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Well, its semi-official !!! Grant County / MACC will spend its 9 million dollar bond on moving to 800 mhz. ( Laughing omitted here ). Grant County was allotted only 3 -- 800 mhz NPSPAC frequencies, based on its population of about 80,000 persons. ( One frequency per 25,000 persons ). While 853.775 is open and clear of any users, 851.2875 and 851.6875 are still being used by Nextel. Most of the General Pool 800 mhz channels (from 855 - 860 mhz) are being used by the Grant County PUD (17+ freqs) Chelan County PUD (+ 40 freqs), Benton County and Washington State. A 3 frequency trunked system - even if P25 digital - should be very easy to follow -- even without a trunk tracker scanner -- ( insert laughing here ).

What happened to 700 for them?

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Interoperability is an attitude, not a technology.

I don't see why they don't use their pool of VHF freqs & put those into a trunk/ P25 format.
That's a lot of money to blow on something that's not broke.

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I could sell them the oil rights to sagebrush, I don't understand the lack of 700 either.

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"I was installing un-programmed radios"

Have you ever looked at the amount of VHF frequencies are licensed to MACC? There's a t-o-n -- over 25 licensed to MACC alone, and that's not counting the ones licensed to the agencies themselves.

Pool 'em, trunk 'em and go to town. Just make sure you don't use the Monroe ID's. Anybody have those?

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Interoperability is an attitude, not a technology.

They could do VHF trunking but it doesn't make sense in a setting where the majority of trunked systems in the state are in the 700-800 range. But an earlier thread said they would have to keep the VHF conventional system as a back up. They can't even control tiny Mattawa from gang shootings. This is a feel good toy. If someone had time they could see if the vendor contributed to any of the bond campaigns. It happened in Portland

"For example, Motorola -- the nation's largest provider of police and fire radios, and thus one of the businesses that stand to gain the most financially from a successful bond measure -- donated $35,000 at Leonard's request. Leonard asked for $50,000 and was disappointed that the Schaumburg, Ill.-based corporation didn't give more.

"For me it wasn't even a close call," he said. "I know some people might not love the way it looks, but we must raise awareness about this bond measure and our technological needs."

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"I was installing un-programmed radios"

Motorola is still bidding out systems with discontinued equipment or soon to be discontinued equipment.

Downfall #2

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Interoperability is an attitude, not a technology.

I recently read that they had selected Tait to narrowband and expand their current stuff. I'll find my source when I get to a real pc.

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I generate Board Warnings

They have indeed choosen Tait as a vendor. The head of MACC is the driving force behind the move. Sean -- what is the likelyhood -- that Grant County could locate more 800 mhz spectrum ?? And get those frequencies approved by the Region 43 committee ??

Tait was selected as the vendor. Motorola was the low bidder, but they bid the Quantar (being discontinued). That's the reason for going with Tait. Both for infrastructure and end user radios. (Glad we are the local Tait dealer).

If what MTM says is true, then them getting licensed and having the P25 800mhz system up and going by the end of 2011 is a pipe dream. They are supposed to have the narrowband conversion done by early May.

I, too, am a little baffled as to why they would want to go 800mhz. Going narrowband will greatly help the interference issue. But 9 million of tax payer money with a 20 year payback is not the best use of funds. Yes, I said the bond has a 20 YEAR payback. What will radio look like then?

On top of everything else, they are planning on patching thru the 800mhz system ALL 6 of the current dispatch channels. Amazing!

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And why they would want to pursue 700/800 MHz is a good question too. Why do that when the other agencies that surround you are currently and probably be on VHF and narrowbanded for some time?

And I also agree with you Brian, the narrowbanding would certainly help with the RF interference issues.

Paying 20 years for a system and having it be outdated way before that is a little ridiculous also. Sheesh!

I can't tell you how many times I run into the question- "why aren't we going (insert frequency here) by customers who have been given the sales pitch by (insert manufacturer here...) ( they didn't recognize that it was a sales pitch by a sales person...)...

Grant County- Low band with extenders.... Just think, in a few years those long lonely nights could be spent talking to other agencies throughout the nation.... :shock: :mrgreen: - see I can do it too...

Ive talked to a fire chief in Grant County and seems they have some major coverage issues with the VHF frequencies they use now...

I haven't looked, but are 450 freqs all used up in the region??

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"A well regulated breakfast, being necessary to the healthy start of the day, the right of the people to keep and eat food shall not be infringed."

Adding few sites to fix coverage issues, and narrowbanding will cost alot less then changing bands and built 700/800mhz TRS system.

All of the posts are great ideas. However - they miss the point. One man's outlook -- on what the "system" should look like -- is the issue. There must be a leader -- to point the way - for the Police and Fire Chiefs -- to jump off the tall cliff. This idea is one persons idea -- to create a "Special" lasting memorial to his leadership. It has nothing to do - with being the correct system for Grant County or MACC. It matters more to the local citizens of Grant County that will have to pay for such un-needed upgrades, than to anyone else.

It really makes no sense to switch to 800 if you think you have poor coverage at VHF.
Given that ALL the neighbors are VHF, and VHF is going to provide the cheapest coverage per "watt" on their terrain, you would think they would stay there.
From what I have seen, going to NB actually makes some "interference" problems worse, and if they coordinate someone on the "splinter" channels, its WAY worse.
I still recall the big sales guys from Schaumburg coming in to a meeting in Seattle and saying that they could cover all of King County on 800 with one TX site.... Two, tops if they had to...