Lincoln County VIPER activity?

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AK4FD

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Is anybody else picking up activity on the Lincoln County talkgroups on VIPER? Hearing activity on the Lincoln Fire channel, TG: 28002, it kinda sounds like some sort of operation, either training or a search of some kind in a wooded area with trails, also Park Rangers are involved. What I'm puzzled about is Lincoln County isn't using VIPER yet, EMS & Fire still use VHF and Sheriff/PD use UHF, however they are Lincoln County radio ID's showing up (109xxxx). Anyone know what's going on?
 

AK4FD

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For now the radio traffic has stopped. It must have been some sort of drill because the info was a 5-y/o fell down a hole or something & possibly has broken bones. They advised victim found and that was the end of it. I doubt it was real because no EMS units were dispatched to anything like it and nobody has advised transporting. It was just strange hearing it on VIPER since Lincoln County doesn't use VIPER yet. I was actually wondering if anyone knew when they would start to use VIPER... Thanks!
 

newsnick175

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I've heard traffic on a couple of Lincoln Viper TGs. I think some bosses have Viper radios and use them for special jobs or drills. Lincoln EMS has Viper hospital radios.
 

AK4FD

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I've heard traffic on a couple of Lincoln Viper TGs. I think some bosses have Viper radios and use them for special jobs or drills. Lincoln EMS has Viper hospital radios.

Yeah I knew EMS used VIPER to call the ER's, I just hadn't heard any activity on their TG's yet, even tho I still scan them everyday for when they finally make the changeover, lord knows when that will be. It seems everyone else has switched around this area to Digital 800-Trunked. I'm curious when the switch will happen.
 

kc4wsd

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This is my $0.02 worth, and you usually get what you pay for . . .
The drill could have had two purposes: The first is the obvious reason, to make sure the personnel and equipment are ready. The second, since the county hasn't switched fully to VIPER, could have been to also test the communications capabilities.
If *I* were the guy responsible for county-wide communications, I would ride around with a portable radio to the remote areas of the county and do the "Can you hear me now," test.

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AK4FD

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This is my $0.02 worth, and you usually get what you pay for . . .
The drill could have had two purposes: The first is the obvious reason, to make sure the personnel and equipment are ready. The second, since the county hasn't switched fully to VIPER, could have been to also test the communications capabilities.
If *I* were the guy responsible for county-wide communications, I would ride around with a portable radio to the remote areas of the county and do the "Can you hear me now," test.

Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk

I can certainly see your points. After I posted this I continued to listen and they started, what sounded to me like, a second scenario involving searching for a victim. They were calling the Park Ranger as well on the radio, talking about searching particular paths & numbered/labeled routes within the forest they were in. Who knows, it was just interesting to hear that they are starting to use the system for things now. I'm also starting to hear traffic on the Lincoln Tac (TG: 28005) on a daily basis, but only 1 or 2 unit ID's use it and they sound like Lincoln Sheriff call-signs.
 

kc4wsd

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Keep on mind that the usage of the labeled talkgroup may not line up exactly with the initial assignment. The local folks have some say in the final assignments. The first list published is just a template, if you will.

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newsnick175

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Recently I believe I read in the local paper that there is an effort to build a new Communications Center. For the county to switch to Viper, that will be a massive capital expense. I'm sure we will hear about that, if it hasn't happened yet.
 

AK4FD

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Recently I believe I read in the local paper that there is an effort to build a new Communications Center. For the county to switch to Viper, that will be a massive capital expense. I'm sure we will hear about that, if it hasn't happened yet.

Ah, I wasn't aware they were building a new Comm Center, it would make sense not to switch yet then... Tho I believe they already have capabilities cuz the few units I have heard on VIPER from the Sheriff have called into "County" which is the Comm Ctr and they answered so there must be radios or consoles in Dispatch already.
 

Quantar22

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Ah, I wasn't aware they were building a new Comm Center, it would make sense not to switch yet then... Tho I believe they already have capabilities cuz the few units I have heard on VIPER from the Sheriff have called into "County" which is the Comm Ctr and they answered so there must be radios or consoles in Dispatch already.

Most; if not all; counties received one consolette radio that was to remain in EOC on the county Mutual Aid VIPER TG and a cache of 20 portable radios at no cost. This was when their sites were built with grant money in the initial federally funded portion of Viper. All counties have some form of radios they can use.
 

AK4FD

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Most; if not all; counties received one consolette radio that was to remain in EOC on the county Mutual Aid VIPER TG and a cache of 20 portable radios at no cost. This was when their sites were built with grant money in the initial federally funded portion of Viper. All counties have some form of radios they can use.

So how come Lincoln hasn't switched over yet like most others have? Did the Feds fund the initial phase-in and the individual Counties have to buy their own equipment and stuff?
 

28056

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So how come Lincoln hasn't switched over yet like most others have? Did the Feds fund the initial phase-in and the individual Counties have to buy their own equipment and stuff?


They likely don't have the money and really won't get full use from it. They only have two LE agencies (city & county) and unless Gaston County fully switches over to VIPER (who they ran the most mutual aid with, LE and a bunch of FD with stations covering parts of both counties) I don't see them being in a rush.


They have had VIPER radios for close to a decade. Back in 2008 or 2009 they were testing them when their was a western NC earthquake exercise. Many of the fire stations had amateur radio antennas (Denver had a full station installed) and Lincoln County RACES had units at the EOC (basement of the courthouse, not at the communications center) and at a fire station in the east and west part of the counties. I had my scanner and monitoring VIPER traffic as well as my own amateur/commercial gear at Northbrook fire.


The county also bought a bunch of modified Yaesu FT60 HTs to issue to various FD and LE units (I can't make that up, even if I wanted to).
 

AK4FD

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They likely don't have the money and really won't get full use from it. They only have two LE agencies (city & county) and unless Gaston County fully switches over to VIPER (who they ran the most mutual aid with, LE and a bunch of FD with stations covering parts of both counties) I don't see them being in a rush.


They have had VIPER radios for close to a decade. Back in 2008 or 2009 they were testing them when their was a western NC earthquake exercise. Many of the fire stations had amateur radio antennas (Denver had a full station installed) and Lincoln County RACES had units at the EOC (basement of the courthouse, not at the communications center) and at a fire station in the east and west part of the counties. I had my scanner and monitoring VIPER traffic as well as my own amateur/commercial gear at Northbrook fire.


The county also bought a bunch of modified Yaesu FT60 HTs to issue to various FD and LE units (I can't make that up, even if I wanted to).

Well I know that Gaston most likely won't be switching to VIPER for quite a while because they have their own site on Charlotte's UASI P25 system now, unless Lincoln is considering partnering up with them or the Charlotte UASI system too, I dunno. I have been gone for a while from the area but I'm back now and just needed a little catching up on a few things. Thanks!
 

28056

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I haven't been there wince 2010, but from my dealings with the locals I give my opinions LOL


Radios cost a lot of money, tax payer money. Lincoln County just does not bring in the money that other counties do because of a lack of big industry with the decline of textiles and furniture.
 

AK4FD

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Well that was short-lived... Lincoln Fire has stopped simulcasting over the VIPER Talkgroup :(
 

AK4FD

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Now that's weird cuz this morning it wasn't simulcasting and now it is again...
 
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