Greenville County New Radio System Tax

[Captain_Yosarian]

Greenville County Council this week approved a tax for a new radio system for "all first responders". Obviously this is for the county only and wouldn't involve Greenville City as they're on the Pal8 system..

About a year or two ago I heard that the county had engaged a consulting company out of Columbia to design an 800 mHz trunking system but never heard anything since then.

It was also rumored that a couple of years ago the state had given the Sheriff's Office a very large quantity of brand new mobiles and portables on the Pal8 system that have been sitting in storage.

Anyone have any information on what's going on???

 

[dadonkadonkas]

I have some knowledge.

The rollout of the new system is about a year and a half out according to sources. Sources have also said that EMS, FD and GCSO will be in the same dispatch center. Not on the same channel, but same location. Rationale is to prevent comm lag among agencies.

 

[rescuecomm]

The for "all first responders" is obviously a term that refers to the "paid departments" in the county. The more rural departments will be issued a few P25 handhelds and the volunteers that bulk out their numbers will no longer be on the radio system due to radio cost and the monthly radio fee. They will get through it as it is a normal thing to transition to new technology. The county will still have to alert the departments on an analog channel for a time. This will be interesting as it transpires. I suppose I will have to buy a scanner for the car.

Pickens County has a combined dispatch that seems to work.

Bob