Alaska/ALMR Communications Info Thread

[kikito]

I figure I start a thread where we can post internet articles, links and otherwise related stuff to communications in general and the ALMR system in Alaska.

Here's a couple to start with:

http://www.frontiersman.com/articles/2006/07/04/news/news3.txt

http://kodiakdailymirror.com/?pid=19&id=3376

 

[blantonl]

Something interesting to note is that the Project manager in charge of security for the ALMR system contacted me directly telling me he was going to send a letter asking me to remove the system information... very "direct" kind of guy.

I told him that since the system is supporting state and local agency operations in Alaska, I would not be complying, and he replied "Oh yes you will", for which I responded "This is my last message to you, and no I won't"

I think a big change to the policy of this site is in order for the Fed/Mil removal stuff.. some of these agencies are getting out of hand...

-Lb

 

[AlaskaRadar]

Lindsay,
If it helps at all, I REALLY appreciate this site. It is the most informative and active site for scanner information. Thanks Again.

Radar

 

[kikito]

I think a big change to the policy of this site is in order for the Fed/Mil removal stuff.. some of these agencies are getting out of hand...

-Lb

Yes, is unfortunate how the ALMR management is reacting to the info posted here.

It seems to me that maybe they thought they had some kind of obscure, secret technology that nobody knew anything about. As we all know, the APCO25 standards are just that; OPEN standards and OPEN source and publicly available knowledge/documents that anybody can get from doing a little reading and research. The documents for any APCO related standard can even be purchased right here: http://www.tiaonline.org/

The frequencies are publicly available at the FCC website: http://www.fcc.gov/

And besides, most, if not all of the communications and agencies switching to the ALMR system (including the military) were monitorable before in regular conventional frequencies that were widely available on the web too.

If they would look around this same website and database, they would realize that for years before ALMR went up, there were MANY other P25 systems across the nation with far more info posted about them than the ALMR has ever had.

Anyway, like others have said, thank you Lindsay for providing this website.

To stay on topic, here's another link:

http://www.efji.com/news_pop_up.asp?ArticleID=167

 

[kikito]

http://www.akdemocrats.org/index.php?bill=scr22

http://www.sitnews.us/0903news/092403/092403_almr.html

http://www.eis.army.mil/dcats/n-05-12-01.html

 

[kikito]

Here's a few more, including some stuff straight from the Homeland Security Digital Library and other government related sites:


https://www.hsdl.org/hslog/?q=node/1885

http://www.techmarketing.brtrc.com/clients/asc/web/dev/pubs/alt_online/article.cfm?iID=0605&aid=01

http://www.nlectc.org/virlib/InfoDetail.asp?intInfoID=575

http://www.fcw.com/vendorsolutions/peo06/alaska.asp

http://www.aksji.org/ALMR.htm

http://mrtmag.com/mag/radio_trailblazers/index.html

http://www.govtech.net/magazine/story.php?id=40773&issue=3:2003

 

[kl1lt]

Good stuff.
The thing I find funny is the impression that is some sort of top secret, secure communication. A year or so ago before Eielson went ALMR, I was told by the radio techs that listening would be all but immpossible.

 

[kikito]

These ones about the Mat-Com dispatch center in the Valley:

http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/story/7933013p-7826694c.html

http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/matsu/story/6111880p-5995134c.html

http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/story/7933005p-7826680c.html

 

[kikito]

Interesting one about how cellphones can overwhelm the 911 center in Anchorage:

http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/crime/story/7960367p-7853766c.html

 

[kikito]

Some interesting tests/info/results on how they're using satellite comms for bringing ALMR connectivity to remote/"bush" areas of Alaska:

http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/214711.pdf

 

[2FISH]

Great site, just what I've been looking for.

I'm not surprised to read how stupid the feds are being with this ALMR secrecy. When the techs where here in Whittier setting up the new system, I asked what frequencies the system was going to use, they almost laughed and said they couldn't say and that I wouldn't be able to find that info.

I don't understand the secrecy anyway; I know here in Whittier all the volunteers’ ems/fire/police have the new ALMR radios. The BIG Cruise Ships also have the ALMR radios, and those boats are full of foreign workers. If the wrong people wanted to listen, I'm sure they could get hold of one of these radios.

 

[kikito]

Good article and overview of the ALMR system:

http://www.networkworld.com/news/2006/082806-wireless-alaska.html

 

[kikito]

http://www.washingtontechnology.com/news/1_1/daily_news/29199-1.html

 

[brey1234]

The new Alaska Land Mobile Radio System is now operational for 8,000 first responders, and is in the process of adding state troopers and additional police and emergency responders to the system.

The interoperable statewide radio system is sponsored by the state, the Defense Department and other agencies and has been funded with about $71 million in federal funds and $18 million in state funds thus far, according to a news release from Maj. Gen. Craig E. Campbell, state commissioner of military and veterans affairs. The total cost is estimated at $120 million.
http://www.washingtontechnology.com/news/1_1/daily_news/29199-1.html

 

[kikito]

Here's a new article from the Fairbanks News Miner:

http://newsminer.com/2006/11/13/3284/

 

[kikito]

Mat-Su Valley related:

http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/matsu/story/8388943p-8284235c.html

 

[kikito]

"Wasilla police eye adding laptops to their arsenal"

http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/matsu/story/8388944p-8284236c.html

 

[kikito]

Fairbanks News-Miner article: "More emergency agencies making move to digital"

http://newsminer.com/2006/12/04/3719/

 

[kikito]

IAFC alert about unintelligible digital audio

Here's an interesting issue that might concern Firefighters using digital radios and especially "those" using encrypted comms:


The IAFC is alerting its members to a potential issue and soliciting their input to a solution.

http://www.iafc.org/displaycommon.cfm?an=1&subarticlenbr=719



Common Fireground Noise May Cause Unintelligibility of Digital Radio Transmissions

http://www.iafc.org/displayindustryarticle.cfm?articlenbr=33118

 

[kikito]

IWCE: Frontline seeks flexibility in public-safety partnership

http://mrtmag.com/iwce/news/frontline-public-safety-033007/

Under the Frontline proposal, the winning commercial bidder would enter “good faith” negotiations with a national public-safety licensee on a network sharing agreement that would provide the commercial operator with secondary access to the public-safety spectrum and public safety preemption rights to the commercial spectrum in cases of emergency.

If an agreement is reached, the commercial operator would have to provide coverage serving 70% of the continental U.S. population within four years, 95% coverage in seven years and 98% coverage in 10 years. All cities in Alaska with a population exceeding 10,000 people would be covered during the first four years, and the operator would work with the Alaska Land Mobile Radio project to provide further coverage in the state.