Hancock County Fiscal Court approves $3.2-mil emergency communications project

[FD101]

Some changes coming to Hancock County in the next 2-3 years.

"Fiscal Court approved a bid of $3.2 million for the Tait Communications equipment, providing a four-channel, six-site, P-25 Phase 2 TDMA digital system, which will allow both cities, the county and Hancock County Schools to communicate with ease."

"The county will complete the project in partnership with the school system, with the county spending $2.6 million and schools contributing $563,984. Roberts said the School Board will still need to approve the system’s contribution, but he sees no holdup on that action."

Article: https://www.hancockclarion.com/2022...ves-3-2-mil-emergency-communications-project/

Please discuss here for changes and updates to the Hancock County P25 System

 

[dwh367]

Hancock County is one of the smallest counties in the state (in both population and land area). I served as a volunteer firefighter there back in the late 80s/early 90s.

They're putting in 6 sites and we're getting by with 3 sites, in Daviess County, which is much larger in both population and land area? That salesman was really slick. Glad I'm not paying taxes over there anymore.

When I lived there our central dispatch was in the courthouse annex and the simplex fire, rescue and law enforcement transceivers were located on a water tower on top of what's called town hill. They were connected to central dispatch via twisted pairs. I can distinctly remember talking to dispatch several times, on a HT 90, from the very south end of the county.

Later on the county bought an old gas station, razed it and built the current central dispatch....in a valley! When you drive by it you literally have to look down at it. They put up a 100 foot tower, but due to the location, all it's doing is shooting into the surrounding hills. They're running repeaters now, on all 3 frequencies, but the current system still doesn't work nearly as well as the old system did when it was still on the water tower. And then they wonder why they need a new system now 🙄

 

[kd4bas]

Later on the county bought an old gas station, razed it and built the current central dispatch....in a valley!

I was raised in Hawesville, lived next door to the fire station until 1983, I was that crazy kid that rode a bicycle all over town,
no matter the weather or season. I agree some salesman was slick. What service station was taken down and dispatch built?
I haven't been up in that area since I lost my grandma in 2011.

 

[dwh367]

The Pit Stop.

 

[kd4bas]

Was that on the old US 60 portion coming up the hill from the 4 way by the courthouse to the intersection
at the bypass at the top of the hill?

 

[dwh367]

Before the bypass, as one went up town hill, they would turn left towards Cloverport. They would go past Kelly Hights and then the rescue station on the left. The Pit Stop was down a hillside off to the right. It was a little place with just a couple of gas pumps if I remember correctly. It would be called old 60 now.

 

[ofd8001]

Hancock County is one of the smallest counties in the state (in both population and land area). I served as a volunteer firefighter there back in the late 80s/early 90s.

They're putting in 6 sites and we're getting by with 3 sites, in Daviess County, which is much larger in both population and land area? That salesman was really slick. Glad I'm not paying taxes over there anymore.

When I lived there our central dispatch was in the courthouse annex and the simplex fire, rescue and law enforcement transceivers were located on a water tower on top of what's called town hill. They were connected to central dispatch via twisted pairs. I can distinctly remember talking to dispatch several times, on a HT 90, from the very south end of the county.

Later on the county bought an old gas station, razed it and built the current central dispatch....in a valley! When you drive by it you literally have to look down at it. They put up a 100 foot tower, but due to the location, all it's doing is shooting into the surrounding hills. They're running repeaters now, on all 3 frequencies, but the current system still doesn't work nearly as well as the old system did when it was still on the water tower. And then they wonder why they need a new system now 🙄

I disagree. Number of people has nothing to do with needed sites. It is all about topography and the hills you describe in your last paragraph. Another question is tower height - maybe Owensboro area can get taller towers and Hancock can only get on lower towers.

These days, 3.2 million is not much money for a whole new system.

 

[mastr]

I disagree. Number of people has nothing to do with needed sites. It is all about topography and...

Cutting to the chase- the largest factor in "how many sites" (besides money) is "how much coverage do you want, with what radio".
It costs money to get portable coverage virtually everywhere, which seems to be the usual expectation these days.

...These days, 3.2 million is not much money for a whole new system.

Particularly when the money you are spending is not your own.

 

[ofd8001]

Particularly when the money you are spending is not your own.

Back when we were "creating" the Louisville MetroSafe system, they were thinking $16M for a 12 site system. That was 12 years ago and costs have gone up.

Also during those days when I had a hand in spending public funds, I kinda figured it was my money. More importantly I would have to explain the "why, how come and what for" things to my superiors elected by the public or the media folks. Also to any citizen who hated government and taxes. So I was probably a lot more cautious and deliberate when it came to public expenditures for those reasons.

 

[mastr]

...I was probably a lot more cautious and deliberate when it came to public expenditures for those reasons.

And IMHO, you were probably one of only a few who exercised such restraint. Thank you.

 

[FD101]

Request for Extension of Time for Hancock County's new P25 Simulcast System

FCC File Number: 0010837710

 

[dwh367]

License info: ULS License - PubSafty/SpecEmer/PubSaftyNtlPlan,806-817/851-862MHz,Trunked License - WRVV587 - HANCOCK, COUNTY OF