Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Council Approves Purchase Of Narrowband Radio System

   During a meeting last week members of the Lawrenceburg Board of Mayor and Council approved the purchase of a narrowband radio system, taking the next step towards a  federally-mandated swap-over.

   Board members voted during their meeting last Thursday to approve a resolution, calling for the city to enter into a lease/purchase agreement for the purchase of a Motorola Mototurbo Radio System for the Lawrenceburg Police Department.

   Total cost for the new system is $103,347. The agreement allows the city to take advantage of a limited-time rebate of $9,000 while making monthly payments of $3,265. The cost is included in the department’s budget.

   City officials indicated that this purchase will allow only for the swap-over of the city’s police department. (The city’s fire department has already made the change.) By purchasing an additional repeater, the city would then be able to add service for the remainder of the city departments by spending an additional $18,000.

   The police department’s current system, they said, has been in place for the past sixteen-plus years.

   In December, 2004, the Federal Communications Commission mandated the change for all private land mobile radio (LMR) systems, including municipal governments and state and local public safety systems. While LMR systems have historically used 25 kHz channels, the new mandate requires that all operating below 512 MHz migrate to 12.5 kHz narrowband voice channels and more highly efficient data channel operations. All who do not comply with the January 1, 2013, deadline will suffer loss of communications capabilities.

   FCC officials indicate that using narrowband channels will ensure that agencies take advantage of more efficient technology. Also, reduction of channel width will allow additional channels to exist within the same spectrum space.

   Local officials indicate that the new system will effectively be encrypted, allowing them to forward personal information across the airwaves without fear of sacrificing a an individual’s privacy. In addition, they indicate that once the new systems are completely online, those possessing home-based and mobile scanner units will no longer be able to monitor communications of local agencies.