TRS WAN designs / multiple systems for one area ?

[Pj]

This kind of peaked my curiosity, but why would a county and/or state install multiple independent systems, that serve the same users?

Some examples...

New Jersey State Police. They have three simulcast SZ systems (three ID's)
http://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?aid=753

San Bernardino County CA (Somewhere around 10 SN systems, all different ID's)
http://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?ctid=218

etc...

Any insight?

[RKG]

Often, something such as you have observed is the result of politics, legacy and inertia, and, therefore, the search for a logical reason is futile effort.

Beyond that, and just a guess (and most guesses are worthless): could it have something to do with the 28-ch. limitation of SmartNet?

[Batwings21]

Smartzone Omnilink

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motorola_T ... e_OmniLink

[motorola_otaku]

I'm gonna venture a guess and say that both installations were built out before Smartzone or even AMSS existed (mid-late 1980s?), and were only recently brought up to Type II. I know NJSP was Type I for years.. they even have their own SP firmware revisions for the STX. The old San Antonio Motorola system, which was purchased and built out around 1987, was done the same way; they had a "master site" downtown and two other sites in the northwest and northeast parts of Bexar County for fill-in. Each site had its own system ID and users had to manually switch between sites. I have no idea how they patched dispatch audio, but the dispatch channels for SAPD, SAFD, and Bexar County SO were always hot and active on all 3 sites.

[Pj]

Often, something such as you have observed is the result of politics, legacy and inertia, and, therefore, the search for a logical reason is futile effort.

Beyond that, and just a guess (and most guesses are worthless): could it have something to do with the 28-ch. limitation of SmartNet?

Heh, thats what I was thinking....

Yeah, I really don't know the history of these two systems that I referenced, but just seemed odd. I don't believe NJSP uses a lot of channels, but eh. There is/was talk of finally making it a SZOL system of the sorta with talk going digital, but nothing has happened yet.

As for SBCo, don't even know. Most of the county is mountains a desert once you go over Cajon Pass...so not sure why with them either (thinking geographically).