800 Mhz Rip-Off
I agree that political issues and bribes cost us tax payers as the 800 Mhz stuff are vastly overpriced. Lobbing by Motorola and other vendors to promote 800 Mhz allows Motorola to write their own check. All of the counties in Michigan used to use low-band, 60 watt tube-type equipment to cover the counties well. When solid-state equipment came on the marker the range vastly improved with the receiver noise-blanker. Michigan State Police had a plan in place to have low-band repeaters at all posts. They even obtained the frequencies for the plan. When Motorola stated they would not honor a 3-year contract on their Syntor and GE would not sell low-band radios any longer, they were wined and dined by Motorola (about 15 radio buyers), taken to Little Rock to see the AR system bought by Governor Clinton, who received $70,000 to sign the contract (part of the White Water Scandal) with Motorola. Although the 800 Mhz system worked well in Little Rock, it was not developed well in other state areas for about 7 years with millions of extra costs to the tax payer. When I suggested to the county they go back to low-band with 800 Mhz patch to save #270,000 a year, they all laughed. You can't beat politics. I give op on trying any changes.
