Surry Co P25

[clbsquared]

Encryption on Fire-EMS is an interoperability nightmare. How will surrounding jurisdictions radios flashed for ADP only talk to Surry's AES strapped talkgroups? They won't. I agree, it won't last long.

About 6 years ago, every agency in this area could talk to each other just by changing the channel of a VHF analog radio. Isle of Wight, Franklin, Southampton, Sussex, Surry, etc. Now, it would take a console full of radios to make that happen. I’m not sure who spearheaded Surry or Sussex, but I know the idiot who spearheaded ours. Terry Hall, is a self obsessed, money hungry idiot who has single handedly ruined interoperability in this area.
Mark my words. All of these differing systems are going to end up being a soup sandwich. And when/if a major disaster ever happens in this area, all of the efforts will be delayed in the name of “interoperability”.

 

[LeSueurC]

About 6 years ago, every agency in this area could talk to each other just by changing the channel of a VHF analog radio. Isle of Wight, Franklin, Southampton, Sussex, Surry, etc. Now, it would take a console full of radios to make that happen. I’m not sure who spearheaded Surry or Sussex, but I know the idiot who spearheaded ours. Terry Hall, is a self obsessed, money hungry idiot who has single handedly ruined interoperability in this area.
Mark my words. All of these differing systems are going to end up being a soup sandwich. And when/if a major disaster ever happens in this area, all of the efforts will be delayed in the name of “interoperability”.

But you forgot about ORION😂😂😂. They could do a patch but then I’m not sure how that would even work patching an P25 encrypted to P25 unencrypted

 

[clbsquared]

But you forgot about ORION😂😂😂. They could do a patch but then I’m not sure how that would even work patching an P25 encrypted to P25 unencrypted

Ohh, that’s right. I forgot about the system that was specifically designed for ALL of Hampton Roads to be interoperable. The “Overlay Regional InterOperability Network”.
Could you imagine all of the money that has been spent on all of the newer systems in this area and everyone has to resort to using ORION for interop? (It’s intended purpose) 🤦‍♂️

 

[MotoTRK]

Yep, Prince George did the same. Then they went clear for all Fire because of Interop. Can’t imagine this will last long

To be fair they did not un-encrypt everything only 2 or 3 talk groups at that, I have a good feeling with way Surry runs their EMS side of things that we will see at least the main talk group go 100% open sooner or later from outside agencies complaining about it as what happened in PG. I also know the Isle of Wight system in and out very well and know how stuff is setup in that county and the mess that was making that happen.

 

[trainman111]

Here’s the rub. All of these systems are being upgraded to P25 in the name of “interoperability”. Isle of Wight was convinced to upgrade so we could have interoperability with jurisdictions that we will NEVER assist. And if it’s bad enough that Isle of Wight has to respond to Gloucester, interop will be the least of everyone’s concern.
In the few years that our system has been in operation, we have never used any interop channels. Their dispatch goes through our dispatch and vice versa by landline.
Of the almost 100 talkgroups on our system (yes, you read that right, almost 100 talkgroups). This county uses roughly 7-8 county wide on a daily basis.
But we can talk to Gloucester, York County, James City, etc……..ohh wait, that’s right, all of those counties are encrypted too. So we have to settle for the 12 additional interop talkgroups that aren’t encrypted to make that happen.
Isle of Wight runs mutual aid calls for Surry on almost a daily basis. I can see that coming to an end if we cannot communicate with them in a reasonable way.
Wakefield runs a lot of mutual aid calls for Surry. I wonder if their encrypted 700 MHz Harris system will be able talk to Surry's 700 MHz encrypted Motorola system. 🤣
Probably not.

Any time I ever responded to Surry for mutual aid from Sussex, I never had a reason to communicate with Surry. All enroute/on scene/transporting, etc. traffic was handled for Sussex Co. Maybe if there was an MCI, it would be a problem, but all of the EMS units in Sussex and Surry have ORION radios installed.

 

[clbsquared]

Just figured I would throw this out there. Rushmere and Smithfield FD’s requested mutual aid from Surry a couple weeks ago. In the past, our dispatch would just use a patch between Surrys VHF system and our 700/800 system. We couldn’t communicate with them. Our dispatch did not know that they had switched to the new system. Needless to say, that whole incident was a cluster. Fast forward to the end of last week. When Surry was contacted by Isle Of Wight to have their new system info put into ours, and vice versa, they declined and stated they did not want Isle of Wight to have access to their talkgroups. Why? I have no idea.
Interoperability is just a fantasy around here. I don’t even know why all these companies try to sell new systems based off of the need for interoperability. But that’s the first thing they preach when they come knocking on the door.
🤦‍♂️

 

[LeSueurC]

Just figured I would throw this out there. Rushmere and Smithfield FD’s requested mutual aid from Surry a couple weeks ago. In the past, our dispatch would just use a patch between Surrys VHF system and our 700/800 system. We couldn’t communicate with them. Our dispatch did not know that they had switched to the new system. Needless to say, that whole incident was a cluster. Fast forward to the end of last week. When Surry was contacted by Isle Of Wight to have their new system info put into ours, and vice versa, they declined and stated they did not want Isle of Wight to have access to their talkgroups. Why? I have no idea.
Interoperability is just a fantasy around here. I don’t even know why all these companies try to sell new systems based off of the need for interoperability. But that’s the first thing they preach when they come knocking on the door.
🤦‍♂️

😂😂😂😂 what the hell is there to hide in Surry. They’ll have to learn the hard way it sounds like

 

[MotoTRK]

I can tell you Prince George is having the same issues, won’t even let us program a gateway radio to patch into their 800 system.

 

[K1BMG]

😂😂😂😂 what the hell is there to hide in Surry. They’ll have to learn the hard way it sounds like

The Surry Govt and Sheriff's dept do not like accountability and transparency. The Sheriff was alleged to have been asleep in his vehicle across the street from the 7-11 while it was being robbed. I have personally witnessed the (former) Animal Control officer sitting in his truck for 45 mins after advising dispatch that he was out of his vehicle on a call. There is so much going on in this County it is crazy.

I don't know who controls whether or not the system is encrypted but it would probably fall on deaf ears if I addressed either the B.O.S. or sheriff dept. about it.