Dallas Portables

[zackhenderson]

Just a quick question! (or two!) Being as I watch the hit TV show "Cops" quite often, I think they last filmed in the Dallas area about 1995ish. I was wondering if anybody here knew if they are still using the Motorola Saber portables.

Also the Saber Portables don't have an emergency call button, right? What does that button do again anyway? If anyone is interested, I have a story to share about the portables that DPD uses.

Sorry for all the questions!

-Zack Henderson-

 

[The-Mad-Titan]

Arlington and Grand Praire PD are using MTS2000s, XTS3000s and XTS5000s.

Right now the majority of GPPDs portables are used with a vehicle mounted speaker/amplifier/charging unit.
The portable actually has to be slid INTO the unit and then the officer uses it as a vehicle radio.
A few officers complained that it is a pain to go after a perp during a chase if they have to stop and remove their portable from the vehicle unit and re-attach it to their hip.

Lots of griping over that purchase. :roll:

Arlington PD is still using Spectra and Astro mobiles in their vehicles - can't go wrong with them . . . unless the officer spills their cappucino on the control head . . .
:roll:
I hate that!

 

[zackhenderson]

The machine that the radio is "slid into" is called a convertacom, I believe.

 

[The-Mad-Titan]

YES! Thank you!

Total brain fart!
And it's been bugging me all day that I couldn't remember the name of that damn thing!

GPPD has a BUNCH of those in the field!

 

[The-Mad-Titan]

Here we go!

 

[zackhenderson]

I'm glad I could help!!!!!

I probably would get mad too if I had to grab the radio everytime I had to get out of the car.

Thanks for the picture!

 

[hulka]

They might be using "ASTRO" Sabers. They are digital. The Saber II that I had, had and Emergency button on top of it. It was on top of the centrifugal switch for secure/non secure.

The emergency button is a way for the officer to call hor help. In the town where I worked in if the officer felt like he was in trouble he can push the button down on his radio. By doing so Emergency flashed on the CAD screen. The officers Badge number and name would show up in the unit id on the channel and it gave the radio priorty traffic on the channel. It also open his mic up for 10 seconds with out him pushing the PTT button. The other officers on the road could see who hit the "panic button", as it was refered to, by looking at the radio. It would flash the id on the display.

 

[zackhenderson]

Thanks for the tip!!

 

[SCPD]

DPD uses Motorola Sabre II's and some III's. While they are STILL Conventional Un-Encrypted UHF. there Mobiles Range from Motorola Spectra's C-5's to C-7's. With A and B Mode of Operations. (Simplex/Repeater) they sometimes work and sometimes don't. Dallas Police "Covert" officers or ICP (Investigative Community Policing) who use the City of Dallas Analog Motorola Smartnet System reffer to there Portables as the "Bubba" are useing Motorola MTS-2000 with No Bells and whistles.

 

[zackhenderson]

WOW MaxTracker!!!!

Thanks!

 

[SCPD]

also Zach, DART (Dallas Area Rapid Transit) Police are almost the only conventional users who actually recognize the Emergency function on there mobiles and Portables. DPD is so busy with stuck mic's and stuck repeaters. The Emergency Function is far from there mind's. "I NEED COVER" is the Emergency function they rely on.

There was a DPD supervisor a few years back who actually new how to request the 3-way to be turned off in the event of an open mic or stuck repeater. Now days, lol, if someone were to request the 3-way to be turned off that officer might be scolded on the air for playing.

The city of Dallas Radio system is so "Stone Age" that if they actually implemented a Real Trunked system. We might all actually believe we had died and gone to heaven, But, I am sure Mayor miller would slap us silly and make us realize were still in he&$.

You think NYC has radio problems.....Come to Dallas, We make NYC look very sophisticated in the RF Industry.

 

[scanfan03]

When I went to Dallas last year, the 400 conventional system sounded fine. Did they switch it?

 

[Stephen]

They do have good coverage but the stuck mic is a problem the other thing is radio channels. I live in Denton and are PD alone has near 20 channels. Including 15 repeaterd and 5 simp. Dallas doesn't have that many repeaterd or simplex. Fortworth a town a bit smaller then Dallas has a number I couldn't even begin to guess.

 

[zackhenderson]

I know Fort Worth uses the MTS-2000 portables. NYC still has their Sabers, eh?

The Sabers were good radios for public safety in the early to mid 90's but the're kind of obsolete now.

I heard a story on one of the other fourms I post on. Here goes(this was written by the sound guy for COPS ):" One evening in 1995 we were filming in Dallas, and just as we were pulling through the drivethru at Jack in the Box, a woman ran up to the squad and started screaming 'Police' in Spanish. The officer pulled around (keep in mind that one of the officers is a veteran on the Dallas PD force, the other is a rookie), and they found chaos, guns, everything. So they both draw their guns, the rookie grabs his portable, keys it up, but they are conventional and he can't get the floor. He keeps trying and trying, the pair being the only two officers on the scene, with about 30-60 people all being very violent. Still the rookie keeps trying to key his radio, but others in the field are keying their mics faster than he is. Finally the vet grabs his portable, switches to a different channel and calls the other dispatcher "(call no), we need backup immediately at the Jack in the Box. Tell the main dispatcher to shut up and clear the air and send a bunch of backup." So about half a minute later, the main dispatcher is yelling to clear the air, any cars in the area respond immediately. Finally backup arrives in the form of two lieutendants, a captin, 5 sargents and about 20 officers. The vet simply says " You guys, all we needed is about 25 pairs of hand cuffs, a few paddy wagons and for someone to fix the (expletive deleted) radio system!"

 

[scanfan03]

Fortworth a town a bit smaller then Dallas has a number I couldn't even begin to guess.

They are on an 800MHz MOT type II trunked system with Tarrant County with 20 frequencies.

 

[SCPD]

Yes, Thankies ScanFan....

Stephen, The city of Dallas TRS is a 3 site simualcast Motorola Type-II which serves The city of Dallas Services Minus Police and Fire Primary Op's. DFD has Fire Ground Ch. 12 465.6375 on a re-broadcast when the Battalion Commander thinks it neccessary to make it operational.

DPD have 7 TG-ID's only two of which are permanant, Love Field Police and Citywide (9088) the other 5 TG's are temps for ICP and/or Narcotics, but ICP uses them the most. Which, ICP may be getting axed soon.

The rest of the TRS is ANCON, STREETS, AVIATION, CODE, and other areas.

Dallas Water Utilities Still operate most of there voice Communications on 451Mhz. DPD has 12 + 12 UHF Conventional Repeaters. DFD have 7 UHF Conventional Repeaters and Immediate Access to any other city service on UHF by touch, as well as the 4 + 4 Simplex Frequencies.

DSO Operate VHF Hi with 9 Channels, 7 of which are Repeaters and have the Dallas Co. Fire/Rescue System (another 2 Repeaters)

I am missing how Dallas Has No Repeaters!?? this is the MOST Repeater Infested City in North Texas.

Sure if you would like to look at Ft. Worth Police which share with Med-Star, Ft. Worth Fire, Tarrant Co. Sheriff, Tarrant Co. Fire and a few Cities, then Yes, They have more "Repeaters" and "Channels"

In addition Dallas has Access to NPSPAC 800 which are being repeated by darn near everyone now. and many agency Patches, the FBI and other Government agencies have DPD Radio's.

The coverage is great too for them, Ch's 1-12 all have repeater's at the 7 sites in Dallas. The primary tower being at I-45 and I-30.

Where there problems arise, is this is 1970's Radio Technology at best! But if you do the Math, consider the Square Milage space of Dallas, the Fact they would have patched into Analog and Digital 800 systems by Motorola and M/A-Comm for the other cities, add DSO then calculate the COST of a State-of-the-Art TRUNKED Radio System, and if the Public will pass the Bonds or just approve it. the State of the City of Dallas, the Politics of the DPD. put all of this togeather and First come up with a Cost, then second, looking at the cost, Considering the issues. Would it Pass the Public?

I better Shut up, Gonna Get Everyone all rowled up over nothing. Have a good week Ya'all.

MT