Washington, DC - DHS’s $1 Billion Radio System Doesn’t Work
- Thread starter Thunderbolt
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mikepdx
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The story's about the CBP radio system in the Southwest United States,
not a Washington, DC local or regional article.
not a Washington, DC local or regional article.
And if you read the GAO report, it's not just "It Doesn't Work". There's much more to it...
- Chris
- Chris
Yeah I'd say training. It's amazing what is left unsecured and broadcasted and I'm sure they want it all secure. One problem. Regarding interop is the jokers using the vtacs to interop with local law enforcment and running encryption on it. Half time local law gives up and just goes back to home zone and let's dispatch relay And stops caring until dispatch relays to them from cbp phone what's going on or what resources are needed. Aside from them nps has been guilty of using enc when doing a half attempt to interop on vtacs with fire or local law in this region. Got to point one fire emergency coordinator said you want our help then turn off that (explicit) encryption. It's been a common probleM with lack of training. As for normal comms couldn't tell ya most they use in dhs is secure but when it comes to interop it's lack thereof or any attempt to even try with locals.
Anytime you decide, based on cost rather than radio engineering, that you are going to simply replace existing analog repeaters with narrowband, P-25 repeaters and expect the same performance... You are setting yourself up for failure.
Doesn't DHS have any engineers to explain that to the bean counters?
Doesn't DHS have any engineers to explain that to the bean counters?
Exactly! I been saying this for long time. P25 to narrow repeater locations in same spot at old wide locations is not feasible anymore. I Have tried to explain this on deaf ears.
Surveys should be redone in any agency back when Wide went narrow. This should have been step one before any upgrade. Which majority ignored. I know for fact some repeater locations existed when it was really wide back in day prior to 25/30. This leads to sales of you need this or this when proper placed narrow repeaters will solve the issue. If they got smart they'd make sure it would be compliant not only to 12.5 but 6 and 3 for future narrow mandates overtime.
ecps92
Member
Thread moved to Federal forum.
2wayfreq
Member
Unfortunately, the techs did not program the radios to Secure Strapping at all times on the channels. The option was left open on the rocker switch to (accidentally) flip it to CLEAR. They did it to themselves
Well the switch was designed so in cases of need to be clear in interop or agencies who also access the channels could call and one reply after switching the switch. But overtime everyone lost touch with that. I know several federal entities who use cbp as aide or backup and anytime they attempt to call on a channel they are met with silence or strapped. Then when all is said and done the reply was we were never told we could talk to you or them etc.
Training!
Officers ought to have to qualify with their portable radios, much the same as they qualify with a weapon.
They're almost as essential, perhaps more. Training!
Officers ought to have to qualify with their portable radios, much the same as they qualify with a weapon.
They're almost as essential, perhaps more. Training!
In our location in Western New York we have the same issues. Lately I hear team leaders instructing
the other units in the detail to go into the clear so they can communicate. I also believe these systems are so complicated now you loose a few bits of data and bye bye. As a broadcast friend of mine has
said "Digital is not quite ready for Prime Time".
the other units in the detail to go into the clear so they can communicate. I also believe these systems are so complicated now you loose a few bits of data and bye bye. As a broadcast friend of mine has
said "Digital is not quite ready for Prime Time".
The U.S. Forest Service lost coverage in a few previously marginal areas when narrowband equipment was installed. From what I understand if P25 is installed coverage in a lot more areas is lost or becomes marginal.
In remote, rural and mountainous areas it is tough to add new sites to make up for the coverage losses these two cause. It may work very well in a metro area, but out in rural areas with topography it is a different story.
The FCC needs to get out of the money generating business and get back into the engineering
business. A Broadcaster friend of mine told me a few years ago there was a push for every FCC Commissioner to have a licensed PE on staff for advisement of what would and would not work.
I thought finally some common sense was taking hold but, the Commission dismissed the idea.
business. A Broadcaster friend of mine told me a few years ago there was a push for every FCC Commissioner to have a licensed PE on staff for advisement of what would and would not work.
I thought finally some common sense was taking hold but, the Commission dismissed the idea.
ecps92
Member
The thread has nothing to do with the FCC
Federal Agencies are handled by the DoC under the NTIA
Federal Agencies are handled by the DoC under the NTIA
Well regardless they need to allow exception for wide band in fireground and fire in rural and mountain terrain.
MrAntiDigital
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So how's that new digital system working out for us ?
All of our county's law enforcement talkgroups are encrypted, & the radios were programmed "strapped", so that they would automatically be in the clear on interop talkgroups or the NPSPAC channels. However, some of them were apparently programmed so that you can also switch encryption off on those TG's that are supposed to always be encrypted. Nobody notices because as long as the encryption key is loaded in that radio, the others will still hear it. Nobody that is....except those with scanners. With my PRO-96 I had to lockout encrypted TG's, but my new BCD436HP mutes encryption; so the encrypted TG's can be "monitored" in the radio. I was shocked at how many of our radios are transmitting with the encryption off on TG's that are supposed to be encrypted.
I agree with K3UG: Annual radio qualification (or at least refresher training) should be held by ALL agencies using SDR's; some of them are more complex than a sidearm!
I agree with K3UG: Annual radio qualification (or at least refresher training) should be held by ALL agencies using SDR's; some of them are more complex than a sidearm!
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