IT IS not just households adjusting to the changes from analog to digital, with Bundaberg police officers also trialling digital radio communications.

Sergeant Mike Walden, officer in charge of radio and electronics, said the trial started two weeks ago and Bundaberg was the first major regional centre to test the digital signal.

Sgt Walden said the move to digital came in the interest of police security but, first and foremost, public safety.

"There are a lot of places around town that if you buy any sort of UHF radio, you can self program to our frequencies," he said.

The new digital system is "hack-proof" and allows for better management of the public's personal details.

"It's an encrypted digital radio, so even if people had a digital scanner, they'd be unable to scan the encrypted signal we use," Sgt Walden said.

Inspector Kev Guteridge has welcomed the switch and said digital radio was something the Bundaberg station would "be with forever".

"Digital encryption serves to protect the privacy and rights of the community," he said.

Sgt Walden said each handheld and mobile radio was revisited every six to 12 months, with a new code inserted each time to eliminate possible hackers.

But the new technology does come with a hefty price tag - costing about $3500 per digital radio, instead of $1000 for analog.

Sgt Walden said the Bundaberg trial had come to fruition thanks to funding from the State Government.

But the new technology does have one small drawback.

"You do have less range than you do with analog," Sgt Walden said.