Grand Forks City and County to receive new Project 25 System

[Thunderbolt]

North Dakota, Minnesota counties adopt P25 systems

Apr 19, 2007 11:16 AM, - MRT

Houston, Texas-based Tait Radio Communications has been awarded a contract to install its TaitNet P25 digital network solution on a turnkey basis for the city and the counties of Grand Forks in North Dakota and Polk County in Minnesota. The company’s P25-based network solution will provide interoperable communications for police, fire, EMS and numerous other city and county agencies in the area, according to Tait.

 

[plankeye]

My only concern with agencies going digital is that it is soo cheap and easy to encrypt everything. I wonder if these agencies will be encrytped?

 

[Thunderbolt]

My only concern with agencies going digital is that it is soo cheap and easy to encrypt everything. I wonder if these agencies will be encrytped?

It's very possible they could have encryption capabilities installed in all of their radios. Tait does offer that as an option, and it would not be very hard to upgrade any mobile or portable radio to operation occasionally, or full-time in encrypted mode. I know with Motorola, it only costs $300 more per radio, but I have no idea how much extra it costs with Tait. Nonetheless, I would surmise that units with radio traffic of a more sensitive nature, such as command officers, detectives, and tactical users would be the most likely to have this feature installed. Hopefully, all of the dispatch channels would remain in the clear. However, in the province of Ontario, Canada, many smaller police departments have gone to full-time encryption on all of their channels, because its so cost-effective to do so.

 

[jason_58201]

i dont' know if i buy that, stones has been the local provider of choice for years, seems fishy.

 

[jason_58201]

i stand corrected, i just checked the website

 

[plankeye]

Agencys around the bismarck area are going to digital encryption.
Bismarck PD and Mandan PD are all ready digital encrypted and the plans call for Burleigh and Morton County Sheriffs dept to be encrypted as well as Metro Ambulance and the Bismarck Fire Dept.

According to state radio files, everyone on the their system will have to upgrade radios and also have encryption available.

It kinda seems like the whole state may be going encrypted soon.