[CVRC] Nevada Highway Patrol Radio System

Fri, 16 May 2003 10:06:07 -0700

I am a Communications Supervisor for the Sheriff's Office in the Lovelock
area and we have a 800 Mhz DOT radio in our dispatch center. I can tell you
that this radio rarely ever works. Most of the time I cannot even get a good
enough signal to even key up the radio.

I can also tell you from my 6 years of experience as a dispatcher, I have
worked a lot of pursuits and having the ability to communicate with NHP has
helped tremendously during pursuits. During the pursuit of the mail box
bomber I was the lead dispatcher on this call and was able to communicate
with both our officers and NHP and even the FBI. Having the ability to
communicate with NHP from a sheriff's office standpoint I believe is very
crucial. I can also tell you that most rural agencies will not have the
money to build the interconnects like Washoe County is doing to communicate
with agencies on other bands.

Chad Odegaard, KD7JRL
Communications Supervisor
Pershing County Sheriff's Office

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Dick Creley KJ7UK" <[email protected]>
To: "CVRC Reflector" <[email protected]>; "Nevada Ham Reflector"
<[email protected]>
Sent: Wednesday, May 14, 2003 6:30 PM
Subject: [CVRC] Nevada Highway Patrol Radio System

> To All Amateur Radio Operators:
>
> Please read and contact The Legislators listed below ASAP.
>
> Thank You
> Dick KJ7UK
>
> SEC Nv.
> OinC DCART
> 619 Fay Ct. Gardnerville Nv. 89410
> E-mail [email protected]
> Voice 775-265-5987 Cell 775-721-7987
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Mirgon, Richard
> Sent: Tuesday, May 13, 2003 11:35 PM
>
> Dear Friends and Colleagues:
>
> I need your help!
>
> In the next couple of days the Nevada Legislature may be voting to
allocate
> 15 million dollars from the State Highway Fund to fund the move of Nevada
> Highway Patrol to the NDOT 800Mhz radio system and to shut down the NHP
VHF
> system (which cost 14 million dollars and is newer than the NDOT system).
> There have been some issues with licensing of the NHP system. They have in
> fact been operating on unlicensed frequencies. Rich Sheldrew has convinced
> the Governors Office and much of the Legislature that the only option is
to
> switch them to the NDOT system. He has stated that there are no
frequencies
> in VHF. This is a lie. The Nevada APCO frequency coordinator has
researched
> the issue and has found 54 frequencies in the Las Vegas area alone. This
> information was submitted to APCO national for confirmation. They did
> concur and sent a report to NHP. However, Rich Sheldrew has told them this
> is not correct and much of the Legislature and Governors Staff believe
him.
>
> How does this affect you? If NHP does change, your Sheriffs Offices will
> not be able to talk with NHP. Currently NHP can talk to 16 of the 17
> counties and the exception, Washoe, is funding an interconnect with their
> new system according to Rick Bareuther with the city of Sparks. This move
> would do much harm to inter operability state wide. As for the fire
> service. In my discussion with senior state staff the plan would be to
move
> NDF to 800 Mhz also with the intent to get local jurisdiction to convert
> after that. When I explain the problem of talking with federal partners
> their answer is two radios. That is not an answer. This places our
> communities in danger during wildland season because it complicates our
> ability to talk and operate under ICS.
>
> In addition, my other concern is the establishment of federal radio
> standards. As many of you have noticed in the grants there is very strong
> language to fund only APCO 25 equipment. I have been told that this will
be
> a mandate. The NDOT system is not compatible and can not be upgraded to
> APCO 25. As you can see this creates a major problem.
>
> I need your help in showing the Nevada Legislature and the Governors
Office
> that there is strong support for VHF in the State of Nevada. I have
> attached the email address of the key legislatures and Governors Staff.
> Please send them an email showing your support for the NHP system and ask
> them to save the highway funds for the highways we so desperately need in
> the state. Simply highlight the email list below, cut/copy and past in the
> "To" line to send your email of support.
>
> And yes, one more request. Pass this email on to anyone you know that
would
> support this position and ask them to send and email in support of
> continuing the NHP system.
>
> Thank You
> _________________________________________
> Richard A Mirgon
> Director
> Communications / Emergency Management / Animal Control
> Douglas County, Minden, NV 89423
> 775-782-9990
>
> [email protected]; [email protected];
> [email protected]; [email protected];
> [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected];
> [email protected]; [email protected];
[email protected];
> [email protected]; [email protected];
> [email protected]; [email protected];
[email protected];
> [email protected]; [email protected];
> [email protected]; [email protected];
> [email protected]; [email protected];
> [email protected]; [email protected];
[email protected]
>
>
> -----
> Visit the CVRC Web Site at http://www.cvrc.net
>