Jacob
Member
How is the new interoperability system going to effect radio monitoring when it is in fully operational in 2010.
Question about the Interoperabilty System in Georgia
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b7spectra
EMS Dispatcher
Unless everyone switches to encryption type transmissions, shouldn't be too bad. It's 2007 right now, and in the metro Atlanta area, they are just starting to get GEWIN rolling. I personally have serious doubts there will be any of this interoperability because no one (each jurisdiction) want's to have anyone talking on their system beside theirselves.
In Cobb County, they control the TRS. Part of the County (Police/Water/Parks) are on digital. Fire is still analog. City of Marietta Police are still analog. All the other Marietta agencies went back to their VHF frequencies because they don't want to have to pay BIG $$$'s for public works to have to use digital radio's. As a funny with the Cobb system, a few weeks ago, there was a charity walk going on. Cobb Fire (analog) set up a command post to be able to direct FD & EMS in case they were needed. Cobb Sheriff (digital) was running the transportation. When a fire unit asked if they could find out when the SO bus would pick up some of the walkers, the FD response was "We have no way to communicate with them!" Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but a digital radio CAN host analog channels. Could not the communications people have ALL the radio's programmed with INTEROPERABILITY channels? If a single County CAN NOT communicate within their own systems, do we really think interoperability will work throughout the state?
In Cobb County, they control the TRS. Part of the County (Police/Water/Parks) are on digital. Fire is still analog. City of Marietta Police are still analog. All the other Marietta agencies went back to their VHF frequencies because they don't want to have to pay BIG $$$'s for public works to have to use digital radio's. As a funny with the Cobb system, a few weeks ago, there was a charity walk going on. Cobb Fire (analog) set up a command post to be able to direct FD & EMS in case they were needed. Cobb Sheriff (digital) was running the transportation. When a fire unit asked if they could find out when the SO bus would pick up some of the walkers, the FD response was "We have no way to communicate with them!" Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but a digital radio CAN host analog channels. Could not the communications people have ALL the radio's programmed with INTEROPERABILITY channels? If a single County CAN NOT communicate within their own systems, do we really think interoperability will work throughout the state?
Jacob
Member
You would think they would come up with a repeater system they would link together other repeater so that they would be able to cover large areas, (ham radio operators have done it for years out west and most likey other places as well. Keep everything anolog so the different areas can afford it. Can you imagine how much money is wasted changing good radio systems when that money could go to other equipment like bullet proof vest, weapons personnel etc.
Funny thing about this interoperability is we have had the ability all the time, but I guess it's not high tech enough. Every radio in my fire department has a state mutual aide channel that has been around for years. Police have had the same also with their interstate frequencies. Even EMS has the HEAR system. The ability has always been there but nobody seemed to use it. I've been to meetings locally where we've discussed the new system, It's no magic bullet, still only one person talking to another! As departments have gotten away from analog with digital this and that and trunking and such we've lost sight of what was already there. As for the FD not being able to talk to SO we have eliminated that by programing every channel of every local department in our radios.
b7spectra
EMS Dispatcher
Interoperability IS possible if the communication managers would get off their high horses and just program up the radios! At Metro Traffic, they have Motorola Spectras set up with Atlanta, Cobb, DeKalb, Fulton and Gwinnett all in one radio (actually they have 4 identically programmed radio's). All one would have to do is just switch TRS from the current to the one they need and away they go. Will they do this for all the counties? No Way! Someone from DeKalb may actually be in a chase through Fulton County and Cobb County, and never be able to communicate. All cars SHOULD have the 800 MHz repeater channels in their radios, but I wouldn't hold my breath.
jrm5265
Member
interop
Its so frustrating, I know this wouldnt solve everything but I think it ought to be a law that every PD or SO unit in the STATE of GA ought to have at a minimum a 25watt underdash rdio with 154.905 state band and 155.475 Natl in it
You guys know how cheap you can buy a decent 25 watt underdash radio and a 19" 1/4 w antenna
but NO weve got to go out and spend 99 gazillion dollars on some trunked radio systen and then they still wont or cant talk to each other were going Open Sky and Im still waiting to see the VHF patched channels that supposedly we will have , Ive talked to soembody that saw it and said it worked , Ive seen stuff patched but Im being told that on our open sky radio we will have those channels in there well itll be marked that and when we switch to it itll rx and we will tx on VHF (through the magic of the Open Sky set up)
I still vote for cheap underdash VHF mobiles
smae thing on fire put AT least a VHF 25watter in there with 154.280 in it
and w ems all units hsould have 155.340 they used to require it but I see alot of these private services that provide back up for EMS in our County I do not see a VHF antenna on their units?
Joe in Covington
Its so frustrating, I know this wouldnt solve everything but I think it ought to be a law that every PD or SO unit in the STATE of GA ought to have at a minimum a 25watt underdash rdio with 154.905 state band and 155.475 Natl in it
You guys know how cheap you can buy a decent 25 watt underdash radio and a 19" 1/4 w antenna
but NO weve got to go out and spend 99 gazillion dollars on some trunked radio systen and then they still wont or cant talk to each other were going Open Sky and Im still waiting to see the VHF patched channels that supposedly we will have , Ive talked to soembody that saw it and said it worked , Ive seen stuff patched but Im being told that on our open sky radio we will have those channels in there well itll be marked that and when we switch to it itll rx and we will tx on VHF (through the magic of the Open Sky set up)
I still vote for cheap underdash VHF mobiles
smae thing on fire put AT least a VHF 25watter in there with 154.280 in it
and w ems all units hsould have 155.340 they used to require it but I see alot of these private services that provide back up for EMS in our County I do not see a VHF antenna on their units?
Joe in Covington
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