post by thelad »

You would still need a SDR to find out the details to listen in with a handy like a MD380 unless you get them another way but for the price of an SDR stick £5-15 i would get that to try first.
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Re: Shopwatch digital listening ?

Post by gmham »

Okay thanks so much for the info going to try get one off the SDR play units. Got one off the older cheapie SDR sticks but not very impressed with it. Can you remind me what decoding software I would require for decoding digital like shopwatch etc ?
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Moxon antenna for 10/20 mtrs

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Re: Shopwatch digital listening ?

Post by Admiral »

SDR sticks and DSD are brilliant for snagging the info, CC, TG, slot etc, but they are decidedly poor for actual listening unless the signal is very strong.

I use DSD to get the info and then use a cheapo TYT380/RT3 to actually listen, you will hear the transmissions perfectly that DSD will give the data but the audio is not resolvable or choppy.
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Re: Shopwatch digital listening ?

Post by LeakyFeeder »

I do the same as Admiral... Lappy, dongle n dsd then go places n collect the info...anything i fancy listening to i pop into the MD380 n listen... Forget trying to listen thru the comp as its pants...jus pop the relevant info into a 380 for usually crystal clear comms
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Re: Shopwatch digital listening ?

Post by gmham »

Okay perfect great info guys appeciatte that.will take your advice and pick up a cheap digital dualbander. Is there any Chinese digital handies recommended as being particularly good performers ? Or is the TYT380 / RT3 recognised as decent performers for the price ?
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Re: Shopwatch digital listening ?

Post by Admiral »

gmham wrote:Okay perfect great info guys appeciatte that.will take your advice and pick up a cheap digital dualbander. Is there any Chinese digital handies recommended as being particularly good performers ? Or is the TYT380 / RT3 recognised as decent performers for the price ?
The 380/390/RT3/probably other clones, come in two flavours, VHF or UHF, be careful as they are identical and undistinguishable until switching on, there are now dual band sets like the Bumfeng DM-5R, but be wary for now as they are tier1 only at the moment and won't resolve 95% of 'earwig' traffic.
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Re: Shopwatch digital listening ?

Post by jhampton2000 »

gmham - I appreciate you know that if the channel is encrypted, then your preferred DMR handie even with the correct mode/freq/DCC/Group set will not be able to decode the shopwatch channel. The other feature that you need to be ware of is RAS: it is increasingly used by Motorola suppliers to prevent unauthorised use of the channels. If RAS enabled you won't be able to decode it on your handie unless you have the correct settings (its just like the encryption key). DSD+ will show you if RAS is enabled, but you can't extract the RAS key from any data transmitted over the air. If you want to avoid a wasted investment, you'd be better getting DSD+ working and see what settings are being used on that channel.
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Re: Shopwatch digital listening ?

Post by bozzy »

The MD 380 is a cracking bit of kit for the cost, but agree, best trying to use DSD+ to see what you can pickup first, I am using my old Realistic PRO-2021 with a tap.

I found that the usual shop watch, pub watch and various other services (shopping centres etc) were not using any privacy so was worth buying the MD-380 as it is more portable/convenient.

To date, I have only found one frequency that is using privacy in my area and it is only using BP. I am currently experimenting with the EP settings as there has been a recent claim that Motorolla BP will work over MD-380 EP.

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Re: Shopwatch digital listening ?

Post by gmham »

Okay cheers guys learning all the time !! so regarding the actual digital radios you are saying there are no dualband digital chinese models out just now that will do the job that likes off the 380/390/RT3 will do easy enough as they are all tier 1 only ? thats a real pity ! wonder why they done that then ?
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Re: Shopwatch digital listening ?

Post by thelad »

Bumfeng are due to do one soon so thats what im holding on for.
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Re: Shopwatch digital listening ?

Post by gmham »

Okay cheers will hold off for that one then.
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Anytone D578UV Pro+

Moxon antenna for 10/20 mtrs

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Re: Shopwatch digital listening ?

Post by AlfieDivine1 »

i listen to my local shopwatch in Folkestone on my Radioditty GD77, i do the same and take details of the dsd and plug into my radio :thumbup:
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