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County to undergo radio rebanding
Sheriff, consultant call it free, but long and tedious
By AMBER RIGGIN
Tribune staff writer
Howard County was a pioneer in the state regarding the switch to an 800 megahertz radio system, doing so more than a decade ago, but it is still experiencing some growing pains.
As part of an August 2004 order to reduce interference on 800 megahertz radio systems, the Federal Communications Commission selected Indiana to be part of the first phase of a mass rebanding effort.
Now Howard County is up for its turn.
Sheriff Marty said he has not seen interference problems here except an occasional weather-related issue, but the county must comply with the mandate regardless.
The county is using the consulting services of Tony Johnson, with Integrity Communications and Electronics, to ensure the transition and final results are satisfactory.
Talbert said Johnson will serve as liaison between the county and Nextel during the transition. “I want to make sure that we do this right,” the sheriff said.
The rebanding mandate not only affects all law enforcement and emergency providers, but maintenance, parks, street and all volunteer departments on the county’s radio systems.
Johnson said the communications system will essentially be moved down about 15 megahertz within the bandwidth.
Officials have not mapped out a complete transition plan, but Talbert said he expects a two-step process to affect only four channels at one time.
“It’s going to be a long, tedious process,” he said.
There is some good news.
While the transition may be uncomfortable for all agencies involved, Talbert and Johnson say the county will not be responsible for any of the cost. Nextel has agreed to foot the entire bill.
Johnson said the communications company will receive a portion of the 800 megahertz radio bandwidth as part of the deal.
Total costs could be enormous, he said, and there has been speculation whether the company will be able to pay for all of the project.
“We’re lucky we’re phase one,” Johnson said. “A lot of people believe they’re going to be out of money by phase two or three.”
The project is divided into four phases, or “waves.”
Wave one includes the most populous regions and those with the highest incidence of interference complaints, according to a regional prioritization plan filed Jan. 31, 2005, by the project transition administrator.
Johnson is working in a similar capacity with the city of Bluffton, which is in the research and analysis portion of the switch.
So far, research costs for Bluffton, which will have around a hundred radios utilizing only one channel, have been estimated at $12,000.
Howard County is looking at significantly higher costs because about 1,600 radios share 10 channels. The number of channels will decrease to eight after the switch, Talbert said.
Johnson said the next step is to resubmit a funding form, originally submitted several months ago, indicating what Nextel will have to pay to reflect analysis of the selected frequencies’ compatibility with county equipment.
“Basically these channels need to be studied to make sure interference isn’t going to be a problem,” he said. “I don’t think we just want to accept the frequencies.”
“I think we need to take advantage of the funding they are basically giving us,” he said.
The FCC initiated bandwidth overhaul because of wireless interference on emergency radio systems, which occupy the same bandwidth.
Amber Riggin may be reached at (765) 854-6740 or via e-mail at amber.riggin@kokomotribune.com
County to undergo radio rebanding
Sheriff, consultant call it free, but long and tedious
By AMBER RIGGIN
Tribune staff writer
Howard County was a pioneer in the state regarding the switch to an 800 megahertz radio system, doing so more than a decade ago, but it is still experiencing some growing pains.
As part of an August 2004 order to reduce interference on 800 megahertz radio systems, the Federal Communications Commission selected Indiana to be part of the first phase of a mass rebanding effort.
Now Howard County is up for its turn.
Sheriff Marty said he has not seen interference problems here except an occasional weather-related issue, but the county must comply with the mandate regardless.
The county is using the consulting services of Tony Johnson, with Integrity Communications and Electronics, to ensure the transition and final results are satisfactory.
Talbert said Johnson will serve as liaison between the county and Nextel during the transition. “I want to make sure that we do this right,” the sheriff said.
The rebanding mandate not only affects all law enforcement and emergency providers, but maintenance, parks, street and all volunteer departments on the county’s radio systems.
Johnson said the communications system will essentially be moved down about 15 megahertz within the bandwidth.
Officials have not mapped out a complete transition plan, but Talbert said he expects a two-step process to affect only four channels at one time.
“It’s going to be a long, tedious process,” he said.
There is some good news.
While the transition may be uncomfortable for all agencies involved, Talbert and Johnson say the county will not be responsible for any of the cost. Nextel has agreed to foot the entire bill.
Johnson said the communications company will receive a portion of the 800 megahertz radio bandwidth as part of the deal.
Total costs could be enormous, he said, and there has been speculation whether the company will be able to pay for all of the project.
“We’re lucky we’re phase one,” Johnson said. “A lot of people believe they’re going to be out of money by phase two or three.”
The project is divided into four phases, or “waves.”
Wave one includes the most populous regions and those with the highest incidence of interference complaints, according to a regional prioritization plan filed Jan. 31, 2005, by the project transition administrator.
Johnson is working in a similar capacity with the city of Bluffton, which is in the research and analysis portion of the switch.
So far, research costs for Bluffton, which will have around a hundred radios utilizing only one channel, have been estimated at $12,000.
Howard County is looking at significantly higher costs because about 1,600 radios share 10 channels. The number of channels will decrease to eight after the switch, Talbert said.
Johnson said the next step is to resubmit a funding form, originally submitted several months ago, indicating what Nextel will have to pay to reflect analysis of the selected frequencies’ compatibility with county equipment.
“Basically these channels need to be studied to make sure interference isn’t going to be a problem,” he said. “I don’t think we just want to accept the frequencies.”
“I think we need to take advantage of the funding they are basically giving us,” he said.
The FCC initiated bandwidth overhaul because of wireless interference on emergency radio systems, which occupy the same bandwidth.
Amber Riggin may be reached at (765) 854-6740 or via e-mail at amber.riggin@kokomotribune.com
