Trumbull County MARCS

[JethrowJohnson]

Don't get me wrong, MARCS is truly incredible, just the cost is a lot to bear for small departments. Especially ones that don't travel and typically don't interop with their neighbors. In an effort to increase subscriber fee revenue the system is purported by DAS & MARCS as this singular solution for all, and it's not. Trumbull county agencies take a tremendous risk joining a shared system where they are no longer the top priority. Entry comes with a high initial equipment cost, high continuous operating costs, loose agency oversight, and nothing but finger pointing and excuses when it fails on the end user.

Yeah. I'm just glad that at least Washington County didn't make this mistake. We're still in the process of migrating, but my vol. fire company has some MARCS channels that they share with the other departments in the county the same way they share the FM conventional channels. Primary communications are still on UHF for most departments bc not everyone has digital radios yet, but more and more have been getting Motorola APX series radios and they work significantly better than the UHF and cell phones. I've heard them at times when they had no phone service and the UHF signal was terrible, but MARCS worked spotlessly. I think the reason why is because we have a simulcast site and all (or at least most) of the units have mobile repeaters on them. I'm really impressed with it here.

 

[jrl44430]

I thought they all had mobile repeaters? If they don't then it sounds like they need to get working on that.

My police department only have portables. Can't afford mobiles to.

 

[JethrowJohnson]

My police department only have portables. Can't afford mobiles to.

Then maybe they should've stuck with analog just a little longer until they could afford a proper setup on MARCS. Ya don't have a proper setup already prepared to accommodate you then it's not wise to switch so early.

 

[jrl44430]

Then maybe they should've stuck with analog just a little longer until they could afford a proper setup on MARCS. Ya don't have a proper setup already prepared to accommodate you then it's not wise to switch so early.

They are dispatched by another agency and had no choice. Even were told to E.

 

[JethrowJohnson]

They are dispatched by another agency and had no choice. Even were told to E.

Why did the dispatching agency do that?

 

[jrl44430]

Why did the dispatching agency do that?

The 911 center is all MARCS E. Apparently they are somehow part of it but dispatch from a different location.

 

[JethrowJohnson]

The 911 center is all MARCS E. Apparently they are somehow part of it but dispatch from a different location.

And they can't accommodate multiple bands?

 

[jrl44430]

No.

That dispatch center is small The also do fire on MARCS but in the clear.

 

[JethrowJohnson]

No.

That dispatch center is small The also do fire on MARCS but in the clear.

But all of these radios are supposed to be backwards compatible.

 

[jrl44430]

I asked if they would simulcast where they were on VHF He said no.

 

[JethrowJohnson]

I asked if they would simulcast where they were on VHF He said no.

This isn't making any sense. All digital radios, according to my understanding, are supposed to be backwards compatible. But the 911 center is refusing to use VHF. But it shouldn't be a matter of if they're able to, they just don't want to. So is there something I'm missing or are they just being totally unreasonable and foolish?

 

[n3obl]

This isn't making any sense. All digital radios, according to my understanding, are supposed to be backwards compatible. But the 911 center is refusing to use VHF. But it shouldn't be a matter of if they're able to, they just don't want to. So is there something I'm missing or are they just being totally unreasonable and foolish?

Yes p25 radios are backward compatible to analog however 800 radios will not work on vhf.

 

[JethrowJohnson]

Yes p25 radios are backward compatible to analog however 800 radios will not work on vhf.

Now I suppose they couldn't afford the Motorola APX series?

 

[n3obl]

Now I suppose they couldn't afford the Motorola APX series?

There are APX that are just single band. APX900,4000,6000,1000,1500 etc....

 

[JethrowJohnson]

There are APX that are just single band. APX900,4000,6000,1000,1500 etc....

Oh, okay. I thought the APXs were all band. Some of my buddies at the vol. fire department got new ones just in the last month or so - I don't think they're 8000 models, I'm not really sure but they're similar to the APX 8000, and they're all band. They keep em on the UHF frequencies most of the time since all primary communications are on there, but all they have to do is turn the switch and it goes on the 700 MHz MARCS band.

 

[jrl44430]

My department uses Kenwood radios. The department that dispatches would not simulcast on the old VHF because that would defeat the purpose of E. He does not want SSN's going over the air.

 

[JethrowJohnson]

My department uses Kenwood radios. The department that dispatches would not simulcast on the old VHF because that would defeat the purpose of E. He does not want SSN's going over the air.

I understand. If I get hired at my PD I think I'd try not to run people's info over the air either. But I kinda think full encryption could do more harm than good. There've been a few times when I've heard things happen in my immediate area, and one time, there was this kid that threatened his dad with a knife just about a block away from my house, and he ran, and I went out on the porch, and the officers were canvassing the area and were UTL, I stayed out there and sure enough, there he was riding his bike up the street, fit the description and all. I called the non-emergency number and let them know and they caught him over by the school.

 

[JethrowJohnson]

I like the newer Moto APX radios bc they can just leave everything in the clear and if encryption is needed they can just switch the knob at the top to the ø symbol and that's all there is to it I think.

 

[redbeard]

Please stay on the topic of Trumbull county.

 

[JethrowJohnson]

Please stay on the topic of Trumbull county.

Sorry.