Bullitt County updates

[ColonelMike]

For those of you in the Louisville Metro area and Bullitt County, Bullitt County received a grant last year to upgrade their radio systems. Everything purchased was P25 capable but they are not going digital yet. Due to money issues, no portables or mobiles were bought, just a complete overhaul to the current system. They are currently in the process of making these repairs. They will include adding a police channel (3 from 2), adding fire channels, and an additional EMS channel. Some of the channels are already listed and are simplex but will be on a repeater when the system is done. Some of the changes that are a definite are a single dispatch channel for fire along with 3 operations channels on repeaters. Also, the police may use one of the two additional police channels for a service channel. That is of course dependent on communications staffing.

Also, the current repeater system is very out of date. The new system for EMS and police will include voters to decide which repeater to use, instead of the single system now. Also, there are upgrades to the backup generators at all the sites. The coverage map I have seen shows an increase in coverage for the entire area. All of this is slated to be completed by September from what I last heard.

 

[unitcharlie]

Thanx for the update kycophpd... It's good hearing what the folks in Bullitt are doing with their system.... I'd kinda wondered about this since posting it last year and then never heard anything new.... keep us posted as things move forward!

 

[ofd8001]

I'm glad they are going to dispatch their fire departments on something other than the operations channels. It gets kinda ugly when you are in the middle of a house fire, trying to tell everyone to get out because of deteriorating conditions while dispatch is sending another department to a trash fire.

 

[ColonelMike]

A quick update - I spoke with some guys in the fire service who have still been told the system will be operational by the end of October (I know, that is just a few days away). They still have not had their radio's programmed with the new channels. I did notice while looking around the FCC database, Bullitt County did get 4 total frequencies added. I'm still not sure if these are for the transmit side of things or just additional talk-around channels or for something other than public safety.

If I hear anymore, I will be sure to post and the minute I find out the new receive frequencies and channel assignments, I will pass them on to one of the two Kentucky guys for addition to the database.

 

[unitcharlie]

Thanx brother, there are a bunch of scannists out there waiting for the new info...

 

[ColonelMike]

The new system will have the switch flipped on December 1st, 2009 at 8am!!! It should be fun for those of you wanting to listen that day. Hopefully, it is an uneventful switch. Most things stayed somewhat the same but moved some stuff around. The exciting part for those of us that work out here is the system has been completely rewired and redone from the ground up basically. Generators were repaired or upgraded, lines on the towers replaced, equipment upgraded. This should make our system here safe compared to what we currently have. The guys at the Emergency Management worked their butts off to get grants to upgrade this system. From what I last heard, this is all P25 capable but WE ARE NOT going digital at this time. They got this for now because it is needed but also for the future.

 

[wx4svr]

Thanks for the updates on the system. I know several people at dispatch and (don't tell anyone.. :wink I'm applying for a position at BC Dispatch. Do you have any other information? (Freqs. and channel assignments been assigned, etc...)

 

[ColonelMike]

I apologize to the admins for Kentucky. When the latest updates were sent in with changes, they were for the December 1st date but ended up getting updated in the current list. I will send the correct info in later today so the list can be corrected before the switchover on Tuesday. Sorry for any confusion but I guess the December 1st listings can be removed from the pages now.

 

[ColonelMike]

Delay

The switch has been delayed until 12-8-2009..... Welcome to government work!!

 

[wx4svr]

The switch has been delayed until 12-8-2009..... Welcome to government work!!

:evil:

 

[wx4svr]

Hey guys... got a question sent to me via email and I don't know how to answer it. It's below... any help would be nice.

"Cody - My scanner seems to go off at 9:30 each night and go straight to static. What's up?"

I haven't noticed it on my end, but I'm thinking it may have something to do with the switch to the newer system forthcoming. The scanner is fine, I have personally checked it as it's my grandfather's scanner.

 

[ColonelMike]

I have two different scanners that I use and have not noticed that at all. The new system that will be going active on 12-8-09 is the same receive frequency as current, just a different PL tone and different transmit frequency. The police channel itself is already active under the new repeater but not being used yet but to my knowledge, it is not getting shut off at night for any reason so that should not be the problem. I would say it would have to be something with the scanner. If mine is working okay and I assume yours is working okay, I would say it would have to be something with the scanner.

 

[wx4svr]

I have two different scanners that I use and have not noticed that at all. The new system that will be going active on 12-8-09 is the same receive frequency as current, just a different PL tone and different transmit frequency. The police channel itself is already active under the new repeater but not being used yet but to my knowledge, it is not getting shut off at night for any reason so that should not be the problem. I would say it would have to be something with the scanner. If mine is working okay and I assume yours is working okay, I would say it would have to be something with the scanner.

I checked last night and my scanner is receiving B Co. fine. I'm thinking their scanner may be going out. It's an old model Radio Shack.

 

[ColonelMike]

Switchover for the Police channel happens today. As far as scanning goes, the only thing changing is the PL tone which is listed correctly in the database. However, as stated before there are now 3 different repeater sites which should be a noticeable difference for the users.

The switch is supposed to happen at noon for those wanting to listen in.

The fire channels will be switching over at a later date once some equipment issues get taken care of.

Happy monitoring!!