[FedCom] TSA to buy 20, 000 HT's for agents to "whisper" at each other

[Chris Parris]

Hmmm - the TSA already has encryption capabilities on their current  
XTS P-25 radios, so this would be nothing new for them.

The original version of this story appeared a few months ago and  
stated that they were purchasing earpieces and mics so the radio  
traffic wasn't upsetting everyone waiting in the security lines. Now  
this story seems to say they want new radios. I'm not sure what the  
new radios would do for them that they can't do now.

- Chris
  --
Chris Parris
Fed Files Columnist
Monitoring Times Magazine
chrisparris at monitoringtimes.com
http://www.monitoringtimes.com
http://mt-fedfiles.blogspot.com/




On Feb 14, 2009, at 12:09 AM, ed wrote:

> Note that these are to be scrambled or encrypted radios, which can  
> cost
> thousands of dollars apiece.  This could cost as much as much as  
> $100 Million.
> Note radio specs below.
>
> -bernieS
>
>
> http://www.gsnmagazine.com/cms/features/news-analysis/1515.html
>
> TSA wants its personnel to 'whisper' at airport checkpoints to  
> reduce stress
>
> By Jacob Goodwin, Editor-in-Chief
>
> Published February 11th, 2009
>
> In an effort to reduce shouting between its security officers at  
> airport
> security checkpoints, and reduce overall stress levels for  
> passengers, TSA is
> planning to purchase as many as 20,000 land mobile radios that would  
> enable its
> personnel to whisper to each other.
>
> “Wireless whisper will reduce noise levels that contribute to the  
> current sense
> of stress at checkpoints,” explained TSA in a solicitation for  
> mobile radios
> published Feb. 6. “These noise levels are elevated by the current  
> mode of
> communication which often consists of [Transportation Security  
> Officers]
> speaking or shouting to one another in the open, over other  
> checkpoint noise.”
>
> TSA’s Office of Operational Information Technology intends to  
> procure at least
> 9,260 Very High Frequency land mobile radios, and, perhaps, as many  
> as 20,000 of
> the units, to enable officers to speak more quietly.
>
> “A speaker microphone is intended to be worn on the uniform of the  
> TSA employee
> around the shoulder area while the radio is attached at the belt  
> level,” says
> the statement of work for the proposed three-year, fixed-price,  
> indefinite
> delivery / indefinite quantity contract. “The device shall allow for  
> the
> attachment of a receive-only earpiece that allows for discrete  
> monitoring of audio.”
>
> According to the statement of work, the radios will possess the  
> following
> capabilities:
>
> • Weigh no more than 12 ounces, including the battery;
>
> • Operate in the 162MHz through 174MHz VHF spectrum;
>
> • Provide a vibrating alert on message reception;
>
> • Prevent unauthorized eavesdropping on voice transmissions through  
> voice
> scrambling, encryption or other technologies.
>
> The radios will be distributed to more than 160 TSA locations at  
> airports and
> other sites, over a four-month period.
>
> The effort to “reduce ambient noise and facilitate more discrete  
> communications
> between TSOs” is one element of the Checkpoint Evolution Program  
> initiated by
> TSA in 2007.
>
> Prospective radio vendors are expected to respond by Feb. 27. More  
> information
> is available from James Loba, a TSA contract specialist, at  
> 571-227-1032.
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