[TrunkCom] Re: National Radio System

[Chuck Boyle kb5rvv]

Who would want to? I can see statewide linkups but anything more and you'd be getting into too many dedicated channels for the linkups. Would you have a different channel for each state or tie all the links into one nationwide channel that all agencies have to monitor or scan in case of emergency? 

I think the first would impractical for mobile equipment. 

The second is mildly thinkable, at least from a use standpoint. But even that could get irritating; say a pursuit runs from Oklahoma into Texas and the officer calls for help on the mutual aid channel. Not only do the involved agencies hear it but so does anyone listening to the link channels nationwide. It won't take much for people to start ignoring or turning off radios.

A nationwide linkup would also be vulnerable to the same disasters that might take out cell-phone networks and at least with cell-phones, someone else laid out the capital investment to build the networks. That may sound strange coming from a ham, but I feel everything has a place in today's emergency planning: trunked radio, cell phones, and conventional radio.

Instead of increased reliance on repeaters and computer-controlled trunk systems, I'd like to see a return to vhf-hi & lo simplex if only for backup communications.

Chuck Boyle KB5RVV


-----original message-----
Speaking theoretically, is it possible to built a National Radio System linking all P.D.s, F.D.s, and
S.O.s together.  This would have to include Hawaii, Alaska, etc, through maybe some type of Satellite Gateways.
Sort of like a National TRS.