Yeah we already knew that and its nice but he was using humor more on the lines of interoperability or lack there of.
Lack of interoperability you say? With who? Let's see who's playing where in Rogers County...
Claremore is on a UHF LTR system, was previously on VHF analog.
Catoosa is on OKWIN, previously on VHF analog.
Rogers State... VHF analog.
Chelsea... VHF analog.
Inola... VHF analog.
Talala... VHF analog.
Verdigris... VHF analog.
Rural FD's... VHF analog.
So... Rogers SO has some TRBO channels. Apparently it is not well-known that MOTOTRBO radios are capable of analog operation. So Rogers SO should be able to talk to all those VHF analog agencies listed. And, if Claremore & Catoosa were smart enough to keep VHF radios in their cars when they do dumb things like move to uncommon bands, Rogers SO could talk to them on VHF analog too.
SO ONCE AGAIN
Scanner hobbyists have conjured up the idea that a new, unscannable technology is not interoperable. This happens alot as a means to criminalize the new technology in the eyes of their fellow hobbyists. Looking back, it was this way when the new Oklahoma City Harris TRS popped up, it was that way back in the day when trunking came to town, it was that way with some narrowbanding, and it will happen again and again. But rest assured it is certainly not this way with MOTOTRBO. Let's see how.
MOTOTRBO is Digital Mobile Radio (DMR)
DMR is an OPEN DIGITAL RADIO STANDARD. Did you know that several other manufacturers also make DMR radios, most of which are directly compatible with each other? Motorola... Vertex... Hytera... Tait... and so on. Harris also makes a DMR radio... branded Momentum. Don't know yet if it's interoperable with the others yet, but give it time.
AND DID YOU KNOW
MOTOTRBO can operate in what they call "mixed mode", where the repeater will allow analog users in to communicate with the digital subscribers? And... since public-safety agencies started adopting MOTOTRBO rapidly, there is a firmware upgrade in the works that will eventually allow P25 Phase 2 operation? Seems even more interoperable to me.
AND NOW
Let's compare the implementation of MOTOTRBO with that of P25 in Oklahoma. Pulling from the RR database for Oklahoma and from what I understand about some agencies' plans: I see 2 agencies statewide operating a P25 system on VHF. But there are almost 50 agencies operating on MOTOTRBO VHF. Now, is it more interoperable to purchase a radio system that you can use to talk to 2 agencies on, or is it more interoperable to purchase a radio system that you can talk to many of your neighbors on?
AND OF COURSE
Everybody forgets that interoperability in the real public-safety world really is not an oft-used construct. Typically when agencies need to talk to each other, it is done through dispatchers over the phone. And when the big emergency comes, everybody does as they have practiced. Without changing the subject, yes it would be nice to change that, but reality is what it is.
EVEN SO
There are interoperability channels and communications plans in-place so that I don't have to worry about talking direct on some other agency's primary channel. Remember the channels that have been set aside for interoperability: all the statewides & V-TAC's & federals and so on. That's what they're for. Not so I have to track hundreds of other communities' systems.
AND DON'T FORGET
Cost is a significant barrier to interoperability. Scanner hobbyists who buy an occasional $300-500 radio don't have to get councilmen and commissioners to approve funds to purchase expensive radio systems within the constraints of tight budgets and crummy economies. When MOTOTRBO radios that offer the features they do come in at a fraction of comparable P25 and or OKWIN radios, it's pretty easy to see which way the vote's gonna slide.
YES I KNOW
That certain people cling to the notion that the manufacturers never intended DMR for public-safety use. Back when they put the cost models together I'm sure they didn't. Two-way manufacturers have always created "designed for public safety" tiers of products aimed at the deeper pockets of government. But when agencies thumbed their noses at high-cost P25 and even more expensive systems, it sure didn't take long for that intention to get switched around.
ONE LAST THING
I've actually used MOTOTRBO radios. They are excellent analog radios, and they are good on digital too. I can talk to all my MOTOTRBO and analog neighbors. And they can talk to me. If they want to... but only as long as they're on VHF. :-D If you're worried about being able to hear MOTOTRBO agencies, do what mam1081 suggested in another MOTOTRBO-hate thread and buy yourself one. You might be surprised.
