Whiteville, NC - New emergency radio system has weak spots

[Thunderbolt]

WHITEVILLE, N.C. — It’s nothing that some repositioning of antennas can’t fix. At least that is what county officials are hoping when it comes to a more than $1 million digital trunking radio system to be used for emergency communications in Columbus County.

New emergency radio system has weak spots - Whiteville.com: News: cfa,

[Boatanchor]

Snake oil salesman:

"Roll up, Roll up.."
"Digital radios, the miracle cure for all that ails you!"
"It's the latest and greatest in technology"
"Throw out your old obsolete analogue radio networks, digital gives you so much more...."
Etc etc etc...

What a joke!

[kb2vxa]

I think this is what you were looking for.

Roll up, roll up for the mystery tour.
Roll up, roll up for the mystery tour.
Roll up GOT EVERYTHING YOU NEED, roll up for the mystery tour.
Roll up SATISFACTION GUARANTEED, roll up for the mystery tour.
The magical mystery tour is hoping to take you away,
Hoping to take you away.

[RohnsRadio]

funny....... seems like i said this a few years ago.
just gets me how "digital" radios are interoperatable and analog is not ???

Trunked systems are great when they work. still nothing better than a regular ole radio system.

[quarterwave]

Originally Posted by RohnsRadio

funny....... seems like i said this a few years ago.
just gets me how "digital" radios are interoperatable and analog is not ???

Trunked systems are great when they work. still nothing better than a regular ole radio system.

I second that.

[ki4wbn]

Originally Posted by RohnsRadio

funny....... seems like i said this a few years ago.
just gets me how "digital" radios are interoperatable and analog is not ???

Trunked systems are great when they work. still nothing better than a regular ole radio system.

Yeah, I don't get the interoperability of digital either, other than P25 because it's not vendor locked...but then again, only P25 simplex is truely interop.

Nothing works better than analog though [well, except spectrum efficiency]. Even if you are weak, and have static, you can still be heard. And yes, trunked systems are great, when they work-but you either have it or you don't [or have garbled audio].

What gets me though is in the article, it's stated that they were expecting 100% coverage and were upset when that isn't the case. It IS possible to achieve this [with any radio system trunked or not], but it wouldn't be ANYWHERE close to being cost effective. And quite honestly, 90% or better coverage is pretty good.

[RohnsRadio]

Originally Posted by ki4wbn

Yeah, I don't get the interoperability of digital either, other than P25 because it's not vendor locked...but then again, only P25 simplex is truely interop.


I agree simplex or repeaters where local respnders know the input and output are the best. yes "narrow band" radios would be a better use of bandwidth.


What gets me though is in the article, it's stated that they were expecting 100% coverage and were upset when that isn't the case. It IS possible to achieve this [with any radio system trunked or not], but it wouldn't be ANYWHERE close to being cost effective. And quite honestly, 90% or better coverage is pretty good.

how true, i know many places in the world that would just about kill for 70% coverage much less 90% why not just ask for 100% coverage 100% of the time.?

[Thunderbolt]

If you read the last line in the story, they are going with a NEXEDGE digital TRS. So much for interoperability on a common protocol. In the long-run, this usually means no DHS federal grant money for radios.

73's

Ron

[milf]

Exactly! Everyone right now is hurting for $$$, so they jump for the narrowband compliant, TDMA multi chan/tg capable NEXedge, or MotoTRBO systems. Yes your digital. Wow your really cool now. Yes its state of the art, so? No you can't talk to anyone else around you if you really need to in an MAGOR DISASTER scenario. Your an little island to yourself. Its just like the old saying goes.... You get what you pay for.

I don't care whether its an EFJ, Motorola, Kenwood, Harris, or your little sister's system/equipment. It's true P-25 compliant, then its what we all hoped to get done for oh so long. You want cheaper, go for it, but remember that you have to boot ALL the cost without any grants from the Feds. Then again maybe you have the extra bucks? One day in the not so distant future, many lives will be lost due to this problem.

At least they aren't going the HUGE COST WASTE of say... OPENSky???

[trunktracker71]

i agree aint nothing beats the old radio systems if its not broke dont fix it i thought that they had a pretty good uhf system i could hear it all the way here in florence sc