Just wondering if anyone knows the details on why FSO, FPD, Clovis PD, etc. are all still on conventional FM analog systems? Any info on if/when public safety in FC will transition to trunked P25?
Fresno County public safety
- Thread starter jhachman
- Start date
clovisb31
Member
It all boils down to $$$$$$
Also politics.
Clovis PD just replaced their radio system a couple years back. They have P25 capability and use it on Channel 6
periodically. It is encrypted.
Clovis PD has had P25 capability on it's repeaters since about 2000, but did not use it as it had no P25 capable mobiles/portables until about 2010. As the analog equipment was changed out, newer P25 equipment replaced it until the entire fleet had P25 radios. The issue here was $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
Fresno county has huge fleet of vehicles on their multi site system. Millions of $$$$$$ invested in VHF band.
Budget priorities dictate any major change in abandoning any major radio system and since the County also
contract dispatches Law Enforcement for Sanger, Orange Cove, Kerman, Fowler and Kingsburg PD's , any change
in Modulation or Infrastructure would effect all these small agencies. The small agencies contract with FSO for a reason.
They have little $$$$$ to support separate Dispatcher salaries and abandoned that practice years ago to save $$$$$.
I can't say why/when/what the reasons are for Fresno PD staying on analog UHF other than they also have millions
invested in multi site infrastructure and a whole lot of mobiles and portables to support 800 sworn officers, plus all
the other city services that require radio comms.
All three agencies have the ability to cross band communicate between Law Enforcement radios, so really no need to
go to a Trunked system. The politics involved would be unbelievable as each entity is fiercely independent of each other.
But politics aside....the cost $$$$ of current P25 equipment has outstripped many agencies ability to afford it.
The only way in many cases to raise the revenue $$$$$ to pay for these system upgrades is to either get a US
gummint grant or float a sales tax increase on the public...who by the way is getting tired of Tax increases.
Any further questions?
73.
Also politics.
Clovis PD just replaced their radio system a couple years back. They have P25 capability and use it on Channel 6
periodically. It is encrypted.
Clovis PD has had P25 capability on it's repeaters since about 2000, but did not use it as it had no P25 capable mobiles/portables until about 2010. As the analog equipment was changed out, newer P25 equipment replaced it until the entire fleet had P25 radios. The issue here was $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
Fresno county has huge fleet of vehicles on their multi site system. Millions of $$$$$$ invested in VHF band.
Budget priorities dictate any major change in abandoning any major radio system and since the County also
contract dispatches Law Enforcement for Sanger, Orange Cove, Kerman, Fowler and Kingsburg PD's , any change
in Modulation or Infrastructure would effect all these small agencies. The small agencies contract with FSO for a reason.
They have little $$$$$ to support separate Dispatcher salaries and abandoned that practice years ago to save $$$$$.
I can't say why/when/what the reasons are for Fresno PD staying on analog UHF other than they also have millions
invested in multi site infrastructure and a whole lot of mobiles and portables to support 800 sworn officers, plus all
the other city services that require radio comms.
All three agencies have the ability to cross band communicate between Law Enforcement radios, so really no need to
go to a Trunked system. The politics involved would be unbelievable as each entity is fiercely independent of each other.
But politics aside....the cost $$$$ of current P25 equipment has outstripped many agencies ability to afford it.
The only way in many cases to raise the revenue $$$$$ to pay for these system upgrades is to either get a US
gummint grant or float a sales tax increase on the public...who by the way is getting tired of Tax increases.
Any further questions?
73.
Why would they? You usually switch to that when your radio traffic needs outrun your capabilities and that’s not going to happen for a long time.
Not sure, just asking out of sheer curiosity. Wondering if at some point encryption will rear its ugly head.
I grew up in San Joaquin County and most law enforcement agencies up there went digital quite a while ago. Also, there has been a fair amount of adoption in Tulare County, and it looks like Madera PD also made the switch.
I should have asked the question regarding conventional or trunked P25 systems. I figured it had something to do with dollars and therefore politics... Glad that an old conventional analog scanner/receiver still does the trick.
Thanks for the info! I did not realize CPD had employed P25 on Ch. 6. 73s!
JH, (KN6UHP, WREP686)
I grew up in San Joaquin County and most law enforcement agencies up there went digital quite a while ago. Also, there has been a fair amount of adoption in Tulare County, and it looks like Madera PD also made the switch.
I should have asked the question regarding conventional or trunked P25 systems. I figured it had something to do with dollars and therefore politics... Glad that an old conventional analog scanner/receiver still does the trick.
Thanks for the info! I did not realize CPD had employed P25 on Ch. 6. 73s!
JH, (KN6UHP, WREP686)
Eng74
Member
It will happen some day when their current systems can no longer be repaired and replacement parts are hard to find. That is the reason Kern County is going to a new system. They can’t find parts anymore, not even on eBay.
Even then you don’t have to go trunking. All my local police departments got p25 equipment years ago and stayed conventional.
Eng74
Member
That’s great but, it is up to the radio companies on what and how long they want to support systems. They make more money on P25 and trunking than a no log systems. They are in the business to make money.
As long as they are paid to. It’s still P25, which is still digital and modern, just not trunked. And all P25 capable equipment can also function in analog mode as well.
Do you have the NAC?
