Bethlehem TRS Rebanding Funding?

[Newark777]

Looks like the end is near for analog listening in Bethlehem.

Council OKs bank note worth up to $9.3 million

By Nicole Radzievich

The Morning Call

April 11, 2007

Bethlehem council on Tuesday gave its OK for the city to borrow as much as $9.3 million to pay for large projects ranging from police vehicles to radio upgrades for emergency crews.

While years past have shown an emphasis on infrastructure improvements such street repairs, the bank note dedicates much of the money toward fighting crime, fire and other emergency situations.

''This is an unprecedented, $5.5 million investment in public safety. We're updating the entire radio system and committing to other very important projects,'' Mayor John Callahan said. ''This, in conjunction with additional personnel, will continue to make Bethlehem the safest city in the state'' with a population over 30,000.

Callahan's comments came after council voted 6-1 to approve the bank note, part of the city's biennial borrowing to pay for capital projects. The radio system is expected to cost more than $4 million, but city officials say taxpayers will not be paying that part of the debt. That will come from state reimbursements from the city's 911 fund.

The city must replace its 15-year-old analog radio system with a digital system this year. Like its competitors, city supplier Motorola is eliminating the support system for analog radios. The change also will help emergency workers connect with each other in certain sections of the city that have dead spots.

http://www.topix.net/content/trb/1438508976272182802912298327982016707448


Since it appears Bethlehem's rebanded frequencies are already registered on the FCC page, this looks like just another step closer to rebanding in the Lehigh Valley.

 

[chankel]

Perhaps you can tell us what call sign and frequencies you are referring to. I searched the FCC database and did not find any new license grants for Bethlehem for 2007; the last action date on WNWQ636 was 8/8/06. The current frequencies listed on the Bethlehem page are the same ones listed in the FCC web site as far as I can tell. It seems the funding for a new system would need to include the usual FCC administrative fees and that money has just recently been approved according to the above article. Installing a new radio system in 8 months is possible but given the length of time new systems have needed to be set up this could present serious hurdles even with an analog modality. The problems encountered with digital systems in Baltimore City and Delaware may have provided some of the experiential knowledge to overcome these issues. I suspect it will take more than 1 year to get things going for a new system in Bethlehem, and in the mean time a 3rd party contractor will provide parts and services for their current system.

What the FCC transition website says is that the frequencies from 854.6625-858.5875 MHz are not affected, but that frequencies from 866.0125-868.8 MHz "will relocate down exactly 15 MHz to 806-581/809-854 MHz"