snorkle
Member
Wondering if there is any new news on Montgomery county new high band fire radio system.
montgomery county n.y.
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snorkle
Member
I Talked to a firefighter from Montgomery co and he said the new system should be operational in October this year.
October is the expected launch date. From a friend, I have found out that they will be getting Motorola XPR 5550 Mobiles and XPR 7550 Portables for VHF. The county is planning to be Analog, however those radios can do TRBO as well. They should be getting the radios delivered shortly, So it sounds like some testing will be starting soon.
I'm having a hard time believing they will be getting TRBO radios for a new system......
Believe it. Alex is local to Montgomery County and has good info.
The XPR5550 is about $845 or less on State Contract. I am not sure which portable he's referring to, but I bet he'll jump in here and confirm that.
With the demise of the Pro Series, this pricing is very affordable, especially since Montgomery County got a Round III Interop Grant of well over $1 million for this phase of their build out.
Just because they buy a TRBO radio doesn't mean the infrastructure is going to be TRBO. Lots of folks have been picking these portables up for use on analog systems.
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DaveNF2G
Guest
True, but a purchasing agent who buys TRBO radios on state bid for an analog system should be fired.
I agree 100% Dave, but with that said the XPR can be ordered as an analog only radio. I think everyone assume XPR is only used for TRBO as that has become the go to radio for that technology. I would be happy with them getting APX1500 or similar.
Five years ago, the Motorola dealership in this area (not Wells or Albany Comm) was trying to push us into buying TRBO radios as the way of the future. Since Fulton County doesn't have the money to replace an all analog system and the fact that the state Interoperability grants require P25 capability, buying TRBO seemed more than a bit fruitless then and even more so now.
As suggested, we don't know exactly what models Montgomery purchased and what they paid. I don't find a non-TRBO in the most recent state bid list that I have but that may not be the most up-to-date list either.
You cannot buy TRBO radios with grant funds. The equipment needs to be P25 compliant. The cheapest P25 equipment is going to be the APX1000 (portable) and APX1500 (mobile). I have worked with and installed many of these systems under these types of grants.
critter449
Member
?'s
Does anyone know if this will just be for the volunteer fire companies or will it include the Amsterdam Fire Dept as well and also what FCC license or call sign will this be licensed under and does anyone know what frequencies they will be using.
TY
Does anyone know if this will just be for the volunteer fire companies or will it include the Amsterdam Fire Dept as well and also what FCC license or call sign will this be licensed under and does anyone know what frequencies they will be using.
TY
Sorry for the long delay. The TRBO radios is what I have been told they will be getting but using in analog mode. I have heard this by word of mouth from 3 people so far who are involved in the county, one of which being with the county EMO. From what I have been told, Amsterdam will be on the new system as well. I know the FCC license info is out there. Apparently some of the portables should be delivered very soon, so I am thinking we will start to be able to get more info about exact info very shortly..
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DaveNF2G
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What a waste of money.
snorkle
Member
I don't hear any radio transmissions on 46.12 any more. All on 159.285. Did they make the switch to high band?.
radioman2001
Member
Quote"I'm having a hard time believing they will be getting TRBO radios for a new system
Mother M doesn't build an analog only radio anymore, and you can order the XPR series with analog only(saves about $40-75). When you get a grant it doesn't pay for the whole costs(roughly 50%), so actually you are better off buying without a grant and sometimes get a better price than even state bid. I more times than not get a better than state bid price on equipment from out of state dealer who drop ship the radios and make $5-25 each. When I first started buying CDM mobiles in 2008 they cost us about $650.00. The last order in 2014 we got in they were $390.00 each.We bought a total of about 1200 of them.
Personally I think the TRBO radios are garbage, we ended up with 60 of them when the CDM's ran out in the middle of a contract. They now sit in a trailer where they will be disposed of by drilling holes in them 10-20 years from now. Just like the 100 Aerotron 110 watt base stations.
Mother M doesn't build an analog only radio anymore, and you can order the XPR series with analog only(saves about $40-75). When you get a grant it doesn't pay for the whole costs(roughly 50%), so actually you are better off buying without a grant and sometimes get a better price than even state bid. I more times than not get a better than state bid price on equipment from out of state dealer who drop ship the radios and make $5-25 each. When I first started buying CDM mobiles in 2008 they cost us about $650.00. The last order in 2014 we got in they were $390.00 each.We bought a total of about 1200 of them.
Personally I think the TRBO radios are garbage, we ended up with 60 of them when the CDM's ran out in the middle of a contract. They now sit in a trailer where they will be disposed of by drilling holes in them 10-20 years from now. Just like the 100 Aerotron 110 watt base stations.
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DaveNF2G
Guest
Why not try to recoup some of the cost by "garage sale-ing" them to other agencies or hams?
radioman2001
Member
This has come up before our agency NEVER sells any radio equipment, but there have been instances where some equipment was donated to other agencies. It took over 6 months of paperwork to donate MRK's to another state agency, as they just can't be bothered. I destroyed with a sledge hammer over 100 Mastr III 110 VHF base stations/repeaters a few years ago, hundreds of other portables and mobiles. Right now appx 200 Orion mobiles are sitting out in the rain awaiting the recycler after holes were drilled through them.
It's their policy not mine, and not likely to change.
It's their policy not mine, and not likely to change.
snorkle
Member
My question I have been trying to get answered is, HAS THE COUNTY MADE THE SWITCH FROM LOW BAND TO HIGH BAND. Is it so hard to get some kind of answer?. sigh
Thank you anyone
Thank you anyone
You answered your own question in post #14. If you are hearing no more traffic on the low band frequencies, and you are hearing everything on the high band frequencies, then it's pretty obvious that they've made the jump.
In Post #2, you reported that you had information that they would make the switch in October. Your monitoring report would seem to confirm that.
You are in a much better location than the rest of us to monitor Montgomery County. Assuming that you are scanning both the old and new channels, what you are hearing should be the most accurate information.
snorkle
Member
They were assigned other freqs to use. They are on Fort Johnsons repeater. What gives?
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