[ScanIndiana] Re: ScanIndiana digest, Vol 1 #360 - 2 msgs

[Dave McCormick]

I would like to know how they have justified the cost of this statewide 
system beyond the Homeland security funding. The current 800MHz TRS systems 
are working now. All I have heard is that the current systems are old and 
that the replacement parts will be in short supply and the systems will be 
too costly to maintain, and that the new ASTRO systems will continue to 
support the older radios already in place (due to the 3600 baud control 
channel). Motorola has really sold someone at the State government. Lets 
see how much cost overrun and digital dead zones will happen. What about 
Evansville that uses an EF Johnson system, or Kokomo that uses an EDACS 
system. Look at the sticker shock these communities will be hit with. Sure 
sounds like a hot political topic for election time. I am sure others have 
read about the issues and problems that the city of Greenwood has had. The 
SAFE-T system certainly will not be any more secure than the current 
individual sites and the VHF frequencies for ILLEEN (155.475) will continue 
to be the best way to communicate between police agencies, or Fire 
statewide (154.370), SEMA (155.025), and IHERN (155.280).

http://www.nwjcra.org/apco25/review.html

Dave K9DV


>The SAFE-T system and infrastructure itself seems to be on track
>according to the latest progress report (PDFs on the SAFE-T website).
>In addition to state funding ISP has been given a Homeland Security
>grant to integrate each of their existing 800 sites into SAFE-T.  I
>believe the Terre Haute SAFE-T site went on the air within the past few
>weeks.  The new ISP sites are scheduled to start coming online next
>month or so.
>
>
>What I expect might happen is that large, well-funded agencies with
>existing 800 equipment might choose to upgrade to newer digital radios
>and offer their old analog equipment to agencies with tight budgets.  It
>doesn't take a brand new radio to get on SAFE-T.  10 year old, beat up
>HTs or mobiles would be perfect for many agencies who just want to get
>into the system.  MECA just went through and replaced all/most of their
>HTs with brand new digital-capable models.  If ISP follows suit, as I
>expect they will, then there will be a ton of surplus analog radios
>available.