800 MHz Mandate

[henryg]

Hello Everyone. If this is off-topic I apologize but I know the knowledge of the Batboard will have the answer.

My FD radio system is currently VHF analog, simplex, wideband. I am developing a plan to go narrowband by 2013 and am thinking of going with a repeater system. Mainly to improve coverage and I just found out that some of the other FD's in the area are thinking of a repeater also. We get together, save on costs, share infrastructure, etc. Simple enough I thought. Now my Chiefs are discussing 800MHZ, either the county system or the Starcom 21 system. Not a big fan of 800 MHz for fire ops, but I am being open minded. Then a Chief comes to me and tells me we are mandated to go to 800 MHz. He has been reviewing grant applications and he said the verbage in them is stating the "800 MHz" mandate and what is my plan to get us there.

I wasn't aware of any mandate other than narrowbanding. Can someone offer some insight as to where this might be coming from and ideas, thoughts, suggestions as to what I should do? Thank you in advance. Henry

[RKG]

I am unaware of any FCC mandate to migrate PW Part 90 LMRs to 800 MHz.

[aaknitt]

There is no federal or state mandate to go to 800 MHz. However, federal communication grants require that any money you get from be used in a way that's in line with your state's interoperability plan. I've been dying to see this plan for Illinois, but so far I haven't come across it. Starcom21 is supposed to be the statewide interoperability platform, which could mean that any federal grant funding would have to be used to integrate with Starcom. However, I'm not sure if the state's interoperability plan also includes VHF, which is the fire service (MABAS) interoperability standard in Illinois. If it does include VHF, all you'd have to do is make sure the VHF interop channels (MABAS, VTAC, IREACH, etc.) were programmed into each radio and you'd probably be good to go. Even if the state interop plan is "Starcom only" and excludes VHF (which would be stupid, but most things in this state are), you may be able to still get funding for tying a VHF system into the Starcom system (a patch at the repeater site, for instance). Basically if you apply for federal grant funding for communications, someone at the state level has to approve what you're doing before you get the federal money to make sure that what you're doing lines up with the state interop plan. I wish I knew what would be approved and what wouldn't be...if you find anything out, let me know.

Andy

[Jim202]

DHS is looking for agencies that are looking for grant money to be used on "Interoperability"
improvements to their radio systems. The more agencies that will benefit from these
grant requests (multiple agencies in the same region) the better off you chances of
being granted your application.

The state of Virginia is in the process of installing a gateway system to link at least
29 PSAP or 911 dispatch centers together. An RFP was put out on the street and
submissions from a number of vendors came back. They awarded the work to
Sytech Copr from Alexandria, VA. The RIOS gateway will be used to interconnect the
local radios from each dispatch center into the network. Each location will have
both the interop gateway and client software installed on computers to allow
remotely controlling the gateways.

In simple words, one 911 dispatch center can link their local radio channels together
with channels from another dispatch center on a channel by channel as needed basis.

Jim

[Batwings21]

henryg, What county are you in? Starcom may be a good choice for you, it depends on where you are at, and what surrounding towns are doing. You will still probably need VHF for your fire grounds though, unless the whole area goes. Also I know in southern Il there are some VHF interoperability bases, but I don't know how they are set up in the system, it should be possible to have a talk group that is patched to a vhf base.

[henryg]

Hello. I am in Lake County, IL. I did ask our radio vendor about a IFERN and fireground patches but have not gotten an answer yet. Henry

[Batwings21]

It looks like your area of starcom is a simulcast site for the whole county, probably in the 700mhz band. This would probably give good portable coverage, my only concern would be how much talk time you use and how many channels they are running in that site, I know elsewhere in the state we need more channels. Your answer for adding the vhf to starcom would come from motorola directly, if you are not dealing with a Motorola rep, and your radio shop is not giving you an answer call your Motorola salesman.