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THIS IF FROM TODAY'S IONIA SENTINEL STANDARD
Ionia upgrading communications tower
By RYAN JELTEMA
Sentinel-Standard writer
IONIA -- The airwaves are getting a little more high tech over Ionia as radio communication takes "a huge leap forward."
The city is receiving $590,000 from the $284 billion federal Transportation Equity Act-A Legacy for Users bill, which was overwhelmingly approved by a vote of 417-9 in the U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday.
City officials worked closely with Rep. Vernon Ehlers' office (R-Grand Rapids) to secure the funds.
The federal grant, coupled with a $128,000 state grant, will pay for nearly $725,000 in upgrades to the new Ionia Dial-A-Ride communication tower on Apple Tree Drive.
The tower will be outfitted with new transmitters which can link to the Michigan State Police's statewide 800-megahertz digital communications system. New computers and communications equipment also will be installed in the utility building at the base of the tower.
"This allows us to be completely inter-operable with the state system," said Ionia City Manager Tom Wieczorek.
With the new system, people in Ionia can speak directly to people anywhere in Michigan during an emergency.
It also significantly enhances radio communication for the city's police, fire, utilities and public works employees. City departments will have hundreds more channels to operate on than the current analog VHF/UHF system, which was constructed during the 1960s.
"This gives us unlimited communications capabilities," Wieczorek said.
Communication will be much clearer than analog, without interference from other channels. In addition, the new system eliminates "dead spots" common in the Grand River valley and provides more reliability in case of a malfunction.
"This moves us light years ahead. . . into the 21st Century," Wieczorek said. "It's a huge leap forward."
New digital radios have already been purchased for all city departments, and they are arriving this month. Currently only Dial-A-Ride is functioning on digital radios via a small 800-megahertz system developed specifically for the city last year, but Wieczorek said all departments should be on line within the next two or three months.
The city's system can be expanded for Ionia County Central Dispatch to someday switch all emergency communication in the county to 800-megahertz via the city's tower, Wieczorek said.
Central Dispatch Director Bill Charon said a special committee representing a variety of emergency response disciplines is currently studying the county's options and plans to submit a report to county commissioners on Monday.
"It certainly offers us a unique opportunity," Charon said. "I don't know whether we'll go to it or not."
Wieczorek expects the new equipment will be installed sometime this summer, possibly as early as June. Motorola, the system's manufacturer, already has everything in stock.
"The parts and pieces are readily available. As soon as the final signatures are in place, we're ready to go," Wieczorek said.
It may be a few weeks before the money is transferred to the city, said Ehlers' spokesman Jon Brandt. The U.S. Senate must still approve a similar transportation funding bill, then the two houses must work out a compromise bill in a conference committee.
After that, President George W. Bush must sign it.
Brandt said the bill is a top priority in Washington.
"This is something they are trying to get on the fast track," he said.
So far, Ionia has received nearly $1.5 million in grants to upgrade radio communications, including an approximately $300,000 federal grant two years ago to construct the Apple Tree Drive tower.
City officials initially requested $950,000 this year. The additional $360,000 would have helped pay for a data transmission system, allowing for live data to stream to vehicles around the city from a central point.
Wieczorek said that portion was removed from the grant request since it does not meet criteria for public transportation funding. The city will apply for other grants in the near future to pay for it.
When complete, the data system will have capability to track the location and status of every city vehicle. Eventually, as technology develops, the system may allow digital cameras in police cars to stream live video back to headquarters, Wieczorek said.
If the county begins utilizing the system, Central Dispatch may be able to track all emergency vehicles countywide and monitor live video from every law enforcement unit, he said.
Ionia upgrading communications tower
By RYAN JELTEMA
Sentinel-Standard writer
IONIA -- The airwaves are getting a little more high tech over Ionia as radio communication takes "a huge leap forward."
The city is receiving $590,000 from the $284 billion federal Transportation Equity Act-A Legacy for Users bill, which was overwhelmingly approved by a vote of 417-9 in the U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday.
City officials worked closely with Rep. Vernon Ehlers' office (R-Grand Rapids) to secure the funds.
The federal grant, coupled with a $128,000 state grant, will pay for nearly $725,000 in upgrades to the new Ionia Dial-A-Ride communication tower on Apple Tree Drive.
The tower will be outfitted with new transmitters which can link to the Michigan State Police's statewide 800-megahertz digital communications system. New computers and communications equipment also will be installed in the utility building at the base of the tower.
"This allows us to be completely inter-operable with the state system," said Ionia City Manager Tom Wieczorek.
With the new system, people in Ionia can speak directly to people anywhere in Michigan during an emergency.
It also significantly enhances radio communication for the city's police, fire, utilities and public works employees. City departments will have hundreds more channels to operate on than the current analog VHF/UHF system, which was constructed during the 1960s.
"This gives us unlimited communications capabilities," Wieczorek said.
Communication will be much clearer than analog, without interference from other channels. In addition, the new system eliminates "dead spots" common in the Grand River valley and provides more reliability in case of a malfunction.
"This moves us light years ahead. . . into the 21st Century," Wieczorek said. "It's a huge leap forward."
New digital radios have already been purchased for all city departments, and they are arriving this month. Currently only Dial-A-Ride is functioning on digital radios via a small 800-megahertz system developed specifically for the city last year, but Wieczorek said all departments should be on line within the next two or three months.
The city's system can be expanded for Ionia County Central Dispatch to someday switch all emergency communication in the county to 800-megahertz via the city's tower, Wieczorek said.
Central Dispatch Director Bill Charon said a special committee representing a variety of emergency response disciplines is currently studying the county's options and plans to submit a report to county commissioners on Monday.
"It certainly offers us a unique opportunity," Charon said. "I don't know whether we'll go to it or not."
Wieczorek expects the new equipment will be installed sometime this summer, possibly as early as June. Motorola, the system's manufacturer, already has everything in stock.
"The parts and pieces are readily available. As soon as the final signatures are in place, we're ready to go," Wieczorek said.
It may be a few weeks before the money is transferred to the city, said Ehlers' spokesman Jon Brandt. The U.S. Senate must still approve a similar transportation funding bill, then the two houses must work out a compromise bill in a conference committee.
After that, President George W. Bush must sign it.
Brandt said the bill is a top priority in Washington.
"This is something they are trying to get on the fast track," he said.
So far, Ionia has received nearly $1.5 million in grants to upgrade radio communications, including an approximately $300,000 federal grant two years ago to construct the Apple Tree Drive tower.
City officials initially requested $950,000 this year. The additional $360,000 would have helped pay for a data transmission system, allowing for live data to stream to vehicles around the city from a central point.
Wieczorek said that portion was removed from the grant request since it does not meet criteria for public transportation funding. The city will apply for other grants in the near future to pay for it.
When complete, the data system will have capability to track the location and status of every city vehicle. Eventually, as technology develops, the system may allow digital cameras in police cars to stream live video back to headquarters, Wieczorek said.
If the county begins utilizing the system, Central Dispatch may be able to track all emergency vehicles countywide and monitor live video from every law enforcement unit, he said.
