Mounted search and rescue

["Irvin Lichtenstein " <ilichten1@verizon.net>]

On January 1, 2013 the FCC has ordered that the data rate on all two way radio frequencies below 512 MHz be doubled or the voice bandwidth be narrowed to

12.5 KHz from the current 25 KHz.  The technology to do this has been around for years and like digital TV it was just waiting for a 20 year old deadline to approach.

 

Those SAR units using public safety radio (Part 90 of the FCC Rules) are faced with several options—reprogramming existing analog or digital voice equipment, replacing

analog voice with digital voice, or buying an entire new system.  What do you expect to do next year? What are your partner agencies expecting to do?

This FCC order includes a provision that any license not reissued as a narrow band license or converted to digital format will be cancelled and continued wideband operation will be considered a violation. 

 

Of the VHF-Hi channels we use only one voice channel, which is licensed primarily as a one way paging channel, is exempt and the county may abandon it anyway.  This also affects the PA DCNR channels in VHF-Hi,  and USCG channels in the VHF Marine band.  We can reprogram our analog voice radios to 12.5 but if other agencies totally change out their systems we lose interoperability.

 

Irv Lichtenstein

SE PA SAR