Santa Rosa County & Narrow Banding

[Peddicord]

I continue to grow frustrated as time marches on. I can't find any information about Santa Rosa County, and the need to narrow-band coming up. Seems like it's getting late. last time I spoke with the Sheriff, he said it was "all in the works," but couldn't speak about specifics. It sounded like he delegated so much, he just doesn't have a handle on it. The town of Milton (County Seat), has allocated $40,000 for new radio equipment for both the Police and Fire Departments. That seems like a small sum for even their meager needs. Anyone have any idea, or heard anything?

 

[ki4wbn]

Haven't heard anything, but it could also depend on how new their radios are. If they have a radio that is generally less than 10 years old, sometimes it's a matter of going into the programming software and unchecking wide band or checking narrowband. Older radios though would have to be replaced.

Just thoughts. Don't have any information though on them. Hopefully though he is at least doing SOMETHING. Seems many agencies and users are having a general "it's no big deal if I don't do anything" attitudes.

 

[KE5TLF]

You sure the 40k is for equipment? Sounds more in line with the sum they would need for reprogramming services for their existing radios as KI5WBN just mentioned. In radios that allow it, it should be a realtively cheap, easy, and quick process.

A quick check of a few random licenses listed around the area seem to indicate this may well be the plan too.

 

[harrisjt]

Most of the equipt in santarosa is pretty new since IVAN they have replaced most of thier stuff county wide including cites with equipt that is narrow band compliant.

 

[Peddicord]

The equipment in Milton is new, and has been programmed, but not activated. Santa Rosa completed all vehicle reprogramming last week, but have not activated. I have heard that they are finishing work on repeaters, but no date on "turn on" yet. Word is they will continue Law enforcement on 450 band, with one source suggesting a trunking mode. I guess we will just waitand see, but I suspect we are very close.

 

[wise871]

Thanks for the update. From looking at the FCC data they haven't applied or modified anything so Im guessing the frequencies should remain the same. I also heard rumor that the south end may finally split into two dispatches, D1 Gulf Breeze and D2 Navarre. Each may have there own channel. Again that is just a rumor I heard.

 

[Peddicord]

Like many of the things that have plagued the Santa Rosa Sheriff's Office, I think D1 & D2 being placed on one channel is budget related. D4 & 5 dispatch from one channel as well, though RR doesn't tell you that. In order to keep patrol deputies at levels "close," to what they should be, cuts were made to positions all over. The Radio Room was no exception. Deputy levels are still WAY short, and only recently was a dedicated Traffic Unit re-established. That was only because of community pressure on the County Commisioners, and the Sheriff.
Still, the dispatchers at times covering two channels each, around the clock, make them as busy as one armed paper-hangers. Currently, the dispatchers and channels are paired thus: D1, & 2 D3, & Admin.(Ch 6) D4, & 5 with the Jail on Ch. 7

 

[wise871]

You are correct in everything you have mentioned. I've noticed for years as dispatchers handled two channels at a time. I agree the levels are way short and the department is under- manned and under equipped.

 

[Peddicord]

Anyone have any idea what sheriff's cars are equipped with radio wise? All I can tell is that it is said to be Motorola, and I can hear the MDC1200 "squawk."

 

[Chris1071]

I was in a fire station on the South end of the county this past week and they had all their portables laid out on the front of one of the engines for programming. I talked to one fire officer that stated they were in the process of completing the narrowbanding but that they were having issues and had been told to keep cell phones and pagers available until they work the bugs out.