Police and Fire are still on the Motorola Type II Smartnet system. All other departments have moved to the Project 25 Phase I system. Both Police and Fire are scheduled to move onto the P25 Phase I system as follows: Fire is scheduled to be moved on May 28th. Police is scheduled to move in June.
West Hartford Project 25 Phase I update
- Thread starter n1chu
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Will Fire still have a link to 166.250?
I have no reason to believe otherwise but I can double check. I will post here when I know-it would be next week at the earliest.
Is the police department going to the big E?
just a side note regarding this post. Im hearing the West Hartford police on the one talk group that Radio reference has. Im not sure i haven't heard the Fire Department on the Trunked side just yet. Ill try to keep everyone posted as i hear stuff. The system sounds really good
Why do you think Newington is going to join them as far as I know they’re doing a bunch of testing around Hartford Newington Farmington so they know where the coverage will be it’s a good possibility Newington might join them will just have to wait and see
West Hartford is currently running their older analogue smartnet system for both fire and police. Everything else has moved to the phase 1 digital system. Fire is scheduled to move to digital on the 29th of this month and police shortly afterwards. Not sure if it’s the first of June or July, providing everything runs smoothly. So, now we wait until all the non-emergency TG’s experience no issues... if not, fire will follow, and then police. I have been advised you will hear testing from time to time, but I haven’t heard anything, which is not unusual, as I don’t monitor them all that much. I’m sure there is testing. I have heard the people are noticing a difference in audio... not suprising as it probably sounds compressed when compared to the older analogue system.
Did the West Hartford move to digital for fire
An update to the previously posted schedule for FD and PD moving to the new system...
Neither fire or police have moved. It seems that the intended order of movement is first, all town departments with the exception of police and fire, then fire, then police. That has not changed. But it is understood they will move in that order... and since fire has not moved, neither have the police. Fire has stipulated the system is to be fully built out before they will move. And since that point was spelled out from the get-go, there has been no movement. The issue has to do with the software dispatchers use to alert the individual houses. From what I understand, the new system promises to allow for an automated improvement. Dispatch is supposed to enter info into the system such as address, type of call, etc. and the software handles the rest... activating the correct alerting tones for which station or stations respond. Currently, that is not happening. But that’s what holding up the parade. I’m told the concerns will be satisfied in short order but no new movement dates were determined as of this writing.
On the matter of IF the 166.25 MHz simulcast will continue. My sources say yes. It’s not going away.
What I can tell you is that they are pleased with what testing they’ve done so far. West Farms Mall was mentioned where they experienced no dropouts, and that’s with nothing but the Blueback Square site doing all the heavy lifting. But they were referring to coverage, not necessarily audio quality. (Another site in New Britain was not up and running at the time so System coverage gets points.)
There has been some observations expressed about how different the audio sounds but from what I gather the issue is subjective. If you take a current user and ask him to listen he may find he has trouble adjusting to the new. Now take a person who hasn’t been using the old, ask him to listen to the new, and ask what he thinks. Chances are he will say he has no problems. It’s that opinion I’m getting from those who are receiving reports from the rank and file. I would guess what they are going for is summed up with a suggested “Give yourself some time to adjust and then reevaluate.
When I hear about any movement I will post here. Don’t delete your old West Hartford System just yet.
West Hartford update;
Theres talk of the city of Hartford and Newington both considering jumping on board West Hartford’s new system. It makes sense, especially with Hartford, as both West Hartford and Hartford were/are occupying some of the same sites for their respective existing systems. And since Hartford’s EDACS System has not been supported by their vendor for some time, they are in the market for a new system. Joining West Hartford Hartford would save a bundle instead of building out another new system. (It’s my belief the respective dispatch centers would not change-the shared system would be transparent where dispatchers wouldn’t see anything change except for new gear installations at their respective dispatch centers.
Marcus has the contract for West Hartford, a P25 digital Phase I System (probably upgradable to Phase II if they ever decide to go that route.) They are using a combination of Motorola and Harris equipment due to departmental preferences (some options are not available on one of the manufacturers offerings-but police and fire will not be mixing up the brands. If the PD chose Motorola, and FD chose Harris, (or vice versa) all portable and mobile radios will be of a “like brand” within the respective depts.
And currently there is no set date for transitioning FD & PD to the new system due to the order in which the move is to be made as explained previously. (First the FD moves, then and only then, the PD. Since the FD has opted NOT to move, the PD waits. (It’s my understanding this is specified in the contract, the FD’s right to refuse acceptance until they are shown a COMPLETE system, operating to their expectations. And given that not all equipment has been delivered as yet, it appears the FD is within its rights to excersize that contract clause. Currently there is no reason for amending the agreement and testing by West Hartford continues with the FD and dispatchers ...checking portable radio coverage. One observation is that UCONN’s John Dempsey Hospital’s new ER exhibits a large dead spot. Not only for Land Mobile Radio (LMR) but cell phone coverage too! They refer to a certain spot near a large plate glass window as the “phone booth”, where the ambulance and ER personnel will congregate when using their cell phones!
To date, it appears the install is progressing in an acceptable manner-I’ve heard nothing along the lines of people pulling their hair out. More info as it happens...
Theres talk of the city of Hartford and Newington both considering jumping on board West Hartford’s new system. It makes sense, especially with Hartford, as both West Hartford and Hartford were/are occupying some of the same sites for their respective existing systems. And since Hartford’s EDACS System has not been supported by their vendor for some time, they are in the market for a new system. Joining West Hartford Hartford would save a bundle instead of building out another new system. (It’s my belief the respective dispatch centers would not change-the shared system would be transparent where dispatchers wouldn’t see anything change except for new gear installations at their respective dispatch centers.
Marcus has the contract for West Hartford, a P25 digital Phase I System (probably upgradable to Phase II if they ever decide to go that route.) They are using a combination of Motorola and Harris equipment due to departmental preferences (some options are not available on one of the manufacturers offerings-but police and fire will not be mixing up the brands. If the PD chose Motorola, and FD chose Harris, (or vice versa) all portable and mobile radios will be of a “like brand” within the respective depts.
And currently there is no set date for transitioning FD & PD to the new system due to the order in which the move is to be made as explained previously. (First the FD moves, then and only then, the PD. Since the FD has opted NOT to move, the PD waits. (It’s my understanding this is specified in the contract, the FD’s right to refuse acceptance until they are shown a COMPLETE system, operating to their expectations. And given that not all equipment has been delivered as yet, it appears the FD is within its rights to excersize that contract clause. Currently there is no reason for amending the agreement and testing by West Hartford continues with the FD and dispatchers ...checking portable radio coverage. One observation is that UCONN’s John Dempsey Hospital’s new ER exhibits a large dead spot. Not only for Land Mobile Radio (LMR) but cell phone coverage too! They refer to a certain spot near a large plate glass window as the “phone booth”, where the ambulance and ER personnel will congregate when using their cell phones!
To date, it appears the install is progressing in an acceptable manner-I’ve heard nothing along the lines of people pulling their hair out. More info as it happens...
radioman2001
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Quote"
There has been some observations expressed about how different the audio sounds but from what I gather the issue is subjective. If you take a current user and ask him to listen he may find he has trouble adjusting to the new. Now take a person who hasn’t been using the old, ask him to listen to the new, and ask what he thinks.
That's now becoming a common problem with system testing especially in digital and analog. You take a young person they are going to hear differently the same system as an older person. I did some follow along with the vendor doing testing of a new DAS system for our agency, and my findings were different not drastically, (other them missing simulcast phase distortion, they had no idea what that was), but enough to fail some sectors. Again some vendors will push the envelope of what is acceptable to get the system qualified so they can get paid.
As a result of some of these discripencies (after testing the same system 3 times) we bought a software program that is installed into an Aritsu and with a GPS locater with dead reconing (similar to what FD and the military uses) it gives RSSI and BER values as we drive this package along. It is even smart enough to know if you go upstairs or downstairs. Not cheap though about 40K.
There has been some observations expressed about how different the audio sounds but from what I gather the issue is subjective. If you take a current user and ask him to listen he may find he has trouble adjusting to the new. Now take a person who hasn’t been using the old, ask him to listen to the new, and ask what he thinks.
That's now becoming a common problem with system testing especially in digital and analog. You take a young person they are going to hear differently the same system as an older person. I did some follow along with the vendor doing testing of a new DAS system for our agency, and my findings were different not drastically, (other them missing simulcast phase distortion, they had no idea what that was), but enough to fail some sectors. Again some vendors will push the envelope of what is acceptable to get the system qualified so they can get paid.
As a result of some of these discripencies (after testing the same system 3 times) we bought a software program that is installed into an Aritsu and with a GPS locater with dead reconing (similar to what FD and the military uses) it gives RSSI and BER values as we drive this package along. It is even smart enough to know if you go upstairs or downstairs. Not cheap though about 40K.
PhillyPhoto
Member
This is one of the most frustrating things about CT's lack of county government. Every town does their own thing and ends up paying factors more to stand up their own systems.
WoodburyMan
Member
Agreed. CSERN should be the solution if they aren't doing their own system instead of creating their own mini system.
I'm traveling to Colorado in a few weeks. I was programing today to add the cities I will be visiting into a Favorite. Their County Sheriff's, and City Police are all on the same system that makes CSERN look like nothing. They have something like 40 sites and 100's of Departments let alone talk groups. But there's not any system, besides their State Police system (which is small as they mainly rely on County Sheriff program) who has their own system. But it was simple and easy to navigate and I bet saves tens of millions of dollars. And they have the money to spend, vs broke CT State and Cities.
As I haven’t asked my source about if he is ok with my passing on what you read here, I’m hesitant to tell you who my source is. But I will ask him if he is ok with my passing along what he tells me and get back to you. I can tell you this much... a communications committee was formed at the outset of this acquisition and my source is an active member of the committee.
Keep in mind you have to parse my reports and separate my assumptions and guesses about other agencies from the items pertaining to West Hartford's new system specifically. These West Hartford specific “tid-bits” may be factual or just thoughts spoken out loud, but as is the case with contractual agreements, unforeseen elements tend to pop up from time to time which cause a need to modify. It’s all part of the process. And the information I post here has changed-the expected dates of going “in-service” is one example.
You write some of the info I offer is so wrong it’s frightening that people listen to me at all! But you neglect to elaborate. What exactly do you find incorrect? And why do you find the need to question in the manner you choose? As I am only passing along that which I have been told (as it relates to West Hartford specifically), I will pass your comments along and ask why you might find it necessary to question parts of my posts in the manner you choose. But it would help if I knew what exactly you are referring to. That’s the first question I will be asked. And please keep in mind I am referring only to the West Hartford System... not any mention of other agencies where I have prefaced my info presumptions I have made on my own... listed as “guesses” or “assumptions”. I believe I was most specific on that which I was guessing at...
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