Thomaston, CT - Thomaston to Receive New Emergency Radio System

Status
Not open for further replies.

pete7919

Member
Joined
Feb 7, 2007
Messages
94
A little bit of double speak for the camera?

“Nobody’s in real harm’s way because, although it may not be the perfect system, we are getting these calls out,” Campbell said.

He explained that officers have also run into problems using portable radios to call for backup and convey information about suspects, and firefighters haven’t heard warnings to get out of burning buildings."

Hmm... doesn't seem like a problem to me! I don't know the specific problems in this town, but I'm sure $3.7 million will solve all of them. Right?
 

Stealthguy05

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Jul 5, 2009
Messages
277
I'm sure with 4 sites (I'm guessing mostly voted receive) as opposed to 1, it would increase talk in capability. If this system is P25 it would also introduce interoperability with neighboring agencies.
 

millrad

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Apr 14, 2004
Messages
249
Location
Connecticut
Thomaston is one of only two Conn. municipal police departments still on low band in the 39 MHz range. Kind of a shame to see it go away. The other is in the New London - Groton area.
 

kjczarzasty

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Jul 22, 2007
Messages
14
Location
Watertown,CT
The system will not be P25,though the police will have an encrypted talk channel. It will be a 4 site point to point voting repeater system. Police and Highway will have there own dispatch channels wnd the police will have an additional tac channel, fire and ems will still share a dispatch channel and the fire will also have a separate ground channel. This system will be in the 460mHz range so that they can have interoperability with the town of Watertown PD and Plymouth PD,Fire,and EMS. All other surrounding towns are on Litchfield County Dispatch or their own VHF-Hi system so the fire will still have to utilize a separate radio to talk with most of their mutual aid towns the portables and mobiles will also have the UHF iTac channels for statewide interoperability. The move off of the 39 and 42 Mhz channels came due to a radio system which is truly on it's last legs. I personally volunteer with with the EMS in Thomaston and can tell you there have been many incidents where the paging system has failed, dispatchers can not here us on the mobiles or portables, and we have to resort to cell phones for communication between our crews and the dispatch. We have had to call dispatch at the start of shift and give a contact number so if no one signed out they could call us by cell phone to notify the duty crew of a medical call. In all reality the Low Band is probably the perfect system given the hill and valley topography of the town, but Motorola is projecting a 95% coverage with the 4 tower system, our current coverage with the crumbling system is about 30%. The police are already utilizing the system and EMS is currently being issued new portables and pagers this week, with the Fire to follow and hopes of having a complete switch over in the beginning of June. From what I have heard from the police officers they seem to be happy with the system's new capabilities.
 

Kitn1mcc

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Mar 18, 2014
Messages
487
Location
Old Lyme ct
Not bad,. i could see the move as good move. a lot of FD in middlesex county have gone UHF and still linked on low bad. They still use the low band mobiles. The Biggest issue with low band is a lot of installer do not know how to install a proper low band antenna or tune it. i know the guys who come to were i work have done this and i have caught them. also add a low band Repeater
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top