[FedCom] Acadia National Park Maine Using P25

[PalladinMe at aol.com]

Hello Mark...KB4CVN...
I thank you for a very fine justification for agencies
moving toward better "interoperability"....and applaud you for
your many years in managing a public service system....
I will fully agree with you...that coordinating a local, municipal, a  
county, or even statewide system is at best...a nightmare..
This situation is nothing new...here in Connecticut we have small towns  
still using low band vhf.....30 -50 Mhz., other towns have migrated to 150+ mhz.  
high band...and yes some using uhf.
Seeing all of this through my years of both being a volunteer firefighter,  
EMT, etc.....why do towns, or even cities try to fix what "ain't" wrong......WE 
 had interoperability many years ago....but due to larger towns, cities, 
etc.,  needing  more bandwith for their own use....and YES...with various town  
officials trying to make a mark with their constituents...and of course with the 
 help of  "big M"...with their sales team...with many impressionable pieces  
of literature....Frequencies changer...
"VOILA"...P-25 digital is the way to go.......for Interoperability..
Well, Mark..just to pass on some info...re- interoperability...
Here in CT we have:
 
45.860  Mhz. ..low band intercity PD
154.295 Mhz. ..Intercity Fire
450.150 Mhx. ..Intercity High Band PD
800.00.mhz. 4 channels I-TAC..
RED Band Fire...450 +_
And Connecticut State Police on 800 Mhz. DIGITAL...
Without Analog capability..other than I-tac...
there are probably more call freq's...
 
Most towns in CT, when a FD call is initiated...That town must rely on  local 
resources...and if CSP is needed, the dispatcher is the only  
link...hummm...is this interoperability...???
 
Mark, I was fortunate to have participated in the TOPP-OFF-3
exercise here in CT.., as an amateur radio operator....and may I pass  
on..first handed...WE...amateur operators like myself....WERE the ONLY  
interoperability existing...
 
That was our main reason for being there....
 
While I totally agree with you, that a mutual means of communication is  
needed...uhf ...ie 800...or even 400..or even the newly proposed 700 mhz.  
frequencies going digital...apco25..whatever is not the answer here in CT..Too  many 
towers would be needed, and at best maybe 80% coverage...
In the Midwest Plains states..or other "non hilly", "non mountain"  
locations"...probably would work....
 
Sorry for my rambling.....But this brings me back to SQUARE ONE...
 
Cities, Towns, and municipalities who choose to grab up
George "Dubya's"  home security money are just trying to take  advantage of a 
"gift horse"..If the $$$ is out there..WE want some...
 
Mark, while I applaud your efforts establishing a communications network,  
I'm sure you also ran into "others"...town officials....etc..
I'm sure those officials "never sat in your chair"...and took the  
grief...Tis how it tis....YET...those same folks determine where the  communication 
system goes....and what it should be...."whew"..what a  plight...
 
Tis my .02 folks..
Regards to the Fedcom Group..enjoy your postings
Fred KB1JDL
Northford, CT