Heath expects new radio system to back up county 911

[wa8pyr]

More on the problems with the new EFJ P25 products at Heatth, OH:

Heath is working with Licking County to ensure its new radio system would work as a backup to the county's 911 call center.

Heath Mayor Richard Waugh met with Licking County commissioners last week to discuss the city's new system, which currently can't send calls to fire departments in Mary Ann Township, Homer and Utica.

http://www.thisweeknews.com/live/co.../0727lsheath911_ln.html?type=rss&cat=&sid=104

 

[richardc63]

More on the problems with the new EFJ P25 products at Heatth, OH:

Heath is working with Licking County to ensure its new radio system would work as a backup to the county's 911 call center.

Heath Mayor Richard Waugh met with Licking County commissioners last week to discuss the city's new system, which currently can't send calls to fire departments in Mary Ann Township, Homer and Utica.

http://www.thisweeknews.com/live/co.../0727lsheath911_ln.html?type=rss&cat=&sid=104

Hi,

EFJ isn't even mentioned in the article and the problem seems to be with the CAD, unless I've read the article wrong. I can't even tell whether that is due to a technical issue or poor planning as the story is so vague. The story is written by someone who has no idea as to what they are writing about.

And who manually "tunes" a turnout system? What kind of stone age equipment are they using? Or is this yet another journo's distortion of something said?

I've previously asked for any first hand information on problems experienced with EFJ P25 bases and so far received nothing. On the other hand I forwarded the "horror stories" posted here to EFJ & they sent me (with their clients' consents) full commissioning test results for each... which gave a very different impression to the fiction posted here. I grow tired of the blatant vendor bashing and agendas of some that post here.

Cheers,


Richard

 

[fwradio]

Thanks to Richard for saving me on rant time. I don't see any mention of EFJ anywhere. Just a mention of Bearcom and D&R Communications.

 

[loumaag]

I agree, there doesn't seem to be any problem with the EFJ equipment. Indeed, based on this article from July 19th, it would appear that the Heath folks are being penny wise and dollar stupid.

Shepherd said most cities hire a consultant to determine what type of system is required and what it should include. Heath did not hire a consultant partly because the old system failed and the city had to act quickly.

So now consultants are slow? Or is it partly because someone just assumed specifications on system design were easy. :roll:

 

[commstar]

An example of amateur politicians at work. Thank god they saved that $100K. Bet they wished they'd spent it now. But not because Cops and Firefighters safety is in jeopardy.

Government will screw it up regardless- consultant or not. And the press will be there to pillory government- facts be damned.

The article is not about the facts as the reporter did not even bother to try to understand the problem at hand. It is about 'Gotcha'.

Heres the secret Heath Council Members were apparently not told: The real reason to hire a consultant is to have someone to blame the poor results on. As it stands now, there is no one else to blame except themselves. Its not about results, it is about failure management. Its not too late to hire a consultant.

Crow is being served in Heath it appears and there will likely be several open seats next election cycle.

On a side note: Heath has a population of less than 10,000 and has SEVEN Council Members. Thats alot of folks feeding at such a small trough. No mention anywhere on their site if those council members are paid. The town has its own Income Tax so the answer is likely Yes. My point: If you do not want to solve a pproblem- form a committee.

 

[ibagli]

I always forget to look in This Week News.

http://www.newarkadvocate.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080724/NEWS01/80724017/-1/newsfront2

“The three agencies use such an old format (to signal the pagers), manufacturers don’t make them anymore,” Shepherd said. “Our fiber-optics link is so efficient and a speedy deliverer of signals, it’s difficult to set digital and fiber-optics to work with old equipment.”

 

[ibagli]

So now consultants are slow? Or is it partly because someone just assumed specifications on system design were easy. :roll:

And they might not advise that we get the newest thing possible with all kinds of cool new words to use. Until June we had a trunked system with 4 total channels for a total of 4 talkgroups.

 

[ibagli]

Crow is being served in Heath it appears and there will likely be several open seats next election cycle.

This isn't even being made into that big of an issue in town. The chief is trying to spin it into an issue of the rest of the county having ancient pagers. In town the new P25 setup for the PD finally seems to be working fine. The part about there not being a consultant hasn't even made it into the local newspaper (This Week News comes with the Columbus Dispatch AFAIK).

 

[richardc63]

Or is it partly because someone just assumed specifications on system design were easy. :roll:

Ah yes... don't they all...

The more I read about this one the more it sounds to me like someone had either an arrogant perception of how "easy" it is to design and deliver a communications network that actually works, or simply too cheap to ensure that money was spent where it was needed. And then they blame the vendors... or aaargh... that evil DIGITAL....

Regards,


Richard

 

[DaveNF2G]

My point: If you do not want to solve a pproblem- form a committee.

A committee is a cul-de-sac down which ideas are lured and then quietly strangled.

- Sir Barnett Cocks, Editor of the 17th edition of "Erskine May's Treatise on the Law, Privileges, Proceedings and Usage of Parliament"