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STARS was like Xmas to a few new state agencies such as the Gaming Commission, which never had requirements for multi-thousand dollar STARS radios when a regular cellphones would suffice. When limited funding for STARS users finally was a reality somebody had to go and one of the first was the Gaming Commission..GONE! It's funding allocation then was transferred to the Dept. of Agriculture & Consumer Services for STARS radios to be used by the Restaurant Inspectors which are heard infrequently.
In my opinion, taxpayer's monies were a waste for STARS radios for the Dept. of Fire Program. What requires them to have STARS radios to do their job? Why won't smart cellphones suffice? I don't buy the argument about having to have interoperability. They offer training seminars, lectures, etc. You have to have a STARS radio to do that? I don't think so. Nothing I ever heard required them having to have STARS radios. Some of the comms I've heard seemed more closely related to CB Ch. 19 especially on trips from Richmond to NOVA, etc. I will give them this. They have built an empire. They have at least 7 Divisions, Div 1= Richmond (the biggest one); Div 2= Orange; Div 3= Farmville; Div 4= Marion/Roanoke; Div 5= Hampton; Div 6= Unknown; Div 7= Fairfax.
The Dept. of Health has been a big winner as a STARS user and empire builder. VDOH now has 38 Districts statewide all STARS equipped and I suspect affiliated either statewide or to Richmond Division 1 VDOH HQ as the hub. Richmond VDOH is the control station and conducts I believe biweekly or monthly morning checkins from specific districts within the state. Rarely are locations mentioned. The control station knows all of the check ins and talk using personal names.
Dept. of Juvenile Justice launched as a main upcoming STARS user some years ago but in time were less active. They use only HTs. I rarely hear DJJ anymore. The Natural Bridge Region facility closed 5-8 years ago. Only 2 DJJ regions remain open. They are Richmond and Culpeper
Dept. of Military Affairs (DMA) helicopters Medical/S&R are based at the Chesterfield Co. Airport in the (Central Sub Area Sandston/Chesterfield). There also are Northern, Central, Western and Ft. Pickett sub areas.
DMME has 11 Field Inspection areas across the state. For their members personal security I am not going to list the organizational components and locations.
DMV has 7 divisions one for each VSP division. Their law enforcement usually involves using portable scales on major side roads which can be used by truckers to avoid interstate weigh stations.
The closest to a VITA user is the STARS radio techs who are not heard much anymore since STARS installations have been completed. One TG was Ch. 11 which was affiliated statewide. Some of the techs use encryption and some don't.
DGIF is 100% encrypted. The original DGIF policy using STARS was the Game Wardens were to use their vehicle MDTs for all comms except checking on/off duty. STARS voice comms were to be used only for situations such as TAC, special ops, etc. It's a mute point since all voice comms are encrypted.
The Buchanan Co. Sheriff's Office and Grundy Town Police became STARS users 4 or 5 years ago and were affiliated via the STARS system to Richmond Division 1. They are not very active and the techs may have reconfigured their affiliations only to their area's STARS sites and discontinued the Div 1 affiliation
As previously posted, CBBT when I last monitored was affiliated only with the Williamsburg, Hampton, and Chesapeake STARS sites. I suspect the Port Authority is similarly configured.
Another DOA appears to have been the Dept. of Military Justice which reminds me again of the Dept. of Fire Programs. Why would military judges need STARS radios? Why not smart cellphones? Why not a statewide computer system with VOIP capability? Obviously, since it's been over 15 years and no STARS radios yet, time has proven they can get along fine using a telephone, cellphone or pager or both which are much cheaper compared to a $5,000 STARS radio for each user.
Are you aware that VDOT Richmond District 4 has 9 STARS talkgroups but apparently that's not enough? VDOT's solution was to contract with a Richmond DMR (MOTOTRBO) service provider on its' Connect Plus 4 site trs (TG 132 VDOT inter-city road maintenance). It works fine and is cheaper than each impacted VDOT employee using a big buck STARS radio.
There's probably more enough for now. It's been a full day for me as a part of a very large attendance at the Richmond Gun Show and now returning home with a thinner wallet. But there were some good bargains which I couldn't pass up. On two occasions when two uncooperating dealers required me to playing my "Vietnam Veteran" "card", which I am. I also am left handed and traumatized as a child because my school chair desk was only for right handed students.. because I never could do the writing circles and whatever to please the teacher, I was not allowed to go to recess. So, I am a victim, like everybody else seems to be and think a state monthly financial pittance would be nice and help get over my childhood trauma; Also I am senior citizen.
If the dealer is not cooperating, I wait until a large group has formed close by and then shout very loudly several times clearly "Why do you hate veterans". After my third loud shout usually he will agree to whatever just to get rid of me. I call that my "Art of the Squeal".
If anyone has any confirmed updates beyond what I listed post them to this thread.
John
W4UVV