Berks County - Proposed 700/800mhz Digital Trunked Radio System

[RichardKramer]

Berks 700MHz system

Brian & Ben; Thankyou for your comments in helping clearing up some issues I had with this system.
It just seems to me alot of money to spend when our economy is not good, and people are struggling to keep their homes and jobs. I know many of the fire companies have crossband links which seem to work very well and they don't have alot of money to spend. I wonder when the loans these townships and boroughs have taken are paid up how well the equipment will hold up for the length of the loan they are taking out. Motorola is known to say "we don't make parts to repair anymore; or you have to go to a new system or new radios " as they have told Montgomery County. I'll hope for the best, again thanks for this discussion, I appreciate all your comments.

 

[bgottschallberks]

Brian & Ben; Thankyou for your comments in helping clearing up some issues I had with this system.
It just seems to me alot of money to spend when our economy is not good, and people are struggling to keep their homes and jobs. I know many of the fire companies have crossband links which seem to work very well and they don't have alot of money to spend. I wonder when the loans these townships and boroughs have taken are paid up how well the equipment will hold up for the length of the loan they are taking out. Motorola is known to say "we don't make parts to repair anymore; or you have to go to a new system or new radios " as they have told Montgomery County. I'll hope for the best, again thanks for this discussion, I appreciate all your comments.

I am glad that your concerns have been at least somewhat eased. I would offer one more series of facts in response to your latest concern...

The municipalities received 7 year 0% interest financing from the County. Their first payment was due this year (2013). Those that took the financing for the full 7 years will pay off their hardware in 2019. We required a full 4 years of drop and swap warranty on all portable AND mobile radios. This means the users walk into the shop, drop their portable and get a replacement programmed identically to the one they drop. Same with a mobile. INCLUDED in the cost is the shop pulling the faulty radio and installing a loaner and then swapping them back once the original comes back from depot repair. This is at NO additional cost. This warranty starts running at Final System Acceptance. Even though many agencies have already received their radios and are using them (VHF users with dual band radios), our contract freezes the warranty until FSA. So, when the county signs off on the system (presumably in June, 2014), that is when the 4 years starts running.

Additionally, agencies were able to extend this warranty program at their cost (which almost all did) for a maximum of 6 additional years for $80/yr. for a portable or $110/yr. for a mobile. While some bought 6 additional years, most bought 3 so the radios were covered at least through the repayment period.

The pricing on our subscriber hardware is also frozen for 4 years after FSA. Therefore, agencies can add on additional years of warranty beyond whatever they bought even 4 years from next year.

Finally, Motorola has committed under contract that they may not end of life ANY hardware in the system that is under maint. This is a commitment to support this generation of hardware for AT LEAST 10 years after FSA (since at least some hardware will be under maint. for this time period as a minimum).

I am positive we have made some mistakes and there will be hurdles and hiccups. What I am also positive about is that we negotiated VERY smartly and have benefits in our contract that even the largest of federal contracts don't have available to them.

 

[ND3U]

Frequency database

Any idea when the Berks County database will reflect the 700/800mhz frequencies? Trying to follow the thread but could someone refresh my memory, what type of system is this going to be, will it be encrypted, and when is it going into service?

 

[GTR8000]

The system is already in the database.

Berks County Public Safety Radio System Trunking System, Berks County, Pennsylvania - Scanner Frequencies

 

[bgottschallberks]

Any idea when the Berks County database will reflect the 700/800mhz frequencies? Trying to follow the thread but could someone refresh my memory, what type of system is this going to be, will it be encrypted, and when is it going into service?

Motorola P25 TDMA 2 site simulcast

Law Enforcement TGs AES encrypted

Current project schedule says final acceptance 5/31/14 assuming the county can hand off the remaining tower sites to the vendor by 12/31/13

 

[ND3U]

Encryption

I would like to know the reasons why the county decided on encrypting the police talk groups. I, for one, want to know and stay informed as to what is going on. Encrypting these will take away everyone's ability to do this. After all, police departments have operated without encryption for how long.

We all know that there's nothing that sensitive that is being broadcasted on a daily basis that needs encryption. I can agree that talk groups like tactical operations and detectives should be encrypted. As for routine police business, it should remain in the clear.

When was the last time anyone heard something on one of the police frequencies that should have been encrypted? I never have and I've been listening to scanners for over 20 years and in several different states.

What's next? The county encrypting the public works/road crews frequencies?

 

[sibbley]

Any news? Is the system still on schedule?

 

[bgottschallberks]

Any news? Is the system still on schedule?

Unfortunately, no. This has been a terrible winter for construction as you can imagine. We actually topped out the last steel this Tuesday and the electric at that site is being energized today. We have a lot of construction punchlisting to do but this allows us to turn the final sites over to Motorola for their work. As such, we set a date of turnover of March 31 (three months later than the December 31 we hoped for). This allows motorola to delay the project an equal amount of time to accomplish the work they need to get done after receiving the sites. They are finalizing the detailed schedule for the remainder of the project now but the preliminary infromation is that the cutover will move from the first week of June to the first week of August.

 

[sibbley]

Unfortunately, no. This has been a terrible winter for construction as you can imagine.

I can imagine all too well. I work for a company that produces asphalt products. We just need to hope for a dry spring!

 

[GB1952]

ENC

TO STOP SOME OF THIS WE NEED TO CONTACT THE SHERIFF OR CHEIFs OF THE DEPTs AND OR MAYORS

 

[kayn1n32008]

TO STOP SOME OF THIS WE NEED TO CONTACT THE SHERIFF OR CHEIFs OF THE DEPTs AND OR MAYORS

No need to shout.


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[lancopa]

TO STOP SOME OF THIS WE NEED TO CONTACT THE SHERIFF OR CHEIFs OF THE DEPTs AND OR MAYORS

He is correct though. Tax payers are paying for this system. They have a right to be able to monitor the system that protects them. Some ENC yes, fully? Congratulations your county spit in your face. There is no other way to word it, they took your money, and will continue to do it and spit in your face.


Lancaster is doing the EXACT same thing. They did a press release on TV and papers two years ago. Transparent system, scanner friendly, VERY LIMITED ENC. Now the Police dispatch will be clear, all other PD ENC, EMS some ENC. Complete joke if you ask me.

Guess what I do if I have sensitive information to be shared? I Tell the person in person. SHOCKER.

Lancaster bugs me the most, the tax payers paid a lot for OpenSKY. Just to have it cut, thankfully. Now we're paying for the new system for later this year and they too are spitting in our faces. Write, Call and stop by their offices. Your county commissioners, call, write, visit. Same thing for the 911 office. Call, write, or visit the people in charge. Enough people complain, then they may change it. If enough people in your area complain, they may change. If not, go further, contact your reps. Local and congressman/woman. Afterall some of the grants are from homeland security probably.

 

[cavmedic]

The governmental leadership is clueless, you won't get anywhere with police chiefs as they do not want anyone listening. They all say the same knee jerk response. " officer safety"


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[lancopa]

Any updates?

 

[cavmedic]

The new SOP's were distributed , what a mess that is to read let alone for common end users to actually understand.


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[cdknapp]

The new SOP's were distributed , what a mess that is to read let alone for common end users to actually understand.

I am sure that there is quite a learning curve being the user of a new system like this one. Have you ever used the state's Open Sky system? Is it the new system THAT bad?? Just curious!

 

[cavmedic]

I am sure that there is quite a learning curve being the user of a new system like this one. Have you ever used the state's Open Sky system? Is it the new system THAT bad?? Just curious!

Never had the privilege of using broken sky.

But the SOP's are most likely written by a lawyer as it closely mimics a Motorola contract than it does actual procedures.




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[lancopa]

The new SOP's were distributed , what a mess that is to read let alone for common end users to actually understand.


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Is everything encrypted do you know?

Is there a way to find them online?

 

[cavmedic]

It looks like all of PD all of sheriffs operations are encrypted with some DES , and fire and EMS are in the clear


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[lancopa]

It looks like all of PD all of sheriffs operations are encrypted with some DES , and fire and EMS are in the clear


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Thanks!!