Keep the Pike Comission, at least they're smart enough to avoid OpenSky.
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Keep the Pike Comission, at least they're smart enough to avoid OpenSky.
radioman2001
Member
It is more than probable that the system as is could be converted to analog or P-25 phase I. The equipment is a standard M-7100 or P-7100 with optional hardware installed. Even if it is not, just changing the logic board should do it. I just ordered 100 M-7100 mobiles, and it comes with IP built in, even though we have no intention of using it.
Then run it along the major highways (as early cellular did), and then keep the VHF for the real boonies, which has been known to have worked in the past. There is nothing wrong with running multiple radio systems based on terrain of an area. Heck they could use the P-7100 portable with a vehicle repeater on the VHF.
Holding Harris responsible for MA/COMM won't happen. Harris has been making a best effort to correct a poorly designed system. Don't know where the poor design is, whether it's the radios or the type of modulation,or the lack of RF coverage. Plus I thought that there was still litigation against MA/COMM about this. I am sure Harris didn't buy MA/COMM knowing they could be held liable for something they didn't sell or install.
Then run it along the major highways (as early cellular did), and then keep the VHF for the real boonies, which has been known to have worked in the past. There is nothing wrong with running multiple radio systems based on terrain of an area. Heck they could use the P-7100 portable with a vehicle repeater on the VHF.
Holding Harris responsible for MA/COMM won't happen. Harris has been making a best effort to correct a poorly designed system. Don't know where the poor design is, whether it's the radios or the type of modulation,or the lack of RF coverage. Plus I thought that there was still litigation against MA/COMM about this. I am sure Harris didn't buy MA/COMM knowing they could be held liable for something they didn't sell or install.
Dangit, you beat me to it. I just came across this article on the Pennlive website. Some fun facts that caught my attention:
--"The price tag was $179 million when the system was proposed in 1996, but that figure could now be as much as $500 million"
--So you're telling me we spend FIVE HUNDRED MILLION DOLARS on a failed project and we're still duping money into it.....?!?!?
--"even with 931 towers and microcell sites, they are still finding spots where there is no coverage"
-->931? NINE HUNDRED AND THIRTY ONE!?!? And it wont work! Compare this to other state's systems with a third as many sites, with similar terrain and bandplan, and full operational abilities....
--"Sen. Mike Folmer, R-Lebanon, might have the best idea, suggesting the state consider selling the radio system or privatizing all or part of it."
-->I, too, believe this is an amazing idea if it could be pulled off... but its going to be kind of hard to sell the system when you have to explain that the reason for the sale is because it doesnt function correctly...
--"The Legislature also should call for an investigation of the original contractor of the system and those state officials and employees involved in making the decision."
-->Agreed. Why arent we holding MACOM responsible. Why arent we using legal action against them? They promised a product that they have failed to deliver and perfect time and time again... yet PA is just sitting with our thumbs up our ***'s doing absolutly nothing to hold the makers of Openscam accountable....
Sorry had to vent. Now back to your normal discussions =)
Don't worry....They found a way to help pay for their faulty radio system.
PSP telegraphs possible layoffs amid budget cuts - News
An internal document is forecasting the possibility of layoffs at the Pennsylvania State Police.
The Patriot-News of Harrisburg, citing an internal document it obtained, reported Sunday (Facing budget cuts, Pennsylvania State Police forecast possibility of laying off 500 troopers | PennLive.com ) that the agency is forecasting the potential for 400-500 trooper layoffs, or about 10 percent of the approximately 4,400 troopers, under a budget proposal aimed at trimming the department's spending.
The department offers full- or part-time police service to about two-thirds of Pennsylvania's municipalities, as well as complex DNA, ballistics and drug testing services, too.
The department's budget is around $900 million and even that may not be enough, according to the document, which mentions a freeze on new police academy cadet classes until 2013, closing five barracks and freezing civilian hires.
Read more: PSP telegraphs possible layoffs amid budget cuts - News
Performance audit
The most effective way to get to the bottom of who/why the decison was made to go with Open Sky is to have the State Auditor General do a "performance" audit.
Why?
Ma/Com was asked in the "bidding" process to put down----3----systems that were operational. They used Fed Ex TWICE and the Orange County California transit system. The OCC was NOT operational when the document was signed. In fact the radios were NOT installed at the tme!
The most effective way to get to the bottom of who/why the decison was made to go with Open Sky is to have the State Auditor General do a "performance" audit.
Why?
Ma/Com was asked in the "bidding" process to put down----3----systems that were operational. They used Fed Ex TWICE and the Orange County California transit system. The OCC was NOT operational when the document was signed. In fact the radios were NOT installed at the tme!
talkpair
Member
There's probably several thousand "old and outdated" low band radios laying in a landfill somewhere that are chuckling in their grave
902
Member
In 1988, PENNDOT was replacing their fleet of RCA radios (made in Pennsylvania!) and deadlined tons of mobiles and base stations that were sold by the vendor in Harrisburg. These were 4 channel 47 MHz RCA 1000 mobiles (contrary to some folks at the time, these were NOT "ML-1000" radios). I picked up a dozen of them, plus a big base station that we tied into my full-sized Blazer and drove back to NJ. Most ended up on 52.525 MHz (ham 6 meter FM) between a few friends and me. They worked great and it was a thrill playing around on 6 meters. Their loss, our gain. I could never see the logic behind ripping out well-maintained equipment for newer equipment without some kind of value added. I think they installed Syntor-X radios afterward. PASP is on high band, but only has a handful of talkpaths within any given area.There's probably several thousand "old and outdated" low band radios laying in a landfill somewhere that are chuckling in their grave
Tennesee
Some lawmakers who make sense---deploying an interop system based on national standard, not like Pa which has a system that can only "play" on it's own electronic island.
Tennessee Department of Safety & Homeland Security Inks Deal with Motorola Solutions Inc. | Public Safety Communications
Some lawmakers who make sense---deploying an interop system based on national standard, not like Pa which has a system that can only "play" on it's own electronic island.
Tennessee Department of Safety & Homeland Security Inks Deal with Motorola Solutions Inc. | Public Safety Communications
It works so well..
Pittsburgh is celebrating the first work day of the new year with lake effect snow squalls.
Lots of car crashes.
How do I know you ask?
PSP Pittsburgh is dispatching on 154.755!
Yes folks, is it now two years since the OS system was permanent.
On one of the the busiest days, its back to VHF!!!!
Welcome back, its nice to hear you.
I wonder how the plow trucks are doing, thats right, they all have CB.
Here is my OS top ten list:
10) The number of PTT connects is a unique metric, quit kerpluncking the repeater to see if it works!
9) Is it just me, but I don't see the PSP on the road as much as I used to.
8) When Obama came to Pittsburgh, why did I hear the dispatcher calling the head of the motorcade on VHF?
7) Many Penndot trucks that had lowband radios dont have the new radios
6) All the Penndot snow plows have all been outfitted with CB's!
5) Since when did the PSP even want to be interoperable?
4) Why do they travel in pairs (2 cars) going to calls?
3) Why does the PSP continue with VHF radio checks every morning?
2) Why does the brass sleep well at night knowing they have a VHF back up?
1) Why does the PSP maintain the "old" VHF system?
I hope your cell phone is charged!
Pittsburgh is celebrating the first work day of the new year with lake effect snow squalls.
Lots of car crashes.
How do I know you ask?
PSP Pittsburgh is dispatching on 154.755!
Yes folks, is it now two years since the OS system was permanent.
On one of the the busiest days, its back to VHF!!!!
Welcome back, its nice to hear you.
I wonder how the plow trucks are doing, thats right, they all have CB.
Here is my OS top ten list:
10) The number of PTT connects is a unique metric, quit kerpluncking the repeater to see if it works!
9) Is it just me, but I don't see the PSP on the road as much as I used to.
8) When Obama came to Pittsburgh, why did I hear the dispatcher calling the head of the motorcade on VHF?
7) Many Penndot trucks that had lowband radios dont have the new radios
6) All the Penndot snow plows have all been outfitted with CB's!
5) Since when did the PSP even want to be interoperable?
4) Why do they travel in pairs (2 cars) going to calls?
3) Why does the PSP continue with VHF radio checks every morning?
2) Why does the brass sleep well at night knowing they have a VHF back up?
1) Why does the PSP maintain the "old" VHF system?
I hope your cell phone is charged!
radioman2001
Member
I see the whole Penn OS debacle as a failure of the Penn State Government, and them not wanting to look like fools because they bought an untested and inferior system. They will continue to throw money at it, hide the truth, tell the underlings to get used to using it even though it doesn't work properly, and let the underlings find ways around it that do work, ala cell phone VHF and even CB.
What is needed in Penn is what happened in Conn years ago when a new IG came in and gave Motorola 6 months to either fix the radio system for the CSP to the states liking or pull it completely out. Guess what Motorola blinked, payed for numerous upgrades and fixes rather than lose the contract, and possibly the right to bid in that state for a long time.
What is needed in Penn is what happened in Conn years ago when a new IG came in and gave Motorola 6 months to either fix the radio system for the CSP to the states liking or pull it completely out. Guess what Motorola blinked, payed for numerous upgrades and fixes rather than lose the contract, and possibly the right to bid in that state for a long time.
Open sky 2
A source of mine says Open Sky 2 is coming to Pa. (digging a deeper hole) All new radios and/or programming means more cost!
MFD New Radio System: The Milwaukee Fire Department uses new radio system, "Open-Sky 2" - WITI
A source of mine says Open Sky 2 is coming to Pa. (digging a deeper hole) All new radios and/or programming means more cost!
MFD New Radio System: The Milwaukee Fire Department uses new radio system, "Open-Sky 2" - WITI
phillydjdan
Member
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- Jan 27, 2011
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I love how every news story says these new radio systems are all going into service because of the narrowbanding mandate. Hey, morons! It's not due to the mandate to go to narrowband, because each and every VHF, UHF, and even low band conventional channel can remain in place with simply changing the radios from wide band to narrow band. That does NOT mean you have to get a trunked system, digital system, etc, etc. It really irritates me that these people spend millions deploying a piece of ***** digital trunked system when they can stay on, for example, 460.600 analog conventional and just change out the repeater, mobiles, and portables to ones that can do narrowband. Buy some HT-1250s instead of XTS-5000s and save yourself $1000 per radio! Ok, I'm done ranting now...
w2xq
Mentor
In the last week or two didn't Lancaster county just announce the ditching of Open Sky? I'm still hearing the PASP on the PATP on 159.075 MHz.
Lancaster ditched opensky some years ago now. Their radio project has been on hold since them, while they rocooperated from their loss.
LanCo is now in the bidding process and are down to three venders, all of which are offering p25 options.
In short, Opensky has been long gone in Lancaster.
T-Santon
Member
Any Government Official who decides that OpenSky is a good idea needs to be removed from power IMMEDIATELY.
If they had spent just five minutes researching OS on the Internet, they would've seen just how bad of an idea it is.
If they had spent just five minutes researching OS on the Internet, they would've seen just how bad of an idea it is.
Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry8530/5.0.0.973 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/105)
Are you hearing non-turnpike PSP units on that freq?
That freq is a PA Turnpike Commission assignment.
trsundstrom said:
Are you hearing non-turnpike PSP units on that freq?
That freq is a PA Turnpike Commission assignment.
Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry8530/5.0.0.973 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/105)
Except that PA was one of the early adopters of OS, especially for the wide-area coverage.
T-Santon said:
Except that PA was one of the early adopters of OS, especially for the wide-area coverage.
w2xq
Mentor
Sorry I wasn't clearer. No non-TP cars on 159.075, just the King of Prussia comms for the eastern end of the PATP.
talkpair
Member
Speaking of metrics.......I wonder if anyone has ever sat down and reviewed before and after recordings of radio communications to compare the 'old and outdated' with the 'new and nonfunctional' ?
It would seem more scientific to just count the number of "can't copy", "repeat?", "transmission noisy, garbled, broken" and "no response" calls on the recordings, rather than rely on personal opinions.
Gather up about 40 hours worth of radio traffic after removing silence to review and score everything.
phillydjdan
Member
- Joined
- Jan 27, 2011
- Messages
- 2,075
PSP Trevose Barracks units were using VHF, operating on their "mobile" frequency assignment and "Tac-1" a few minutes ago.
Packetpeeker
Member
Psp & vhf
Belmont barracks is also heard frequently on VHF! Still!
I heard that 800 not reliable all the time, spotty coverage, but also heard they do send data on it?? Who knows?
Belmont barracks is also heard frequently on VHF! Still!
I heard that 800 not reliable all the time, spotty coverage, but also heard they do send data on it?? Who knows?
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