Subject: [NEXTEL-1] Texas Department of Public Safety & Six Texas NPSPAC Regional Review Committee Chairme On "Scam Plan" 02-55

From: Marcel <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 04 Feb 2003 13:51:56 -0500

http://gullfoss2.fcc.gov/prod/ecfs/retrieve.cgi?native_or_pdf=pdf&id_document=6513406183
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From: "Antone D Duarte Jr" <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 4 Feb 2003 18:34:06 -0500

FYI....  Must be their plan on pushing the US to 700MHz

Tony

AFC News Release - APCO International, Inc.
February 4, 2003

Hard-To-Find Frequencies

A lack of sufficient frequencies for public safety agencies has reached a critical point for many areas of the country.  Occasionally APCO is forced to inform an agency applicant that there are no frequencies available in a given area.  This is usually a severe setback for local planning and system development.  APCO expends a significant amount of resources in coming to these conclusions and is sympathetic to applicants who have spent a considerable amount of money expecting to obtain a frequency.
Public Safety agencies should definitely not purchase equipment prior to successfully finding and coordinating an appropriate frequency.  Even though the general scarcity of available and appropriate frequencies for public safety is common knowledge and indicated in APCO's coordination documentation, many agencies purchase equipment prior to obtaining a frequency and are stuck with unusable equipment.  Radio equipment varies greatly in their ability to handle only a limited range of spectrum and/or bandwidth.  Purchasing equipment prior to coordination can further limit usable frequencies that may be available.

In addition, agencies may be stuck with frequency coordination charges even though there is no usable frequency to be found.  Virtually all areas surrounding any of the large metropolitan areas are significantly congested.  Still the problem is not reserved for metropolitan areas.  Many rural areas have concentrated on using frequencies in a single band (such as high band VHF) and are also finding it virtually impossible to find available channels in a specified band.

Public safety communications systems are a very significant investment.  Frequency availability and suitability can make or break a large project.  The time and effort required to pre-determine frequency availability is well worth the added, but minimal cost.

To avoid such situations, it is advisable for any applicant to be aware of the status of frequency availability in their area.  Agencies may elect to contract with an engineering firm who may be able to perform a frequency search to determine the availability of frequencies.  APCO-AFC can also perform relatively low cost pre-coordination searches through its RF Engineering Services Section.

NOTE:  With the demand and resulting competition for spectrum, there is no guarantee that a frequency that appears available even in any pre-determination search will still be available at the time of licensing.  Still, the odds are significantly better for agencies that do their homework.

For more information, contact APCO-AFC at 386-322-2500 or visit our web site at www.apcoafc.org.  Automated Frequency Coordination, Inc. is a wholly owned not-for-profit 503(c)(3) subsidiary of APCO International, Inc.  We are located in the APCO Headquarters at 351 N. Williamson Blvd., Daytona Beach, FL 32114.

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From: "Ron Haraseth" <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 5 Feb 2003 08:59:30 -0500

You got to be kidding.  We want channel 7, not 63, 64, 68, 69!  Would be
much preferred.  
 
In truth, there are always frequencies available (NJ, NYC excepted),
just not in a band the applicant will accept or can use.  Too often
agencies get sold equipment prior to finding there is no spectrum
available that will work on their new equipment.  
 
Ron

-----Original Message-----
From: Antone D Duarte Jr [mailto:[email-masked]] 
Sent: Tuesday, February 04, 2003 6:34 PM
To: [email-masked]; [email-masked]
Cc: [email-masked]
Subject: [Wireless Forum Homeland Security Group] APCO Getting Lazy???

Tony

Hard-To-Find Frequencies

A lack of sufficient frequencies for public safety agencies has reached
a critical point for many areas of the country.  Occasionally APCO is
forced to inform an agency applicant that there are no frequencies
available in a given area.  This is usually a severe setback for local
planning and system development.  APCO expends a significant amount of
resources in coming to these conclusions and is sympathetic to
applicants who have spent a considerable amount of money expecting to
obtain a frequency.
Public Safety agencies should definitely not purchase equipment prior to
successfully finding and coordinating an appropriate frequency.  Even
though the general scarcity of available and appropriate frequencies for
public safety is common knowledge and indicated in APCO's coordination
documentation, many agencies purchase equipment prior to obtaining a
frequency and are stuck with unusable equipment.  Radio equipment varies
greatly in their ability to handle only a limited range of spectrum
and/or bandwidth.  Purchasing equipment prior to coordination can
further limit usable frequencies that may be available.

In addition, agencies may be stuck with frequency coordination charges
even though there is no usable frequency to be found.  Virtually all
areas surrounding any of the large metropolitan areas are significantly
congested.  Still the problem is not reserved for metropolitan areas.
Many rural areas have concentrated on using frequencies in a single band
(such as high band VHF) and are also finding it virtually impossible to
find available channels in a specified band.

Public safety communications systems are a very significant investment.
Frequency availability and suitability can make or break a large
project.  The time and effort required to pre-determine frequency
availability is well worth the added, but minimal cost.

To avoid such situations, it is advisable for any applicant to be aware
of the status of frequency availability in their area.  Agencies may
elect to contract with an engineering firm who may be able to perform a
frequency search to determine the availability of frequencies.  APCO-AFC
can also perform relatively low cost pre-coordination searches through
its RF Engineering Services Section.

NOTE:  With the demand and resulting competition for spectrum, there is
no guarantee that a frequency that appears available even in any
pre-determination search will still be available at the time of
licensing.  Still, the odds are significantly better for agencies that
do their homework.

For more information, contact APCO-AFC at 386-322-2500 or visit our web
site at www.apcoafc.org.  Automated Frequency Coordination, Inc. is a
wholly owned not-for-profit 503(c)(3) subsidiary of APCO International,
Inc.  We are located in the APCO Headquarters at 351 N. Williamson
Blvd., Daytona Beach, FL 32114.

---

From: Jack Daniel <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 06 Feb 2003 05:28:11 -0800

(Yawn) This is just a routine notice APCO has distributed for years.

What they are trying to prevent is someone who knows nothing about
spectrum shortages buying radios (sometimes used) and then getting bent
out of shape because there are no channels avalable for licensing that
matches the radios he just bought.

It's like buying size 14 shoes because they are a good deal, then
expecting your feet to grow to fit the shoes. It just doesn't work that
way.

700 MHz has NOTHING to do with this notice and I can't imagine how you
even thought it did.

I assume you are against public safety using 700 MHz.

But I may be wrong........
Jack Daniel
=============================================================

Antone D Duarte Jr wrote:
> A lack of sufficient frequencies for public safety agencies has
> reached a critical point for many areas of the country.  Occasionally
> APCO is forced to inform an agency applicant that there are no
> frequencies available in a given area.  This is usually a severe
> setback for local planning and system development.  APCO expends a
> significant amount of resources in coming to these conclusions and is
> sympathetic to applicants who have spent a considerable amount of
> money expecting to obtain a frequency.
> Public Safety agencies should definitely not purchase equipment prior
> to successfully finding and coordinating an appropriate
> frequency.  Even though the general scarcity of available and
> appropriate frequencies for public safety is common knowledge and
> indicated in APCO's coordination documentation, many agencies purchase
> equipment prior to obtaining a frequency and are stuck with unusable
> equipment.  Radio equipment varies greatly in their ability to handle
> only a limited range of spectrum and/or bandwidth.  Purchasing
> equipment prior to coordination can further limit usable frequencies
> that may be available.
> 
> areas surrounding any of the large metropolitan areas are
> significantly congested.  Still the problem is not reserved for
> metropolitan areas.  Many rural areas have concentrated on using
> frequencies in a single band (such as high band VHF) and are also
> finding it virtually impossible to find available channels in a
> specified band.
> 
> Public safety communications systems are a very significant
> investment.  Frequency availability and suitability can make or break
> a large project.  The time and effort required to pre-determine
> frequency availability is well worth the added, but minimal cost.
> 
> To avoid such situations, it is advisable for any applicant to be
> aware of the status of frequency availability in their area.  Agencies
> may elect to contract with an engineering firm who may be able to
> perform a frequency search to determine the availability of
> frequencies.  APCO-AFC can also perform relatively low cost
> pre-coordination searches through its RF Engineering Services Section.
> 
> NOTE:  With the demand and resulting competition for spectrum, there
> is no guarantee that a frequency that appears available even in any
> For more information, contact APCO-AFC at 386-322-2500 or visit our
> web site at www.apcoafc.org.  Automated Frequency Coordination, Inc.
> is a wholly owned not-for-profit 503(c)(3) subsidiary of APCO
> International, Inc.  We are located in the APCO Headquarters at 351 N.
> Williamson Blvd., Daytona Beach, FL 32114.
>