Police Officer Preparation & Law Enforcement Resource - Archive

Hello all,
Were slated to switch over from our current analog system to a new digital system sometime in the next 2 years. Do any dispatchers (or officers for that matter) have any major opinions on digital radio systems? From what I hear they have a ton of benefits but also some big drawbacks.

Thanks!

Several years ago, before retiring from that agency, I went through the transition from a VHF analog, conventional system to an 800 mHz digital, trunked system. As an end user, not a dispatcher, it was nice having solid coverage virtually anywhere I went for work. I am sure that there are some dead sports somewhere, but I never found them. The other change is that we went from 1 county PSAP and 5 city PSAPs, to a countywide consolidated center. We had an almost unlimited number of talkgroups for virtually anything you could think of. On the flip side, if you used your portable a LOT during a shift, the battery may not last as long because they seem to go through more power even just on receive. Let me know if there any other specific questions you have.

We went from VHF 150 mhz to UHF 500 mhz. The coverage was BETTER , MUCH BETTER.

BUT...we had roving dead spots , the speech was sometimes distorted and it made you sound like R2D2 and sometimes you key up and it just bleeps and bloops and nothing happens. It is better now than it was but we still have some of the issues.

I think our countywide system cost 38 million.