Dispatch2323
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Interesting reading from the Hamilton County Commissioners Meeting about radio communications in the County. One line mentions Hamilton County on the Indianapolis "Mecca" System. I don't know anything or any inside information...just posting because it is interesting.
Altman reported she and Dan Stevens attended a meeting with AMK to discuss equipment for the communications system. We had requested that Harris provide a proposal to do several things for us:
1. To bring our communication system up to a P25 Platform. That elevates the equipment and software that run communications, including all the towers, radios, all internal dispatch systems, at the same platform so whatever piece of equipment you use, whether Motorola or Harris they are all interoperable.
2. Finding out why we have dead areas within the county, specifically in southwest Clay Township and areas in Fishers. We are currently on an EDAC System, which means is the communication and software all go to a central point. If we would lose one tower it is not redundant, not self-healing.
AMK has proposed to come back to that platform and matches all the investments in the 911 Dispatch Center and we will get rid of the restrictor where everything comes into dispatch, we try to dispatch out and it goes through a piece of equipment to make it work with the EDAC System and that has been problematic with the combination of dispatch. If we can get this in place our system would be much more seamless, it would be reliable and redundant. They have proposed moving one tower; currently we work on four (4) towers – one in Sheridan, one at the Sheriff’s office, one in Carmel and one in Fishers. The Fishers tower would be relocated and also a new tower would go into Fishers which would be an extra tower. The Carmel tower needs to be kept but they would add another tower in southern Clay Township. We would also add another tower in Westfield, so it would be a seven (7) tower system, all redundant (fiber ring would be self-healing). The other valuable part of the proposal is that a second server would be added in case of a failure with the first server. It would be seamless and no loss of time. As an added redundancy we would maintain the current EDAC system. The other intriguing part of the proposal is a secure application that is proprietary that anyone that is authorized could download it to their cell phone and then their cell phone would communicate within our radio system, which they think is the move to the future. If we held the license they would agree that we could re-license it as a possible revenue source. 6
The improved coverage is amazing and it is guaranteed at 95%. Indoor coverage at the 14dB is almost the same; the Cadillac of all standards is 20 dB indoor; indoors is the hardest to penetrate, which is the highest level we can get hitting almost all of the population centers. With this program we can add a repeater and every battalion chief could install that in their vehicle, they arrive on scene and it will increase the indoor reception substantially. We can cover the entire county but to get to that platform we need to be P25. We will also need an ISS Card which allows us to communicate with the systems around us seamlessly.
Altman proposed a countywide bond issue with the support of all of the entities for the towers and all the equipment that will be installed on the towers. That will be a longer term bond issue at the county level. In terms of repurchase of equipment (handheld portable terminals) would be either a county bond issue with everybody supporting their share for their equipment or just have every jurisdiction cover their costs themselves. We think we can do the countywide bond issue under the referendum amount and then the handheld bond issue. The 911 Executive Board has authorized Fishers to start discussions
with Marion County regarding bringing Hamilton County in on their MECCA System. Hopefully they will come back next month with their proposal to compare with the AMK proposal.
Altman stated we have a very viable solution to a lot of our communication problems and dead spots and to totally elevate the service of communications within the county. Altman complimented AMK on an outstanding job addressing the concerns, testing and finding a good solution.
Altman reported she and Dan Stevens attended a meeting with AMK to discuss equipment for the communications system. We had requested that Harris provide a proposal to do several things for us:
1. To bring our communication system up to a P25 Platform. That elevates the equipment and software that run communications, including all the towers, radios, all internal dispatch systems, at the same platform so whatever piece of equipment you use, whether Motorola or Harris they are all interoperable.
2. Finding out why we have dead areas within the county, specifically in southwest Clay Township and areas in Fishers. We are currently on an EDAC System, which means is the communication and software all go to a central point. If we would lose one tower it is not redundant, not self-healing.
AMK has proposed to come back to that platform and matches all the investments in the 911 Dispatch Center and we will get rid of the restrictor where everything comes into dispatch, we try to dispatch out and it goes through a piece of equipment to make it work with the EDAC System and that has been problematic with the combination of dispatch. If we can get this in place our system would be much more seamless, it would be reliable and redundant. They have proposed moving one tower; currently we work on four (4) towers – one in Sheridan, one at the Sheriff’s office, one in Carmel and one in Fishers. The Fishers tower would be relocated and also a new tower would go into Fishers which would be an extra tower. The Carmel tower needs to be kept but they would add another tower in southern Clay Township. We would also add another tower in Westfield, so it would be a seven (7) tower system, all redundant (fiber ring would be self-healing). The other valuable part of the proposal is that a second server would be added in case of a failure with the first server. It would be seamless and no loss of time. As an added redundancy we would maintain the current EDAC system. The other intriguing part of the proposal is a secure application that is proprietary that anyone that is authorized could download it to their cell phone and then their cell phone would communicate within our radio system, which they think is the move to the future. If we held the license they would agree that we could re-license it as a possible revenue source. 6
The improved coverage is amazing and it is guaranteed at 95%. Indoor coverage at the 14dB is almost the same; the Cadillac of all standards is 20 dB indoor; indoors is the hardest to penetrate, which is the highest level we can get hitting almost all of the population centers. With this program we can add a repeater and every battalion chief could install that in their vehicle, they arrive on scene and it will increase the indoor reception substantially. We can cover the entire county but to get to that platform we need to be P25. We will also need an ISS Card which allows us to communicate with the systems around us seamlessly.
Altman proposed a countywide bond issue with the support of all of the entities for the towers and all the equipment that will be installed on the towers. That will be a longer term bond issue at the county level. In terms of repurchase of equipment (handheld portable terminals) would be either a county bond issue with everybody supporting their share for their equipment or just have every jurisdiction cover their costs themselves. We think we can do the countywide bond issue under the referendum amount and then the handheld bond issue. The 911 Executive Board has authorized Fishers to start discussions
with Marion County regarding bringing Hamilton County in on their MECCA System. Hopefully they will come back next month with their proposal to compare with the AMK proposal.
Altman stated we have a very viable solution to a lot of our communication problems and dead spots and to totally elevate the service of communications within the county. Altman complimented AMK on an outstanding job addressing the concerns, testing and finding a good solution.
