Radio Comms
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- Railroadfan...fan
- Posts: 44
- Joined: Wed Jan 09, 2008 12:14 am
- Location: Zeeland MI
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Radio Comms
Many public safety radio systems are switching to digital systems, do the railroads have any plans of switching to digital radio systems?
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- Railroadfan...fan
- Posts: 177
- Joined: Mon Feb 26, 2007 9:21 pm
- chessiefan1980
- Railroadfan...fan
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- Railroadfan...fan
- Posts: 4833
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- Location: Marysville, Michigan
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- Railroadfan...fan
- Posts: 44
- Joined: Wed Jan 09, 2008 12:14 am
- Location: Zeeland MI
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I am not sure if any old digital scaner would do, I belive there are several different type of formats or protocals. I would think we would have to know which system the railroads are going to be using before one could purchase a digital scanner. For example here in MI the state uses a statewide digital system, for all state agencies. They have made the system available to any local government that wishes to us use this system, and many are doing so. In order to monitor this digital system one needs a scanner capable of listening to APCO 25 (I belive) not all digital scanners can do this. I
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- Roadmaster
- Posts: 4762
- Joined: Fri Dec 23, 2005 9:12 am
- Location: Grand Rapids, MI
I'm assuming you're talking about the 800mhz system. Switching to it requires a significant expense. For my agency, it requires about 125 radios at $3000 each and an annual license fee per radio. This compares to our current VHF system with $400 radios (all currently paid for) and no annual fee. We're not switching anytime soon. Law enforcement has to buy two radios, a mobile for the vehicle & a handheld for the office when he leaves the car. GRPD & KCSD aren't changing anytime soon either. The 800 system has some coverage issues as well.They have made the system available to any local government that wishes to us use this system, and many are doing so.
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- Roadmaster
- Posts: 4762
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- Location: Grand Rapids, MI
- M.D.Bentley
- Railroadfan...fan
- Posts: 2477
- Joined: Sat May 07, 2005 4:41 pm
- Location: Downriver
This was touched on a little on the Railfanning INFO board. The current band will be narrowed to 6.25kHz increasing the number of avalable channels in the AAR band. Most railroads have upgraded to newer radios to handle this change when it happens. The FCC document FCC07-39 ( March 2007 ) sheds some light on the subject.