San Bernardino Co system has gone from bad to complete crap that past couple days.
Where exactly are you listening from? The most of the systems are simulcast, and if you're listening from outside the simulcast primary coverage area, it'll sound pretty ratty.
Stuck carriers, noise, static etc.
Stuck carriers are not a direct result of system conditions. Noise and static is a common ailment in Southern California 800 MHz systems because of illegal cellphone boosters and jammers. At almost any given moment, SB County techs are working to resolve at least one external interference issue somewhere. When one gets resolved, another one pops up elsewhere.
I heard someone on one of the PD channels talking about flying a porta peater up right after the last storm.
Probably not in the context of a maintenance issue. Operation on a portable repeater system would preclude use of their consoles, and would involve loss of functionality such as emergency buttons, unit ID's on consoles, patching, and most of their available talk groups. I strongly doubt a PD having problems would want the radio maintenance people to expend resources on anything other than resolving the problem.
Are they just going to let it crash finally?
Why would they do that? It's still carrying safety of life communications.
EV-1, Redlands PD is stuck with open carrier right now.
Redlands PD doesn't use 7-EVC-1. If they have an open carrier, it's one of their units with a stuck mike. They would see the unit ID on their console.
Where do you listen from, and what talk groups?
There are some unusual configurations in both system 6/7 and system 8 that could cause an outsider to think it sucks, when it works just fine for the intended users. That said, the weather plays havoc with things like microwave links and leased lines. Ideally it would be minimal, but parts of these systems are almost 25 years old now. Imagine the challenges of keeping it going.