Great point. I would wager that 90% of MARCS users (especially public safety personnel) have no clue how to even change zones on their radios.
They couldn't care less that they have 90+ 'channels' in their radio, when they only use 4 of them regularly.
I noticed I was apparently not hearing the freeway patrols for Summit County as of recent. I agree, this makes zero sense. I don’t think those trucks are in danger from the “bad guys” .
Sounds like phase 2+ as I believe they usually test the new encrypted system for 100% function using non emergency departments before handing it over to the mission critical first responders.. Geauga County seems to be silent at times and my son in law who is a police officer in Chardon and also Orwell in Ashtabula county which use the MARCS system have been being encouraged to use the in squad terminals that have voice over IP and text messaging to basically chat with dispatchers dealing with some call details.. It will be a bummer when MARCS goes full spread spectrum encryption sometime in the future.. Phase 3 with live in vehicle and body cam streaming is still a ways off as that will run on 5g-6g nodes that do not exist yet..The trucks in Summit only cover the Akron area and are dispatch on APD Dispatch 1 which is encrypted.
The beauty of the new smart radios when they are physed in is that dispatch with the click of a mouse can move your radio to link with any other so the basic operator does not have to know all that basically making channels, talk groups and frequencies a thing of the past.. Not sure on the funding or time tables to implement newer gear into the systems but as sure as the sun will rise tomorrow eventually it will be.. If OHP wants to talk to a road crew in their zone they call aux dispatch and that dispatcher can locate via GPS mapping an unknown vehicle , click on it and they are linked with the new system and radios.. With the old radios they do still have to select the talk group but the OHP officers are well trained.. Some 2+ terminals have this ability right in the patrol car almost like the Land Warrior system that the military uses.. I am a radio geek N8QWS and I know just enough about the new gear to get myself in trouble but am certainly no "expert"..While we (here on RR) geek out about radios (because that's what this website is all about), you have to remember, to some radio users, a radio is just one of their many tools in their arsenal to help complete their assigned task.
While we can discuss frequencies, simulcast cells, and antenna wavelengths, many of those radio users just 'want the d*mn thing to work'. They couldn't care less that they have 90+ 'channels' in their radio, when they only use 4 of them regularly.
Phase 2+, no such animal. MARCS is Phase 1 with no plans to move to Phase 2. Akron PD and FD utilize AES encryption and that's why you don't hear their traffic.Sounds like phase 2+ as I believe they usually test the new encrypted system for 100% function using non emergency departments before handing it over to the mission critical first responders.. Geauga County seems to be silent at times and my son in law who is a police officer in Chardon and also Orwell in Ashtabula county which use the MARCS system have been being encouraged to use the in squad terminals that have voice over IP and text messaging to basically chat with dispatchers dealing with some call details.. It will be a bummer when MARCS goes full spread spectrum encryption sometime in the future.. Phase 3 with live in vehicle and body cam streaming is still a ways off as that will run on 5g-6g nodes that do not exist yet..
OK I have been educated on thatPhase 2+, no such animal. MARCS is Phase 1 with no plans to move to Phase 2. Akron PD and FD utilize AES encryption and that's why you don't hear their traffic.
From what I have read they would use the 5g infrastructure and I have also seen a few proposals for a 6g standard sometime down the road which also integrates satellites.. The military already uses on a limited basis the Land Warrior system which is kind of what they are dreaming of for police and fire in the distant future..No time soon. Video streaming uses an incredible amount of bandwidth that LMR systems do not have, thus would need to be shifted to another topology (like FirstNet). Trunked voice radio is already quasi-spread spectrum, but due to the nature of one-to-many conversation where anyone in the group needs the ability to join mid-message, true spread spectrum efficiency (not necessary for security) is a ways off. The next big change in PS LMR will probably be security related changes in the link layer, also a bit off in the future.
But "5G/6G" is separate system from LMR: different bandwidth (aka broadband vs narrowband,) different frequency set, etc. The military isn't (as) constrained with what it can do spectrumwise. In fact, mil users are equipped with a lot of LMR gear and systems because they work. ATT is / was pushing PPT over FirstNet (aka broadband), but it's not gaining traction because it's not a good idea.From what I have read they would use the 5g infrastructure and I have also seen a few proposals for a 6g standard sometime down the road which also integrates satellites.. The military already uses on a limited basis the Land Warrior system which is kind of what they are dreaming of for police and fire in the distant future..
Are you sure about no Phase II on MARCS? Looks like the FCC just licensed Bowling Green/Wood County with Phase 2 system? That would not be good at this juncture?
Do you think they will move to MARCS?
Cut and pasted from WFMJ News
The Mahoning County Fire Chiefs Association has announced the receipt of a federal AFG grant in the amount of $1,676,436.36 on Monday, Sept. 13. This is the largest AFG grant ever awarded in Mahoning County.
Monday, September 13th 2021, 5:36 PM EDT
By Zach Mosca
The PSR-310 will not do digital voice. You would need a digital scanner to pick up MARCS or the A/B system.I have a GRE PSR-310 and ARC 310 software. While I think I have analog down pretty well, I have not had much luck programming for trunking. Anybody able to send me a file for the Austintown/Boardman system (and maybe MARCs) in the Mahoning county area?
The PSR-310 will not do digital voice. You would need a digital scanner to pick up MARCS or the A/B system.