Dare County 800 system....

[KX4KDH]

I was talking to a VERY inside source at Dare County yesterday. I was informaed that Dare County will be going online with their OWN 800 system, and not on VIPER. Yes, they will be able to inter-op with VIPER, but they will not be using it.

The story I got was that Dare County was not satisfied with the amount of trunk frequencies they were given on the VIPER system. As much crap as they have going on around here radio traffic wise, I can see that. I am trying to pick this guy's brain for more info, and will post as I hear it. Dare County plans on being online no later than February, 2011.

 

[KX4KDH]

Anyone?

 

[jeffmulter]

... I was informed that Dare County will be going online with their OWN 800 system, and not on VIPER. Yes, they will be able to inter-op with VIPER, but they will not be using it.

The story I got was that Dare County was not satisfied with the amount of trunk frequencies they were given on the VIPER system. ... Dare County plans on being online no later than February, 2011.

That has been Dare Co's plan since the spring of 2009, and I mentioned it on the Viper thread on this forum about a year ago. And, yes, they will have access to Viper for both interoperability and backup purposes (they have been assigned a limited number of talkgroups for L-E, FD, EMS, PW and E-M use on the Viper system).

The original timeline for use of the Dare Co trunking system called for it to be operational by the end of 2011. I haven't heard anything further, but I'm not in the "loop." But it's a good thing if they can be operational before the start of the 2011 hurricane and tourist seasons.

With regards to the comment about the number of trunked frequencies that Dare County was given on Viper, I am a little confused.

On average, each Viper site in the county is currently licensed for about 5 frequency pairs. The license Dare Co currently has for its system only covers 6 frequency pairs. And that's far less than the 13 frequency pairs that Dare Co was licensed for when they first considered 800 MHz trunking about 10 years ago.

Some of those original frequencies, licensed under a slow-growth application, later were used for the school bus trunked sites.

 

[KX4KDH]

With regards to the comment about the number of trunked frequencies that Dare County was given on Viper, I am a little confused.

On average, each Viper site in the county is currently licensed for about 5 frequency pairs. The license Dare Co currently has for its system only covers 6 frequency pairs. And that's far less than the 13 frequency pairs that Dare Co was licensed for when they first considered 800 MHz trunking about 10 years ago.

Some of those original frequencies, licensed under a slow-growth application, later were used for the school bus trunked sites.

I'm not sure... He just told me the VIPER system did not offer them enough frequencies to cover what they wanted to do.

 

[rescue674aa]

dare county

Do you know what the freqs are on the dare county system because they have dare north and south on the page now

 

[jeffmulter]

I'm not sure... He just told me the VIPER system did not offer them enough frequencies to cover what they wanted to do.

It's a common error that people sometimes say "frequencies," rather than "talkgroups," when referring to trunked system.

He may have been using the wrong terminology. As I mentioned in my previous post, a limited number of talkgroups has been made available to Dare County on the Viper system. They will certainly have more flexibility for talkgroup assignments on their own system.

 

[jeffmulter]

Do you know what the freqs are on the dare county system because they have dare north and south on the page now

ULS License - PubSafty/SpecEmer/PubSaftyNtlPlan,806-817/851-862MHz,Trunked License - WQLL348 - DARE, COUNTY OF

The above link is to the license in the F.C.C. ULS database.

 

[ocguard]

Jeff -- I noticed this too. Six frequencies simulcasting from all sites. Perhaps the county is planning to recycle the existing 800mhz system frequencies (used primarily for school buses) into the framework for the new system. They would first need to be re-banded. I can't imagine that 6 frequencies is enough.

 

[ocguard]

Do you know what the freqs are on the dare county system because they have dare north and south on the page now

These are the old systems. They are currently used primarily for school buses and other non-emergency users. The system is limited to mobile coverage unless you're in Buxton or Kitty Hawk.

The public safety system being built will provide county-wide coverage.

 

[ocguard]

Dare's choice to build it's own 800mhz system will be beneficial to scanner listeners.

If the VIPER system had been used, each site would operate with it's own set of frequencies. This would mean that as a user moved between each site, his radio would "roam" to that site. Radio system calls are only carried at the sites on which they are needed.

The Dare County 800mhz system appears to be a simulcast system, meaning that each frequency is used at each site, and all system calls are carried at each site. This means that scanner listeners will be able to hear any call from any site.

 

[KX4KDH]

Dare's choice to build it's own 800mhz system will be beneficial to scanner listeners.

If the VIPER system had been used, each site would operate with it's own set of frequencies. This would mean that as a user moved between each site, his radio would "roam" to that site. Radio system calls are only carried at the sites on which they are needed.

The Dare County 800mhz system appears to be a simulcast system, meaning that each frequency is used at each site, and all system calls are carried at each site. This means that scanner listeners will be able to hear any call from any site.

I can't wait to see how it all shakes out.. At least I will have time to save for the 996XT!

 

[murrayustud]

Thanks, guys for the updates on this system! I'm traveling back there again in early September. I lived there for several years prior to moving back to Raleigh.

 

[mhodgson]

Dare County

Thanks, guys for the updates on this system! I'm traveling back there again in early September. I lived there for several years prior to moving back to Raleigh.

Actually, VIPER agreed to provide ALL of the talk groups that the County of Dare requested...a whopping 52 if my memory serves me right, when they were considering using VIPER. Of course, now that they are going to do their own thing, that number has been scaled back to a more reasonable number considering interoperability will be their only involvement.....but still far more than the six seed talk groups that each county was provided with the 20 radios that DHS funding provided.....

M

 

[ocguard]

I can't wait to see how it all shakes out.. At least I will have time to save for the 996XT!

I was a die-hard Uniden-only guy for many years. I have since switched to the Pro-106 (PSR-500) and am glad I did. The main difference for me is that the scanner automatically "roams" between sites within a system just like a subscriber portable would. This would be helpful for you if you chose to listen to VIPER, or if Dare County builds something other than full county-wide simulcast. Just throwing that out there. The Pro-106/PSR500, in my opinion, handles VHF scanning better than the Uniden 396/996 as well. And if you buy the Radioshack model, you'll save $100.

 

[KX4KDH]

Well, Mine roams across the state just fine... I have all VIPER cc's programmed in, and it switches towers with no problems....

 

[KE4ZNR]

And if you buy the Radioshack model, you'll save $100.

Which you then end up using that $100 to buy all the accessories for your Radio Shack scanner that you get inside the box included with the Uniden Radio.

Marshall KE4ZNR

 

[murrayustud]

Thanks, Marshall, confirms my decision on the 996xt!

 

[SCPD]

OBXJeepGuy Hello Ill will be going down to OBX Nagshead M.P.10 area, are you on the beach road? do you monitor the bomb range if so how are the mllcoms for the usn and air force, also do you pick up Langley and Oceanna will be there aug13 to the 20th,Cheers Bob..

 

[Drafin]

Which you then end up using that $100 to buy all the accessories for your Radio Shack scanner that you get inside the box included with the Uniden Radio.

Marshall KE4ZNR

Which is why he should skip the Uniden and the Radio Shack model and buy the GRE PSR500 and still get a better price than the Uniden or the Radio Shack and still get the accessories...

Draf

 

[KX4KDH]

OBXJeepGuy Hello Ill will be going down to OBX Nagshead M.P.10 area, are you on the beach road? do you monitor the bomb range if so how are the mllcoms for the usn and air force, also do you pick up Langley and Oceanna will be there aug13 to the 20th,Cheers Bob..

I am MP7 between the beach road, and bypass. I have not set up my outside antenna yet, so I can't say much about milcoms. I will likely pick up Oceana, but Langley not so much. I do not monitor the bombing range, everything else keeps me busy at the moment!