ButchGone
Member
Catoosa County's Board of Commissioners has now agreed to have their county attorneys draft a contract with the City of Chattanooga to use their 800Mhz trunked system as the backbone for their new system.
During a recent meeting with Commissioners, Sheriff Phil Summers said original plans to build Catoosas' own system have fallen through because of the cost involved. He said it's much more cost effective to tie-into Chattanoogas', and that the process to build the system can begin now rather than waiting several more years for funds to acrue.
Three of Chattanooga's towers radiate signals south of the Tennessee/Georgia state line; Lookout Mountain, Signal Mountian and White Oak Mountian.
Summers said based on studies by Motorola engineers, Catoosa would have to add one, or possibly two sites that tie-into Chattanooga's system.
Summers added it would cost the county about $50,000 per year to fund the system, as opposed to $70,000 to pay for maintenance on it's own six to eight site system.
Currently the VHF-high band system at 150 MHz provides 50% to 60% portable coverage across Catoosa County, and the numerous mountains and ridges are the main problem. Summers said with signals coming from Chattanooga's system and a tower in the county portable coverage would exceed 80%.
Chattanooga upgraded it's system last summer from a SmartNet system to an Astro SmartZone 3,600 baud system that supports analog and digital voice and data. The system was also designed to allow neighboring counties to tie-into a regional system.
Walker County Sheriff Steve Wilson said he's also interested in doing what Catoosa County is planning but funds are not available.
To see how such a system would work, check the Chatham County Georgia trunked system. It now supports a satellite system in Effingham County to the north with it's own set of frequencies.
Chattanooga officials have said they have offered the expansion of the 800Mhz trunked system into neighboring Marion, Rhea, Meigs and Bradley counties in Tennessee. Officials in those counties have said it's a good idea but that the cost to develop a trunked system is too high at current county funding levels. Marion County Sheriff Bo Burnett said engineers told him it would take seven sites to cover the mountainous terrain there.
Bradley County EMA officials have said they want to move toward an 800MHz system, but they are at odds with the City of Cleveland, which wants to remain in the 150MHZ range.
Updates on the Catoosa County 800MHz system will follow as engineering and construction of sites begins.
Catoosa agenices scheduled to move toward 800MHz include Catoosa County Sheriff's Department, Fire-Rescue and Emergency Medical Service. No word yet as to whether cities of Ringgold and Fort Oglethorpe will make the switch when the county does.
During a recent meeting with Commissioners, Sheriff Phil Summers said original plans to build Catoosas' own system have fallen through because of the cost involved. He said it's much more cost effective to tie-into Chattanoogas', and that the process to build the system can begin now rather than waiting several more years for funds to acrue.
Three of Chattanooga's towers radiate signals south of the Tennessee/Georgia state line; Lookout Mountain, Signal Mountian and White Oak Mountian.
Summers said based on studies by Motorola engineers, Catoosa would have to add one, or possibly two sites that tie-into Chattanooga's system.
Summers added it would cost the county about $50,000 per year to fund the system, as opposed to $70,000 to pay for maintenance on it's own six to eight site system.
Currently the VHF-high band system at 150 MHz provides 50% to 60% portable coverage across Catoosa County, and the numerous mountains and ridges are the main problem. Summers said with signals coming from Chattanooga's system and a tower in the county portable coverage would exceed 80%.
Chattanooga upgraded it's system last summer from a SmartNet system to an Astro SmartZone 3,600 baud system that supports analog and digital voice and data. The system was also designed to allow neighboring counties to tie-into a regional system.
Walker County Sheriff Steve Wilson said he's also interested in doing what Catoosa County is planning but funds are not available.
To see how such a system would work, check the Chatham County Georgia trunked system. It now supports a satellite system in Effingham County to the north with it's own set of frequencies.
Chattanooga officials have said they have offered the expansion of the 800Mhz trunked system into neighboring Marion, Rhea, Meigs and Bradley counties in Tennessee. Officials in those counties have said it's a good idea but that the cost to develop a trunked system is too high at current county funding levels. Marion County Sheriff Bo Burnett said engineers told him it would take seven sites to cover the mountainous terrain there.
Bradley County EMA officials have said they want to move toward an 800MHz system, but they are at odds with the City of Cleveland, which wants to remain in the 150MHZ range.
Updates on the Catoosa County 800MHz system will follow as engineering and construction of sites begins.
Catoosa agenices scheduled to move toward 800MHz include Catoosa County Sheriff's Department, Fire-Rescue and Emergency Medical Service. No word yet as to whether cities of Ringgold and Fort Oglethorpe will make the switch when the county does.
