Madison County Going Mototrbo

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Madison County Upgrades

After watching the BOC meeting and the quote they like it's going to be a DMR system like Jackson county, same vendor etc. They mention in that meeting that Franklin county is looking to switch to the same type system as well.

So outside of fire paging you're looking at two more counties going digital/DMR shortly.
 
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apx7000xe

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Madison County Upgrades

After watching the BOC meeting and the quote they like it's going to be a DMR system like Jackson county, same vendor etc. They mention in that meeting that Franklin county is looking to switch to the same type system as well.

So outside of fire paging you're looking at two more counties going digital/DMR shortly.
Nothing is definite on a Franklin County system yet. Right now there are three options being discussed. The sheriff's office recently purchased TRBO radios to replace their HT1250s so they want a TRBO system. I have also heard we are looking into getting onto the GA Fleettalk network or installing our own NXDN system like the one in Banks County. Palmetto 800 could be another option but highly unlikely since everyone else is going TRBO and the subscriber radio cost.
 

apx7000xe

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Just watched the meeting myself. Sounds identical to the Hart County system. 450 radios and MCA for the contract. I'm sure the price amount and system type will be revealed at the next meeting.
 

apx7000xe

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Just got the news tonight that Habersham County approved to replace their VHF Con+ system with a 800MHz trunked P25 system to the price of $7.2 million.... one less TRBO county in NEGA. Also learned that Franklin County is most likely bound for an NXDN system similar to Banks Co.
 

DanRollman

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Just got the news tonight that Habersham County approved to replace their VHF Con+ system with a 800MHz trunked P25 system to the price of $7.2 million.... one less TRBO county in NEGA. Also learned that Franklin County is most likely bound for an NXDN system similar to Banks Co.

Can you provide a source for where you learned that Habersham "approved" a 800 MHZ P25 system? They may very well do that, but that approval isn't in their commission meeting minutes (in fact, it isn't even an agenda item for a future meeting yet). It was barely January that Habersham engaged Nick Tusa's firm to "evaluate" their future radio needs and alternatives, and picking a solution and accepting a bid in 5 months would be very unusual (even more unusual during Covid). Tusa is barely scheduled to give an update on their work next Monday. See the following announcement if you'd like to listen in to their presentation:


That notice seems to confirm they still haven't scheduled a vote on any new radio system yet (though often Tusa's recommendation is ultimately rubber stamped).
 

apx7000xe

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Can you provide a source for where you learned that Habersham "approved" a 800 MHZ P25 system? They may very well do that, but that approval isn't in their commission meeting minutes (in fact, it isn't even an agenda item for a future meeting yet). It was barely January that Habersham engaged Nick Tusa's firm to "evaluate" their future radio needs and alternatives, and picking a solution and accepting a bid in 5 months would be very unusual (even more unusual during Covid). Tusa is barely scheduled to give an update on their work next Monday. See the following announcement if you'd like to listen in to their presentation:


That notice seems to confirm they still haven't scheduled a vote on any new radio system yet (though often Tusa's recommendation is ultimately rubber stamped).
Chairman Hall was at an event Tuesday night campaigning to local firefighters for his run at state senate and had mentioned that he had just left a county meeting earlier on SPLOST funds that date and that the BOC had approved for $7.2 million from the next year's SPLOST to be allocated to a simulcast P25 radio system. They have the same issue as Jackson County in that the Con+ system is discontinued and soon going to be end of life for support if it isn't already. It was mentioned in the video posted on the site.
 

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I hope those of you in the Habersham area dialed in to the special Board of Commissioners meeting this afternoon. It was interesting, to say the least. Very clear that absolutely nothing specific has been decided or "approved", and they are considering 4 different options to include in the SPLOST that will be submitted to voters. In fact, no matter what they decide, it is all dependent on that SPLOST VII vote in November anyway. They aren't sure whether they'd propose staying on VHF or going to 800, whether they'd use the Hall County core or develop their own, or other things, even if the money is ultimately approved. More to come.

Plenty of the usual misstatements that occur at meetings with "experts" like this... Some of my favorites were the statements that White County is not on VHF (yes they are) so the single-band radios Habersham has now aren't compatible with White County (yes they are), that new P25 radios would allow them to communicate with White and Banks counties (no they won't; switching from MotoTRBO to P25 will actually cause them to LOOSE direct subscriber access to White's DMR repeaters, and do nothing to gain access to Banks' NXDN system), and stuff like that. These meetings are always hard for knowledgeable hobbyists to listen to.

Anyway, although absolutely nothing specific has been decided yet, and nothing can be funded without the voters approving SPLOST VII in November anyway, the writing seems to be on the wall - if the voters approve the SPLOST, Habersham is going to find a way to spend millions on a P25 system of some sort.
 

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Kind of contradictory maybe? :unsure:

How so? Why can't it seem pretty clear they are going to go to P25 (if voters approve the money) without knowing yet whether it will be VHF or 800, and whether it will use Hall's core or their own?
 

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Just remember that Hab. Co. voters voted DOWN a recent SPLOST for a new jail that is desperately needed. It's going to be a hard sell to get them to approve a SPLOST just for a new radio system. And remember, there was a big dispute between the Cities and the County about annual charges for the current system.
 

apx7000xe

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Just remember that Hab. Co. voters voted DOWN a recent SPLOST for a new jail that is desperately needed. It's going to be a hard sell to get them to approve a SPLOST just for a new radio system. And remember, there was a big dispute between the Cities and the County about annual charges for the current system.
This is different from a referendum. The jail vote was a referendum and not a SPLOST. This is an entire SPLOST cycle which includes public works projects such as water and sewer system expansion, road expansion and maintenance, and education funds. These usually pass 80/20 in rural counties like in NEGA. These are the penny on the dollar sales taxes.
 
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RRR

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SPLOST for a jail?

How so? Why can't it seem pretty clear they are going to go to P25 (if voters approve the money) without knowing yet whether it will be VHF or 800, and whether it will use Hall's core or their own?

Well, I mean, how many counties in Georgia use VHF P25? Maybe 3, and at least a couple of them went to 700 if I'm not mistaken
 

twotoejoe

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This is different from a referendum. The jail vote was a referendum and not a SPLOST. This is an entire SPLOST cycle which includes public works projects such as water and sewer system expansion, road expansion and maintenance, and education funds. These usually pass 80/20 in rural counties like in NEGA. These are the penny on the dollar sales taxes.

My bad, you are correct. I remember now going to the meetings and them telling us just how much our taxes would go up to pay for the jail. Still, I don't think the climate is good for the voters to approve a continued SPLOST.
 

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The last proposal I read was it somewhere in the 4mil area and that was with the VFD's having to purchase the bulk of their own units Trucks and handhelds.
 

apx7000xe

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The last proposal I read was it somewhere in the 4mil area and that was with the VFD's having to purchase the bulk of their own units Trucks and handhelds.
Wow. 4m for just infrastructure only... They mentioned they couldn't afford P25 the first time this was brought up. At that price they could have afforded it if they had quoted it with EF Johnson/Kenwood and not /\/\ which is surprising due to their extremely close proximity to a KW dealer. I'd expect a TIII simulcast system with a lot of sites if that price tag is what they decide on.
 

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'......The Madison Cty Commissioners..."

I thought it was "City" at first (Madison, Ga. is MotoTrbo)

"Co." is the abbreviation for "County". "Cty" is just one letter from being "City" ....Confusing, :unsure:
 

apx7000xe

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Watched the video from 8-3-20 and learned that bids for Nexedge, TRBO, and P25 systems were taken from Gunby Communications, MCA, and Motorola Corprate. NXDN was thrown out due to no simulcast ability and P25 was too expensive so they said that TRBO was the only option in price range and with the features. They mentioned that the new VHF radios being purchased in the past couple of years are compatible with the new system so this means it is most likely a VHF Capacity Max/Tier III simulcast system with 3 sites being mentioned. It was explained that each department is purchasing its own "stock" in the system and the funding is already completely there. The only delay seems to be the legal processes of advertising and bidding it out even though only one local dealer (MCA) can provide said system (which technically isn't true). From listening it sounded like the P25 quote came in around $5 million while the TRBO quote came in at just a hair over $1 million. The video from tonight's meeting hasn't been posted yet so I'm unsure what all happened tonight.
 
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kb4he

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Watched the video from 8-3-20....As someone very familiar with Gunby Communications, Gunby Communications has been involved in zero discussions for this new Madison County radio system and was never asked to provide a priced proposal for a Kenwood Nexedge system as has been so stated. So not sure what the Director is referencing or the BOC looking at. Several years ago, GCI did provide a BUDGETARY ONLY estimate for Madison County to purchase their own multi-site Trunking System. Hopefully the BOC will follow through and publish a RFP with specifications and, contrary to what has been stated, learn there are several vendors close enough to service Madison County capable of providing a VHF Tier III trunking system if that is the system/technology they desire. Or perhaps look at Banks County, GA who purchased a 6 site Kenwood UHF NexEdge Trunking system with over 300 radios for less than 1 million.
 
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