CHP Lowband radio

[Squelchtail]

With most of the commercial radio manufacturers not making lowband radios anymore what model of radio is CHP using currently?

 

[mmckenna]

With most of the commercial radio manufacturers not making lowband radios anymore what model of radio is CHP using currently?

They are still using the Kenwood TK-690's.
The Kenwood NX-5600h will take it's place.

 

[Squelchtail]

Thanks for the info

 

[ChrisE_STB]

Along with the New Whelen Lighting/Vehicle Control system.

 

[code3cowboy]

Different but cool to see a real lightbar switch in a CHP unit. I like they maintain the Front Red/Wig Wag, and Rear Amber + Rear 180 options and the asterisk and hazard light buttons. Oh, the future.

 

[dgower]

I wonder what a "Futute Channel" is....

 

[cmpsa]

For 2018 & 2019 CHP motorcycle units out of the Templeton barracks (Monterey County) area still have & use "ancient" 1980's GE low band
mobile radios. Though all motorcycles units back in 2018 did in fact have their VHF mobile repeaters removed, and 2018 I started to see the 700MHz mobile repeaters in use. Each CHP officer obviously had a brand new Motorola 700/800MHz radio now, no more VHF hand-held portable. See the attached below pic of the old 1980's GE mobile radio. I tried to attach close up pics of the remote head, the mobile rptr antenna, but the file sizes are too big. Another pic I have that's too big, that motorcycle has a Kenwood TK-690 remote head. In the below pic, the left handle bar is where the 700MHz mobile rptr antenna is located.

 

[mmckenna]

Templeton is San Luis Obispo County, and is dispatched out of SLO communication Center.

Will be interesting to see what they do on the bikes. Not sure the NX-5600H is going to fit in there. It's a big RF deck. Wonder if they'll save the 690 decks from the cars and cycle them through the motorcycles until there is a suitable replacement. Not sure I'd want a 100 watt transmitter at my back, anyway.

 

[SteveSimpkin]

For 2018 & 2019 CHP motorcycle units out of the Templeton barracks (Monterey County) area still have & use "ancient" 1980's GE low band
mobile radios. Though all motorcycles units back in 2018 did in fact have their VHF mobile repeaters removed, and 2018 I started to see the 700MHz mobile repeaters in use. Each CHP officer obviously had a brand new Motorola 700/800MHz radio now, no more VHF hand-held portable. See the attached below pic of the old 1980's GE mobile radio. I tried to attach close up pics of the remote head, the mobile rptr antenna, but the file sizes are too big. Another pic I have that's too big, that motorcycle has a Kenwood TK-690 remote head. In the below pic, the left handle bar is where the 700MHz mobile rptr antenna is located.

There may be a closeup of the old GE control head on this page.

CALIFORNIA HIGHWAY PATROL

 

[d119]

Is CHP getting rid of that ungodly awful CPVE thing they were using, and going back to separate radio/lights/computer?

 

[ME801]

Is CHP getting rid of that ungodly awful CPVE thing they were using, and going back to separate radio/lights/computer?

Not anytime soon.

 

[d119]

Well then what is that photo of the Whelen control head and the Kenwood NX5000 advanced control head for? If they are retaining CPVE, that stuff shouldn't exist... Or is it for the motorcycles? Awfully complicated setup...

 

[Scanguysd]

Budget for next system

The plan is in progress to move away from it as detailed in the budget request.

 

[RadioVoice]

What do those two buttons control?

 

[scannerboy02]

On the old GE heads the asterisk activated the vehicle extender, not sure about the hazard button.

 

[Scanguysd]

On the old GE heads the asterisk activated the vehicle extender, not sure about the hazard button.

No it did not, the repeater button was next to it. The asterisk was used as a secondary button in addition to another button. Like * and R AMB would turn on AMB only.

 

[scannerboy02]

You are correct it was next to the asterisk, at the very far right bottom of the head. It's been a while since I have seen one.

 

[scannerboy02]

Budget for next system

The plan is in progress to move away from it as detailed in the budget request.

Great document. Here are a few takeaways I had.

“The new public safety land-mobile radios will also include the capability for radio programming over the Department's secure wireless network, reducing programming costs.”

I’m guessing this is just WiFi and/or Bluetooth programming?


“The CHP anticipates implementing the modular in-vehicle land-mobile radio system to coincide with vehicle replacement cycles beginning in FY 2019/20”

Anyone know if these instals are happening currently?


“One key consideration for this project is that the radios included with the modular solution will be Federal Communications Commission compliant up to the current Project-25 Phase-ll narrow-banding requirements. Project-25 relates to the use of the 25 kilohertz (kHz) FM radio frequency spectrum. Project-25 Phase I essentially halved all radio frequency channels to 12.5 kHz thus doubling the usable frequency spectrum. Project-25 Phase II will further double the usable frequency spectrum by halving the spectrum again creating two 6.25 kHz channels from each 12.5 kHz channel. While Project-25 Phase I systems will remain compliant, Project-25 Phase II systems are both backward compliant with existing Phase I as well as compliant with future deployment of Phase II truncated radio systems by public safety agencies statewide.”

Not exactly what Project-25 is but I get what they are trying to do with this statement. Also, 700 MHz P-25 CHP conventional repeater channels as well as P-25 trunked control channels are on the air in the Sacramento area. People should be doing 700 MHz band searches in other areas of the state to see what pops up.


“New systems must be remotely programmable and manageable. This is a key benefit identified in this project. The new enforcement vehicle modular land-mobile radio systems available on the market today are fully digital and IP-based, allowing them to be managed and administered remotely. Specifically, the proposed system incorporates over-the-air programing and over-the-air rekeying. These technology features significantly decrease the need for hands-on work, saving the state both time and money. This benefits the CHP and the California Office of Emergency Services, Public Safety Communications Office, by reducing staff time and travel costs while improving efficiency.”


“The CAPSCOM Strategic Plan provided a vision where California would establish a System of Systems architecture and infrastructure. The plan specified the state would prepare to procure shared systems in the next five to ten years (from 2010). This project is strongly aligned with the CAPSCOM Strategic Plan, and serves to continue the state's vision.”

Anyone know how many shared system agreements they have procured so far?

 

[d119]

Hazard likely controls just that - the hazards. CHP does use them. Glad to hear that the plan is to move away from CPVE. It was a nice thought, but entirely overkill and entirely too expensive and NOT sustainable. As far as I know, the CHP was the only major user of it, and the manufacturer probably decided it wasn't worth pursuing since it never took off. As a taxpayer, I didn't appreciate the fact that they chose to outfit EVERY vehicle as a massive interoperability platform. The equipment in the vehicle costs more than the vehicle itself. There's a problem there.

After reading that document, that's the best news I've heard all year!

As for the state's 700 system, it is my understand that the CHP will not be using that as their primary system. It will be for other agencies such as Fish & Game, Lifeguards, CalTrans, DOJ, etc. Again - that is my understanding and certainly not gospel.

 

[mmckenna]

Hazard likely controls just that - the hazards. CHP does use them. Glad to hear that the plan is to move away from CPVE. It was a nice thought, but entirely overkill and entirely too expensive. As a taxpayer, I didn't appreciate the fact that they chose to outfit EVERY vehicle as a massive interoperability platform. The equipment in the vehicle costs more than the vehicle itself. There's a problem there.

After reading that document, that's the best news I've heard all year!

I agree. As a taxpayer I'd like to see a study on how often all that radio equipment actually gets used, and if it could be replaced with a decent quality receiver. I understand the interoperability approach, but I suspect that it rarely gets used.

I'm also interested in the "$6,000 mobile repeater" listed.