Q We
do not have the money to move to narrowband. Isnt this an
unfunded mandate?
A Not really. This
has been coming since 1997, and the 2012 deadline was issued in 2004.
Eight years
for equipment with a five year life cycle was considered
plenty. Most agencies will have fully amortized
the value of their current equipment by the time the mandates kick in.
Any vendor who sold you wide-band-only equipment in the last ten years
should be chastised appropriately and summarily dismissed.
Q
What happens if we don't
go narrowband, or just change our license and use our existing
equipment?
A Look at the charts,
above. After December 31st, 2012, when you transmit you will be using
THREE channels, not just your one. The people who have already gone to
narrowband are waiting anxiously for you to do the same, and will not
be pleased when you don't (would you?). Calls will be made, letters
will be written, and attorneys will smile.
Q
They'll just extend the
deadline.
A Don't think so. Read
the two answers just above. Everyone in the industry is dead set
against any extension. You've had eight years to get ready, so it
shouldn't be a surprise.
Q Do
we need to change our FCC license?
A Probably. Unless you
already have the narrowband emission designator on your license, you
will need to amend your FCC license to include narrowband emission
designators. Existing wideband designators (20K series) will simply
evaporate after Dec. 31st, 2012. New coordination will not be
required. If your license is up for renewal in the next 90 days, the
FCC will accept renewal/modification at the same time. You can do this
yourself, or hire a local radio professional to help. (Beware
of mail-order offers from official-sounding companies- they're just
after your money.)
Q
Will we need to change frequencies?
A - No!
. You merely reduce the bandwidth of the channel(s) you are using now,
using 11K, 8K or 4K series emissions.
Q -
Will we have to buy new radios?
A - That depends.
Most radios purchased in the last 6-8 years are already narrowband
capable. They only need to be re-programmed. If in doubt a radio
professional (not necessarily a salesman) can tell you for sure.
Q - Are
all our radios affected?
A - Look at your license
(or go to
http://www.RadioReference.com
or
http://wireless.fcc.gov ) If your frequencies are
between 150 and 174 MHz, or 450 and 470 MHz, the answer is an
unqualified yes, with absolutely no, zero, zip, zilch, nada
exceptions, period, end of sentence. If you are using
frequencies below 50 MHz, or above 700 MHz, those radios are not
affected by the narrowbanding mandates.
Q - Are
we forced to move to 800 MHz?
A - No!
Narrowbanding does not require moving to another frequency band. Look
at where your mutual aid and interoperable neighbors are, Stay there.
Q
Will we have to convert to digital?
A No!
However, many agencies are using this opportunity to upgrade to
digital technology. Most digital radios are dual mode capable
and can operate in wide band analog as well as narrowband analog and
digital. Digital is also more immune from adjacent channel
interference and includes features unavailable in analog.
Q
Will that reduce our coverage?
A Probably not.
You may have to survey your system and area of operation. Only a
thorough analysis of your coverage requirements can tell for sure.
Q
What do we do with our old equipment?
A First, make sure that
it cannot transmit in wideband mode. If it cannot transmit in
FCC-approved narrowband, they're worth about 25 four
cents per pound as of November 2011. Nobody in the USA can use them
for transmitting. You may be able to use them in receive only
applications, but that depends on the individual radio. Once again,
wideband transmit MUST be disabled!!
Q Why
not got ahead and convert to 6.25-Supernarrow now?
A That's something you
need to explore. Some users may not see an advantage, other users and
applications will not. Some presently available "6.25 equivalent"
radios aren't really 6.25KHz and exploit a loophole in the FCC
rulemaking to allow proprietary systems, while others (Icom, Kenwood,
Daniels Ritron, etc.) presently build true 6.25KHz digital radios.
Analog is an industry standard, digital isn't yet.
Q- A vendor wants us to go
to a system that is only available from them, or use their "/\/\odified"
industry standard.
A1- Advantages of
"Proprietary Systems": Sole-source /\/\anufacturer, no competition,
performance to their specs- not yours, price increases whenever they
want, obsolescence on their schedule, limited interoperability,
etc.
"For better or worse, 'til death do us part" or their patents and
copyrights run out.
A2- Advantages of open standard systems: Many vendors and dealers,
performance to your specs, market pricing, genuine
interoperability on industry-standard systems,
no sole-source legal
liability (Link).
