King County New Radio System-Need New Scanner?

[grafixman1]

With the recent passage of voters approving a new radio system for King County, Washington, I am wondering if this means they are going digital and my TrunkTracker II BC346XT will no longer be of use? I have search for specifics on the updated radio system and was not able to locate info on the technology change, if any. Anyone heard?

 

[SCPD]

With the recent passage of voters approving a new radio system for King County, Washington, I am wondering if this means they are going digital and my TrunkTracker II BC346XT will no longer be of use?

Correct but you have a few years. No reason to upgrade today. Who knows what fancy new technology will be around by then.

 

[im800mhz]

The system will be 800 MHz P25 Phase II. Puget Sound Emergency Radio Network | The Puget Sound Emergency Radio Network (PSERN) is a construction project that will replace the current aging emergency radio communications system with a new emergency communications radio network.

 

[grafixman1]

Correct but you have a few years. No reason to upgrade today. Who knows what fancy new technology will be around by then.

Thanks all for the info. In the meantime, I suppose I should get hold of some software that programs the scanner. I haven't made any changes since it was first purchased and I used some program to throw some freqs in. I would like set it up correctly if there are a few years before the new system kicks in. Any recommendations?

 

[SCPD]

Why not just get Freescan -- it's free.

FreeSCAN - Sixspot Software

 

[grafixman1]

Why not just get Freescan -- it's free.

FreeSCAN - Sixspot Software

Thank you

 

[prplehz]

I can't believe the terminology they use to trick voters into passing this. Outdated system? It isn't out dated. It should be replaced with a good ole VHF system if they want it to be reliable communications for our first responders. Fife and Milton are still on VHF. They come in perfect every time too. Why didn't they go on the new Pierce system? Because they are educated in the field, that's why... I give them a high five for doing what is right and just using what actually works. I have heard T2D and it sounds like crap and is not at all 100 percent receive rate for the ones using it. I hear people asking to repeat things because it was unintelligible all the time. Much more than on the system King County is on now. Compared to VHF the 800 systems are a joke here in our topography when it comes to clear intelligible communications for our first responders. On the current KC system there's lots of dropped calls etc. Nothing near as bad as the digital systems in the area. It's the topography and vegetation that causes it because they are using UHF systems that shouldn't be used in a wide area here. Trees man, trees and lots of hills and valleys.... This ought to be interesting to see how it pans out. I will be shocked if this giant waste of money works more reliably than the current one. And if it's better than VHF. I will join Bruce Jenner in his charades.. Not to mention how much will they encrypt so we can't hear the public servants that we pay and are the bosses of.. Why do people vote on things they don't understand? If voting, do research on your own. Try things on your own... Don't just vote based on what ads you see or what is put on the media. It's on the media for a reason. So they can do exactly this. Vote because you actually know what is best because you experienced it on your own...

 

[sparklehorse]

I will be shocked if this giant waste of money works more reliably than the current one. And if it's better than VHF. I will join Bruce Jenner in his charades.

Wow, really? Too bad the Monitoring Times isn't still around. I'm sure they'd love to put the first photo of your new girlish figure on the cover.

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[prplehz]

Wow, really? Too bad the Monitoring Times isn't still around. I'm sure they'd love to put the first photo of your new girlish figure on the cover.

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Wouldn't shame me a bit honey, MUAH..

It would never happen though. A UHF trunked digital system will never work as well as a plain ole conventional VHF setup in this topography. Well maybe if they put a tower every 10 miles, lol. I can hear Bremerton WSP from Kent clear as crystal on their VHF system. Yet no matter what the trunked system around here. On the same equipment, forget it at that distance. Add digital to the mix and it just got worse.. Too many variables kill reliability. With each one added, a step back is taken in reliability of successful transmissions.. This is good for our first responders how? It's only good for the pocket books of the ones involved in selling the system. Guess how donated to the campaign? I'll let you look that one up..

 

[prplehz]

Perfect example. The VHF analog WSP system works much better than the trunked one. If it isn't broke, don't fix it. They act like there is no way to link areas without a trunked system. That is not true at all. It's what they always use to sell these systems though, interoperability. Well if the system can't be used reliably. There is not interoperability. All they need to do is link them via land line or microwave. Done.. Nope gotta spend millions on stuff that not only doesn't work worth a darn, but isn't even needed..

 

[sparklehorse]

It's true the RF properties at VHF frequencies work better for our terrain, but the reality is there are only just so many frequencies available in that part of the spectrum. That's why trunking got a foothold. It allows hundreds of different user groups to communicate using only a small pool of frequencies. I'm sure politics played a role in the migration to higher frequencies, but simple physics and increased demand for wireless communications played their roles as well.

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[DickH]

It's true the RF properties at VHF frequencies work better for our terrain, but the reality is there are only just so many frequencies available in that part of the spectrum. That's why trunking got a foothold. It allows hundreds of different user groups to communicate using only a small pool of frequencies. I'm sure politics played a role in the migration to higher frequencies, but simple physics and increased demand for wireless communications played their roles as well.

And when they re-wrote the Part 90 rules, that opened up dozens and dozens of freqs. in the Hi Band for Public Safety.

... only a small pool of freqs....? Look at the 90 or more 800MHz freqs. licensed to Portland.

 

[prplehz]

There are more than enough freqs in the VHF band to allocate to those that need them on a priority basis. Kick all non emergency traffic off that band. Then put it on UHF, they don't need reliability, trans, etc. First responders do need reliability so stick all of them in the VHF range. Problem solved.. Nope, no money to be made there...

 

[prplehz]

Heck HAM radio on 2M is better than UHF. Kick the HAMs off 2m so it can be used for something that is really important. Then move the HAMs up to the UHF band. Hobby level radio should not supersede first responders. If it was about a problem of enough frequencies they would do that. It's not though. It's about money.

 

[Wilrobnson]

...because, as we all know, if a radio system doesn't sound good on a hobbyist's scanner, it must be crap (and the entire human element behind it must be corrupt).

Kick the HAMs off 2m so it can be used for something that is really important. Then move the HAMs up to the UHF band. Hobby level radio should not supersede first responders.

Oh wait, I get it now. Trolling. N/M.

 

[prplehz]

I am talking about the police I hear constantly ask to have things repeated because they can't understand it ON THEIR RADIOS. You think police use Scanners and are hobbyist? Well they might be hobbyist.. You are the Troll...

 

[Wilrobnson]

I am talking about the police I hear constantly ask to have things repeated because they can't understand it ON THEIR RADIOS. You think police use Scanners and are hobbyist? Well they might be hobbyist.. You are the Troll...

Proving that you've never used a public safety radio in a public safety role. The reason we ask to have things repeated usually has little or nothing to do with the radio.

A cop in a room full of screaming DV participants is asking for that warrant info to be repeated for a reason...a firefighter running a pump panel is asking for that water command to be repeated for a reason.

 

[prplehz]

No I'm talking about when they are sitting in their car with me on ride along trips. WSP vhf rarely ever asks to have things repeated. Nor do other vhf systems I've observed. I love how you talk like you know me or something. It's fact that vhf travels further and through solid objects better. Thus it works better.. UHF has its purpose. First responders are not it though.. Those people on vhf at the pump truck don't have issues understanding. It's the UHF and digital that do even in the quiet of their vehicles. I've experienced it on site...

 

[Wilrobnson]

No I'm talking about when they are sitting in their car with me on ride along trips. WSP vhf rarely ever asks to have things repeated. Nor do other vhf systems I've observed.

Wow. Ride alongs. Sorry, that makes you an expert. Much like those people that drive past a WSDOT crew at work, and see 10 seconds of their work day. The guy taking a break is dismissed as a lazy b******, though he may be busting a$$ the other 8 and a half hours.

I love how you talk like you know me or something. It's fact that vhf travels further and through solid objects better. Thus it works better..

I love how you talk about radio like you know something about it.

UHF has its purpose. First responders are not it though.

...?

Those people on vhf at the pump truck don't have issues understanding.

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

It's the UHF and digital that do even in the quiet of their vehicles. I've experienced it on site...

And I've experienced it first hand, in the field, at a crime scene, at an active shooter scene, at (insert any number and/or type of LE calls here), and as a firefighter (and yes, at the pump panel, where you can't hear a thing sometimes)...Analog VHF, analog 800, analog UHF, P25 VHF, P25 Phase 1 and 2 700 and 800....and 99.6% of the time, the radio has nothing to do with it.

You're far enough off base here to make starting lineup for Oakland, but I'll go back to lurking. I don't want the dreaded infraction, and I get exhausted arguing with the little "L" types.

 

[sparklehorse]

... only a small pool of freqs....? Look at the 90 or more 800MHz freqs. licensed to Portland.

The Portland 800 system has over 400 talk groups, so even with 90 frequencies it's still cutting the band use down by over 75%.

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