Yes, it is interesting. So far Madison is only multicasting conventionally on one frequency from each of the five sites in the LTR License, but no indication of going to the LTR system. They have been doing this since December. This license has been around for several years and has never been used until Dec. Originally it was to be a multicounty system, but that was before the 700 system was even envisioned. The LTR license does apparently allow digital modulation to be used. This multicasting started about the same time as the Idaho Statewide Interoperability Executive Council (SIEC) approved the Madison County 700 plan and funding request.
Since Bonneville and Jefferson Counties are well on their way to switching to 700 and have two transmitter sites operating in test mode, I am pretty sure Madison and Fremont will be going to 700 since the news release I saw specifically mentioned 700 MHz.
They may be multicasting to evaluate coverage from the five LTR sites in order to determine which sites to use for the switchover to 700. One of the Madison LTR sites is in Fremont County and could be used for coverage in Fremont County.
I am monitoring these frequencies pretty much daily so I should know reasonably quickly if things change much, but essentially nothing has changeed on the Madison freqs in the last four months.
Dave
