[Scan-DC] Virginia State Police Mobile Repeater

[Andrew Clegg]

Mike,

Thanks for the info. I am new to the whole STARS concept, so I have a few
questions to help me understand your response. Anything to help me
understand the system would be most appreciated!

You wrote: "I believe that VSP is installing full STARS radios in new cars
that are in districts that don't have the
fixed systems installed or the car may be roaming in Northern Virginia."

Does that mean that the STARS infrastructure is presently only installed in
Northern Virginia? What infrastructure is required? You refer to "fixed
sites," does that refer to the infrastructure that is needed to support
STARS?

You wrote: "Some zones
are for their new STARS system when they are in the Richmond area." I don't
understand that. Can you explain what a zone is? (I know what the VSP zones
are, but those don't make sense to me in the context of what you wrote.)

What is Futurecom?

Thanks for any help you can provide. As you can see, this is all new to me.

Thanks!
Andy


-----Original Message-----
From: scan-dc-bounces+w4jecom=w4je.com at mailman.qth.net
[mailto:scan-dc-bounces+w4jecom=w4je.com at mailman.qth.net]On Behalf Of
MTC Communications
Sent: Tuesday, September 04, 2007 11:49 PM
To: scan-dc at mailman.qth.net
Subject: [Scan-DC] Virginia State Police Mobile Repeater


I have seen all your posts and questions about hearing a VSP mobile
repeater.  As a number of you
know I am the local Uniden dealer.  I also sell EF Johnson radios which are
the only Motorola
Smart Net/Smart Zoned compatible units.  I also sell Pyramid mobile
repeaters which is what
Maryland State Police use.  I have tried doing some marketing to VSP who
awarded the STARS
contract sole source to Motorola.  Therefore, I may know what is going on.

First, I was glad to see that many of you are enjoying the BCD396's and the
996's.

I believe that VSP is installing full STARS radios in new cars that are in
districts that don't have the
fixed systems installed or the car may be roaming in Northern Virginia.  I
believe the Moto
Mobiles are VHF XTL5000's which can have as many as 850 channels/talkgroups.
Some zones
are for their new STARS system when they are in the Richmond area.  When
elsewhere
they  use the conventional analog channels.  They bought 700/800 MHz XTS5000
portables so
they can talk on all the SN/SZ systems in Northern Virginia and when they
are out of  the car.

Now for the mobile repeaters.  They have bought from Motorola $12,000+
Futurecom full duplex
mobile repeaters.  These units either are digital capable.  VSP claims they
need
to pass the emergency ID of the portable and they claim they can't do that
with analog.  Know the
vehicle ID is not enough.  My guess is that they use analog mode on the
vehicle repeater when
using the conventional VSP radio system.  I went to some of the Region 20
meetings where VSP
tried to get some 800 channels but failed so they went with  764 MHz  which
is permitted by the
FCC as long as the power is 2 watts or less.   Futurecom can do 10 watts.

I have a customer in Virginia also using 764 MHz with our Pyramid repeater.
The Pyramid sells for about
$1,200.

DC Fire has Futurecoms on all engines and Montgomery County has them is 5
Battalion vehicles.

Hope this helps.

Mike


_______________________________________________
Scan-DC mailing list
Scan-DC at mailman.qth.net
http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/scan-dc