Steuben County Going To M/A-Com OpenSky

[scannerfreak]

http://www.fortwayne.com/mld/fortwayne/news/local/17262520.htm


Sorry to hear this guys. Wonder why no SAFE-T?

 

[Thunderbolt]

Please say it isn't so! With all the problems that other agencies have had with OpenSky around the nation, you would think that they would have done their research on this a little better. Just look at Pennsylvania, and how far behind schedule that project is. I can see a mountain of problems coming from this move. IMHO, they should have upgraded to Project 25, which as we all know works very, very well.

73s

Ron

 

[kb9sxk]

That was a poorly writen story.

we have ma-comm.......And I would not recomend it.

 

[rdale]

MA/COM EDACS works fine - OpenSky is completely separate. When you say the story is poorly "writen" what does that mean? They are not going to OpenSky?

 

[trido]

That was a poorly writen story.

we have ma-comm.......And I would not recomend it.

What?

what issues has Evansville Had with Macom?

Never hear anything bad about local Edacs systems,in fact it has hardly ever gone down

 

[kb9sxk]

What?

what issues has Evansville Had with Macom?

Never hear anything bad about local Edacs systems,in fact it has hardly ever gone down

I have always been a /\/\ guy.

You remember the whole east side-west side thing? and the lack of auto switching?

I guess im just pissing everyone off this week.....

 

[trido]

I have always been a /\/\ guy.

You remember the whole east side-west side thing? and the lack of auto switching?

I guess im just pissing everyone off this week.....

I thought i was told auto switching the radios CAn but they just dont bother to program right?
Maybe thats wrong and the OLD HT cant auto switch?

 

[brey1234]

Suggestion

I have a suggestion...write to the men/women making the decisons and express your points...
They can be reached at:countycouncil@co.steuben.in.us

Steuben County officials voted Monday to move forward with an estimated $5.6 million radio project that would allow more traffic on the county’s system.
The Open Sky radio project got a unanimous nod from commissioners but a 5-1-1 vote from County Council members. Council member John Ingledue voted against the project, and Ron Parker abstained.
County Council members will discuss using interest from Major Moves money to pay for project at the June 12 meeting.
http://www.fortwayne.com/mld/fortwayne/news/local/17262520.htm

 

[djbrane]

Hmmm...wonder why not spend alot less and get on SAFE-T?? Sure seems like they could be using their money more wisely


ANGOLA---Steuben County Commissioners have decided to take out a loan from the county’s Major Moves Construction Fund in order to pay for a multi-million dollar upgrade of 911 communications equipment.

The county’s portion of the approximately $8 million project, $5 million, will be set up as a loan from the Major Moves fund and will be paid back as if it were a typical municipal bond.

“We’re loaning the money,” said F. Mayo Sanders, president of the commissioners.

The money will be paid back with interest.

“Just like if we were paying it out to First Federal (Savings Bank of Angola),” Sanders said.

“The other thing that we should put down is the money will be repaid at the prevailing (interest) rate,” Commissioner Ron Smith said.

The county has started the project that will eventually put new radios in every police, fire, emergency and school dispatch system.

The county is purchasing new 911 communications equipment from Tyco Electronics M/A-COM. The county’s share of the nearly $8 million deal will come to about $4.7 million. In 2008 the county has allocated $500,000 toward the project from interest collected from Major Moves.

In May the Steuben County Commissioners and Steuben County Council agreed to spend up to $5.5 million to purchase new communications equipment that will stretch from central dispatch to virtually every emergency agency in Steuben County.

Steuben County Communications director Cindy Snyder has been negotiating with equipment providers since the approval was granted.

The county is moving forward with the project to take advantage of free equipment and rebates that could have pushed the price tag of the project to nearly $10 million had it been phased in over a number of years.

The equipment that’s currently being used by the county was put in service when the new jail opened in 1992.

The Major Moves Construction Fund came from the proceeds of the lease of the Indiana Toll Road to a Spanish-Australian consortium for the next 74 years. As a toll road county, Steuben received $40 million to be shared among governmental entities that receive gas tax funds. Steuben County’s share came to $33.7 million. There is approximately $30 million remaining in the fund.

 

[Viper43]

Obviously they missed the states push for SAFET and INTEROPERABILTY, and apparently they missed the same thing from the Feds. It seems some counties just HAVE to be different..... and when it doesn't work it's the tacpayers who foot the bill to repair or replace the system.

V

 

[GTO_04]

Obviously they missed the states push for SAFET and INTEROPERABILTY, and apparently they missed the same thing from the Feds. It seems some counties just HAVE to be different..... and when it doesn't work it's the tacpayers who foot the bill to repair or replace the system.

V

And I fear the same mistake is about to be repeated in Hamilton Co. I found out just last week that a big radio upgrade is in the works, and nobody knows any details about it. Yet, there has been no public discussion about it. After all, it's just the taxpayer's money.

The EDACS system in Hamilton Co. is working poorly right now. Dead spots still exist, even after 3 additional towers were added. Dispatch and portables are having trouble hearing each other. And I'm sure the M/A Com vendor's recommendation will be to "go digital." And they won't know about all the problems Open Sky is having with other agencies because they won't bother to check.

GTO_04

 

[Viper43]

I said over a month ago Hamilton Co was considering an "upgrade" to digital", the question was what system. Of course they won't use common sense and will go EDACS or Open Sky. MA-Com claims to have P25 operability, but who knows if it works in real life? I think the Feds and State should step in and say go SAFET or pay for it yourself, in which case the taxpayers may wake up and say no. It would force these particular counties to get with the program and join the rest of the state.

V

 

[bessiedawg]

Over in Illinois, Peoria County is going with Ma-Com Open Sky as opposed to the statewide system. They insist that there will still be inter-operability, but I don't know why you would want to take the chance. Oakland County Michigan is another place where Ma-Comm has had problems implementing.

I do have a question. What is the difference between Ma-Com EDACS and Open Sky ?

 

[rdale]

EDACS is a "regalar" trunked system but using MA instead of MOT equipment. OpenSky is a whole different ballgame - check the Wiki.

 

[SCPD]

Hamilton County is going Digital they have some new radios and it looks like they will be going Open Sky and this new system and software is compatible and will work with the new MECA/UCON Safe T Systems. Ma-Comm has done a lot of testing on this and it works they have some new systems online in Ohio right now and even Energy Companys such as Duke Energy are using this in other states testing to be able to link into Public Safty in case of an Emergency such as 9/11 this is one of sevral links and news storys out there Keep in mind these are all new systems and it will take time to work the bugs out.
http://www.macom.com/macom_prodnews.asp?ID=1313

 

[SCPD]

However I do agree they just should use Safe T but I do see there side that If Safe T goes down they realy do need another System to back it up.

 

[GTO_04]

Over in Illinois, Peoria County is going with Ma-Com Open Sky as opposed to the statewide system. They insist that there will still be inter-operability, but I don't know why you would want to take the chance. Oakland County Michigan is another place where Ma-Comm has had problems implementing.

I do have a question. What is the difference between Ma-Com EDACS and Open Sky ?

EDACS can be analog or digital. Open Sky is digital. ProVoice is a digital version of EDACS and I don't even know if ProVoice is still offered. All are from M/A Com.

I did find this article where Parma, Ohio upgraded from their EDACS system to a P25 system using M/A Com Radios:

http://www.macom-wireless.com/Channels/Channels Vol8_issue1.pdf

The article starts on page 7. They changed to a P25 system to have better interoperability with nearby agencies and meet DHS funding guidelines. The surprising part is they claim there were minimal hardware costs involved and they did not have to replace all of their radios.

BTW it has taken a few years to work the bugs out of the Open Sky system in Oakland Co. Michigan, and they still have not worked them out yet!

GTO_04

 

[Viper43]

However I do agree they just should use Safe T but I do see there side that If Safe T goes down they realy do need another System to back it up.

Even IF a SAFET tower or two goes down they can still work off neighboring towers and they have several tempoarary emergency towers they can put up in a short time complete with generators. I believe those are in the hands of DHS. They also have talkaround capability at scenes so they do not need the towers. Having a system that has been nothing but trouble for Hamilton Co and staying with that company doesn't sound like a smart move, especially when it will cost them more in the long run. But then again, Hamilton Co. thinks everyone makes $500K a year.

V

 

[SCPD]

I hear that......
You know some of these changes can be done with Software upgrades pending on the type of system and radios where they dont half to by a lot of equipment I know MECA is doing that with some of the newer radios that are NOT 821's but newer ones they got so who knows I think some of these countys just have money to spend and want somthing new kind of like the Colts and the Pacers even though I like both teams but new Stadiums from Tax money same for new communications. I realy dont see or hear Digital being so great on Safe T any better than Analog Meca ya it might help but who knows.

 

[Viper43]

There is a big quality difference between SAFET and MECA, and even bigger jump between SAFET and Hamilton Co EDACS.... if you can even get Hamilton Co!

V