I suppose that the hardware was abandoned in place so that it could serve as a backup system if the P25 system failed. I don't know how practical that is at this point, and the old gear still has value for other SmartZone operators struggling to keep their systems on-air until they can be replaced. Still weird that multiple sites could come back online seemingly without the system admins knowing about it.
Fairfax County SmartNet System Magically Back Up and in FailSoft?
- Thread starter LateNightGaming
- Start date
Rarely is the case leaving for backup. More than not its "no money" in project to pay folks to remove, or shop getting paid and not removing it. I can't count the maount of shleters I have been in with legacy gear and when asked was told "project" was complete. As for why this one came alive again if someone just hit disable on the MTC or 6809 it could of been hit again, or a power issue that caused controller to die and then failsoft came up. The other option is backhaul from subsites to master site could of been shut off or disabled. In the end they found the issue but good practice is to power off and physically remove power from any stuff thats decomishioned in place.
I suppose the RF hardware remained connected to power in case they had to switch over to a backup scenario quickly, and likely the backhaul also remained powered up to maintain connectivity, IDK. I agree that funding could also have been an issue as far as physically removing the equipment - could get expensive especially if someone needed to climb towers and lower antennas and dishes, and drop the feedlines. They need to rent out the tower space and let someone else pay for it, lol.
K7UDZ
Member
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Will the equipment actually get sold off this time around? If it’s going to be recycled I’ll take it, especially core and site controller equipment – I’m one of a few enthusiasts working on documenting the protocol and keeping Type II alive with other hobbyists!
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Well yes but also no. Originally the systems was left online for back-up and for FCPS and their transportation. Then in 2021, the county bought an identical ASTRO system for backup. When FCPS built out their TIII DMR System that removed the need for the smartzone system in its entirety.
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- Feb 7, 2021
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This exactly. The county wont pay us overtime to go out there and we are busy during the day so we dont have time nor care much to go out and actually disconnect everything
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- Feb 7, 2021
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System is still up and broadcasting, and we have been told from higher ups to actually leave it on-air. So, as of now, thats all we have. And old system, broadcasting constantly, for no reason (that we know of).
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- 65
Oh Boy...
Last Friday we shut all the units down, 1 by 1, at each site. Everyone at radio shop said it was good to remove and we were planning to remove the repeaters on 3/21/25. We get in this morning? the sites are back up, in failsoft, and the trunking controller is now on 853.575, which is NOT it's programmed control frequency. Its code red over here, as no one knows what the hell is happening. Likely a breakdown in communications, or someone is playing an elaborate prank on us. Next time I go to the Master site on west ox, I'm going to actually unplug the unit and duplexer. If it comes back online again after that we will know there are some shenanigans happening here.
Last Friday we shut all the units down, 1 by 1, at each site. Everyone at radio shop said it was good to remove and we were planning to remove the repeaters on 3/21/25. We get in this morning? the sites are back up, in failsoft, and the trunking controller is now on 853.575, which is NOT it's programmed control frequency. Its code red over here, as no one knows what the hell is happening. Likely a breakdown in communications, or someone is playing an elaborate prank on us. Next time I go to the Master site on west ox, I'm going to actually unplug the unit and duplexer. If it comes back online again after that we will know there are some shenanigans happening here.
Time to change the locks?
