Yolo County Future Radio Plans

[mcjones2013]

The upcoming board meeting agenda packet for the Yolo Emergency Communications Agency (YECA) includes a survey/discussion packet on the future of radio for Yolo County agencies. They are trying to figure out their future with the DOJ encryption "requirement" and aging radio systems.

Link to the document: YECA_Radio_Survey.pdf

 

[ke6gcv]

In reading the survey, it would seem to me that going P25 will be the direction they're going to take. It's best for interops with neighboring agencies and solves the issue with protecting personal identifiable information (PII). (Read: Switching to the big "E" either full time or part time.)

Problem is, it hurts people like me on an extremely limited budget who just can't run out to the local Radio Shack and get a new scanner/radio. They're not cheap!

Oh well... Guess my wife will get her wish after all. No radios being installed in my car. Haha!

 

[gmclam]

Great document. Lots of thought. I like using both options 2 & 6 to solve everyone's issues at the lowest cost. Thanks for sharing.

 

[scannerboy02]

It was mentioned in the document under option 4 that the Tait 9400 is capable of handling two channels with one chassis, this is only true in P25 trunked or DMR mode. It will not handle two channel "TDMA" in conventional P25 or analog mode.

This should be something for them to consider if they choose to go that route.

 

[mmckenna]

It was mentioned in the document under option 4 that the Tait 9400 is capable of handling two channels with one chassis, this is only true in P25 trunked or DMR mode. It will not handle two channel "TDMA" in conventional P25 or analog mode.

This should be something for them to consider if they choose to go that route.

No, but you can insert two modules into the chassis. You can run two separate 50 watt repeaters out of one box. I believe that is what they were referring to.

 

[scannerboy02]

No, but you can insert two modules into the chassis. You can run two separate 50 watt repeaters out of one box. I believe that is what they were referring to.

Gotcha, that would make sense.

 

[scannerboy02]

For those interested in seeing another option in an official proposal, here is what Marshall County, Kentucky is doing to build P25 coverage in their area using the P25 core owned by the commonwealth.

https://www.marshallcountyky.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/MotorolaKSPSystemAddProposal04202021.pdf

Yolo County could take this and expand it (they would need more than one tower) and perhaps they could save some money while building their own P25 trunking coverage.

And being that it would be tied to the state core they could negotiate and credit towards subscriber fees or agree to continue funding ongoing tower maintenance and upgrades in exchange for not paying subscriber fees.

This option could enhance the state systems coverage in Yolo County (a win for the state) and save Yolo County some money on equipment and fees (a win for the county) and could also be the stepping blocks for further expansion.