M/A-COM OpenSky in PA

[mfn002]

OK OK OK....Maybe there is a small demand for OS scanners, though if MACOM offered a license, I'm SURE both RS and Uniden would JUMP at the offer, and we would have heard so by now. There is probably a much larger demand for a ProVoice scanner, and if MACOM licensed that, you could measure the response time in a matter of SECONDS. It's probably much more likely that a ProVoice scanner would be on the way, since there is a much larger demand for one there, mainly due to the fact that there are more ProVoice systems than OpenSky systems.

 

[PJH]

Hey, MFN002... when you actually graduate from SHSU, you'll know why we speak from where we do.

As NJAY has stated, there is a very small market for OS scanners at this time. Considering there is less than a handfull of OS systems out there, and that both statewide systems are not completely online, why bother with expensive R&D?

Again, rank and file VOLUNTEER fire members are NOT going to have protable radios on for alerting. They typically DO NOT ALERT the same way as voice pagers do. I SERIOUSLY doubt they stay on at night when your trying to sleep. Espeically radios that cost over 1k each per (not including accessories). Start looking at over 2k each if its an ASTRO radio.

As for the other poster with the system going into priority mode, usually (not always) an application for a few more freq's on the trunked system will take care of it. Most of the time, its user training and a properly structured talkgroup enviroment. Then again, I find that many people try to use system talkgroups rather than fireground/tactical channels unnessarly during these times.

One thing that I meant to touch upon previously in respect to the fire services, is that many of these systems started out being police/county service orientated. Thus, once that starts to take off or certain policy makers get wind/ideas in there heads, it expands out further than originally convieced. Next thing you know you will have a system that is going to cost 10x as much as planned and now you have to make conscessions on what features stay and which ones go now that everyone is onboard (willingly or not).

 

[mfn002]

Again, I DO NOT see how simply poking at the rights and wrongs of this system is going to make things any better, or a new scanner come any quicker. I guess it's just an avenue to vent your frustrations, etc.

 

[Newark777]

Again, I DO NOT see how simply poking at the rights and wrongs of this system is going to make things any better, or a new scanner come any quicker. I guess it's just an avenue to vent your frustrations, etc.

It's an internet forum. You talk about things on an internet forum.

 

[K3HY]

If I program just the input frequencies of the Open Sky system (base frequency -45mHz), will I hear white noise etc, when there is a transmission from a vehicle?

 

[PJH]

If your close enough, but I'd doubt that you would hear anything... Better to listen on the output. You would hear the typical digital noise.

 

[brey1234]

Info On Open Sky

http://www.macom-wireless.com/products/opensky/default.asp

 

[brey1234]

as report on Open Sky

This is a posting from a yahoo group site I moderate. http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/PA-800MHZ/
===============

Recently the Blah-ger had the chance to USE the new Pennsylvania State
Police Radio System, commonly referred to as OPEN SKY made by Tyco.

I must say that I was impressed.

What the State Police have for an In Car Monitor (screen) most likely cost
more than most people would pay for a good second car ! The keyboard is
slick and well designed and for the most part the software is excellent.

The Monitor is a TOUCH SCREEN MONITOR. Wow says the Blah-ger. Just touch the
label for PSP Car 15 and send an Email.

It's That Easy !

All PSP cars are running Microsoft's Mobile version of the Internet Explorer
to launch these programs so their computer screens look just like yours and
mine. Any PSP car can look up where the other cars are, just by touching the
screen a few times ! What a mapping program in those cars, I KNOW DAN
STEVENS didn't have his hand in that program because IT WORKS !

NO WONDER ALL THE PSP CARS ARE SEEN EATING AT THE SUBWAY AND WE DON'T HEAR
ABOUT IT ON OUR SCANNERS ! Sweet !! Of course I'm kidding however it is
possible, because one car can send out a single EMAIL to all the cars
currently out on patrol to say "Meet everyone at Subway at 10". Again, Sweet
!!

Another thing that impressed this Blah-ger. almost NO DEAD SPOTS. The only
bad spot is Sleepy Hollow which is understandable, however everywhere else
where our Westmoreland County 911 System has dead spots, the Open Sky System
does NOT !

The county needs to find out what the Pennsylvania State Police is DOING
RIGHT and incorporate that system into theirs !

 

[PJH]

The PSP (at least in my area) use the Motorola MW-800 mobile computer. I have one of these bad boys, along with a MW-520 which I have installed in my POV.

Ebay, you can get these for around $3500 or so. New they are closer to $5k for a nicely equipment version.

They have shock absorber hard drive cases, video input/output ports, USB, GPS and data radio options, etc. Very nice. But, they are 3 piece computers and mounts are limted for non-fleet vehicle type stuff.

This is the 520 installed in my vehicle. I use an onscreen keyboard so I don't need to have the reg keyboard up front, but it will fit if needed. Astro radio on top, L/S controller under, cupholder than the MA/COM radio head. Just noticed that the plastic is still on the displays of both radios... heh.

 

[PJH]

This is the link to the Moto MW800
http://www.motorola.com/governmenta...n.aspx?navigationpath=id_804i/id_44i/id_1590i

 

[brey1234]

Here is a web site that talks about Cumberland Co's Open Sky project:

http://www.ccpa.net/cumberland/cwp/view.asp?A=1134&Q=472853

 

[HM1529]

There is now a link on the STARNET home page to a video segment from Harrisburg TV station WGAL. The late February story mentions publicly what I had previously stated...that PSP was quite happy with the OpenSky system during the Amish school shooting in Lancaster County. The story erroneously reports that the system is installed in the vehicles of all the Commonwealth agencies. I can tell you for a fact that that is in inaccurate statement.

http://www.radio.state.pa.us will now redirect you to some ungodly long url buried in the state's OA website.

I will be interested to see how easily PSP will really be able to talk to PennDOT or anyone else. Yes, there will be interop profiles in the radios, but I don't see how Joe user is going to understand how to change the radio from one profile to another and then locate the proper talkgroup in that profilce on which to make contact with the person they're going to call.

I always wonder why, as this system was designed, that there were not regional communications centers created to be the contact point for all agencies. PSP has their comm centers. PGC has their comm centers. None of the other law enforcement agencies have comm centers or any official agreements for dispatching from PSP. When you get in to other agencies (DCNR, DEP, PFBC, etc.) you're talking about locations that may have a base radio that may or may not have someone sitting within earshot. If all this money is being spent to upgrade to an integrated communications system, why would state agencies not shed their antiquated ways of operating and demand a centralized comm center that can quickly coordinate interops between agencies. As it is, each agency has their own radio profile and other agencies may or may not have access to that profile (you're supposed to use the offical interop profiles for interagency communications). I see this as being overly complicated for an end user who just wants the damn thing to work when they push the button.

 

[PJH]

Its very easy to map out talkgroups. The radios will be setup by location of the troop patrol district.

Some people are under the impression that every single talkgroup will be in every radio. For the most part, the first 16 will be the most important channels for the area. Such as Troop A, Troop A Car/car, Troop B, Troop B Car/Car, regional, PennDot, EMA, Statewide PD, Statewide FD, etc etc.

Its not like they will have to scroll thru many channels. The mobiles and portables will be setup the same way so there should not be any confusion.

Based on there, there is no "need" to setup a centalized comm center beyond what the PSP is doing.

If a large regional or statewide etc event is or was to take place, the NOC would create a virtual talkgroup or desinate a predefined regional or statewide talkgroup(s) and "Steer" the radio's to those talkgroups at a click of the mouse. Motorola does the same thing with their "dynamic regrouping". The user would have to do nothing as their radio would be on or have the access to the new talkgroups with no user intervention.

 

[ab3ai]

GD PJH Nice set up!!