For the last week or so, the Catawba Country Sheriff Dept has been simulcasting their dispatch on the Hickory EDACS system. They are using the HPD Channel 12 Training talk group. Anybody know if they are just testing or is this permanent?
Catawba County simulcast on Hickory EDACS
- Thread starter Baddad
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As a followup, they are also dispatching Hickory Fire Dept on Hickory EDACS HPD Channel 11 Training.
Are they simulcasting the VHF channel or have they switched completely? If so, is it just the dispatcher audio or both sides?
It would seem silly to me for them to move from VHF since all the other fire/EMS services are on VHF in the county. Well, plus their VHF system kicks butt. I can get it fine in central Gaston County on a HT
They are still using their normal VHF channels as well. Both the dispatchers & the units are heard on EDACS & VHF.
There had been talk of new interop capability and this must be it.
Appears to be VHF/800 patches just like they do with VHF mutual aid on HPD CH-2.
Slick that you can monitor HFD and HPD together on same band now.
There are rumblings of Catawba County going to VIPER in the future. Hickory EDACS system wouldn't provide good enough county wide coverage.
Too bad it's not HPD dispatch on VHF for those of us who are old timers and prefer VHF
I think it would really hurt to walk away from the VHF system they have, it just kicks butt like a cross-eyed Rockette :lol:
msigmon3306
Member
There's been a lot of experimenting with various things for the past year in Catawba County. I'm not sure what Hickory is doing with their current patches but those of us still on VHF can't monitor them. We've had our SO patched to VIPER for a few months now. It helps the lake patrol officers out because of a few dead areas on Lake Norman and Lake Hickory. The eventual plan is to transition to VIPER but have it patched to the current VHF system-Fire, EMS, Law.
Tomorrow I'm handing out VIPER portables to our division that handles scheduled transfers and letting them play for a couple of days. It will be the first real world test of the system for us.
Tomorrow I'm handing out VIPER portables to our division that handles scheduled transfers and letting them play for a couple of days. It will be the first real world test of the system for us.
Will they be operating on the EMS TG? Is that still patched to VHF 100% or just as needed/wanted when not testing?
msigmon3306
Member
They'll be on the Catawba County EMS TG. It's not patched to VHF at this time.
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