Radio system ideas...

PropellorHead · Post by **PropellorHead** » Mon Jan 09, 2006 11:12 am

Alright group, so here's the deal...

I work for an ambulance company that serves Los Angeles & Orange Counties here in California (if you live in CA you know what I'm talkin about). The terrain is varied, from flat, to ocean, to mountains, skyscrapers, buildings, residential, hilly...everything...

We have operated on Lo-band since basically the 50's-60's and the admin has decided to look into other options.

Currently we have 3 dispatch centers that handle our 3 divisions. These centers are spaced approx 30-40 miles apart and all of them operate on the same one frequency! So crosstalk is crazy. The Lo-band is constantly falling out, and interference is becoming a real nuisance.

I'm considering jumping on an existing UHF trunked system that some of the other companies are using. As far as mobiles, looking at CMD1550's or something, and possibly some HT series hand helds.

I need ideas on a system that must satisfy the following:

=> Approx 30-40 mobile units
=> Approx 30-40 walkies
=> At least 6 Channels/frequencies to talk on with poss. room for expansion
=> 3 base stations for each dispatch center

Thanx for all the input!

-Louie

thebigphish · Post by **thebigphish** » Mon Jan 09, 2006 12:23 pm

same frequency!? surely not the same PL!??? oh god, that must be a fiasco. I'd say something like LTR (if you want to stick with the CDM line of radios to upgrade into), which will satisfy all of those following requirements with out too much trouble....

and what was the existing system you were thinking about jumping in on?

USPSS · Post by **USPSS** » Mon Jan 09, 2006 1:28 pm

Hi there,

You might look into MPT1327 it is a robust trunking platform used in public safety applications. LTR & PassPort are a little weak.

You might look into Kenwood, they are doing many US Embassies and public safety installation here in the US.

Stan

Will · Post by **Will** » Mon Jan 09, 2006 3:43 pm

Ah, yes I know that system very well. I even worked on the amb's and remote base stations for them. Some are still where they were back then.

The big problem there is the company grew at a a uncontrolled rate, and one gobbled up the other who gobbled up the ... and on and on... and on.
They did not plan the radio expansion ver well, and it seems the divisions are doing there own thing, going off into who knows where.

Stan has a very good idea for the future of the company's radio needs.

I will PM you with a couple of contacts here for such a system's needs.

PropellorHead · Post by **PropellorHead** » Mon Jan 09, 2006 4:02 pm

BigPhish, what's PL?!....jk, i mean i know what it is, but the one channel we op on has no form of division. Just three comm centers, each with about 20 units a piece, dispatching calls, on one shared frequency.

The main issue being management wanting to integrate walkies into the mix. One suggestion was to put mobile repeaters on all the ambulances in order to give any range to the walkies...is this even worth it?

Secondly, things could be done to the existing system to possibly improve it. For starters, the Lo-band antennas don't even have grounding plates.

And as for which system to jump on...it's a LTR system, that I know works well for one of the agencies on it, i haven't done any research as of yet on the system, don't even know if there are any spots open, but it is:

LTR System 010 - Base 471.7000

How does one even go about inquiring on jumping on an existing trunked system?

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