Charlotte gets Federal Grant for system

[kg4pbd]

Anyone see the article in the Charlotte Observer this morning?

"The money will allow the counties to buy digital microwave equipment and repeaters for Mecklenburg, Iredell, Gaston, Catawba, Cabarrus, Union, Anson, Stanly and Lincoln counties in North Carolina, plus Lancaster and York in South Carolina."

Anyone know how or if this will impact the TRS Charlotte uses now?

The article goes on to mention how Charlotte PD has wanted this technology for years and installation should be completed by 8.31.05.

http://www.charlotte.com/mld/charlotte/news/9882410.htm?1c
(registration required to view link)

 

[jeffmulter]

>> Anyone know how or if this will impact the TRS Charlotte uses now?

I would "guess" the only difference would be more talkgroups, and more patching.

We know CMPD now have Medic talkgroups set up specifically for communications with hospitals outside Mecklenberg County, and this equipment will likely be used for the links.

On the law enforcement side, we'll likely see some more mutual aid talkgroups speciifically for dispatch-to-dispatch comms, or comms during pursuits. These new talkgroups should patch to conventional channels being used surounding counties.

On the fire end, patching to a transmitters outside Mecklenberg County on 154.280 might be the most-common use.

When you have a project of this type, and on this large of a scale, I hope the planners consider that every agency involved should be on a common 10-code / signal system, or eliminate codes altogether.

Unfortunately, the Observer article, and an article that appeared in the Observer about two weeks ago, are weak on solid information about the equipment CMPD will buy.

It might be that members of fire and EMS agencies in the outlying counties will be the best source of information about the upcoming changes, as I expect the changes will be somewhat seamless to CMPD trunked system users.


Jeff Multer

 

[INDY72]

Expect a major patch link set up with the Palmetto 800 - York County/Rock Hill, SC..... Since you spit from Charlotte, and it will land in Rock Hill. Thus setting the stage for the future linking of the Palmetto 800 with the NC 800 once its fully grown. This will allow interop with not only NCSHP-SCHP, but also the two states EMA's, MED agencies, Local agencies in all the surrounding counties, and the nearer SC counties.

 

[CCHLLM]

Get ready, this "linking" of the NC and SC systems has been discussed to death by the powers that be, especially because of "Metrolina's" growth and potential growth, and it looks like because of all the homeland security monies available, and the interoperability initiative monies, the political "differences" among the potential participants seem to have been "resolved." See, money crosses political boundaries when ethical representation and good sense can't.

One of the items that came about early in the decisions to proceed were the proximities of several towers of each of the systems if they were to remain separate, so it was determined by the politicians in the potential participant jurisdictions and their "consultants" that a combined site system built out along the border would be more flexible, faster to complete, and would save all participants tons of money by requiring fewer nearly duplicated sites. Gee, what a concept, and just what the Motorola engineers suggested at virtually no charge 13 years ago, but was strongly bucked by political "fiefdoms" and the Nimbys.

 

[jeffmulter]

I hope you're right about the attitudes regarding interoperability changing / becoming more positive.

Particularly with regards to interoperability across the state line, it seems the closest we came was when the Panthers built their stadium. They purposely built a communications room to allow all the key agencies in the area, including SCHP, Norfolk Southern and Duke Power, to work together in the event a situation arising during or after a game required multi-agency resources.

I'm not sure the stadium setup has ever been used for interstate communications, though.

I do know that SHEP employees on the S.C. side, and their IMAP counterparts in N.C., have no direct communications ... other than cell phones. And neither do NCHP and SCHP units.

Imagine that your counterpart across the border also has a compatible trunking radio, and a compatible low band radio, and no one is willing to establish a talkgroup or conventional channel for you to communicate directly with your counterpart.

With regards to sharing tower sites, Mecklenberg and York Counties will eventually share space on a site at Lake Wylie, when York County begins building its licensed trunked system.


Jeff Multer

 

[CCHLLM]

Ain't bountiful money wonderful? Supposedly, I repeat, SUPPOSEDLY Lancaster County is to share a site or sites with either Mecklenburg or Union or both in the scheme of things, too, but I ain't holding my breath. Too many political uncertainties to call this one. I'm impressed that they're even talking about it, but it's probably something being forced on them by those in charge of the bigger picture.

 

[Soundman]

systems

LOL ,Thy say that it is for the new digital microwave equipment .But it is for new police cars and fire trucks and medic trucks .Medic just got a whole new fleet of trucks also a moble hostp .Now thy hired 12 new superviser that where not need . Most of that stuff is going for that .The radios are the least of there worrys .Thy have the same system .The only thing that thy did was take most of all the talk groups and made channels out of them .So it look like it will still be years till thy get a digital system.

 

[jeffmulter]

>> SUPPOSEDLY Lancaster County is to share a site or sites with either Mecklenburg or Union or both in the scheme of things, too, but I ain't holding my breath.

Mecklenberg County built a waste transfer station on Hwy 521 at the NC / SC state line a couple of years ago, and this would make an excellent site for the State of NC, State of SC, southern Mecklenberg Co, northern Lancaster Co, eastern York Co and western Union County.

And, I might even be able to monitor Charlotte / Mecklenberg without an antenna :lol:

Jeff Multer
Fort Mill, S.C.

 

[kg4pbd]

I would love to see a site down here. I'm in a hole (Rea & Ballantyne area) here. In the house only the yagi in the attic does a good job of picking up the system.

It's a pain having to use a baby monitor as a repeater around the house(yes I know there are better alternatives, one of these days).