AWIN new tower site in Craighead County???

[k5rpd]

Anyone Else see this on the AWIN database page???

"Craighead County tower

The new Craighead County tower site is now operating on the AWIN system. The Lake City tower is the first dual band 700/800 MHz site on AWIN . Motorola technicians finalized the work on the site, and the tower is operational as of Tuesday, August 29th. The tower will enhance coverage in Craighead County and surrounding areas. "

I did an FCC search for the 700-800 mHz range and came up with no results... for the state and for Craighead County. Anyone know what the "Dual Band frequencies" for the new tower site are?

Thanks,
JJ Smith

 

[Thunderbolt]

It has been reported that the tower is using:

866.12500 Control channel
866.37500
866.65000
868.67500
868.90000
765.40625
765.65625
765.83125
765.90625

Also, the tower is licensed for:

857.73750
860.73750

73's

Ron

 

[k5rpd]

?

OK. Thnaks for the info on the frequencies...
Now I am puzzled. How do they put up those channels without being licensed to do so at that site? Or is the FCC database just lagging behind?

And for my BCD396T- do I have to do anything special to it to listen to those channels (such as redefine the bandplan or anything?) or do I just keep the control channel programmed and it does the rest?


Thanks,
JJ Smtih
K5RPD

 

[Thunderbolt]

OK. Thnaks for the info on the frequencies...
Now I am puzzled. How do they put up those channels without being licensed to do so at that site? Or is the FCC database just lagging behind?

The ASP has a statewide 700 MHz license, which allows them to use frequencies in the new band under a general license, for up to two years I believe. Then after a lot of testing and comparisons with the data collected, the ASP can obtain a regular site license for the new band.

Under the ASP 700 MHz statewide license, any site(s) can use the new frequency band, and we might not be aware of what site is using them at this time. Eventually, the AWIN TRS can and will incorporate more 700 MHz frequency pairs into the system. This will allow for greater expansion of the system; thus, allowing more users to join up. However, the new backup site controller in Little Rock has to be finished first, before any major development and deployment can get started.

And for my BCD396T- do I have to do anything special to it to listen to those channels (such as redefine the bandplan or anything?) or do I just keep the control channel programmed and it does the rest?

That is a good question for someone who has better experience with the 396T than I do, which is currently zero!

73's

Ron