Columbia County, Georgia old VHF frequencies still being used?

[ColdWarVeteran]

In October 2012 all Columbia County, Georgia government entities, to the best of my knowledge, switched to their current encrypted TRS. The remaining municipalities within the County eventually switched to the TRS and it seemed that all of them (Harlem PD/FD, Grovetown PD/FD and Martinez FD) abandoned their VHF frequencies... or did they?

I use an SDS 100 fed by a mobile tri-band antenna along with GPS module attached. I scan entities in the CSRA and regularly hear everyone on the Palmetto 800 across the river. Recently, I caught an NXDN transmission on the old Grovetown PD dispatch frequency of 155.520MHz. I didn't hear it long enough to identify any traffic to be able to identify a user as I caught the transmission as it was ending. That's the only traffic I've heard on any of the old VHF frequencies in the county since these entities moved to the TRS. I decided to look at the RR database and clicked on the FCC callsigns and noticed that many of the VHF licenses are being renewed.

I have a few questions of those that may have more knowledge on the subject. Why would the county continue to renew licenses, and maintain repeaters, if they're using a TRS? Why is the county still hanging on to the old frequencies? Are they hanging onto these frequency assignments as backups? If they're for backup then why spend tax dollars to buy new equipment to use on the TRS if the old stuff is still viable? I know the Columbia County Sheriffs Office was using Motorola MTR 2000 repeaters and got rid of them once they switched to the TRS.

Is anyone still scanning the old Columbia County VHF frequencies and, if so, have you heard any traffic on them?

 

[kconner]

In October 2012 all Columbia County, Georgia government entities, to the best of my knowledge, switched to their current encrypted TRS. The remaining municipalities within the County eventually switched to the TRS and it seemed that all of them (Harlem PD/FD, Grovetown PD/FD and Martinez FD) abandoned their VHF frequencies... or did they?

I use an SDS 100 fed by a mobile tri-band antenna along with GPS module attached. I scan entities in the CSRA and regularly hear everyone on the Palmetto 800 across the river. Recently, I caught an NXDN transmission on the old Grovetown PD dispatch frequency of 155.520MHz. I didn't hear it long enough to identify any traffic to be able to identify a user as I caught the transmission as it was ending. That's the only traffic I've heard on any of the old VHF frequencies in the county since these entities moved to the TRS. I decided to look at the RR database and clicked on the FCC callsigns and noticed that many of the VHF licenses are being renewed.

I have a few questions of those that may have more knowledge on the subject. Why would the county continue to renew licenses, and maintain repeaters, if they're using a TRS? Why is the county still hanging on to the old frequencies? Are they hanging onto these frequency assignments as backups? If they're for backup then why spend tax dollars to buy new equipment to use on the TRS if the old stuff is still viable? I know the Columbia County Sheriffs Office was using Motorola MTR 2000 repeaters and got rid of them once they switched to the TRS.

Is anyone still scanning the old Columbia County VHF frequencies and, if so, have you heard any traffic on them?

To the best of my knowledge, Columbia County is renewing licenses, but I’m not sure what the reasoning is. I believe repeaters are still active, but I’m not sure if they’re actively being maintained. I’ve heard of some rare traffic on some of the county repeaters, but I’m not sure who is using said repeaters. Most/all of the portable and mobile units disappeared within a few years of moving over to the TRS…..not sure if it was thrown in a closet and forgotten about or sold as surplus.

Most if not all county users are on the encrypted TRS. Both municipalities use the TRS for public safety functions, not sure about other city services. I’m not sure what either municipality did with the old VHF equipment though.

Let me know if you have any questions, I can try and ask around.

 

[ColdWarVeteran]

Harlem PD is the only entity that hasn't renewed their license for the old VHF frequencies. As per the RR database, the Columbia County/Martinez FD, Columbia County animal control, Columbia County EMA, All Grovetown entities, and North Columbia Fire/Rescue have had their VHF licenses renewed since the changeover to the TRS. Some of those licenses were renewed as recently as July, 2023.

Maybe I'm thinking it through too much but, but keeping licenses active for frequencies not being used isn't financially sound, IMO. I'm unaware of the cost to maintain the licenses for these frequencies and it would make sense to keep equipment in service to utilize the licenses. If no equipment is being maintained for use then how much is the license renewal fees costing the tax payers of Columbia County? If I was a Columbia County resident I would want an answer as to why my tax dollars are being spent for something not being utilized.

 

[N4KVL]

Holding on to previously coordinated licenses is a common practice for backup use. With newer generation radios from the major manufacturers being multiband out of the box, there are likely more users with the resource readily available for use.

License renewal costs are negligible for public safety if the frequency coordination is already in place.

A lot of the FNE from the previous generation is pretty rock solid and require very little maintenance. In a lot of cases, it is more expensive to send a tower crew up to remove the feedline and antennas than it is to just leave it there for a "what if" scenario.

 

[MTS2000des]

We have kept our VHF licenses for our system which hasn't been actively used since the 1990s and updated the emission types to reflect our current multi-band radio fleet. Common throughout the metro Atlanta area. City of Atlanta still has active licenses for their old UHF channels which have not been in active use since the mid 1990s.

 

[kconner]

As stated by others, maintaining licenses seems to be pretty standard in public safety. As far as specifics pertaining to Columbia County, I don’t know what the reasoning is.

I do know that CC has equipment that allows interoperability among various agencies in the region, which includes needs for VHF, UHF, 800, HF, etc. Perhaps that factors into it?

 

[ColdWarVeteran]

As stated by others, maintaining licenses seems to be pretty standard in public safety. As far as specifics pertaining to Columbia County, I don’t know what the reasoning is.

I do know that CC has equipment that allows interoperability among various agencies in the region, which includes needs for VHF, UHF, 800, HF, etc. Perhaps that factors into it?

No clue. They do have the MOC vehicle that belongs to the EMA. That vehicle provides interoperability to agencies in the CSRA for incidents requiring it.

The sheriffs department got rid of their MTR 2000 VHF repeaters a few months after the transition to the TRS. I got a preview of them on the shelf prior to auction, I was hoping to utilize one for ham radio use but their band split wouldn’t allow it.

I don’t know anything about the equipment status of other agencies in the county. I just thought it was odd to maintain licenses for frequencies that haven’t been used in over a decade and, for equipment that’s no longer in place. I envisioned some government type with a hoarder mentality refusing to give up the frequencies even if they’re not using them😁

 

[kconner]

No clue. They do have the MOC vehicle that belongs to the EMA. That vehicle provides interoperability to agencies in the CSRA for incidents requiring it.

The sheriffs department got rid of their MTR 2000 VHF repeaters a few months after the transition to the TRS. I got a preview of them on the shelf prior to auction, I was hoping to utilize one for ham radio use but their band split wouldn’t allow it.

I don’t know anything about the equipment status of other agencies in the county. I just thought it was odd to maintain licenses for frequencies that haven’t been used in over a decade and, for equipment that’s no longer in place. I envisioned some government type with a hoarder mentality refusing to give up the frequencies even if they’re not using them😁

CCSO now has the MOC and has renovated it. Part of those renovations included increasing their abilities for interoperability as I understand it.

I know the old EMA tower site by the library is still there, and I assume the equipment is still there as I was recently told traffic was heard on the old EMA channel, but that’s second hand information. That tells me some equipment is being used by somebody, but I also know the vast majority of county users are on the TRS. I also know that the fire stations still have VHF antennas, but I don’t know if the repeaters are still in place or maintained. I don’t think the old VHF base stations are still installed. I can’t speak for any of the other county agencies.