[Scan-DC] Howard County Trunk Article

[Denis Trapp]

This is from Howard County PD's "The Beat" Newsmagazine...
http://www.co.ho.md.us/Police/News_Room.htm

800MHz Radios

         The police department is in the midst of a transition from a radio 
system
with limited capabilities to a state-of-the-art 800MHz communications system
with much-improved technology. While the project has been in the works for 
years,
it is relevant now more than ever, as new threats require better communication
between police jurisdictions. This system is already being used in almost 
all major
metropolitan areas and in most regional jurisdictions.   It allows 
interoperability
between officers from various jurisdictions and enables teams of officers to
communicate openly over the radios in almost any location.

         With the radio technology the department has used for years, 
officers from
neighboring jurisdictions could not communicate on shared channels.  The
800MHz radios will allow an officer whose investigation leads to another 
county
to change frequencies and immediately talk to dispatchers and officers in that
area.

         The radios have more channels and talk groups, which results in less
chatter on the main radio channels.  In an area with poor reception, the radio
puts out a signal to the officer to warn him that his transmissions may not be
heard.

         Also with the 800MHz system, it will be more difficult and 
expensive for
those not in law enforcement to monitor transmissions with a scanner.  In 
fact,
some selected channels are encrypted and cannot be monitored at all.

         In an age when terrorism is a true threat and police must be 
prepared for
a major event, anytime, anywhere, the 800MHz system is a significant step
forward to ensure that the lines of communication for law enforcement 
officials
is always open.

-- Picture inset caption --
The police department has issued new 800MHz radios like this one to
approximately half of all sworn members so far.




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Denis A.Trapp/N8WSH
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