In reading between the lines of this article here, it makes me wonder. Sure there comes a time when
you can't get original parts from the company that made the radios. Sure there comes a time when
you plan an orderly replacement for radios used by public safety for prime communications.
With that said, there are large numbers of old radios still being used on a daily basis by many
public safety agencies around the country. These range from the Motorola Motrac, Mocom,
Syntor, Spectra and several others. You can find GE Delta, Delta-SX, Phoenix, MVP and again a
number of other models. What I am trying to point out, is that just because the radio is old,
it doesn't mean that it can't be repaired by a good technician.
Now for the real kicker, again there should be a planned migration already in place to move
away from the older equipment in place and into new and currently available radio equipment.
The FCC mandate to be narrowband in 2013 will resolve most of what is being talked about here.
However there will be those agencies that have dragged their feet in making their migration
plans. What ever the reason is for not moving in that direction, it will catch up with the
process in the next year. It takes time to budget enough money to replace entire radio
systems, even those that are using conventional simplex channels or repeaters. In some
cases, the agencies are unaware that they have to replace the entire radio system. It
amazes me just how many agencies still haven't got the word about the FCC mandate.
Much of the blame for no action has to fall on the shoulders of the radio shops that are
supporting these old radios systems. In my travels across the country, I see many agencies
still having their head in the sand over making any plans to replace their old equipment.
The same radio shops that have just sat back and gone with the flow are doing little to
provide any radio support on the older radio equipment. So now after reading this
published story, is it a case where the radio shop doesn't want to repair the radio repeater
or doesn't know how to replace board level components.
Unless someone provides us with the exact details of why the repeater failed, we will only
be able to speculate the steps that were taken. Either way, the agency will be forced to
expend funds to repair or replace the repeater. The FCC has laid down the railroad tracks
that will drive the agency in the very near future to new equipment regardless of this failure.
Jim
WATERTOWN, Conn. -- The communication system used by Watertown Police, Fire and Public Works Departments experienced a breakdown at 6 p.m. on Friday, January, 23, according to emergency services officials.
Town Times - Communications system breaks;Repaired, but parts hard to find
