MTA Buses Planning On Switching to TETRA radios

[Analogrules]

I recently saw this Daily News article from March. Supposedly, MTA buses are planning on switching to TETRA radios (which I believe are not monitorable as of yet). However, the article makes the mistake by saying that NYPD and FDNY are on 700 Mhz.

http://m.nydailynews.com/new-york/m...ssions-raising-safety-fears-article-1.2549643

 

[Darkstar350]

I think the FCC squashed this already
The thing about Tetra is that its too wide for the spectrum here in the US so that would leave room for a lot of "bleed over" and interference - especially in a congested area like the NYC metro
Its widely used in Europe,etc because they use a oddball bandplan (Tetra radios mostly operate on something like 300/420mhz i think)

Luckily the MTA thing was just a proposal but i wonder what New Jersey Transit is going to do because they had already invested in a Tetra system

Last year sometime i first came across the MTA's 700mhz licenses its just a matter of who is going to get the bid to build out the system at this point

I personally dont have a problem with agencies using whatever radios they want - as long as its efficient and cost effective then more power to them but again the high/cellular bands particularly here in the NY Metro area are very congested as it is so its really not the best idea for a somewhat "unknown" type of radio system to be put into service...

 

[Analogrules]

Yeah, I think they should just keep it the way it is.

 

[n2pqq]

What about NJ transit they are using tetra .

 

[Analogrules]

NJ Transit buses are not on Tetra (but supposedly have plans to eventually switch over). However, their light rail ops and maintenance crews are on Tetra.

 

[Darkstar350]

Yeah, I think they should just keep it the way it is.

Its *probobly* going to be the same type of situation - just with 700mhz rather then 800

I would guess it will be something like:
The current NYC "DOITT" 800mhz system will be replaced by the P25 700mhz system
The MTA will have their own P25 700 system

As of now there are actually 2 MTA trunk systems - one 800mhz system for whats considered "NYC Transit" and a 900mhz system for other MTA routes
It looks like the 700mhz system will have sites anywhere from Westchester all the way to Suffolk so i wonder if it will actually be one system that replaces both systems...

 

[Thunderknight]

It looks like the 700mhz system will have sites anywhere from Westchester all the way to Suffolk so i wonder if it will actually be one system that replaces both systems...

The licenses on the Island and Hudson Valley are for MTA-PD, in support of policing for MNRR and LIRR. While both MTA, this is not the same division as the buses.
A while back, there was a link to the MTA Board vote that described the MTA-PD system.

 

[Darkstar350]

Well i know the licenses fall under "MTA Police Dept" but i figured perhaps thats just how the licensing is handled, etc
Time will tell i guess...

ULS License - Trunked Public Safety 700 MHz License - WQOZ581 - METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY POLICE DEPARTMENT (MTA-PD)
ULS License - Trunked Public Safety 700 MHz License - WQOZ554 - METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY POLICE DEPARTMENT (MTA-PD)
ULS License - Trunked Public Safety 700 MHz License - WQOZ552 - METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY POLICE DEPARTMENT (MTA-PD)
ULS License - Trunked Public Safety 700 MHz License - WQOZ551 - METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY POLICE DEPARTMENT (MTA-PD)
ULS License - Trunked Public Safety 700 MHz License - WQOZ589 - METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY POLICE DEPARTMENT (MTA-PD)

 

[Analogrules]

The emission designator says 11K2D7W (which is not defined in tbe Wiki). Therefore, not sure if that means Tetra or not. However, that's probably what the article meant by the police sharing the same band as the buses...the bus operators will probably have radios that allow them to directly comminicate to the PD.

 

[dave3825]

I recently saw this Daily News article from March. Supposedly, MTA buses are planning on switching to TETRA radios (which I believe are not monitorable as of yet). However, the article makes the mistake by saying that NYPD and FDNY are on 700 Mhz.

http://m.nydailynews.com/new-york/m...ssions-raising-safety-fears-article-1.2549643

The emission designator says 11K2D7W (which is not defined in tbe Wiki). Therefore, not sure if that means Tetra or not. However, that's probably what the article meant by the police sharing the same band as the buses...the bus operators will probably have radios that allow them to directly comminicate to the PD.

The article you linked does not mention the NYPD or police at all. The story says FDNY and Ems could be affected.

"The five-year contract with Parsons involves 8,500 radios for buses operating within the 700-megahertz spectrum. That’s where FDNY and EMS radio transmissions are broadcast."

I was not aware they were on 700mhz. I see them on 400mhz conv, 400mhz trunked and 800mhz trunked...




.

 

[Darkstar350]

The article you linked does not mention the NYPD or police at all. The story says FDNY and Ems could be affected.

"The five-year contract with Parsons involves 8,500 radios for buses operating within the 700-megahertz spectrum. That’s where FDNY and EMS radio transmissions are broadcast."

I was not aware they were on 700mhz. I see them on 400mhz conv, 400mhz trunked and 800mhz trunked...




.

As far as i know they are not on 700mhz yet - but the NYC 700mhz is on the air now and i suppose FDNY/EMS will eventually have talkgroups on the system much like they have talkgroups on the current NYC trunk systems...

 

[Analogrules]

How many talkgroups do they need?

 

[Darkstar350]

How many talkgroups do they need?

Just kind of guessing here - but im thinking that once the 700mhz system becomes more active FDNY will basically have their "admin",etc talkgroups on the new system much like they have on the current trunk system(s)

I really dont see FDNY/PD moving to a trunk system for main/dispatch ops but then again you never know...

 

[AlexC]

The FCC ruling [and I could be wrong here too] applies to frequencies allocated to public safety. If they are licensing other spectrum that is not part of a public safety block on 700/800mhz then I can't see this being problematic.

At the end of the day they have lawyers and consultants who are reviewing the policies and laws regarding how they can classify their usage to work around the FCC rules.