New GAO Report on IWN

[ChrisP]

http://mt-fedfiles.blogspot.com/2008/12/new-gao-report-on-iwn.html

In a nutshell, the latest report says that the cooperation between the Justice Department, Treasury and Homeland Security has collapsed. The original vision of a shared, nationwide radio communications network for federal agencies has turned out to be not exactly what everyone wants and probably can't be deployed as hoped.

- Chris

 

[shell6]

I knew that this sounded too good to be true.

I think that this really highlights the fact that no matter how good technology will get, interoperability will always be a pain because the people who are supposed to be working together want nothing to do with each other until something really bad happens.

 

[DiGiTaLD]

I knew that this sounded too good to be true.

I think that this really highlights the fact that no matter how good technology will get, interoperability will always be a pain because the people who are supposed to be working together want nothing to do with each other until something really bad happens.

A profound statement, and a quotable quote!

 

[b7spectra]

What is the biggest shame is how they make everything Politically Correct. What NEEDS to be said is exactly the truth! NO ONE WANTS THEIR CHANNELS IN ANOTHER AGENCY'S RADIO! PERIOD! NO IFS, ANDS OR BUTS! Start yanking all funding for everyone's radio network and I'll guarantee you there will be lots of interoperability!

 

[unitcharlie]

http://mt-fedfiles.blogspot.com/2008/12/new-gao-report-on-iwn.html

In a nutshell, the latest report says that the cooperation between the Justice Department, Treasury and Homeland Security has collapsed. The original vision of a shared, nationwide radio communications network for federal agencies has turned out to be not exactly what everyone wants and probably can't be deployed as hoped.

- Chris

I wonder how much money the Guvermint spent to find out what most of us could have explained in painful detail.... wonder if they will give me some of the money they wasted so I can bail them out..... (Rat Shack has a really good sale going on right now...)

 

[kb2vxa]

Gee, who wudda thunk it? LOL It's not the first time da gubmint bit off more than it can chew and choked, it won't be the last either. Pipe dreams good and bad all depend on what you put in the pipe. (;->)

 

[zerg901]

Maybe it is a blessing in disguise. Would it be wise to build a nationwide federal system on 170 Mhz, if all the local public safety agencies migrate to UHF or 700/800? Peter Sz

 

[SOFA_KING]

Was this to be a trunked system?

Sometimes it just come down to protocall. You MUST be in contact with your dispatcher at all times unless you have a damn good reason to be on another channel. So even when different agencies share a "system" they don't often go off of their own channels. I can't tell you how many times I have listened to two agencies on one system that had a need to talk, but were stuck on "their" channels or they didn't know what channel to go to.

I like the idea of ONE system for all, but I think they would have trouble understanding such a complex system and how to use it. Just getting the radios programmed right is almost mission impossible. There are also many limitations on the radio equipment as well that often prevents mixed use. Anyone who has programmed these things (made templates) knows what I mean. Unless you reserve inter-dept TGs in a zone, you have to go off to another zone...and that is a no no.

 

[DiGiTaLD]

Was this to be a trunked system?

Yes, a P25 system.

So even when different agencies share a "system" they don't often go off of their own channels. I can't tell you how many times I have listened to two agencies on one system that had a need to talk, but were stuck on "their" channels or they didn't know what channel to go to.

That happens all the time here. And the funny thing is, from the time of the statewide network's inception, it was touted as a means to relieve busy dispatchers because dispatchers would no longer have to talk to one another - the personnel could go direct. But in practice, they don't, or won't. Nothing changed except for the fact that they moved from several independent RF-only conventional systems to a trunked system that is a lot more complex and relies on terrestrial telco-provided lines to work properly. Ah, progress!

 

[SOFA_KING]

Yes, progress all right!

Hey, what new scanner would you advise to get that dose NAC searching and possible logging (with software)?

 

[DiGiTaLD]

I would say a PSR-500 if you want a portable, or a PSR-600 if you are looking for a mobile/base... but of course I'm partial to the GREs

 

[SOFA_KING]

I have had both, but I like the speed of the Uniden scanners. Speed matters. My last Uniden scanners had better sensitivity than GRE. I was one of those guys who would fire up the service monitor and post the sensitivity results. Who knows...Mayeb GRE has improved in this area. Uniden had image probelms in city areas, but GRE had de-sense issues that wiped out lots of reception. Overall, my Unidens' did better.

Has anyone posted the real sensitivity measurements of the GRE?