Has the Georgia State Patrol changed frequencies??

[CurtisPayne145]

so basically (correct me if i'm wrong) i'm picturing a GSP trooper with a cell phone as his portable instead of his normal radio is that right? that's gonna be a sad sight, they should stay on the current system and use the new one as a backup during major events such as hurricanes, tornadoes and the occasional snowstorm

 

[Wnqk784]

Amen to that brother I second that

 

[MTS2000des]

so basically (correct me if i'm wrong) i'm picturing a GSP trooper with a cell phone as his portable instead of his normal radio is that right? that's gonna be a sad sight, they should stay on the current system and use the new one as a backup during major events such as hurricanes, tornadoes and the occasional snowstorm

No that's incorrect. They bought L3 Harris XL series portable radios with BeON. They are fully capable of LMR and LTE. The plan as was explained is they will use LMR as they do today in metro areas, and LTE in rural areas where they are primarily VHF today. None of the troopers will be carrying "cellphones". The XL200p is a full blown radio with an LTE module that is fitted to the rear and integrated into the radio.

 

[gman4661]

Today, a trooper I spoke with described the new radio system as being far superior to VHF. He said the new radios can access two different cellular networks plus Southern Linc. He also said that they still have VHF capability. It appears that DNR has been issued the new radios as well.

 

[ColdWarVeteran]

Someone help me wrap my mind around why the State implemented a new P25 VHF system, a few years ago, and now they want to waste tax dollars by purchasing/renting another radio system and equipment? It hasn't been that long since the GSP began using their new repeaters throughout the State. If the current system is functioning adequately, I'm assuming it is, then what's the reasoning for a totally different system? As a tax payer in this State, I'm throwing out the BS flag and say let them use the new P25 system they have in place.

Edit: I want to throw in the lack of transparency also. In my area of the State, Central Savannah River Area, Richmond County, Columbia County and McDuffie County have all went to using encryption. With GSP using the Southern Linc system they'll essentially be "encrypted" as well.

I despise government entities that don't want transparency by allowing citizens to monitor their radio activities. In the past, before they began using their encrypted TRS, I monitored Columbia County on a regular basis. I would hear incidents on my scanner that never made it to the news organizations because they wanted the illusion that there was little to no crime in the county. Now that these agencies are encrypted, how do we know what is happening in our communities if they don't share the information via the news organizations? I know I'm preaching to the choir about encrypted communications but it's just a rant and food for thought.

 

[gman4661]

Just guessing, but possible reasons for the upgrade:

100% encryption (goal or by-product?).
Better signal coverage.
If the radios are multiband, interoperability with other agencies on UHF or 800.
Not sure if the Harris radios are capable of receiving photos and offer texting like at least one other brand.

 

[apx7000xe]

They really didn't have the option of keeping their current VHF system as their primary. They had to do something and I'm sure going with SouthernLinc was drastically cheaper than building out a statewide 800mhz system. I've seen the numbers for a county that has eyeballed both of those options and approximately 55 years of service with SouthernLinc using L3Harris subscribers was the equivalent price of what building out a 800mhz P25 Phase II system was for just the single county. The GSP VHF P25 system wasn't really much of a system as they threw up a single repeater to try and cover 3-4 counties and were using MotoBridge as a dispatch console. Not to mention all of the DVRS units they had operating and tried to fully rely on. Their mobiles were VHF only and their portables were 700/800mhz. Their system was a disaster and interoperability was a nightmare. Now, all of their officers have VHF, UHF, and 700/800mhz P25 capability, as well as SouthernLinc RF gateways set up with several counties across the state enabling communication with agencies that have proprietary systems that they previously couldn't communicate with. Along with all of that, from what I've heard, the VHF repeaters will still be left up as a backup system as well. While it's a technology that's still very new to the public safety world, I think MCPTT will eventually become the new standard as agencies rely more and more on data driven communications. I think this switch is a win for GSP if it performs as advertised but only time will tell.

 

[MTS2000des]

MCPTT is not going away, and what the state has done is put in a public safety grade converged LMR/LTE solution for what many counties spend on LMR alone. As far as the mantra about encryption, can someone please stop the Facebook dispatchers from vomiting up everything they think they hear on social media? Asking for a friend.

 

[N8IAA]

They really didn't have the option of keeping their current VHF system as their primary. They had to do something and I'm sure going with SouthernLinc was drastically cheaper than building out a statewide 800mhz system. I've seen the numbers for a county that has eyeballed both of those options and approximately 55 years of service with SouthernLinc using L3Harris subscribers was the equivalent price of what building out a 800mhz P25 Phase II system was for just the single county. The GSP VHF P25 system wasn't really much of a system as they threw up a single repeater to try and cover 3-4 counties and were using MotoBridge as a dispatch console. Not to mention all of the DVRS units they had operating and tried to fully rely on. Their mobiles were VHF only and their portables were 700/800mhz. Their system was a disaster and interoperability was a nightmare. Now, all of their officers have VHF, UHF, and 700/800mhz P25 capability, as well as SouthernLinc RF gateways set up with several counties across the state enabling communication with agencies that have proprietary systems that they previously couldn't communicate with. Along with all of that, from what I've heard, the VHF repeaters will still be left up as a backup system as well. While it's a technology that's still very new to the public safety world, I think MCPTT will eventually become the new standard as agencies rely more and more on data driven communications. I think this switch is a win for GSP if it performs as advertised but only time will tell.

Documentation please.

 

[TxTifa617]

I live in DeKalb County. I wanted to purchase an SDS100 primarily to listen to GSP. This SouthernLinc transition helped me decide quickly.

 

[Wnqk784]

Unfortunately sad but true

 

[kb4he]

I can verify that here in Western North Carolina / North Georgia this frequency is still in use.

154.9125

WQUE796

RM

640 NAC

GSP Hiawase

GSP Post 27 Hiawassee

P25

Law Dispatch

GSP will have to continue to utilize their VHF repeater in Towns/Union as Southern Linc has no coverage there. It is confirmed GSP is moving to Southern Linc as primary system with their VHF P25 repeaters and local systems as backup or in areas where Southern Linc has no service. GPS is installing gateways between Southern Linc talkgroups to local county SO's all around me.

 

[MTS2000des]

I live in DeKalb County. I wanted to purchase an SDS100 primarily to listen to GSP. This SouthernLinc transition helped me decide quickly.

In metro Atlanta, they'll be staying on the various trunking systems, but 99 percent of troop C is encrypted.

 

[pkrawetz]

So far SEGRRN across the east cost is still active for GSP. Not sure if/when they will change over to Southern Linc.

 

[BlackhawkCB]

SEGARRN post 42, 11 and 45 still active

 

[kb4he]

Other than state wide agencies like GSP, DNR, GBI, etc where to me Southern Linc make sense. GSP is now installing gateways to local LEO non P25 digital systems. Does anyone know of a city/county LEO that has chosen Southern Linc as their primary dispatch system. My local Sheriff Dept has proposed to buy into Southern Linc as their primary dispatch. I know Southern Linc has a mobile that is not Harris. We we have installed this to our consoles for an EMS Transport company. Do they have a portable (other than Sonim or Harris) available?

 

[More2x4]

Swainsboro gone silent.

 

[RRR]

They really didn't have the option of keeping their current VHF system as their primary. They had to do something

Source?

 

[RRR]

GSP Forsyth, and Griffin are still active, though not as much.

 

[apx7000xe]

GSP has finally publicly announced the changeover

Georgia State Patrol turns to Southern Linc LTE system for mission-critical voice comms - Urgent Comms

Georgia State Patrol is using a mission-critical-push-to-talk (MCPTT) service from Southern Linc for its primary voice communications, supplanting the state-owned VHF system during the past 18 months, according to an official with the agency. Captain Brian Screws (pictured above, in center)...

urgentcomm.com