Newbie Sound off. Need advice for setting up Police Explorer radio system

[WSPDExplorer]

Hi everyone, I'm new to the forum but would like to learn more about the world of two way radios and such. I also am looking to setup a small radio system for my Law Enforcement Explorer post, but have no idea where to start. So I need your expertise and advice! We currently use Motorola talkabouts, but these are terrible for events, Especially for village wide applications.

Location: Western Springs, IL. (We also do events in neighboring communities such as LaGrange, IL)
Can utilize both mobile and portables
Would like to have about 6-8 portable radios, one base station for the dispatcher to use. (Completely separate from the PD's Mainband.) And maybe a mobile radio for one of the explorer's vehicles.

Can you please explain what my options are?
Where do I start?

Thanks,

Explorer Lt. Tim
Western Springs L.E. Exploring Post 740

[Spitfire8520]

I am not an expert in the radio field so take my recommendations with a LARGE grain of salt. I think before you go off to search about creating a radio system yourself, you're going to need to consider a few options. I see that the farthest away that you could possibly be on a "village wide" application is around 3 and a quarter miles.

1 ) Keep the talkabouts and shift your channel usage. Assuming that you have a 22-channel (FRS/GMRS combination) radio, you should consider using channels 15-22. Channels 1-14 (especially 8-14) are limited in their transmitting power due to FCC restrictions. This may give you the additional range you are searching for. If you only have a 14-channel talkabout, you are probably using an underpowered FRS radio and should read the following paragraph.

Consider more powerful GMRS radios. I don't know the specifics, but there are radios out there that can operate at higher power (I think). Technically, you (and everyone else using the radio) should have an $80 license (each), but there are people out there who use it without the license.

I also found this video on the forums, this might help you a bit.
How-To Optimize the Range of your Talkabout Radio - YouTube

2) Consider MURS if you are planning largely for outdoor use. From what I can tell, they tend to work better outdoors. I believe you can use MURS legally without an FCC license.

3) Ask your Explorer Adviser whether or not you can use the current system your Police Department already has in place. I recently moved, but in the area I lived in, their post were issued Motorola XTS2500 radios whenever they were doing events sanctioned by the Department. The rules were highly restrictive on its use and kept to emergencies only.

4) Old fashioned citizen's band (CB) radio, no license needed, has pretty good range, but I believe there's a lot of trash on it now which could cover up some communications. There's mobiles, bases, and portables for this option.

Here's farther information on GMRS and MURS:
General Mobile Radio Service - The RadioReference Wiki
Multi-Use Radio Service - The RadioReference Wiki

I think overall either MURS or GMRS will work just fine, but you would definitely need feedback from others. I think you can buy base stations for both, but I don't think you can buy a mobile for either. If the range is not to your liking, then you could consider making a GMRS repeater, but I have no idea how one goes about that process. If you really want mobile, base, and portable operations and seriously want the range, you could go through the complicated process of FCC approval and building a brand new radio system that would cost quite a bit.

[egulley612]

Originally Posted by WSPDExplorer

Hi everyone, I'm new to the forum but would like to learn more about the world of two way radios and such. I also am looking to setup a small radio system for my Law Enforcement Explorer post, but have no idea where to start. So I need your expertise and advice! We currently use Motorola talkabouts, but these are terrible for events, Especially for village wide applications.

Location: Western Springs, IL. (We also do events in neighboring communities such as LaGrange, IL)
Can utilize both mobile and portables
Would like to have about 6-8 portable radios, one base station for the dispatcher to use. (Completely separate from the PD's Mainband.) And maybe a mobile radio for one of the explorer's vehicles.

Can you please explain what my options are?
Where do I start?

Thanks,

Explorer Lt. Tim
Western Springs L.E. Exploring Post 740

If all of your post has android, iphone and blackberry phones, I would suggest using Zello (Zello. Live conversation.)

Zello is an app setup like the old nextel system and It's absolutely wonderful!!!! Several other explorer posts currently use it.

[canav844]

Anything against licensing and adding another Tactical Channel for use by police and city departments, setting up the appropriate # of portables with just that channel, and an explorer dispatch station with just that channel then (to prevent explorers from getting on the dispatch channel, but still easy to add this channel to already in use PD radios); and that also makes it something your current dispatch can monitor in the background so that if someone representing the department needs help, they can get a direct line to get official backup on the way. Another narrowband VHF channel should suffice, and be something that can also be a resource for the rest of the department even if the Explorers aren't simultaneously active.

If you go through the staff that setup the current dispatch and tactical channels they can help coordinate everything for you and work with you to make sure everything is properly licensed and the equipment is all adequately compliant with current and soon impending regulations. They'll also understand the intricacy of how the explorers fit within city as an organization or division, and what will need to be in place for MOUs on usage; as well as if you use similarly spec'ed radios they'll also have an understanding of performance and dead spots or lack thereof within the city, and may even have old narrowband complaint VHF equipment that can be applied to the cause.

MURS is also an option on VHF, no license required, slightly more power than FRS on the portables, and a dispatch antenna can be 20ft in the air (need to verify it's been a while since I've looked I think it's above structure roof not the ground), which may be acceptable for in town range back to the dispatch station, with good antennas; but with low power there is no guarantee.