FesteringMaggot2
Member
It is likely that the Hall County system will continue to be expanded, and bring other counties online (and also encrypted).
Talks are on right now to get federal funding for a regional system to include: Lumpkin, White, Banks, and Jackson counties. Dawson county is also considering this, with Hall County being the central link. Forsyth already has an 800 APCO 25 system (unencrypted), and Gwinnett is about to have theirs online. Hall's is working adequately, but is encrypted.
Again, these are just talks between system admins and are not really public knowledge to many yet. In likelihood, it will take time and money for this to happen. However, the federal government is talking about supplying some of the money ("interoperability" grants) and the local jurisdictions approached are not keen on turning down the amount of money that has been offered so far.
The big question will come down to system control. White County has been loaned 8 radios programmed on Hall County's system so that they can test the system out (remember that one of Hall's sites is actually in White County on Wauka Mountain). While it will be very expensive, and located in some hilly terrain, I doubt they will turn down "free money." But what control over the system will they have? Not as much as they'd like, but it isn't a big enough issue that I think they'd say no - ask David Murphy with White County 911/EMA (remember him from Jackson County?). He's a smart guy, and is keenly involved in these events.
In other news, white county is trying out a new repeater to cover the county on 154.295. You will hear it patched to (and has the same input frequency as) the current EMS/Fire repeater on 155.715.
Thoughts, comments? Please carry on!
Talks are on right now to get federal funding for a regional system to include: Lumpkin, White, Banks, and Jackson counties. Dawson county is also considering this, with Hall County being the central link. Forsyth already has an 800 APCO 25 system (unencrypted), and Gwinnett is about to have theirs online. Hall's is working adequately, but is encrypted.
Again, these are just talks between system admins and are not really public knowledge to many yet. In likelihood, it will take time and money for this to happen. However, the federal government is talking about supplying some of the money ("interoperability" grants) and the local jurisdictions approached are not keen on turning down the amount of money that has been offered so far.
The big question will come down to system control. White County has been loaned 8 radios programmed on Hall County's system so that they can test the system out (remember that one of Hall's sites is actually in White County on Wauka Mountain). While it will be very expensive, and located in some hilly terrain, I doubt they will turn down "free money." But what control over the system will they have? Not as much as they'd like, but it isn't a big enough issue that I think they'd say no - ask David Murphy with White County 911/EMA (remember him from Jackson County?). He's a smart guy, and is keenly involved in these events.
In other news, white county is trying out a new repeater to cover the county on 154.295. You will hear it patched to (and has the same input frequency as) the current EMS/Fire repeater on 155.715.
Thoughts, comments? Please carry on!
) What a joke just to get federal money. Ol' P.T. Barnum said it a long time ago: "A sucker is born every minute". Wait until all these counties start feeling the budget crunch from gasoline prices, and they have to try to find a way to keep FD and PD out on the road doing what they do to keep us safe. Everyone have a safe and fun Memorial Day weekend!
