Putnam County Radio System

[Guest]

I'm looking for a bit of help and guidance from anyone that knows anything about the Putnam Radio system. Maybe its me, but the radios and radio coverage seems to be getting pretty bad (what the hell was going on yesterday?!), at least on the West Side. I want to focus my question specifically towards portable coverage, as i often find myself without coverage for my portable radio....which is not a good thing. I know that low-band has its limits and was just curious on a few things.

1) Is there any plan in place to upgrade the system?

2) It was mentioned to me that one (or a few) of the towers have UHF repeaters on them, any truth to this?

3) Also, i know the 911 center does not operate UHF frequencies but It was mentioned to me that 453.9375 PL 123.0 for 46.380 was possibly running. Does this have to do with the repeater that was mentioned to me or is it something entirely different? Can this be used to communicate w/ 911?

Any and all help and explanation would be very helpful to me as i know nothing about radios - i just want 911 to hear me!

[grumpyff 1,159]

Not sure about Plans for Putnam's sytem, but yesterday I think the tower on Ninham Mt failed. Dispatching was also affected on the East side of the county as well...tones with garbled message, or tones too weak to activate pagers.

[Guest]

What about the VHF EMS and VHF secondary dispatch frequency...are these potential options? Are the monitored and will 911 answer over these frequencies?

[Medic137 6]

On the west side you can use 453.7875 PL#503 to link to 46.38. 453.1875 PL 123.0 will link you to EMS 155.205. The Empire State Flycars have UHF extenders in the 460.0 range. If one of them is nearby (within a half mile or so) you can use them to receive or transmit on Channel 5. PM me for the freq and PL.

I don't know why the county doesn't make better use of the VHF system they have in place. I can open that repeater with a portable from anywhere in the county.

I have not heard of any plans the county has to upgrade the radio system.

[Guest alsfirefighter]

Alpha...your not asking anything that hasn't been asked for at least the past 10 years that I know of. Many progressive Chiefs and EMS agency leaders have been discussing, complaining and demanding some changes to no avail for years. Low Band is shot and has been for years and the equipment to even repair or utilize it well is starting to become scarce as UHF keeps becoming much of the standard. There is no reason why emergency services communications shouldn't be better in that county.

Why don't they change the system....that is the age old question and much of it probably can be tied to $$$$$.

As far as speaking on your portable, in some cases that is great...in others be careful what you wish for. I'm speaking more on the fire side as you will then get IC's that will be like finding Waldo with a portable in hand instead of stationary at a command post.

[Guest]

Medic, thanks for the information thats very helpful.

ALS, i know - i've been told its been an issue for some time.

If its only a matter of throwing a few UHF repeaters to link the frequencies its mind boggling as to why the BOES doesn't don't do it. Couldn't they get a FEMA interoperability grant to pay for it?

As to the latter point, ALS, i hear what your saying completely. I just want a working portable so i know i have a working link with the 911 center and can request additional resources/communicate with them when i need to - i don't want to have to walk back to the ambulance or using my cell phone (which doesn't get service in some parts)!

Edited February 4, 2007 by 66Alpha1

[JetPhoto 626]

If its only a matter of throwing a few UHF repeaters to link the frequencies its mind boggling as to why the BOES doesn't don't do it. Couldn't they get a FEMA interoperability grant to pay for it?

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What is going to happen when SWN is in place? They have to assure all agencies that interoperability is possible. Can this be done from the new sophisticated network down to low band when low band doesn't work that great to start with? Will the county opt to switch everyone over to the SWN system and then scarp the low band? How will the paging system work? That will royally screw us scanner listeners as so far Tyco doesn't plan on making the coding available to scanner companies at this time.

[helicopper 1,050]

What is going to happen when SWN is in place? They have to assure all agencies that interoperability is possible. Can this be done from the new sophisticated network down to low band when low band doesn't work that great to start with? Will the county opt to switch everyone over to the SWN system and then scarp the low band? How will the paging system work? That will royally screw us scanner listeners as so far Tyco doesn't plan on making the coding available to scanner companies at this time.

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Can you elaborate on what the SWN is?

[SteveOFD 176]

The Statewide Wireless Network is a radio network that New York State is building statewide for interoperability across the state. Primary users will be State agencies including the State Police. Local governments can buy into this network for their own use, but as of now there is only one vender providing the equipment for the network, MA/COM, the manufacturer of the system. As far as I know they have not licensed any other manufacturer to use their technology. This network will have a VHF overlap built in the Adirondack area where tower siting is too far apart and there are topographic problems with the 800 MHz frequencies. Local Systems, such as Westchester's and Rockland's new trunked systems can be patched into the SWN from what I have read. I would assume that Low Band can be patched in also albeit with all the current problems associated with it.

[JetPhoto 626]

Thanks Steve! Dutchess will also be able to patch the network.

[Guest]

What would it take to get 46.54 linked off that UHF repeater?

[Medic137 6]

What would it take to get 46.54 linked off that UHF repeater?

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Another UHF frequency, some hardware, and most importantly: Someone to pay for it.

[DOC22 1]

Another UHF frequency, some hardware, and most importantly: Someone to pay for it.

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And an FCC Call Sign which is getting harder and harder to get.

[Guest]

Heh, well i guess we can rule that out as an option. I posted in the BOES forum reguarding the VHF system the county has, no replies as of yet - maybe EJS or someone else can help us out.

Edited February 6, 2007 by 66Alpha1

[helicopper 1,050]

The Statewide Wireless Network is a radio network that New York State is building statewide for interoperability across the state. Primary users will be State agencies including the State Police. Local governments can buy into this network for their own use, but as of now there is only one vender providing the equipment for the network, MA/COM, the manufacturer of the system. As far as I know they have not licensed any other manufacturer to use their technology. This network will have a VHF overlap built in the Adirondack area where tower siting is too far apart and there are topographic problems with the 800 MHz frequencies. Local Systems, such as Westchester's and Rockland's new trunked systems can be patched into the SWN from what I have read. I would assume that Low Band can be patched in also albeit with all the current problems associated with it.

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That's great - now we just have to hold all our radio traffic until 2010 assuming the vendor stays on schedule and all our local agencies/communities elect to buy in.

[Guest]

Just got a reply from Bob Cuomo (EMS Corordinator) over at the BOES forums. Sounds like everyone has gotta stick with low band for the time being. But, alternatives are being looked at.

In answer to your questions:

The 911 center does have the capability to communicate on high band on the following frequencies:

155.280

155.220

155.340

155.205

(btw...never heard of the 154 frequency that you listed....might be an old assigned channel that is not currently used)

The 911 center monitors 155.340, as this is a frequently used channel for hospital notifications. Other frequencies (like 155.280) are not monitored, but the system will automatically switch to them if there is any activity. However, if you were to call in on one of these channels, it may take a while to get a response, because they are not the primary comm. channels and the dispatcher would not be expecting to hear you there. It would be even more problematic during busy periods. Therefore, it is not recommended that you use them to call the 911 center.

[smwells 7]

Just got a reply from Bob Cuomo (EMS Corordinator) over at the BOES forums. Sounds like everyone has gotta stick with low band for the time being. But, alternatives are being looked at.

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When I renewed Putnam Valley Vac's FCC License a few years back 2001 I think, I asked McMahon and Cuomo a simple question. "What is the counties 5 yr and 10 yr plan for communications?" in a hope to see where we were heading, and so I could avoid redoing all the paperwork a 2nd time. The only answer I got was "We don't have a plan"

As was mentioned in a previous post the UHF/Low and UHF/VHF crossovers have been on Tinker Hill tower for almost 10 yrs now. They were put in by Put Valley Fire and Put Valley Ambulance to avoid the use of tielines and facilitate a reliable means to get our pagers to go off in an emergency (Putnam 911 still relies on tie-lines for most of thier links to the towers around the county), every time a phone pole gets hit near a tower, you risk knocking out all communications from Put911. hence the RF links don't have the issues.. Talk of replacing those lines was in the works last time I spoke to them, but the completion date was TBD.

[helicopper 1,050]

When I renewed Putnam Valley Vac's FCC License a few years back 2001 I think, I asked McMahon and Cuomo a simple question. "What is the counties 5 yr and 10 yr plan for communications?" in a hope to see where we were heading, and so I could avoid redoing all the paperwork a 2nd time. The only answer I got was "We don't have a plan"

As was mentioned in a previous post the UHF/Low and UHF/VHF crossovers have been on Tinker Hill tower for almost 10 yrs now. They were put in by Put Valley Fire and Put Valley Ambulance to avoid the use of tielines and facilitate a reliable means to get our pagers to go off in an emergency (Putnam 911 still relies on tie-lines for most of thier links to the towers around the county), every time a phone pole gets hit near a tower, you risk knocking out all communications from Put911. hence the RF links don't have the issues.. Talk of replacing those lines was in the works last time I spoke to them, but the completion date was TBD.

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Plan? What do we need a plan for?

The other benefit to radio crossovers is they don't bear the cost that tielines do. The dedicated tielines are an incredible expense - I don't know why anyone would stick with them if other options were available.

[JBE 328]

I know one thing is for sure, I was in front of the Brewster Main Station just as the tone test was starting one Sundy morning, and never heard a thing on my scanner. I was no more than a few miles from P-911. Either the signal stinks or my scanner is crap.