Subject: [NEXTEL-1] Re: Inter-Agency 800mhz Tac Channels

From: [email-masked]
Date: Wed, 06 Aug 2003 22:44:26 -0400

------- Original Message --------
From: Robert Williams <[email-masked]>
Subject:  Re: Inter-Agency 800mhz Tac Channels

Mike,
 
Several agencies in the metro area have repeaters on two or more of the ITAC
Channels.  FCC rules mandate that any public safety agency operating on 821 MHz
have the CALLING Channel and one of the four tactical channels on the air.  This
is the reason some of the agencies in the metro area were slow about getting the
ITAC Channels programmed into their 800 MHz mobiles and portable radios because if
they were operating strictly on 806 MHz frequencies they were not required by the
FCC to have these.  The Georgia Chapters of APCO and MTUG have been holding
meetings to discuss interoperability over the past few years and have been
encouraging all agencies operating in the 800 MHz range to make sure these
frequencies are programmed in all of the portables and mobiles used by EMS, fire,
police, sheriff, public works and public utilities departments.
 
There are currently repeaters the ITAC Calling Channel in Cobb, Fulton, Dekalb and
Henry Counties (plus there may be other counties that I'm not aware of) and on at
least one or more of the Tactical Channels in each of these counties too.  Yes,
having two conventional repeaters on the same channel within a close proximity of
each other is causing a problem on the Calling Channel and a couple of others, but
I assure you the public safety communications systems managers in the metro area
are working to address this issue.  I think what you will see is the Calling
Channel will be linked metro wide as a simulcast system and repeater outputs
adjusted as necessary to reduce the overlap.  The repeat function on ITAC Channels
1 through 4 will remain in the disable or "knock down" mode in every county
throughout the metro area until it is actually needed and then a 911
communications officer for the county where it is needed will enable the repeat
function by selecting the function on a dispatch console.  This will remain
enabled only for the time needed and then it will be disabled again putting it
back into a two frequency simplex mode.
 
I must tell you that I have had the opportunity to work with just about every 911
Director and public safety radio system manager throughout the metro area over the
past sixteen years.  These folks are very dedicated to what they do, are very much
aware of the problems that exist with the various radio systems in use and are
doing everything in their power to correct the problems.  Unfortunately, funding
is always a problem and as you know two-way radio communications sometimes, if not
most of the time, has to take a back seat to numerous other projects being taken
on by our local and State governments.  Fortunately, some Federal funding is being
made available thorough Homeland Security Grants and these communications
professionals are making every effort possible to secure these funds to make
two-way radio interoperability a top priority to reduce the compatibility gap
between the various systems operating in the same frequency band and different
frequency bands.  Unfortunately, all of the grant money available is not going
strictly to communications.  The communications folks are having to compete for
funds with needs in law enforcement and the fire service because the Federal
government listed about twelve different categories that are eligible for the
funding with interoperable communications being one of these.  The public safety
communications professionals were allowed to create a sub-committee to review all
of the grant requests related to communications from agencies in their area and
make a recommendation to the full committee on which application(s) should be
approved.  It is then left up to the full committee to review the recommended
applications from the various sub-committees (communications, fire, police, etc.)
and decide which ones get the funding based on the total amount of money allotted
(Sounds like a very difficult task and I'm sure some agencies get their feathers
ruffled because they thought they had the best application,
 justification and need).
 
I just hope and pray the members of this e-group will support the efforts being
made by these public safety communications professionals.  The funding isn't there
to do a complete system overnight and they may have to build it out one block at a
time, a year or two at a time, so please be patient and don't be to quick to
criticize if you think something isn't being done right or fast enough.
 
Sincerely,
 
Robert "Bob" L. Williams, Jr.
Radio Systems Manager
City of Marietta, GA

ScanAtlanta Webmaster <[email-masked]> wrote:
They can be used in either repeater or direct (simplex) mode as well.  What I
would like to know is WHO has the repeater up?  There would be A LOT of
interference if each county had their own repeater up on the same freq with the
same ctcss (in other words, you could actually key up 8-10 repeaters at once!).

/\/\|k.e

Michael B. Martin

------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor ---------------------~-->
Buy Ink Cartridges or Refill Kits for Your HP, Epson, Canon or Lexmark
Printer at Myinks.com. Free s/h on orders $50 or more to the US & Canada. http://www.c1tracking.com/l.asp?cid=5511
http://us.click.yahoo.com/l.m7sD/LIdGAA/qnsNAA/61FxlB/TM
---------------------------------------------------------------------~->

Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/