Ocean County 700 MHz Project 25 TRS

[kc2oon]

Anybody have any questions about the new 700Mhz system? I will be aatending our Holiday party at the Sheriffs EOC this year again. I can ask our county comms coordinator questions.
Here's what I know so far:
The system is being tested.
There will indeed be encrypted traffic.What group I don't know but would assume the Sheriff.
County services will be switching over. All EMS, Fire and Police currently on the 500 system.
Any municipality that would like a talk group can at there own expense.
There will be State Police and Federal interop channels on the state 700 system for the county.

Keith
kc2oon
Ocean County Skywarn Asst. Coordinator
Ocean County Skywarn
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/Ocean-County-Skywarn/617818108267259

Ocean County ARES
Ocean County Amateur Radio Emergency Service Website

 

[elias1988]

What kind of testing? As far as I know there hasn't been any active control channel,I have Pro96Com running 24/7 on NJICS with Ocean County programmed in another bank,it would have switched over if a Ocean County control channel was detected. See which model of APX radios will be used,looks like the road department will be using APX 4500 mobiles from specs I read of a new street sweeper purchase.

 

[elias1988]

Inside Ocean County’s New Public Safety Radio System

Work is currently underway as Ocean County makes major upgrades to the radio communications system that serves both of Lacey’s volunteer EMS squads, fire departments and numerous other agencies and municipalities throughout the county. The upgrades are expected to be completed by 2017 and will fix gaps in coverage, among making other improvements.

https://laceyreporter.com/inside-ocean-countys-new-public-safety-radio-system/

 

[RBFD415]

First- I'd encourage everyone to read the article attached to the prior post- its rare to read something so technical broken down so the average reader can grasp the concepts! My hat is off to the author for fine and in depth write up! Well done!

Now- a couple of negative comments- I'm sure the author was dealing with either a BIG "M" or County generated press release in reference to the new system- I'll give due consideration to the source when discussing these points-

If there have been "gaps" in the coverage area, due to build out issues with the present trunk system- why where they allowed to continue unabated for nearly 20 years?

Would be interesting to read the press releases issued for the present system (at the time)- in all likelihood they promised much greater coverage area, than the company delivered. But, again- what action was taken to correct the issues?

If the original contractor failed, on their first attempt to build out a workable system- is the proper course of action to give the same people another 16 million $, AND expect what? A different result?

Again- if issues have been known- for years- why weren't additional towers added (in the mean time), I'm sure at a cost of much less than 16 million, to fix the issues.

As for the 'bad neighbors"- those same TV transmissions/sites where in place long before the original system was stood up. Interference problems- if really critical, should have been anticipated by the contractor.

Also- the comment on Toms River PD, while true and relevant- side step the reality that other large Ocean County towns (Brick & Jackson) are also encrypted.

 

[kc2oon]

I know this is a bump but I have new information.

The County has the system only set up in the Sheriff's Communication Center in Toms River.
It is not and has not ever been tested. Why? Because it's not even been on the air yet or powered up.
How do I know this? Because I was in the Comms Center radio equipment room installing a digipeater.
The communications coordinater is a fellow HAM operator active in our county group. He was there with us as we installed the digipeater.
The county still has to erect towers in 3 sites in the county that have not even been approved yet let alone started construction. There are of course no microwave links because there are no towers to put them on.

I didnn't take pictures because it's a Homeland Security site.
The 700 MHz is a long long way out for the Ocean County.
Just an update for everyone.

 

[Skypilot007]

I know this is a bump but I have new information.

The County has the system only set up in the Sheriff's Communication Center in Toms River.
It is not and has not ever been tested. Why? Because it's not even been on the air yet or powered up.
How do I know this? Because I was in the Comms Center radio equipment room installing a digipeater.
The communications coordinater is a fellow HAM operator active in our county group. He was there with us as we installed the digipeater.
The county still has to erect towers in 3 sites in the county that have not even been approved yet let alone started construction. There are of course no microwave links because there are no towers to put them on.

I didnn't take pictures because it's a Homeland Security site.
The 700 MHz is a long long way out for the Ocean County.
Just an update for everyone.

Good to hear. That's just more time we can listen to them. Do you know if all the towns on LBI are going to switch to this new system? They were all not interested in the current 500MHz system and stayed on their conventional channels along with other towns.

 

[elias1988]

The county still has to erect towers in 3 sites in the county that have not even been approved yet let alone started construction. There are of course no microwave links because there are no towers to put them on.

The Motorola contract states 5 new towers to be built,where are you getting 3 from? Have some been constructed?

 

[kc2oon]

A new tower has indeed been erected at the Sheriffs comms center in Toms River right next to the old tower. It's got several antennas already on it. One will be for a new 70cm ARES System Fusion repeater as well. They have to upgrade the old tower structurally to bring it into compliance with the new new load regulations, but all antennas on that tower are staying. As far as 4 left? I'm pretty sure the county comms coordinator said 3. He may have said 4 though.
As far as LBI, my friend Tom, Chief of police of Harvey Cedars and fellow HAM doesn't think they are going on the new system. He has a few portables for the current 500 system but that's for interops in emergencies. They like their current DMR system.

 

[elias1988]

A control channel is now on the air in site trunking mode:

FileVersion:8
-TowerInfo
#This section is here for information only. With the exception
#of the Call Sign(s), This data is not Read back into the program at all.
System ID : 590
System Name : Ocean County
WACN : BEE00
Tower Number (Decimal): 1-2
Tower Number (Hex) : T0102
Tower Description : Simulcast
Control Capabilities : Voice,Registration
Flavor : Phase 2
Call Sign(s) :
Timestamp : Mon Aug 17 16:10:24 2015

-Tables
#Format: Table ID,Base Freq,Spacing,Input Offset,Assumed/Confirmed,BandWidth,Slots
00,851.00625,0.00625,-45.00000,"Confirmed",0.01250,1
01,762.00625,0.00625,30.00000,"Confirmed",0.01250,1
02,851.01250,0.01250,-45.00000,"Confirmed",0.01250,2
03,762.00625,0.01250,30.00000,"Confirmed",0.01250,2
04,935.01250,0.01250,-39.00000,"Confirmed",0.01250,1
05,935.01250,0.01250,-39.00000,"Confirmed",0.01250,2

-Frequencies
#Format: Channel,Usage,Frequency(/Slot),Input Channel,Input Frequency(/Slot),Input Explicit(1/0),Hit Count
"01-1720","a",772.75625,"01-1720",802.75625,0,0
"01-1876","a",773.73125,"01-1876",803.73125,0,0
"01-1944","a",774.15625,"01-1944",804.15625,0,0
"01-2060","c",774.88125,"01-2060",804.88125,1,0

 

[kc2oon]

Still it's going to be a long time before the system is actually used. They still haven't constructed the other towers in the system for the county. I'll be back at the site probably in September/October to install a repeater. I'll get more information then from Bob, the Ocean County Division Director and fellow ham radio operator.

 

[elias1988]

As long as the system is fully constructed by the January 2017 deadline I'm fine with it. Testing should start way before that since equipment has been purchased and a control channel on air even if towers aren't built.

 

[KC2GVX]

Based on conversations I have had with Sheriff Mastronardy, I bet OCSD & OCP will all be encrypted. Hopefully someone closer to him than I can convince him to leave the PD dispatch channels in the clear.

 

[kc2oon]

They could always file for an extension. That happens all the time. They aren't deadlocked into the Jan. 2017 deadline.

 

[elias1988]

Yes and an extension would be no good for those suffering from DTV interference,2017 seems managable to me at this point.....

 

[kc2oon]

Extension

Well my suspicions were correct. The County will indeed not have the system up and running by Jan 2017. There are several reasons for this. Tower construction and equipment purchase and installation. Remember, every agency dispatched by county will need new radios installed.

 

[KC2GVX]

Thanks for the update! I guess this gives us another year to listen- good news!

 

[elias1988]

The original 4 phase schedule has system completion by December 2017 not January. FCC buildout deadline is/was January. Some confusion on my end after reading my earlier post,sorry...

 

[elias1988]

Buildout of the system has been completed as of October 1st,notification is pending with the FCC:
ULS Application - 0007503945 - OCEAN, COUNTY OF

 

[KC2GVX]

They should start moving some users shortly then? Looks like January 2017 is a solid deadline

 

[elias1988]

I'm not sure about that,no radios other than radio repair have been programmed so far.