Posted: 06-26-2005 03:15 AM Post subject:
the carma site has a HEFD member claiming that they will be on this digital system in 5 years. i have read a article several years ago that there was no interest for both streamwood and hoffman esatates to migrate to the digital system. also i believe the schaumburg system also falls into this rebanding category too.
He is probably correct. NWCD wants to consolidate the two systems as the older analog HE/St system is obsolete and parts are getting harder to come by. In 5 years (actually about 2009 from what I hear) they are planning on some other upgrades to the Astro system, possibly converting it to a true APCO25 all digital system (9600 baud, etc.) At this time they would either add whatever simulcast sites would be needed or perhaps look at a SmartZone system. The SZ option would be more feasible if there is expansion to NWCD's clients.
While there are no plans for this now, it is pretty well known that NWCD would love to get Wheeling, Rolling Meadows and Schaumburg as they all have 800 MHz. frequencies that would be welcome in an expanded NWCD.
How about a SuperCentral Dispatch that adds these 3 towns (and channels) to the NWCD system, and then add Elgin to the mix? With NWCD having 12 channels now, Meadows 1, Wheeling 3, Schaumburg 6 and Elgin 5 that gives you 27 channels and a large coverage area that just screams SmartZone.
