ocguard said:
PSP stations are using OpenSky for voice now? I wasn't aware. I had heard a rumor that PennDot had abandoned their OpenSky radios and re-installed lowband radios in their vehicles because of excessive coverage lapses.
PennDOT has encountered coverage issues across the northern tier of PA (the coverage is still very spotty in some counties across the north). The problem you're referenceing was in the northeast (District 4) and was publicized in the news media.
PennDOT is still officially rolling out OpenSky, although certain districts will keep their lowband equipment until coverage is built out. District 6 and other area have been using OpenSky for some time.
ocguard said:
Does this mean that the Amish school shooting was the first true test of how OpenSky preformed under pressure? Does anyone have and idea on how it handled?
No idea what was used for this event. I would imagine things were done on both VHF and OpenSky since Lancaster and Ephrata Barracks have been the current test beds for voice. PSP units were brought in from outside that area and the PSP SERT team uses UHF P25 portables for tactical comms (still in use back in May when Bush came to Montco), so there's another band in use, too. In the past, when large incidents went down, PSP used 154.755 for coordination. As I said, I don't know what exactly happened at the Amish School...perhaps somebody else was monitoring and could add info here.
If I get wind of changes, I will surely let everyone know. As of now, the last official thing I have seen is that PSP still expects total voice rollout by the end of 2007. Have fun listening for now, because things will continue to get quieter over the course of the next year.