Cheektowaga FD

[joespca1]

I noticed today that some Cheektowaga fire departments carry xpr7550 and some apx radios. Weird one carrying p25 and other dmr radios

 

[lkas]

I noticed today that some Cheektowaga fire departments carry xpr7550 and some apx radios. Weird one carrying p25 and other dmr radios

Doesn't really matter much since they still use old analog system.

 

[joespca1]

Yes but when if they switch over wouldn't it make sense for everyone to have same radios and not waste money on cheap dmr radios ?

 

[GTR8000]

Switch over to what, exactly? And what if they decide to switch to SaiaNet, then those "cheap dmr radios" all of a sudden become relevant. Believe me, there are much cheaper and less capable radios out there than the XPR series. APX are nice radios, but are very expensive. If there's not a lot of P25 in Erie County (which there isn't), they they are not being used to a fraction of their capability. DMR/TRBO is popular and growing more popular, however.

 

[BTFire21]

Lots of XPR portables out there within Fire Depts. Some depts cannot afford an APX radio and opt for the XPR.

 

[joespca1]

Understood however what I'm saying is whg are departments buying expensive apx radios when they could go dmr. I would assume they would go p25 as Cheektowaga pd is upgrading to apx radios

 

[BTFire21]

I have no idea why APX vs XPR for the Cheektowaga Depts.
I can tell you that Cheektowaga FDs and PD are NOT going to any form of digital modulation anytime in the 5 years at a minimum. They spent ALOT of money on their new simulcast analog system.

 

[jeepsandradios]

Possibly interop ? Not every FF would need to talk on P25 to another agency but maybe some do ? Its really no different than a FIRE department having some trunking radio and some conventional only. No need for everyone to talk on trunking. Lots of reasons an agency would use some or any of the above.

 

[joespca1]

I know but to me it seemed wierd

 

[GTR8000]

Radios are often purchased with grant money, and federal/NYS grants require radios to be P25 capable (they don't need to have P25 enabled, just be capable of the protocol). So if the agency is spending their own money, they would likely gravitate towards the cheaper XPR option, and if they're getting "free" radios through a grant, would have to go with the APX or other P25 capable radios (Kenwood, EFJ, Harris, etc.)