News about Pa's Ma/Com system

[brey1234]

Here's some info/links about the Pa plan to deploy the Ma/Com Open Sky
format in Pa:


A radio system that is supposed to keep Pennsylvanians safe has cost taxpayers millions of dollars. The problem is, it doesn't work like it's supposed to, it's three years overdue and now it's going to cost you even more.
Newswatch 16 first uncovered some of the problems four years ago. Pennsylvania spent millions of your dollars on a high-tech radio system to connect state police to other state agencies. It still doesn't work statewide. On Thursday the state released a study about what went wrong.
http://www.wnep.com/Global/story.asp?S=2280670


I can supply the full report to any member by e mail :lol:

 

[DaveNF2G]

Heheheh. I wonder how we can get the lawmakers in New York to pay attention to it. They think they are going to spend a mere THREE BILLION DOLLARS on an OpenSky statewide system!

73 de Dave, NF2G, NYSING-001

 

[Mozilla]

Pennsylvania Report

Is this the report that was released in August of 2004 that is 60 + pages from IXP ??? IF so it makes some interesting reading , I found section 1.1.6 regarding the perceptions of non-state agency particicpation quite interesting. New York definitely needs to have a copy...but some of the issues definitely lay directly at the feet of the State of Pa. Also the tower issues are an area that would be good to review for anyone who is planning systems on a larger scale.

 

[jmpotter]

http://www.washingtontechnology.com/news/19_8/telecom-it-infrastructure/23990-1.html

Regardless of what radio system manufacturer a state chooses, it will not work with out TOWERS!!! Rohn towers went bankrupt, which is the contractor the STATE chose.

 

[INDY72]

I seriously wonder how a Statewide system can cost just 3 million. Sure if only one agency is going to use it.. but that just defeats the purpose of a Statewide system in any state..... In this era of everone having interop,... you have to have at least one console in every agency that can talk on a system. That is going to cost far more than 3 million alone.... If your going to have a low price claim, you could at least realistically say 10 million for just a basic Statewide system. 3 million? That may cover a few new towers lol...

 

[N_Jay]

I seriously wonder how a Statewide system can cost just 3 million. Sure if only one agency is going to use it.. but that just defeats the purpose of a Statewide system in any state..... In this era of everone having interop,... you have to have at least one console in every agency that can talk on a system. That is going to cost far more than 3 million alone.... If your going to have a low price claim, you could at least realistically say 10 million for just a basic Statewide system. 3 million? That may cover a few new towers lol...

What are you alking about?

Where does the $3 million number come from?

 

[INDY72]

OOPs billion.. lol ......ok time to clean da glasses, when typing....

 

[CSHIFTLT]

everyone talks like motorola solves all problems.... better think again

 

[brey1234]

See the following article. I believe Cumberland County is "piggybacking" it's county operation with the state wide system, using Ma/Com radios.
http://www.cumberlink.com/articles/2004/11/11/news/news05.txt

 

[SteveS]

Solid, unbiased article. The reporter & test participants understand that a complex integration of many system components has its 'hiccups' and they have a back-up there while the kinks are being ironed out in the new system.

 

[hosehead88]

Cumberland County is still working on the system. I expect to have my FD issued radio in the next 8-10 weeks. We will begin to use the radios on the fireground immediately. The simulcast of the low-band system will continue.

As soon as I get my portable, I will report back to start shedding some light on the performance. I am sure I will have an opportunity to test the durability of the radios, and the effectiveness under many different scenarios.

 

[hosehead88]

Radio Update

Update: Our department radios have been ordered, but there is no update on ETA. As soon as they are received, we will begin using them on the fireground.

Some PDs in Cumberland County have been using the new radios on a daily basis. There have been some issues, but I do not have the details to be able to discuss them.

I will update everyone once the radio arrives.

[/b]

 

[PhaseLockedLunatic]

Still no radios Hosehead?

 

[hosehead88]

Still no radios Hosehead?

Nothing yet. After a recent article in a local paper where I was quoted because of the lack of radios, I have been invited to the County Chiefs meeting to see the presentation. Hopefully I will find out where they are this week...

More to come...