DPS Radios

[cellphone]

Is there any indication of when dps will be going to the AZWINS system and finally ditch UHF

It's all pending funding. A few years back it was reported that replacing all mobile and portable radios in the Phoenix valley would cost around $20 Million. Officers in the valley would need dual-band UHF/700-800MHz radios as officers could be called out to any part of the state. Many rural areas of the state will remain on the UHF system for the foreseen future.

 

[SCPD]

The UHF system will remain for a while, the money was spent to narrowband and update the 31 sites with new repeaters. BTW that is why the EMSCOM sytem went away. State did not want to spend the money on over 100 repeaters for a EMS system in which most ambulances do not need online medical direction.

The NE part of the state does not have 800 coverage via YRCS. However there are long term plans to upgrade, however it all depends on money, and grants, which funded alot of the current system, are drying up. As for the VHF part I thought there was still some use of the VHF in Cocinono and Yavapai. . According to FCC, there are still current licences on 154.935 for mobiles. I think the PAC-Rts are gone.

154.935 is being used by the AZ Division of Forestry and Fire Management for statewide flight following. It has been designated for this use since about 2013-2014 if my memory is serving me right.

 

[2wayfreq]

My "Deep Throat" contact says that the kenwood portables are being removed from service and replaced with APX8000s starting in the southern area.

 

[radioguru6613]

"Deep Throats" sister "Sore Throat" gave me Intel a few weeks ago about the same but it was in the east area, maybe this is bigger than expected.