|
NARROW-BANDING MEETING MINUTES
MARCH 13, 2008
TRI-COM CENTRAL DISPATCH - ST. CHARLES
Attendees: Steve Rauter, Wes-Com; Jerry Bleck, Tri-Com; Bill Carter,
Il APCO Frequency Coordinator, Chris Kindelspire, IL APCO Frequency
Coordinator; Jeff Sexton, Illinois State Police; John Lozar, Du-Comm,
Mike Baird, Elgin Police; Bill Janes, Madison County 9-1-1, Jim
Richardson, Gurnee Police
The meeting was called to order at 10:04 AM. Jerry Bleck advised that
he had made contact with Steve Jackson as a result of the discussion
at the last meeting regarding obtaining survey information in order
to determine all the various radios that are operating in the public
safety VHF spectrum. Agencies need to take a good inventory on all
the radios they have in order to determine which can be reprogrammed
to narrow-band and which must be discarded and replaced with brand
new radios. Mr. Jackson indicated that from his involvement on the
state SIEC he did not have the information being sought; however, he
volunteered to help get it.
Steve Rauter wondered how do we get the word out to all the agencies
affected by the narrow-band mandate. The scope goes beyond police,
fire, and EMS to schools, park districts, highway departments, public
works, townships governments, hospitals, etc.; they all need to know
what they have to do and the time lines that are required. MABAS,
ILEAS, IEMA, IDPH, and the Illinois Municipal League were suggested
as several sources to accomplish this. Bill Carter said he would look
into having National APCO provide a mailing list of all those holding
licensees. Mr. Rauter mentioned that Pat Hughes of Motorola said that
they could assist with the survey if needed. Mr. Bleck mentioned that
some financial help might be needed to cover the cost of printing and
mailing surveys. Mr. Rauter agreed to draft a FAQ (frequently asked
questions) document that could go along with the survey.
Mr. Bleck wondered if the tentative date set for the Illinois
interoperability channels (ISPERN, IFERN, IREACH, MERCI, ESMARN)
currently set for January 1, 2012 was a good date if FCC rules will
prohibit the manufacture of VHF radios after December 31, 2010. There
would be one entire year where wide band radios would be unavailable
to purchase and yet a full year before narrow-banding the interop
channels would take place. After much discussion, it was decided that
many agencies will need as much time as possible to budget for this,
so the tentative date of January 2012 was upheld.
There was some discussion from the Illinois frequency coordinators
about the City of Chicago working on a plan to pair up the V-TAC
channels and place repeaters on them. This plan seems to vary from
the plan that had previously been discussed. It would seem that if
these V-Tac channels were changed from simplex low power channels to
high power repeaters, the fall-out would cover all six collar
counties and go into the States of Wisconsin, Indiana, and Michigan.
Mr. Rauter said he would do some checking on this with MABAS
Coordinator Jay Reardon. An FCC STA may have already been issued to
Chicago to do this.
There was discussion as to the date to hold the next meeting. It was
decided to coordinate the next narrow-band meeting with the next
Region 54 planning meeting on April 17th, 11:00 AM, at the Grundy
County EOC located at 1320 Union Street in Morris. There being no
further business, the meeting was adjourned at 11:45 AM.
|
