Bluegrass Regional Radio Network (BRRN) - Discussion Forum

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Remington12G

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The Madison County Fiscal Court has initiated a partnership with The University of Kentucky and Georgetown/Scott County. Currently, Maidson County's radios system has reached its end of the life cycle, the result of that being that Madison County has now received federal grants allowing them to upgrade. The proposed plan is to purchase one TDMA core from The University of Kentucky and purchase one from Georgetown/Scott County. Agreements between all governing body's will be voted on soon.

BRRN is being initiated for the following reasons,
Interoperability: Communications between all agencies utilizing this system
Mutual Aid: Easier to request & respond to Mutual Aid requested by agencies using this system.
Coverage: This system would allow portable on hip radio coverage from the top of Rockcastle County to the top of Scott County.

This forum will be used for updates as well as information sharing on this system.
 

KK4JW

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I hope whatever they do is easier to monitor. I basically live across the river from one of the transmitter sites and it's a struggle to get a solid decode with my 996XT.
 

Remington12G

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Recap of this mornings Scott County Fiscal Court meeting.
A discussion between Madison County EMA Director, Madison County IT Director, TUSA Consultanting, aswell as County Magistrates and the Scott County EMA Director.

The word is that Scott County does not want to sell a core to Madison County as the secondary core being used is a backup 911 center allowing the EOC to act as 911 in the event of an emergency. The estimated cost of a core from L3 Harris is around $500,000 brand new.

More discussion will ensue soon however the plan is to start linking before FY 2021.
 

Remington12G

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I hope whatever they do is easier to monitor. I basically live across the river from one of the transmitter sites and it's a struggle to get a solid decode with my 996XT.
They are wanting to operate full time TDMA with the exception of some Interop/Mutual Aid channels.
 

Andyssonopie

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Didn't Madison Co. just upgrade all there systems a few years back? I know I hauled alot of freight for the new towers that was put up and who knows how many thousands of dollars of new radios to the EOC building.
 

Remington12G

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Didn't Madison Co. just upgrade all there systems a few years back? I know I hauled alot of freight for the new towers that was put up and who knows how many thousands of dollars of new radios to the EOC building.
About 10 years ago. When they bought the system they are currently using they selected the plan where after so many years of use Harris would provide new upgraded radios and the county would pay for the cores. The CSEPP federal grant is what is allowing all this to happen.
 
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Remington12G

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For example. When Lexington bought their system from Tait Communications, they did whats called a smart value plan where after so many years the radios would be upgraded to what ever is latest and greatest.

At this time there is no plan for Lexington joining the BRRN
 

Andyssonopie

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About 10 years ago. When they bought the system they are currently using they selected the plan where after so many years of use Harris would provide new upgraded radios and the county would pay for the cores. The CSEPP federal grant is what is allowing all this to happen.
10 years, dang time flies when your having fun.......
 

Remington12G

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Lexington wont join because it is a tait system. Madison , UK , Scott Co are all harris based systems
Curious to when this system is finally linked and online and these "other counties" who have already expressed that they would like to join. If I'm not mistaken (which I don't think I am), If you join this system once linked they want you to be TDMA. The way UK & Scott currently have their systems setup is for TDMA exclusively (but can use FDMA Phase 1 if needed). That's the entire reason Madison County needs a new core is because of the TDMA mandate for the system. Point being that these "other counties" will have to spend quite a lot on radio equipment and still pay a fee to the BRRN administrators.
 

scannerboy02

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Get the state to purchase a core (they probably already have one) and connect to it. These counties looking to build P25 systems really need to start thinking BIGGER than just themselves and the counties around them. They could save a lot of money by thinking bigger, but the companies selling the equipment won't tell them that.
 

Remington12G

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Get the state to purchase a core (they probably already have one) and connect to it. These counties looking to build P25 systems really need to start thinking BIGGER than just themselves and the counties around them. They could save a lot of money by thinking bigger, but the companies selling the equipment won't tell them that.
I was thinking the same thing. If for example, KSP Post 12 wanted to migrate to a 7/800 system with coverage for their & neighboring post's then they already have a starting point. Coverage in Scott County goes all the way up to Noah's Ark in Grant County and down to Man O' War in Lexington on a handheld, you can get 15 plus more miles on mobile with that as well. The new system will have coverage from the top of Scott to the top of Rockcastle County. Madison, Georgetown/Scott, & UK are the admins for this system. I wouldn't be surprised if they have already received inquires from a state agency.
 

kib669

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I was thinking the same thing. If for example, KSP Post 12 wanted to migrate to a 7/800 system with coverage for their & neighboring post's then they already have a starting point. Coverage in Scott County goes all the way up to Noah's Ark in Grant County and down to Man O' War in Lexington on a handheld, you can get 15 plus more miles on mobile with that as well. The new system will have coverage from the top of Scott to the top of Rockcastle County. Madison, Georgetown/Scott, & UK are the admins for this system. I wouldn't be surprised if they have already received inquires from a state agency.

That will NEVER happen. KSP is all Motorola and has even gone to a near criminal levels trying to stop all DHS Federal funds from going to anyone not buying Motorola.

They claim they are going to put in a statewide Motorola P25 700/800 system. Not sure where they think they will get the money. However, they have a big problem as their UHF system is all Motorola Quantars that have not been supported for a few years now.
 

Remington12G

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That will NEVER happen. KSP is all Motorola and has even gone to a near criminal levels trying to stop all DHS Federal funds from going to anyone not buying Motorola.

They claim they are going to put in a statewide Motorola P25 700/800 system. Not sure where they think they will get the money. However, they have a big problem as their UHF system is all Motorola Quantars that have not been supported for a few years now.
It was an example. I dont know the full backstory about KSP and Motorola but if another state agency ever had a hope to go to 7/800MHz then this might be where they would start.
 
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scannerboy02

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That will NEVER happen. KSP is all Motorola and has even gone to a near criminal levels trying to stop all DHS Federal funds from going to anyone not buying Motorola.

They claim they are going to put in a statewide Motorola P25 700/800 system. Not sure where they think they will get the money. However, they have a big problem as their UHF system is all Motorola Quantars that have not been supported for a few years now.
The great part of P25 is that it's not manufacturer specific, all the parts must work together, the entire point of P25. If KSP wants to use Motorola equipment they can, the system doesn't care.
 

Remington12G

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For anyone interested. Here is the 2nd Reading & Adoption of the BRRN by the Madison County Fiscal Court.
 

k4ktr

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The great part of P25 is that it's not manufacturer specific, all the parts must work together, the entire point of P25. If KSP wants to use Motorola equipment they can, the system doesn't care.
I hate to tell you know matter how IOP it is motorola Dose thing to make it only work with motorola stuff the do this all the time
 

Remington12G

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If you skip to about 2:10 on the video it shows a APX talking with a XL-200P


Anyway, no new update from any governing body, there should be a court workshop on Friday for Scott County,
 

k4ktr

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If you skip to about 2:10 on the video it shows a APX talking with a XL-200P


Anyway, no new update from any governing body, there should be a court workshop on Friday for Scott County,
That may be so but there all on the harris system it is well documented that motorola dose thing on the system side to stop there systems from being tied to other non Motorola systems also at a deeper level motorla for years had ADP ENC and only until a few years ago it was properatery only. moto would sell a system and give you adp for free talk you in to using it so you would only buy moto radios so you can have adp.
 
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