[Scan-DC] York Co M/A-Com's Network

[Punworg]

Obviously York County PA, not VA.

----- Original Message ----
From: Alan Henney <alan at henney.com>
To: Scan DC <Scan-DC at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Tuesday, February 19, 2008 9:37:19 PM
Subject: [Scan-DC] York Co M/A-Com's Network

http://www.inyork.com/local/ci_8201911


911 radios test well
By EUGENE PAIK
Daily Record/Sunday News

York Daily Record/Sunday News
Article Launched:02/07/2008 11:45:02 PM EST

The new state-of-the-art digital communications system for local
emergency dispatchers might be even better than expected, project
manager Rob Sterner told the county commissioners Wednesday.

Initial tests conducted by radio system vendor M/A-Com Inc. showed
that new towers for the system might provide stronger coverage than
prediction models estimated, he said.

Sterner said after the meeting that emergency management officials
were "cautiously optimistic" that formal testing to be held in the
next several months should confirm this.

"It's over and above what was anticipated," he said.

The first round of tests, mainly signal measurements taken around the
towers, revealed that some signals extended to areas that were
unexpected because of the county's wavy terrain, Tom Ruck, program
manager for M/A-Com, said.

Stronger signals almost guarantee that problems that plagued the
current system will be stamped out. Emergency responders had
complained that calls sometimes interfered with each other or were not
even heard at all.

"How much stronger? We're not ready to quantify it yet," Ruck said.

Regardless, Sterner said, M/A-Com is contractually obligated to
provide towers that give coverage 95 percent of the time - the highest
public safety standard.

The commissioners extended a contract with the State College office of
engineering firm L. Robert Kimball and Associates to provide another
year of consulting services for the start-up of the radio system.
Services during the extension, to expire Dec. 31, cannot exceed
$261,008.

The upgrade is part of a nearly $68 million overhaul of the county's
emergency management system. The centerpiece of the project, a new
emergency operations center in Springettsbury Township, opened in
December. The new building is twice the size of the former site at
Pleasant Acres, and, including the cost of a backup facility in West
Manchester Township, should cost about $15 million.

"It's always great to hear when these things work out, especially when
they are on time and under budget," Vice President Commissioner Chris
Reilly said.

Sterner said the new system should be ready by the end of the year.
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