Harvey County planning move to 800

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dgruver911

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Well, now that the cat is out of the bag...

New radio system to improve safety   - News - The Kansan - Newton, KS - Newton, KS

I know I said a couple of years ago that it would NEVER happen. Well, times, needs and attitudes change. The article says late 2014; that is a bit understated. My best estimate is 2015 or 2016.

We are looking at 3 sites (Newton, Hesston and Burrton?) added to the State system, and 600-700 radios. Grants are being sought to lessen the amount of local funding. I will provide FACTS and updates as I am able, but again, this is not happening anytime soon. It will be a couple of years at least. Let's not get the rumor mill going into overdrive.
 

n0lqt

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WOW! I knew this summer has seemed a little cool, but apparently hell did freeze over!

I seem to remember that particular quote concerning an 800 MHz system from a couple of management types a few years ago....
 
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dgruver911

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This was in the Kansan last Saturday, but they never posted anything from that edition online. And yes, I'm writing it here exactly as the Kansan staff printed it...despite attempts to make corrections:

Officials support Upgrade
Radio system revamp planned for emergency responders
By Jeff Guy
Newton Kansan 9/14/2013

A planned overhaul of Harvey County's emergency radio system is estimated to cost into the millions, but police and fire officials agree that the change, while costly, is needed.
The Harvey County Communications Center is looking to revamp to an 800 MHz radio system, a project that would allow for better communications between emergency responders. Under the current VFW system, emergency responders run into "dead spots" where radio communications is impossible.
"It's not going to be easy to do, but the need is there," said Merlyn Johnson, chief of Walton's volunteer fire department. "It's a huge safety issue."
Courtney Becker, director of the Harvey County Communications Center, said the project would cost between $3.3 and $5.1 million. The project is only in the early planning stages and Becker does not plan to ask the Harvey County Commission for help funding it until 2014 when its planning the 2015 budget.
Johnson said the upgrade will be a financial strain, but he and other public safety workers support it. Most Kansas Counties have upgraded to 800 MHz in the past decade.
Recently, Johnson said, firefighters from Harvey, Butler and Reno counties worked together, putting out a grass fire near Whitewater. However, Harvey County's radio system was incompatible with the 800 MHz system the other counties were using. Harvey County emergency workers were unable to communicate with their counterparts from other counties.
Last July, a SWAT team from the Newton Police Dept. assisted Wichita police in a standoff with a man who had barricaded himself in an apartment building. Newton Police Chief James Daily said his department borrowed radios from the Sedgwick County Sheriff's Dept. to allow for communications between departments.
Becker said for emergency responders, the ability to communicate quickly is "mission critical.This is life and death to them."
In the past year, radio communication has been further hampered, Becker said. In order to free more bandwidth, the Federal Communications Commission ordered jurisdictions using the VHF system to switch to a "narrowband" system. An unforseen result has been that radio sometimes won't carry messages between emergency responders in the same city.
"Narrowband has created a nightmare," he said. It has "made analog-VHF a poor option for public safety."
That is what prompted the need to switch to 800 MHz. Even without narrowband, the county would have made the change eventually, Becker said. VHF was designed to work within counties. To communicate with their counterparts from other counties, emergency workers have had to send messages to a dispatcher who then communicates it to the recipient. That creates delays and the potential for miscommunication.
Narrowband created communication problem that hastened the need to update, he said.
"We're moving the project up sooner," Becker said. "We would've been looking at this in a number of years, but it wouldn't have been near this soon."
Daily said, "VHF has outlived itself." Dick Gehring, battalion chief for the Newton Fire Dept. called the analogue system "antiquated."
"It's run its course," Gehring said. "We're backed into a corner and we have to do something different."
 

KAA951

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VFW System?

Priceless! You have to love reporters! I don't think I have seen an accurate story about radio systems in a paper or on TV yet!
 

nec911

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Priceless! You have to love reporters! I don't think I have seen an accurate story about radio systems in a paper or on TV yet!

did this person read a Wikipedia article? There is not enough time left on the planet to respond directly back to the author of the story I am sure.
 

PVPD730

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Officials support Upgrade
Radio system revamp planned for emergency responders
By Jeff Guy
Newton Kansan 9/14/2013

Under the current VFW system, emergency responders run into "dead spots" where radio communications is impossible.

What the heck is a "VFW system"? *facepalm*
 

bear780ks

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What i was referring to Harvey Co.'s system is Quite up in Age Like our VHS system is I've been listening to it since around 1987, And it would be great to see Harvey getting to upgrade as our system here in Reno got updated to.

But I was also pointing out sometimes the county :roll: has to go back to the old system when there's issues with the Digital system.. and it's there only choice usually this happens on County Fire..


Wichita & Sedgwich Co. is having there share of issues with there new system as Well and one Officer I talked too said and I can't repeat it on here it a piece of da da da and the money spent on it could of been spent else ware he went on to say there's been many times that us officers we've had to use our Cell phones when the system is Down as we have nothing to revert too.. And many times he said the Dispatchers are Way Louder on the Air than what we are, he said it's pain in the Butt to listen too..
 
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dgruver911

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UPDATE TIME: Harvey County will be installing a 3-site simulcast system as part of KSICS in 2015 (a smaller version of what Butler County did), upgrading the existing Fire/EMS channel to a paging only, 4-site simulcast system, new Dispatch radio consoles and hiring an in-house radio technician/installer. Preliminary timeline calls for a mid-October cutover date. Going to be a very busy year...
 

bear780ks

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Might be a Good reason for some intense Listening :) seen the new Home Patrol II's might have to get me one those things to add to my Radios.. bear out..
 

Redneck0410

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Can't wait for them to get online, see if we can hear them over here in Reno County. That Vhf is getting to be a pain here in Hutch.


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dgruver911

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Thought I'd throw out a quick update...the equipment has been delivered and is in storage, but we're still waiting on towers. The permits etc are in process, and they hope to begin construction in June. Motorola wants our system on the air before Labor Day....remains to be be seen if we get that lucky. New radio consoles will be installed starting Monday and subscriber radios are starting to show up. Can't get them programmed until the tower permits are issued and the FCC applications are finalized so we can get the frequencies. I DO have the talkgroup ID's but they won't do anyone any good until the towers go up, so, sorry :) keeping those close to the vest...for now. More when things start to happen.
 
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