Memphis & Shelby County

[tncpa]

Have not heard anything in a while about public safety communications in Memphis & Shelby County, TN. Is the City still considering going to an APCO-25 compliant system? Will the SCSO get a new system in the distant future? Any info would be appreciated.

 

[tncpa]

Memphis & Shelby county

As will be reported in local newspaper today, approval has been given for an upgrade to the County's radio system, which will include new radios, dispatch consoles, and new towers. Cost will be $12.5 million. There will be joint use by both city and county and Motorola has been awarded the contract for both systems. It will be 2 years before it is fully operational.

 

[memphisham]

Here is a URL concerning the Memphis-Shelby County radio upgrade:

http://www.gomemphis.com/mca/local_news/article/0,1426,MCA_437_2525014,00.html

 

[Gatorman]

No word on whether the system will be APCO-25 compliant although I can't imagine it won't be. The City of Memphis has been fighting with Motorola who has told them they will not support their current system in the future. I assume this is the reason Memphis started this "upgrade" to begin with.

 

[suttles1972]

Here in Chattanooga, Motorola has told us exactly the same thing they've told Memphis. And since we're still using an analog, type 2 system, Motorola have suggested we upgrade to a P25 system, in order to maintain future support with them. So these upgrades aren't only affecting systems like Memphis, but all systems that are analog type 2. And it's amazing to Chattanoogans that Moto can do this, when our city-county government have recently become a fully utilized system.
I am glad that Memphis will eventually be monitorable by digital scanners and I'm interested to see how the upgrade will unfold.

 

[memphisham]

More comments on Memphis-Shelby County radio system:

http://www.gomemphis.com/mca/todays_editorial/article/0,1426,MCA_537_2533252,00.html

 

[memphislawenforcer]

I was told by an MPD radio tech last night that the new Memphis/ Shelby CO radio system would be IMBE and they will start installing soon, he also mentioned that one of the baud rates did not support encription. I don't know about that, but the way he said it it leads me to believe thet the entire system will not be encrypted.

 

[jalexand69]

Will this new radio system be limited to the MPD and SCSO only? Or will it be a general upgrade for all city services? Will the same frequencies be used, or will another set of trunked frequencies be required? j c

 

[memphislawenforcer]

he wasn't specific I assume it would have to include other city services because they are on there now, don't know about the freqs.

 

[matthewtomek]

What does IMBE stand for???

 

[tncpa]

IMBE stands for Improved Multi-Band Excitation. You can read about this if you look on the left hand side of this site under system info and click on Apco-25/Digital. This gives a good explanation.

 

[tncpa]

While listening to Shelby County Edacs system today, heard what sounded like radio techs trying to correct problem with a patch from City of Memphis to Shelby County Public Safety. Heard this on 02-103. Could this have been work on the new, temporary piggyback system between city & county that has been discussed here recently? Has anyone heard this type of conversation before and is there any new information on the proposed consolidated system?

 

[matthewtomek]

Just checking to see if there was anything new on the Memphis/Shelby County system that's being worked on? Haven't seen anything lately. Is there study over and all that good stuff???

 

[memphislawenforcer]

I talked to a tech in the radio room last night and he said Motorola is currently working on the upgrade and they should be issuing new radios in the next 12 to 18 months. But by the time they start issuing new radios the system will have to be up and running so. I guess they will have the new IMBE system up and running by this time next year.

 

[Thunderbolt]

Here in Chattanooga, Motorola has told us exactly the same thing they've told Memphis. And since we're still using an analog, type 2 system, Motorola have suggested we upgrade to a P25 system, in order to maintain future support with them.

This seems to be the status quo with the big "M." They want everyone to upgrade at the drop of a hat because they refuse to supply future support. Talk about forced obsolescence!

73's

Ron

 

[memphislawenforcer]

Another stop by the radio room they say that they have some of the radios on hand and they are waiting for the new system to be up and running before issuing any of them. I guess they will have a patch between the two while they give them out and then switch the VSELP off when they are finished issuing. thats what they did when they went to this in 96 or 97 I don't remember which. I guess we will see when it happens.

 

[KD4YGG]

Any word on if the sister system used by Light, Gas & Water will be updated at the same time?