So what is the deal with Knox County???

[kadetklapp]

I was programming a friend's Pro-96 and checked out the Knox county database. It claims that the "old analog" 800 system is no longer in use? This is not true. I was just in Vincennes last weekend, and VUPD does not have any digital capability that I could see. The PD dispatch radio is still a Motorola Maxtrac 800. VU has no orders placed for P-25 compliant radios at this time. So, what's the deal? Are city and county using digital and VU is stuck on a patch? Just curious as to what is going on.

 

[KD4YGG]

All the Knox County talkgroups on Project Hoosier SAFE-T are analog.
Program in both the Vincennes and Edwardsport sites to listen to Knox County.

They are using their old radios, just have had them re-programmed to the SAFE-T system.

There is no active data channel for the "old Knox County" system.

 

[kadetklapp]

?

Didn't know you could do this? If so, why did so many depts spend thousands getting new radios when they could use their old ones?

So this is the same as the MA TGs which are analog?

 

[KD4YGG]

?

Didn't know you could do this? If so, why did so many depts spend thousands getting new radios when they could use their old ones? So this is the same as the MA TGs which are analog?

Knox County was in a unique situation. They had already spent the $$$ on a stand alone Motorola system back in 1995, including COMPATIBLE 800MHZ RADIOS that could be upgraded/reprogrammed for the new system. Since the MA and IDOT talkgroups were specified as analog at the time of the inception of SAFE-T, there was the option (and still is) to use less-costly analog radios.

Many talkgroups on the system are analog (IDOT, Knox County, Vigo County Fire, Mutual Aid).

 

[kadetklapp]

Hmm. Well, that makes more sense.

But, dare I say, that it adds more evidence to the case that Motorola simply took advantage of the state by forcing the purchase of all these radios?

OR, are the radios which were bought simply what is now available to replace aging and antiquated/discontinued equipment? If so, that's ok. In my case, Montgomery County went 800 around 1992/1993. We have had to change over all our radios and we are still analog.

Still confused but it is a little more clear.

Here's another question. Would one have to have a Digital capable scanner to scan Knox Counties system?

 

[KD4YGG]

Here's another question. Would one have to have a Digital capable scanner to scan Knox Counties system?

ONLY if they wanted to hear IN DNR, ISP, etc.

If a person only wanted to listen to Knox County agencies, any analog trunking scanner will work.

 

[KD4YGG]

Hmm. Well, that makes more sense.

But, dare I say, that it adds more evidence to the case that Motorola simply took advantage of the state by forcing the purchase of all these radios?

OR, are the radios which were bought simply what is now available to replace aging and antiquated/discontinued equipment? If so, that's ok. In my case, Montgomery County went 800 around 1992/1993. We have had to change over all our radios and we are still analog.

I would not say that Motorola simply took advantage of the state. Parts for the old VHF Low Band equipment for ISP was being salvaged from the display radio console sitting at the ISP Museum in Indianapolis - new equipment was desperately needed.

In Montgomery County's case, it could be that the specific radios purchased at that time didn't have the capability to be upgraded - don't know. Or, the money was "spend it or lose it" type grants.

 

[DiGiTaLD]

Low Band

Parts for the old VHF Low Band equipment for ISP was being salvaged from the display radio console sitting at the ISP Museum in Indianapolis - new equipment was desperately needed.

Brand new low band equipment is still made to this day, by Motorola and other manufacturers. ISP didn't have to stick with the thirty and forty year old stuff they had and salvage parts from their old stuff; they had a lot more options, and could have stuck with low band if that was the direction they had wanted to go, but they decided to do otherwise.

The MOT proprietary 3600 baud Type II control channel locks users into buying either Motorola or EF Johnson gear (EFJ is the only other manufacturer licensed by Mother M to use the 3600 baud CC). This limits equipment choice by system users, but helps out in areas such as Knox County where a Motorola Type II was already in use. The radios just had to be reprogrammed and entered into the SAFE-T databases, but they could go on using their old equipment.

As previously stated, SAFE-T doesn't have to use digital talkgroups and you only need a P25 CAI capable scanner if you want to monitor the digital talkgroups. Until recently, I listened to analog SAFE-T talkgroups on my PRO-93. Some older radios aren't able to automatically roam between sites and use some of the enhanced features of the system, but will still be able to function.

 

[KLH]

Here's another question. Would one have to have a Digital capable scanner to scan Knox Counties system?

Nope, as a matter of fact, I am use a PRO-95 and listening to all of Knox County's traffic.

You might want to have a scanner that has text tags though, so that you can block out the ISP's traffic that you won't be able to pickup/understand.

A PRO 95 or 97 would be excellent choices for Knox County.