424 megahertz vs. 800 megahertz

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Ace Purple
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424 megahertz vs. 800 megahertz

Post by Ace Purple »

I found this story while doing research at work; what do those of you who have a technical understanding of this think about the 424 megahertz vs. 800 megahertz debate?

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Water and Sewer Dept. to upgrade radios

By Cortney Casey
C & G Staff Writer

HARRISON TOWNSHIP — The township’s Water and Sewer Department is the latest group hopping on board the 800-megahertz radio movement.

The Board of Trustees voted 6-0 June 11, with one member excused, to approve the purchase of 14 portable 800-megahertz radios for the Water and Sewer Department. The radios and related hardware will cost $24,920, while an annual programming and user fee, paid to the state, totals $3,150.

The Macomb County Sheriff’s Office moved to an 800-megahertz system last November, citing better performance and compatibility, and many local communities’ police and emergency departments are following suit. The Harrison Township Fire Department’s 800-megahertz radios are slated to go online by mid-July, earlier than originally anticipated.

At the June 11 meeting, Water and Sewer Superintendent Bill Kinney said he felt the department was being “proactiveâ€
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genlock
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Post by genlock »

Well, for starters, 424 Mhz is in the middle of the 3/4 meter ham band.
So those radios were illegal. Hams can run 1.5 kw out on those frequencies and more with antenna gain. Most of the time these bozo's wanted to use their radios, they could be out of service.
800 mhz is going to be filled with public safety services soon and the analog cell phones and high uhf tv goes away. The water conpanies will probably be a part of someones trunking system. Those things actually work. Every few years radios must be replaced due to wear and tear on the equipment. This stuff is cheap compared to broadcast and a move to 800 mhz would also allow them to go digital and preclude scanner monitoring. They may even get homeland security grants because they are a "vital" service.
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Post by genlock »

More than likely, the 424 frequency is a mistake.
WV is also building out an "Interoperability' system.
Free money from Homeland Security will mean an exodus
to the 800 range.
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Post by Hoosier Daddy »

genlock wrote:More than likely, the 424 frequency is a mistake.
No. The 420 MHz band is used in certain places north of Line A (interference protection for Canada) where traditional 450-470 MHz channels are already full. The Cleveland and Detroit metros have a bunch of local government and business operations there.

It sounds like this township is being seduced into joining a regional or statewide 800 MHz trunking radio system similar to Ohio's MARCS. Without going overboard in explanations, suffice it to say that interoperability can occur on other bands besides 800 MHz, buying in to regional or statewide 800 MHz systems usually buys small government agencies more than they'll ever need, and the 800 syatems are proprietary -- meaning once you opt in, you must purchase all equipment from the specified vendor at their price.

Further discussion available if desired.

8)
Last edited by Hoosier Daddy on Thu Jun 21, 2007 2:02 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Post by genlock »

That is too close to Knucklehead land for me.

Where is this story datelined?
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Post by Hoosier Daddy »

Harrison Township, Michigan

Macomb County -- it's part of Detroit.

:)
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Post by Cameron »

Hoosier Daddy wrote:
genlock wrote:More than likely, the 424 frequency is a mistake.
meaning once you opt in, you must purchase all equipment from the specified vendor at their price.


8)
You mean like the private 2-way operation that owns the frequencies that City of Huntington's Police Department uses?

Guess who gets the installation and repair on those radios?
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Cameron Smith - CSRE®
Senior Member - SBE 68 Birmingham
Senior Digital Product Manager - Hibbett Sports|City Gear
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Post by Hoosier Daddy »

Cameron wrote:
Hoosier Daddy wrote:
genlock wrote:More than likely, the 424 frequency is a mistake.
meaning once you opt in, you must purchase all equipment from the specified vendor at their price.


8)
You mean like the private 2-way operation that owns the frequencies that City of Huntington's Police Department uses?

Guess who gets the installation and repair on those radios?
Yup. Same deal, different frequency band. The Huntington stuff is on 451 MHz and is owned by F & L Electronics, one of the local Motorola dealers.

Word has it the Huntington Fire Department and the Public Works boys are being encouraged to join HPD on UHF. Interoperability, you know -- even though these systems were totally interoperable when everyone used city owned radio equipment in the 155 MHZ VHF band.

:evil:
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Post by Ace Purple »

Thanks for the info, everyone.
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