Duke Energy Switching to a Digital Trunking System

[CFP387]

I ran across a friend yesterday who is a Duke Energy supervisor for the Mooresville area and he told me that Duke Energy is going with a P25 Digital 900MHz trunking system that will be fully operational by October 2010. He didn't have a lot of other information about the system that he knew, although he did tell me that the radios they were installing were made by Tyco Electronics and they would be equipped with GPS technology.

Apparently they will have roaming capability because he said that he would be able to contact Raleigh, Wilmington, Greenville, Asheville and Columbia on certain talk groups in the system. Can anyone else confirm this upgrade or have additional information to share on the new system?

 

[theradioman]

The new system is not P25 it is Opensky and it is 800 not 900. This system will link the Carolinas with the Midwest. With the new system you can talk from Charlotte to Cincinnati.

 

[datainmotion]

Here's two pending applications Duke has with the FCC for 800 MHz licenses:

ULS License - Business/Industrial/Land Trans, 809-824/854-869 MHz, Trunked License - WNPW328 - Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC

ULS License - Other Indust/Land Transp. 806-821/851-866 MHz, Trunked License - WPZS946 - Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC

 

[CFP387]

The new system is not P25 it is Opensky and it is 800 not 900. This system will link the Carolinas with the Midwest. With the new system you can talk from Charlotte to Cincinnati.

Thank you for confirming this information. He was not exactly sure what type of system it was going to be and I was not about to say he was 100% correct. I knew for sure they were changing, but to what was the question.

 

[KM4WLV]

Let me chime in here.... My wife works in RESPONSE for Duke Energy in Charlotte. That is their dispatch center down there. There is one there, one in Duncan, SC and one in Greensboro. She works 3rd shift, and they do all the dispatching for the Carolinas Service Area on 3rd.

She did tell me some of the radio equipment has been getting switched out. I've got a contact in Dukes Telecomm Department also. I'll talk to my wife some more & shoot out an email to see what I can find out.

I will tell you that RESPONSE has got one hell of a setup down there. If you've never seen it, it puts a lot of 911 centers to shame. I'll see if I can get some pics posted. And I'll keep you updated with information as a I get it also.

 

[CFP387]

My wife works in RESPONSE for Duke Energy in Charlotte.

Ah, I forgot about your wife working for Duke. I'm sure you'll be able shed some light on our discussion. The guy I had talked to wouldn't know the difference between OpenSky and P25 anyway, so it's good to know that we have you to tell us for sure what's going on.

 

[KM4WLV]

so it's good to know that we have you to tell us for sure what's going on.

Shhhhhhhhhh. I just appear to know whats going on, LOL. I actually just got off the phone with her. She's gonna make some calls & get me in touch with the right people. Stay tuned.

 

[theradioman]

I work for Duke in IT. I am not on the actual upgrade project but I know some of the guys in telecom that are. Let me know who you talk to and maybe we can do lunch or something and get some more details of the new system.

 

[Searay]

Question on the Opensky

Is this going to be the same type OpenSky system that New York tried to have installed?

State of New York cancels $2 Billion digital radio contract | Daryl Jones' Weblog

Matt

 

[KD4YGG]

Have heard similar news of a new system here in Indiana for Duke.
Had heard mention of P25, but we shall see (and hope)...

 

[KM4WLV]

Hey guys,

I have been notified that Duke Energy is monitoring this thread & isn't happy about us discussing their system. Another board member got an email from Dukes Public Relations people and they weren't happy at all.

When / if I do get more information on the new system I will not be posting it out in the open. You can PM me here, or email me and we'll discuss it off the boards. I'm not going to put my wifes job in jeopardy.

The ones who know I always keep them informed are on the top of my list.

Thanks guys !!!!!

*********ATTENTION Marshall *****************

Probably need to lock this thread down. I would hate to see someone post up more information & Duke start cracking skulls over this. I don't think it's worth putting our site in danger of being closed. Not saying it would happen, but Duke is awfully funny about some things.

 

[jthorpe]

Too bad they're not happy. They will probably be even less happy when they taste the bitter pill that is Opensky... yikes. Good luck to them anyway.. The thing is, who cares if they are happy about this thread? That whole free speech thing can be a bugger, can't it?

 

[KM4WLV]

Gotta hate that free speech thing, lol

 

[CFP387]

I have been notified that Duke Energy is monitoring this thread & isn't happy about us discussing their system.

In a way, I feel like I have to apologize for "leaking" vague information (at that time) that I received from a Duke supervisor about the new radio system. Who knew that it would cause such a ruckus within the Public Relations guys?

In another way, I have to ask myself: What difference does it make? If they are "monitoring" this thread, surely they know by now that many people that participate here monitor their trunked systems and have done so for years. The frequencies are all right here in our database! And, if they have their heads screwed on straight, they should know that when they do switch to the new system, people are still going to monitor them. I hate to sound rude or sarcastic, but what's the big deal?

The fequencies and talk groups may not be posted in our database right after the switch, but sooner or later they will be here for us because members with contacts working for Duke will eventually get them. Even the supervisor I talked with said he would be glad to key up on talk groups for me so I can identify them with my scanner.

I wholeheartedly understand your position, Daniel. It is probably in your best interest to not post openly any information you may receive because it's always a good idea to be cautious when it relates to your wife's career at Duke. You have ways to get in contact with us, on or off this board, and that's what matters. And Duke doesn't need to know about those conversations anyway. We're all paying our electric bills on time anyway, right? They should not have a complaint one.

 

[KE4ZNR]

Discussion for this system can be held off the boards via PM & Email for now but eventually the system will be in the database if it can be monitored.
I will leave the thread open as locking it up would set a bad precedent
where free speech is curtailed just because of a few people in said company are paranoid about their communication system.
And as always I can be reached via email should anyone need to discuss
this.
Marshall KE4ZNR

 

[KM4WLV]

We're all paying our electric bills on time anyway, right? They should not have a complaint one.

Very well put Shannon, LOL

 

[jthorpe]

Well if they really are going Opensky this will all be a moot point anyway. We won't be able to monitor them, and most likely they won't be able to hear much of their own traffic.

 

[FireCop]

My Sarcasm... er, Two Cents Worth

Dear Duke Power,

One of your loyal customers here. I want to be able to hear when my power is going to be restored during outages by listening to your trunked radio system. Take my advice and leave the OpenSky behind. You will be much wiser and save more money in your pockets in the process.

Sincerely,

....


Seriously, jthorpe hit it on the nail. If they go Open Sky, we are out of luck. I would think Mother Moto would be more practical as far as a transition goes, say analog to P25. I think the overall savings would come in the form of less headaches and less money being spent having to fix the headaches (ie. New York and Pennsylvania). But then Duke must be made of money if they can spend many billions to build nuclear power plants! :twisted:

 

[Drafin]

Good luck with the Opensky thing Duke... I sincerely hope for your customer's sake and for the sake of the safety of your personnel in the field you have better luck with it than others that have tried.

Now as for the discussion of the system, if they are gonna transmit or receive and want to play secret squirrel with the info maybe they better talk to the FCC who WILL publish the license information in the free and clear. It's not like they are a law enforcement agency or protecting nation security.

I for one am glad I am not a customer of theirs...

Draf

 

[datainmotion]

Since the DoD and DHS consider national power grids as critical infrastructure, I don't think that it would be unreasonable to assume that in the future all large power providers may use some method to secure their communications.