My thoughts on Florida Public Safety Systems (and monitoring them)

[mmckenna]

I'm wondering how I can use the LTE capability in my XL-185 for personal applications. Not sure there's anything that could be done with it, as an individual with what is essentially an overpriced, glorified scanner, and an iphone and a PC.

Without the BeON server and a connection into your own private P25 core, not much.

Makes for a kick-azz WiFi hotspot, though. Get a cheap data only SIM and use it for data on your laptop.
I don't have the core/BeON system yet, so right now mine is sitting idle. We will be using BeON for our radios. I also plan on using it for a WiFi hotspot in my service truck. Will be nice to have something with a good external antenna when out on the fringes.

 

[ID2345]

our county has been talking about going LTE but i dont think it will happen as how many cities and services are on the system and cant afford the upgrade..as MVFD they just got XG-75s not too long ago but that was funded.

 

[WX4JCW]

I have such a hard time at work with this. Unfortunately I'm under the larger IT organization, and they don't easily comprehend the idea of NOT doing forklift upgrades to systems every 5 years.

The idea that a well designed and installed PBX or radio system can last 10-20 years (or more) just baffles them sometimes.
I actually had some in the top tier management levels lean on me to replace things early for no good reason other than "That's what we do in the rest of the organization".

I'm happy to be in the far corner of the organization where we actually repair things rather than just replace them. They can have my multimeter when they pry it from my cold, dead hands.

got to spend that budget money whether they need to or not

 

[AK4FD]

We augment our LMR with SmartConnect. Our schools get better mileage of using their CEN and 10,500 WiFi access points to provide in building solutions where our 800MHz simulcast system can't get, and as a systems manager I'd much rather have them on WiFi than more red box bandits throwing up garbage pail BDAs that cause interference to our LMR. The schools like it too, much cheaper to buy the BN APX6000s and pay the licensing for each subscriber and use them on WiFi than pay hundreds of thousand to install a single BDA in ONE school.

The cost to install a BDA in one of their high schools exceeded $600,000. They bought 100 BNs for much less than half of that.

There is no argument that LTE/cellular will help bridge that gap, but no way I'd entrust it to replace assets we control, we deploy, and we manage. We don't have to share uplink bandwidth with anyone, and have exclusive use of our licensed frequencies with interference protection.

I just had to program a bunch of PD SRO radios where I live with SmartConnect for their SRO's because there's dead spots on the P25 system in some schools and they wanted to use SmartConnect to still be able to communicate to units if need be. Working beautifully I might add.

 

[MTS2000des]

I just had to program a bunch of PD SRO radios where I live with SmartConnect for their SRO's because there's dead spots on the P25 system in some schools and they wanted to use SmartConnect to still be able to communicate to units if need be. Working beautifully I might add.

My school board bought 100 N70s with FirstNet and WiFi. We're having some major issues with getting them to play nice with the schools WiFi network but MSI support is working on the issue.

 

[AK4FD]

My school board bought 100 N70s with FirstNet and WiFi. We're having some major issues with getting them to play nice with the schools WiFi network but MSI support is working on the issue.

Oh these were just APX8000's and all I had to do was input the SmartConnect host name server in CPS, load the Certificate and input the WiFi credentials and it's been 2 months and works like a dream. I haven't messed with any N70's or NeXT's yet...

 

[p25man123]

I believe this was said here before but I'm concerned when LTE will be primarily used throughout many agencies within the future that will make huge impacts towards on how information is being relayed. By means of that is if there were to be a disaster with the cell towers going down, AND if the agency doesn't have any backup Frequencies or Talkgroups. It will make any portable, mobile, or base radio with the LTE feature to become useless. I would prefer to have LTE as an alternate when the Frequencies or Talkgroups go down. Not to be full time use.

 

[mmckenna]

It will make any portable, mobile, or base radio with the LTE feature to become useless.

I know if several agencies that are using LTE for their primary communications. All, and I mean -all-, have LMR as a backup.

I doubt any reputable public safety agency would rely on cell carriers for their only form of communications. I'm sure there will be some that are dumb enough to try it, but it won't last long.

On the other hand, the benefits of using LTE a pretty extensive, and it's foolish to not use it to some extent. Agencies that are using it did years of testing before switching over.

 

[Echo4Thirty]

I know if several agencies that are using LTE for their primary communications. All, and I mean -all-, have LMR as a backup.

I doubt any reputable public safety agency would rely on cell carriers for their only form of communications. I'm sure there will be some that are dumb enough to try it, but it won't last long.

On the other hand, the benefits of using LTE a pretty extensive, and it's foolish to not use it to some extent. Agencies that are using it did years of testing before switching over.

Agreed, the ones we support on LTE also have several forms of IP access. From multiple cell providers, to wifi to even starlink in a couple of cases. In the three years one of our agencies have been on LTE as primary, they have gone back to RF twice. Both times were scheduled maintenance for their core, and not becuase of a lack of connectivity. This includes operating on IP during several major storms here in the Houston area, including Beryl.

 

[mmckenna]

Agreed, the ones we support on LTE also have several forms of IP access. From multiple cell providers, to wifi to even starlink in a couple of cases. In the three years one of our agencies have been on LTE as primary, they have gone back to RF twice. Both times were scheduled maintenance for their core, and not becuase of a lack of connectivity. This includes operating on IP during several major storms here in the Houston area, including Beryl.

You really mean that they didn't have to fall back on to a few random dudes with Baofengs? Say it ain't so!

 

[Echo4Thirty]

You really mean that they didn't have to fall back on to a few random dudes with Baofengs? Say it ain't so!

"What do I need to do to progarm in to listen to them. There HAS to be a way!" - BaoFeng radio dude.

 

[KevinC]

"What do I need to do to progarm in to listen to them. There HAS to be a way!" - BaoFeng radio dude.

You mean wrecker driver.

 

[Echo4Thirty]

You mean wrecker driver.

And previously employed camera operators in white SUVs.

 

[CanesFan95]

What's that avatar? Are you a petty officer 2nd-class?

 

[KevinC]

What's that avatar? Are you a petty officer 2nd-class?

I'm assuming you are referring to me. That was my dad in WWII, Signalman 2nd Class. They mainly used flags and signal lamps in those days.

He was in the Battle of Leyte Gulf among others.