NYS OpenSky System Official Thread

[n2ops]

From Urgent Communications:

Spanos out as New York SWN program director

[fireandems13669]

Well to be honest he must have did what they wanted and he had nothing left to do ....LOL Thought I would say it before tyco does lmao

[iamhere300]

MissionCritical Communications, Radio Resource International, and Public Safety Report - wireless voice and data communications for mobile, remote and public safety operations

[fireandems13669]

Its great to see NYS going in a new direction. I truly think this is the best way to go!

[brey1234]

New York state terminated a $2 billion contract with Tyco Electronics M/A-COM for a statewide wireless network (SWN) because the state was seeking financial relief during a time of unprecedented budgetary deficits, not because the land mobile radio, or LMR, system failed to operate as contracted, M/A-COM claims in a lawsuit against the state.
Made available to Urgent Communications last Friday, the litigation — filed in the New York State Court of Claims on Feb. 13 — also alleges that testing of the initial buildout phase of the SWN project was executed poorly and was largely inappropriate, because the tests targeted portable-radio functionality on a system that was only contracted to provide mobile-radio coverage. In addition, M/A-COM claims that the state ignored its independent consultant's findings that the system worked properly in three of the 19 areas cited by the state as being deficient
http://urgentcomm.com/policy_and_law...suit-20090331/

[DaveNF2G]

The new style of American business operation: If you can't compete in the marketplace with quality and price, then take the customer to court.

[radiomanNJ1]

NYS should sue this lame butt company of Bermuda for fraud in attempting to sell a system they have absolute knowledge does not work.

Again just say two letters PA. The judge in the case should then award NYS 2 billion and order the new and improved Tyco Wireless Communicaitons not to do business in NYS. They are only 48 billion short of Madoff in swindling the state. Based on past performance in FL, PA and other areas it's fraud.

Originally Posted by brey1234

New York state terminated a $2 billion contract with Tyco Electronics M/A-COM for a statewide wireless network (SWN) because the state was seeking financial relief during a time of unprecedented budgetary deficits, not because the land mobile radio, or LMR, system failed to operate as contracted, M/A-COM claims in a lawsuit against the state.
Made available to Urgent Communications last Friday, the litigation — filed in the New York State Court of Claims on Feb. 13 — also alleges that testing of the initial buildout phase of the SWN project was executed poorly and was largely inappropriate, because the tests targeted portable-radio functionality on a system that was only contracted to provide mobile-radio coverage. In addition, M/A-COM claims that the state ignored its independent consultant's findings that the system worked properly in three of the 19 areas cited by the state as being deficient
M/A-COM lawsuit: NY system worked as contracted - Urgent Communications article

[LathamScan]

I'll admit that people are having problems with Open Sky, but that isn't the only thing M/A-Com offers. They also offer conventional, P-25 conventional, P-25 trunked and EDACS that work just fine. As a matter of fact, most NYSP & NYSDOT base and mobile radios are M/A-Com (or former Ericsson) radios and they work OK. If you want M/A-Com thrown of of NYS, then I LOSE MY JOB as a radio technician because we sell M/A-Com products as a vendor.

I'm also confused about the Florida comment. SLERN in Florida is an EDACS system, not Open Sky. It just happens to be an all Pro-Voice EDACS system with ESK.

Kevin

[Markscan]

I have to agree with some of what you said. We have a narrow band EDACS. We are not very fond of it. For instance we have problems whenever we go out of town in the ambulances (which is everyday), or the police go "over the hill". If our system was engineered ,and built properly ($$$$), it would work better. But our radio man tells us "We designed it to work in this town only" Makes you wonder about our public servents sometimes.

[iamhere300]

Originally Posted by LathamScan

I'll admit that people are having problems with Open Sky, but that isn't the only thing M/A-Com offers. They also offer conventional, P-25 conventional, P-25 trunked and EDACS that work just fine. As a matter of fact, most NYSP & NYSDOT base and mobile radios are M/A-Com (or former Ericsson) radios and they work OK. If you want M/A-Com thrown of of NYS, then I LOSE MY JOB as a radio technician because we sell M/A-Com products as a vendor.

I'm also confused about the Florida comment. SLERN in Florida is an EDACS system, not Open Sky. It just happens to be an all Pro-Voice EDACS system with ESK.

Kevin

York County PA has lawsuits threatened on it right now due to the failures of their new P25 system
from M/A-com, P25 trunked.

[brey1234]

The state of New York is revamping its approach to interoperable public-safety communications, adopting a bottom-up system-of-systems approach that will comprise interoperable regional networks throughout the state instead of one complex statewide network. The new strategy comes several months after terminating a $2 billion contract with Tyco Electronics Wireless Systems for a statewide public-safety communications network.
MissionCritical Communications, Radio Resource International, and Public Safety Report - wireless voice and data communications for mobile, remote and public safety operations

[ALLPLOWEDOUT]

If they want it to actually literally be compatible with the surrounding agencies in general then it should have been motorola.

I mean hey, you can adapt a hyundai muffler to "work" on a caddy, but is it supposed to be like that? Is it designed to inter-operate... Point Made.

Wow, on 19 problems noted, 3 were corrected, Okay, now the system works perfect. Let's pay macomm in full now because they tried... Sure.... Oh, I have some beachfront real estate in Moskow for sale.......

[Spec]

I wonder if this will have some bearing on the lawsuit:
Ma/com has been sold off.
http://www.radioreference.com/forums...ml#post1055325

[brey1234]

ALBANY - State investigators have subpoenaed records involving a top lobbyist with close ties to Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, the Daily News has learned.
Attorney General Andrew Cuomo's subpoenas cover companies that have won state contracts using Patricia Lynch Associates as their lobbyist, sources said.
Lynch was a longtime communications director for Silver and has created one of the biggest lobbyist firms in the state.
The subpoenas were sent to the state controller's office.
"We are cooperating with the attorney general's office," said controller's office spokeswoman Jennifer Freeman.
The records sought include those for Cablevision/Madison Square Garden, Disney, City of Yonkers, Destiny USA, First Albany, Port of Albany and Accenture.
Also sought are records on Long Island Power Authority, Erie County, InsCap, M/A Com-Tyco, Macquarie, Markstone and M&T Bank.
Some are current clients of Lynch's firm. Others are past clients.
"He's looking to see if the [Lynch] firm had any undue influence on the contracting process," a source said.
Your Free Press: Attorney General Andrew Cuomo subpoenas contracts won by clients of firm tied to Sheldon Silver

[brey1234]

Out in the test region Chautauqua County Sheriff Joseph Gerace says he was impressed by the system M/A-COM built; however, "i see mistakes made by both the state and M/A-COM. Bottom line is at the time of decision, it was not public safety grade" says Sheriff Gerace
http://www.cbs6albany.com/news/state...-wireless.html

[DaveNF2G]

It looks like the OFT's OpenSky test system is still operating in the Albany area. There are broadband digital signals on several frequencies licensed to OFT in the 854 and 855 MHz range.

(Note: Signals detected with the very cool Bandscope feature on the Uniden BCD396XT with the Butel ARC-XT Pro beta software.)

[DaveNF2G]

I have it on good authority that not one OpenSky transmitter is currently being operated by OFT.

So, these fat signals on 800 MHz are a mystery. Any ideas?

[radiodude817]

3 weeks ago I saw men working on the CH 7 tower in Colden NY. I decided to see what they were doing.
They were pulling down the SWN antennas, dishes, and feedlines. It was a crew from Atlanta, GA and they were tasked to just remove the antenna systems for SWN. They tied all the transmission cables into a bunch and cut them off the tower in around 100' legnths. They were taking all the cables for scrap and leaving the dishes and antennas.

Last week a crane and flat bed tractor trailer was at the site. They loaded the building and generator with the
crane and left.

This was suppose to be a backup hub. I will get over to the primary site at CH 2 in the next few days and see if that equipment has also been removed.

End of the story.

[SKYNET156]

So is this project scrapped and over with? And does the state have a new plan for the Statewide system?

[DaveNF2G]

NY is hemorrhaging money, according to the Governor. I doubt any big radio projects will be proposed, let alone adopted.