Floyd Co P25

[cavitt]

Please come join the community in a virtual ground breaking of Floyd County largest civil project ever – the 2009 SPLOST 800mhZ Public Safety Communications System. The event will be held at the Forum on Wednesday, November 16, 2012 at 10 am. This is more than a groundbreaking, however!

· An update on the project will be given;

· Presentations, including video, will be made by Harris and Williams to introduce to you the level of expertise in which we are making this significant investment;

· Virtual groundbreaking, utilizing the new radios on our existing system as the first step towards transition;

· Exhibits, including high-tech equipment and radios;

· Lunch will be provided.



Be our guest and get an inside look at your public safety radio communications system!



Thanks, and please see the attached brochure, and call Scotty Hancock, Floyd County EMA Director, with any questions 706.236.5002.

 

[Metrofire31]

Ross,

How do we see the "attached brochure"? This is an interesting approach to sharing the system, cost and operation with the public. Haven't heard anyone else doing this and I applaud them. Somebody in Rome understand effective public relations.

Mike
Metrofire31
Atlanta
WQIT636

 

[cavitt]

Floyd

Its just a fancy produced pdf with much of the same info, just with cool graphics. Can I dump it somewhere?

 

[b7spectra]

In the garbage?

 

[MTS2000des]

Its just a fancy produced pdf with much of the same info, just with cool graphics. Can I dump it somewhere?

This would be a great opportunity, especially from those folks in the media (hint hint) to ask some tough questions about the use of encryption on the new system.

From reviewing the original RFP, it appears that it will indeed utilize full time voice encryption for all public safety communications. If that is true, than bye bye scanning Floyd county.

Not trying to sound the alarm and go Paul Revere, just want to get clarification. This would also let people know (including those media folks) in the area if procuring a digital scanner would be a wise investment as the new system is phased in and comes online.

 

[RomeRon]

This would be a great opportunity, especially from those folks in the media (hint hint) to ask some tough questions about the use of encryption on the new system.

From reviewing the original RFP, it appears that it will indeed utilize full time voice encryption for all public safety communications. If that is true, than bye bye scanning Floyd county.

Not trying to sound the alarm and go Paul Revere, just want to get clarification. This would also let people know (including those media folks) in the area if procuring a digital scanner would be a wise investment as the new system is phased in and comes online.

"From reviewing the original RFP, it appears that it will indeed utilize full time voice encryption for all public safety communications. If that is true, than bye bye scanning Floyd county."

Sounds about right for Floyd county, the citizens of Rome/Floyd County pays 25 million to build the system and a million dollars a year for upkeep of the system and all we will be able to listen to is R2D2. It seems that all the splost project that gets voted in, some how become government controlled ( with an Iron Fist) as to just how limited the access is for the citizens that paid for it. We got a pedestrian bridge that nobody uses, maybe they have a toll charge that is keeping people from crossing it. We built the Atlanta braves a stadium, and the citizens of Floyd county can't even have a yard sale in the parking lot with out having to pay to park. Speaking of stadiums we paid a million dollars for astro truff at barron stadium with Shorter College embossed in one of the end zones, I don't know if they have changed the name from barron stadium, yet, but I bet it won't be called something like Citizens Stadium if they do, I guess thet are waiting for the highest bidder for a name change, maybe an insurance company might be interested in buying it.

In the Rome News Tribune, I think it was the Parks and Rec guy that said he didn't care if a few people got mad, that track is for track meets, (I guess he meant Shorter College) and he went on as to how letting Citizens walk on it would wear it out and how much it would cost to replace it. I thought that is a great example as to how the government heads think they own it after its paid for, And you can't tell me if the new communication system is not encripted that nobody is going to press that encript button for a little power trip of their own. If all these people with the power trips wants to know how depressing it is to be left out of everything , then all they have to do is look at how powerless they are when it comes to the 411 connector, thirty years and still no connector, the politicians use it for getting a vote while knowing that they are powerless when it comes to getting it done.

So, Would all of you please shop in Rome we need new tennis courts next.

Thanks for letting me vent.

 

[ProducerGuy]

I went to the exhibition (or whatever it's to be called), and was quite put off once it got underway. First, the mayor of Rome had to turn the thing into a religious function (so much for the Establishment Clause) with a christian invocation (to hell with anyone of any other faith, I guess), followed by Scotty calling their existing stuff "antiquated 1960's technology", and invoking the "terrorism" and "homeland security" pitch.

Well, as a licensed amateur operator, I had my "antiquated 1960's technology" in hand (which was made in about 2000, but we won't question the almighty government officials who apparently know better), and kept feeding ham radio traffic about the incoming bad weather that was in Alabama, via the Rome VHF repeater (more antiquated 1960's technology) to them while they listened intently. I was able to get a punch in when I reminded them that they were listening to "antiquated 1960's technology". They, meanwhile, all had their smartphones out, tapping away like crazy, yet ham radio was working better than everything they had.

Credits to the two fellow "hams" that were feeding me info....we showed 'em ! Good work, fellas !

AT NO TIME was encryption ever mentioned, brought up, or even spoken about in any way. In fact, the whole event pretty much ended at noon. At least I got to play with an XG100 for a while I WANT ONE

My take is that they're probably going to go full-time with it. Give someone that much power, and we all know what happens. It's really only needed on SWAT, Detectives, and any MED channel where HIPAA would be concerned. It's not necessary for the water, sanitation, or school bus drivers to be encrypted. Nor would a beat cop on a traffic stop be SO SENSITIVE that Osama bin Laden is suddenly going to pop out of the woodwork. Use your heads, folks !

 

[ProducerGuy]

About the 411 connector - I'm assuming you mean the 411-to-75 connector. Seems like that would be more of a Bartow and/or GDOT issue, rather than a Floyd issue. But just the same, it hasn't gotten done yet, and it would alleviate a lot of traffic on 41 out of Cartersville.

 

[MTS2000des]

So did ANYONE from the media who attended this event inquire about use of encryption on this system? This would have been a prime time to ask such questions. I was unable to attend as I had to be at work.

Maybe one of those officials or their points of contacts can comment on this. This would help in many who live in that area decide if it is prudent to buy a digital scanner who lives or works in that area. RadioShack just put one of their new digital portables on sale for $399. Not much point in buying it up that way if the system is locked down.

Anyone? Bueller? Anyone?

 

[MTS2000des]

AT NO TIME was encryption ever mentioned, brought up, or even spoken about in any way. In fact, the whole event pretty much ended at noon. At least I got to play with an XG100 for a while I WANT ONE

Did they not have an open forum or public comment portion or allow anyone to ask questions? This would have been prime time to ask. According to the RFP, AES encryption is to be standard fare on all mid-tier and high-tier subscriber units, and was mentioned as encrypting all dispatch and unit-to-unit traffic.

Oh well, maybe someone from the media can find out for us...

 

[ProducerGuy]

I heard back from Scotty Hancock. He says they're currently only planning to use encryption on "special ops groups". We can take that to probably mean SWAT, Detectives, and such as that.

 

[b7spectra]

That would be a good thing!

 

[RomeRon]

I guess it won't be encripted after all

A possible amendment to the contract supplying scanners for the county*wide emergency communications system. Williams said the low-bidder made a math error and is seeking relief.
Read more: RN-T.com - Board to act on animal control
RN-T.com - Board to act on animal control

 

[ProducerGuy]

No, but we all know they can "throw the switch" at any time. So far, I'm happy with what I learned over there, but I do think that if they had installed remote receiver sites up in the north end/Pocket area, they would have had better performance out of their "antiquated 1960's technology" (Scotty's words, not mine). It just makes no good sense to encrypt the dog catcher, crossing guards, and meter readers.

Me thinks everybody's just on the "gotta get the latest thing" craze.

The Harris radios are software upgradeable to P25 Phase 2.

 

[RomeRon]

No, but we all know they can "throw the switch" at any time. So far, I'm happy with what I learned over there, but I do think that if they had installed remote receiver sites up in the north end/Pocket area, they would have had better performance out of their "antiquated 1960's technology" (Scotty's words, not mine). It just makes no good sense to encrypt the dog catcher, crossing guards, and meter readers.

Me thinks everybody's just on the "gotta get the latest thing" craze.

The Harris radios are software upgradeable to P25 Phase 2.

I may have jumped the gun, they didn't say what kind of scanners, for all I know it may be scanners that are embedded in printers or barcode scanners.

And does it mean they are buying scanners for the citizens of Floyd county? I bet the spouses of the government officials said you better get me a scanner and don't think of going encrypted on me.

 

[K4SVT]

P25

8K10F1W P25 Phase II subscriber units (Harmonized Continuous Phase Modulation - H-CPM) not sure if scanners will be able to pick this up

 

[RomeRon]

8K10F1W P25 Phase II subscriber units (Harmonized Continuous Phase Modulation - H-CPM) not sure if scanners will be able to pick this up

Looks like I may have a Pro 106 for sale if that is the case.

 

[ProducerGuy]

Phase II

I wrote GRE, and they replied that they're looking into Phase II, but nothing's really set in stone yet. Their PSR-800 has been shown to receive Motorola's X2 format, but that's obviously different than P25 phase 2. We really need an attitude of cooperation among manufacturers to include all the formats, until everybody's on P25. We have the technology, let's really use it.

Just my two cents.