McHenry County Project 25 TRS

[Thunderbolt]

McHenry County has two applications pending before the FCC, to construct their own Project 25 TRS. This looks like it will be a simulcast system, with a total of seven transmitter sites. The applications are as follows:

• Application 1
• Application 2

I wonder if all the local public safety agencies plan on joining this TRS?

73s

Ron

 

[scraech]

yep looks like yesterday they got it and today was approved for it

 

[N9JIG]

My guess is that they are going along the same path that either St. Clair County or McLean County took; either building a compatible system in order to allow access to statewide talkgroups (ala St. Clair) or using frequency assignments from the county on StarCom (ala McLean).

According to posted reports, McHenry had agreed to join and use StarCom, but this is the first indication of any type of independent radio licensing. It is odd too that the only StarCom site not yet operational (AFAIK) is 120, the McHenry County Simulcast.

 

[JT-112]

Any reason why these are STAs?

(not up on the whole licensing process...)

 

[N9JIG]

STA's are fairly easy to get thru APCO and the FCC, they do not require all the data and coordination a full license requires. They can be used to evaluate the proposed system and check for interference on the proposed channels under every day use.

 

[mas]

Only 5 frequencies (866.3500, 866.7375, 867.5500, 867.7250, 868.0375) for a county with 313,000 residents?

 

[N9JIG]

Well, for decades they have been working on a single Sheriff's Police channel (155.790), a Jail channel (Likely to stay on 155.52), a low band highway channel and Animal control has been using ESMARN.

With the frequency efficiency of a trunked system 5 channels should be sufficient. Lake County right next door gets along quite nicely with an 8 channel system and they have more than twice the residents.

 

[scraech]

Who will be on these sites

What Pd will switch what they have like the Crystal Lake, Mchenry, Cary, ect. Who do you think will join on to this is what I am asking?

 

[N9JIG]

What Pd will switch what they have like the Crystal Lake, Mchenry, Cary, ect. Who do you think will join on to this is what I am asking?

Well...

The communities in SeeCom (Crystal Lake, Algonquin, Cary, etc.) probably won't, at least right away. Eventually they could switch communications to the new system once it is installed, but I don't think they will be dispatched by the County as they just recently set up SeeCom.

As for the other towns with independant dispatch centers, such as Marengo, Woodstock and Harvard I think they will do the same, stay where they are or switch to the new radios with independent dispatch centers.

As for Fire operations, I would be surprised to see any of them switch off VHF Highband due to the overwhelming amount of mutual aid that goes on. They would have to buy all new 800 MHz. radios at $3000 or more a piece as well as maintain the existing VHF stuff for aid.

Any PD that is currently dispatched by McHenry County will likely have to switch to the 800 system or make arrangements with another agency to provide dispatch.

Bull Valley, Hebron, Lakemoor, Prairie Grove, Richmond and Wonder Lake PD's are all dispatched thru MCSO. All other communities that have PD's are dispatched locally or by SeeCom or other agency.

 

[JT-112]

$300 P25 trunking radios would be quite the steal - guessing you missed a zero at the end there?

 

[N9JIG]

Yeah, I edited the post, thanks!

 

[scraech]

They are sayin early 2008

But said the site is not up and running yet? When do you think we will hear tests. And its P-25 right?

 

[N9JIG]

But said the site is not up and running yet? When do you think we will hear tests. And its P-25 right?

I never heard the StarCom21 Site 120 which was supposed to be the McHenry County Simulcast. AFAIK it was to be the last site turned on. With the new FCC filing by McHenry County I don't know when or if they will ever set up 120. Maybe the McHenry County system will end up being 120 even...

I will be listening for it either way.

 

[kf4lhp]

Any reason why these are STAs?

(not up on the whole licensing process...)

Local system getting licensed in the "old" NPSPAC band (866-869 MHz) had to get an STA as well; from what I read in the application return letter, the FCC will not issue a regular, 10-year authorization for public safety in this band, only a renewable STA that will be converted to a regular authorization after rebanding.

Don't forget those renewals!