Central Michigan Still VHF?

[SCPD]

I recently visited some family for the holidays (Reed City, MI) and they are still dispatching law on 158.82 and fire on 154.34; same around the area. VHF old analog...Wexford, Mescosta, Lake... my question is... why have they not moved to the digital MPSCS TRS? And, if obviously for money reasons, do they plan to?

Thanks!

 

[jack3726]

Good question and I have asked similar. I wanted to know at one time how the costing model for a county fits into using MPSCS. A majority of these counties have TGID's associated to them as well based on the RR database, are they in use, maybe. MSP is on this in most of the area from what I know as well as probably the DNR. In this day and age the cost factor will probably always dictate it. Do counties who are still on VHF have any radio patching to MPSCS at all.

 

[jaspence]

Mpscs vhf

Niles in Berrien county patches into the system but still uses 450-460 MHz frequencies. Cost is a problem for some areas, both for radios and I think there is also a per microphone charge.

 

[jack3726]

Is the patch a simulcast or for direct communications.

 

[drdispatch]

Three reasons why counties don't join the MPSCS;
1) Cost. There is an annual $200 per radio user fee, & the radios themselves aren't cheap.
2) The "Status Quo". Our current system has worked for us for xx years, why change?
3) Empires. That system is owned by the state, & they control it, & we don't need the state telling us what to do, we want to keep control of our OWN radio system...

 

[jack3726]

Thanks for the information.