[Scan-DC] Frederick Communications

Wed, 24 Jul 2002 08:42:44 -0400

Jason:

It sounds like Carroll County's contract with 95/95 coverage.  Carroll
County has found some serious gaps in some areas where 800 just won't work.
There has been many discussions and arguing in an a attempt to get 800
coverage in areas of Northern Carroll County.  There are negations to put in
a new tower.  The gaps are in the Lineboro area and other areas north of
Hampstead and Manchester.

Living and operating in the Sykesville area we have our own tower. I can
monitor 800 some of the time.  I have a hard time following some calls. The
volume isn't real loud on many of the talk groups.  It seems MSP is stronger
then FD units.  The police also like to chat a lot and interfere with
listening to real calls.  If Frederick Sheriff share law enforcement with
MSP then I would think they would want to share the channels. I don't know
who bought 800 radios for MSP but all Westminster cars have them.

-----Original Message-----
From: Grabill [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Tuesday, July 23, 2002 6:54 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: [Scan-DC] Frederick Communications

All:

  On 20 July, the Frederick News Post had this article on page A-4.  Its not
available on the website.  I've not re-typed the entire thing, just the
parts of interest to us....

Jason

COMMUNICATIONS MOVE DELAYED

Frederick County's Emergency Communications Center won't be moving into its
new facility until October.....

  A change in floor design has set the moving date back a few months.
Heavily carpeted tiles were palced about 12 inches above the subfloor.  They
were supposed to be easily removed to allow access to the wiring to 14
individual work stations.......but that is not the case, and the flooring
had to be changed....

  Emergency communications will remain on Montevue Lane until at least late
September......October 1 is the new tentative move in date....

  The Maryland State Police moved into the new law enforcement center on
Thursday (18 July) and the Frederick County Sheriff's Office moved on
Tuesday (16 July)...

  Until the communications section is completed, a console with a computer
has been established for the state police dispatchers, and is located next
to the barrack duty officer.

  Once the 911 center is operational, communications officers from the state
police and county will be sitting side by side at 14 workstations....each
console features its own temperature control, and each dispatcher can
program the height of the computer tables....

  The County communications director (Randy Waesche) said he made the most
of the delay, and was part of a team that tested radio tranmissions in
various parts of the county....the counties 8 million dollar contract with
motorola calls for 95 percent coverage in 95 percent of the area.

  Besides the existing tower sites at Gambrill Mountain, Mar Lu Ridge, and
Fort Ritchie, the new system adds towers near Emmitsburg and Mount Airy.  A
signal amplifier is located in the City of Brunswick as well.....

  The county is switching its system from low band to an 800mhz frequency,
and new radios are being installed in Fire and rescue
apparatus.....(Currently, Frederick Fire dispatches on 46.340, with tac
operations on 46.240, 46.420, and 46.440).  The county will CONTINUE to
broadcast on low band so volunteers who don't have pagers will know about
the call.....

  New pagers, part of the counties contract, are being distributed to
volunteer and career fire and rescue personnel....personel also need to be
trained in the use of the new 800 radios since the system is so
sophisticated....they will have "at least" 25 operational channels rather
than the 4 they have now....

  Deputies as well as county and city agencies will switch over to the 800
frequency first.  Officers will not have to switch to a specific site
depending on their location.  The new system will automatically select it
for them.

  Mr Waesche said the fire service "has sufferred with an 'antique' system
for nearly 40 years, and the Sheriff's Office, a decade".

  *************************End of Article

So, it appears that Frederick is headed towards what Carroll County now has.
Don't know exactly what this system is as of yet; but it doesn't sound like
its an upgrade to the current 800 system.  I'm hoping its not a digital
system.  I'll keep everyone posted.  By the way, both the City and county
public works, and some other agencies, currently share the 800 system now.
The only ones who can't talk to anyone else are the Frederick City Police,
who are digital.

Jason

_______________________________________________
Scan-DC mailing list
[email protected]
http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/scan-dc