VIPER Statewide Radio System Discussion

[RaleighGuy]

Yadkin County has issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) for Project Management Services for construction of a new VIPER radio tower and new 911 communications center. Location for the new tower has been identified and acquired by the County. The site has been vetted by NCSHP for suitability. The tower will be constructed with County funds.

 

[GMB951]

Was curious about any progress on the Phase Two rollout.

 

[RaleighGuy]

Was curious about any progress on the Phase Two rollout.

It's not scheduled to start until 2025, last I heard. Probably won't hear much until mid-2025 based on what I've read.

https://info.ncdhhs.gov/dhsr/EMS/pdf/VIPERupdate.pdf (pg 2)

Existing radios from the below list will continue to be allowed to operate on the system until 1 July 2025.
Motorola – XTS/XTL radios
Kenwood – TK-5910 series mobile radios
EF Johnson – 51/53 series portable and mobile radios
https://www.dac.nc.gov/documents/files/2022-viper-approved-radio-list/open (pg 2)

Effective 1 July, 2025 all radios currently active on the VIPER system, along with all future
additions to the system shall be ready to receive TDMA programming.
https://www.ncdps.gov/documents/files/ncshp-viper-tdma-memo-july-2019/download (pg 2)

900 Pender County emergency radios will cease working come 2025 | Port City Daily

PENDER COUNTY — Pender County and its municipalities are about to undergo an overhaul of their emergency radio network by replacing its equipment. To offset the financial strain on participating towns…

portcitydaily.com

 

[drayd48]

Some areas will activate Phase II before the 2025 cutoff. I know there is a simulcast project in the pipelines that when complete, will come online to operate as Phase II, before the rest of the state cuts over

 

[NCFireman11]

Unidentified Randolph County TG:

TG 38528-Staley Fire Admin or Fire TAC 2?

 

[GMB951]

Thanks for update

 

[NCFireman11]

It sounds like Yadkin County has started the process of moving to VIPER. Today I heard Yadkin Sherriff VHF Dispatch patched to Yadkin SO (TG #50504) and Yadkin Fire F1 VHF patched to Yadkin FD (TG #50503). There was only one radio ID so field units aren't utilizing the trunked side of the patch yet.

I also noted Wilkes County VHF EMS and Fire Dispatch frequencies patched to the respective VIPER TG. On the law enforcement side, Wilkes SO Patrol (TG #49509) had some activity.

 

[drayd48]

It sounds like Yadkin County has started the process of moving to VIPER. Today I heard Yadkin Sherriff VHF Dispatch patched to Yadkin SO (TG #50504) and Yadkin Fire F1 VHF patched to Yadkin FD (TG #50503). There was only one radio ID so field units aren't utilizing the trunked side of the patch yet.

I also noted Wilkes County VHF EMS and Fire Dispatch frequencies patched to the respective VIPER TG. On the law enforcement side, Wilkes SO Patrol (TG #49509) had some activity.

Yadkin County does have plans in the near future to move to VIPER, and even constructing a new tower. That is good to know that they are finally patching their channels

 

[GMB951]

With my DJ-130 at 30 feet or so i can monitor towers in several counties, but i monitor the Slocomb Tower here in Cumberland co and the McCain tower in Hoke County. The following counties are received very well> Cumberland Co/Harnett Co/Moore Co/Lee Co/Hoke Co/Robeson Co/Scotland Co/Richmond Co/Lee Co/Chatham Co/Johnston Co/Bladen and some of Duplin. Johnston is a non-viper P-25 System and lee co is a NXDN.So the antenna type is very important.

 

[GamecockSJ]

Improvements to county emergency communication towers making progress

WATAUGA — Watauga County Emergency Services has been engaged in a long-term project to update emergency services radio communication towers across the county.

www.wataugademocrat.com

Watauga County is moving to VIPER and constructing 4 sites for a total of 6 in the county. Looks like they’re going to be independent sites, not a simulcast cell.

 

[BryanTheRed]

Some areas will activate Phase II before the 2025 cutoff. I know there is a simulcast project in the pipelines that when complete, will come online to operate as Phase II, before the rest of the state cuts over

Which simulcast cell?

 

[INDY72]

Some areas will activate Phase II before the 2025 cutoff. I know there is a simulcast project in the pipelines that when complete, will come online to operate as Phase II, before the rest of the state cuts over

You meant to say DDM, dual dynamic mode. Which is what the entire system will go to until all non TDMA radios are gone. Same as all wide area P25 systems do when the Phase II upgrade happens.

 

[trumpetman]

You meant to say DDM, dual dynamic mode. Which is what the entire system will go to until all non TDMA radios are gone. Same as all wide area P25 systems do when the Phase II upgrade happens.

First off, it's dynamic dual mode, not dual dynamic mode. Second off, while DDM would be a convenient migration path, it doubles the cost of implementation. If you have an official source for your claims, I would love to see it. Remember about a decade ago, VIPER did the impossible and converted the state from 3600 to 9600 in one week; I could absolutely see another case of ripping the band-aid off and converting as much as possible to pure TDMA in an effort to be good stewards of the tax payer dollars. Don't take this as a claim that DDM won't potentially be systemwide, but I know some county and state agencies are ready to flip the switch today, so I would bet in areas where TDMA is already available and in testing (yes, it's already out there) we may see TGs cutover before the deadline.

 

[RaleighGuy]

VIPER Statewide Events TG Foxtrot 1 traffic related to Japanese Prime Minister motorcade.

 

[NCFireman11]

It seems slowly but surely the fire departments in McDowell County are migrating to VIPER. The dispatch and tones are patched from VHF to the VIPER McDowell Fire TG, with a bunch of Radio IDs noted on the VIPER side last week during my travels. My guess this move is in response to neighboring Rutherford County moving to VIPER.

McDowell Sherriff, Marion PD, Old Fort PD, Lake Tahoma PS, McDowell EMS, and McDowell Rescue Squad have already been on VIPER for quite some time.

 

[ccfire]

Just curious anyone heard anything else about Cherokee or Graham county getting any additional sites or switching over to the viper

 

[Chris0516]

First off, it's dynamic dual mode, not dual dynamic mode. Second off, while DDM would be a convenient migration path, it doubles the cost of implementation. If you have an official source for your claims, I would love to see it. Remember about a decade ago, VIPER did the impossible and converted the state from 3600 to 9600 in one week; I could absolutely see another case of ripping the band-aid off and converting as much as possible to pure TDMA in an effort to be good stewards of the tax payer dollars. Don't take this as a claim that DDM won't potentially be systemwide, but I know some county and state agencies are ready to flip the switch today, so I would bet in areas where TDMA is already available and in testing (yes, it's already out there) we may see TGs cutover before the deadline.

Is Lee County one of them?

 

[NCFireman11]

More interesting comms this morning on Viper Novant Ground TG 52716. It appears this is now being used by a aeromedical service. I heard brief conversations that sounded like LZ training. From ADSB exchange, I think it might be Reach Air Medical Services N329RX flying in and around the Fort Liberty area. Anyone down that way have more info? Possibly a new Novant Helo to serve the Fayetteville area?

At any rate, it sounds like Novant ground and air transport TGs have changed since Novant Medflight left Salisbury. Hopefully someone in the know can fill in some gaps.

 

[CFP387]

At any rate, it sounds like Novant ground and air transport TGs have changed since Novant Medflight left Salisbury.

Do you know when (and why) Novant Medflight left Salisbury? EMS still asks for bypasses there.

 

[NCFireman11]

Do you know when (and why) Novant Medflight left Salisbury? EMS still asks for bypasses there.

According to another user, they left January 31, 2024. My guess is the flight service companies' contract ran out, which is common for different companies to drop and pick up new contracts for aeromedical services. I saw on Facebook that Apollo MedFlight was hiring for several positions in Salisbury so they must have picked up the contract. It's quite possible what I'm hearing is the new MedFlight doing company training near Fort Liberty.