PASQUOTANK – CAMDEN – ELIZABETH CITY
CENTRAL COMMUNICATIONS CENTER
Radio System Needs Assessment
FINAL REPORT
SUBMITTED DECEMBER 2015 TO:
Pasquotank County, Camden County and City of Elizabeth City, NC
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Executive Summary ................................................................................................................. 1
1.
Introduction.................................................................................................................... 7
2.
Methodology .................................................................................................................. 7
2.1.
Initial Meeting ......................................................................................................................... 7
2.2.
Public Safety Agency Representative Interviews ................................................................ 8
2.3.
Web Survey ............................................................................................................................ 8
2.4.
Radio Site Surveys ................................................................................................................ 8
2.5.
Report Development .............................................................................................................. 8
3.
Findings ......................................................................................................................... 8
3.1.
Technical Baseline................................................................................................................. 9
3.2.
Operational Baseline ........................................................................................................... 21
3.1.1.
3.1.2.
3.1.3.
3.1.4.
3.1.5.
3.1.6.
3.1.7.
3.1.8.
3.1.9.
3.1.10.
3.1.11.
3.1.12.
3.2.1.
3.2.2.
4.
Current System Design ...................................................................................................................... 9
Coverage ............................................................................................................................................ 9
Capacity ........................................................................................................................................... 10
Subscriber Radios ............................................................................................................................ 11
Radio Sites ....................................................................................................................................... 15
Central Communications Center ...................................................................................................... 17
Equipment End of Life ...................................................................................................................... 17
Frequency Considerations ............................................................................................................... 18
System Resiliency and Single Points of Failure ............................................................................... 18
Connectivity/Backhaul ...................................................................................................................... 19
Interoperability .................................................................................................................................. 19
Maintenance ..................................................................................................................................... 20
User Agencies .................................................................................................................................. 21
Web Survey Responses ................................................................................................................... 22
Analysis ........................................................................................................................ 22
4.1.
Coverage .............................................................................................................................. 22
4.2.
Capacity................................................................................................................................ 24
4.3.
Interoperability Issues and Standards ............................................................................... 26
4.1.1.
4.2.1.
4.2.2.
4.3.1.
4.3.2.
4.3.3.
Pasquotank County and Camden County Coverage ....................................................................... 24
Pasquotank County and Camden County Capacity......................................................................... 25
Loading for Trunking Systems ......................................................................................................... 26
DHS Security Guidance and Template ............................................................................................ 27
Interoperability Continuum ............................................................................................................... 28
Technology on the Interoperability Continuum ................................................................................ 32
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4.4.
Radio System Technologies ............................................................................................... 35
4.5.
Emerging Communications Issues and Trends................................................................. 46
4.6.
System Lifecycles ................................................................................................................ 49
4.7.
Radio Site Resilience ........................................................................................................... 51
4.8.
Frequency Bands and Licensing Considerations ............................................................. 52
4.9.
Connectivity ......................................................................................................................... 54
4.4.1.
4.4.2.
4.4.3.
4.4.4.
4.4.5.
4.4.6.
4.5.1.
4.5.2.
4.5.3.
4.5.4.
4.6.1.
4.7.1.
4.7.2.
4.8.1.
4.8.2.
4.8.3.
4.8.4.
4.9.1.
4.9.2.
4.9.3.
5.
Analog versus Digital ....................................................................................................................... 35
Project 25 (P25) ............................................................................................................................... 37
Network Architectures ...................................................................................................................... 39
Conventional Simulcast .................................................................................................................... 42
Multicast Trunking ............................................................................................................................ 43
Shared Systems ............................................................................................................................... 46
TDMA ............................................................................................................................................... 46
Multiband Radios.............................................................................................................................. 47
ISSI ................................................................................................................................................... 48
Long-Term Evolution (LTE) .............................................................................................................. 49
Equipment Lifecycle ......................................................................................................................... 50
Grounding ......................................................................................................................................... 51
Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) ................................................................................................ 52
VHF High Band (150–160 MHz) ...................................................................................................... 52
UHF .................................................................................................................................................. 52
700 MHz ........................................................................................................................................... 53
800 MHz ........................................................................................................................................... 54
Leased Phone Lines ........................................................................................................................ 55
Fiber-Optic Networks ....................................................................................................................... 55
Microwave ........................................................................................................................................ 56
Recommendations ...................................................................................................... 56
5.1.
System Options ................................................................................................................... 57
5.2.
Subscriber Radios ............................................................................................................... 64
5.3.
Consoles .............................................................................................................................. 65
5.4.
Logging Recorder ................................................................................................................ 66
5.5.
Backhaul ............................................................................................................................... 66
5.1.1.
5.1.2.
5.1.3.
5.1.4.
5.1.5.
5.1.6.
5.1.7.
5.2.1.
Option 1—Transitioning to the State’s VIPER P25 Phase I, Trunked System (Recommended) .... 58
Option 2—700 MHz, P25 Phase II, Trunked Simulcast System ...................................................... 59
Option 3—UHF Simulcast System ................................................................................................... 61
Paging System Recommendations .................................................................................................. 62
System Coverage ............................................................................................................................. 62
System Capacity .............................................................................................................................. 63
Interoperability Features .................................................................................................................. 63
Subscriber Radio Features .............................................................................................................. 64
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5.5.1.
DC Plant ........................................................................................................................................... 67
5.6.
Redundancy and Survivability ............................................................................................ 67
5.7.
Maintenance ......................................................................................................................... 67
5.8.
Conceptual System Designs ............................................................................................... 68
5.9.
Cost Estimates ..................................................................................................................... 69
5.9.1.
5.9.2.
5.9.3.
5.9.4.
Option 1 – 800 MHz, P25 Phase I, Trunking—VIPER ..................................................................... 70
Option 2 – 700 MHz P25 Phase II Trunked Simulcast System ....................................................... 72
Option 3 – UHF Simulcast System................................................................................................... 74
Enhancements to the VHF Paging System ...................................................................................... 76
5.10. Sustainment Costs .............................................................................................................. 78
6.
Next Steps .................................................................................................................... 78
6.1.
Secure Funding .................................................................................................................... 79
6.2.
Procurement Options .......................................................................................................... 80
6.2.1.
6.2.2.
7.
Sole-source with the VIPER option .................................................................................................. 80
Competitive Procurement (RFP) ...................................................................................................... 80
Conclusion ................................................................................................................... 81
Appendix A – Pasquotank – Camden County Sites Review ............................................... 83
Appendix B – Pasquotank – Camden Existing Coverage Maps ....................................... 154
Appendix C – VIPER System Coverage Maps ................................................................... 203
Appendix D – Conceptual 700 MHz System Coverage Maps ........................................... 208
Appendix E – Conceptual UHF System Coverage Maps................................................... 213
Appendix F – Conceptual Simulcast Paging System Coverage Maps ............................ 218
Appendix G – Microwave Path Studies .............................................................................. 221
Appendix H – Unabridged Survey Results ......................................................................... 231
TABLE OF FIGURES
Figure 1 – Portable Radio Models Used by Agencies........................................................................... 13
Figure 2 – Mobile Radio Models Used by Agencies ............................................................................. 14
Figure 3 – Pager Models Used by Agencies ........................................................................................ 15
Figure 4 – Pasquotank County and Camden County Radio Sites ........................................................ 16
Figure 5 – SAFECOM Interoperability Continuum ................................................................................ 28
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Figure 6 – Opinion of Probable Cost – Transition to VIPER 800 MHz System...................................... 71
Figure 7 – Opinion of Probable Cost – 700 MHz P25 Phase 2 Trunked ............................................... 73
Figure 8 – Opinion of Probable Cost – UHF Conventional – 5 Site 10 Channel System ....................... 75
Figure 9 – Opinion of Probable Cost – VHF Alphanumeric Paging – 3 Sites ........................................ 77
TABLE OF TABLES
Table 1 – Estimated Costs ..................................................................................................................... 5
Table 2 – Pasquotank County/Camden County Subscriber Summary.................................................. 11
Table 3 – Current Tower Use ............................................................................................................... 16
Table 4 – EOL Dates for System Components ..................................................................................... 18
Table 5 – Pasquotank-Camden County Backhaul Summary ................................................................ 19
Table 6 – Pasquotank County Recurring Fees ..................................................................................... 21
Table 7 – Pasquotank-Camden County System Users......................................................................... 21
Table 8 – Erlang C Calculations ........................................................................................................... 26
Table 9 – Analog System Strengths and Weaknesses ......................................................................... 36
Table 10 – Digital System Strengths and Weaknesses ........................................................................ 36
Table 11 – Single-Site Conventional System Strengths and Weaknesses ........................................... 40
Table 12 – Conventional System with Voted Satellite Receivers Strengths and Weaknesses .............. 41
Table 13 – Conventional Simulcast System Strengths and Weaknesses ............................................. 43
Table 14 – Multicast Trunking System Strengths and Weaknesses ..................................................... 44
Table 15 – Simulcast Trunking System Strengths and Weaknesses .................................................... 45
Table 16 – Facility Equipment Lifespan................................................................................................ 50
Table 17 – Maintenance Equipment Lifespan ...................................................................................... 50
Table 18 – Radio Equipment Lifespan ................................................................................................. 50
Table 19 – Microwave Equipment Lifespan .......................................................................................... 50
Table 20 – Potential New UHF Frequency Acquisitions ....................................................................... 53
Table 21 – 700 MHz Assignments for Pasquotank County ................................................................... 53
Table 22 – 700 MHz Assignments for Camden County ........................................................................ 54
Table 23 – VIPER System Strengths and Weaknesses ....................................................................... 59
Table 24 – 700 MHz, P25 Phase II, Trunking System Strengths and Weaknesses .............................. 60
Table 25 – UHF Simulcast System Strengths and Weaknesses .......................................................... 61
Table 26 – Estimated Costs ................................................................................................................. 69
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Mission Critical Partners, Inc. (MCP) respectfully submits this Radio System Needs Assessment report
to Pasquotank County, Camden County, and the City of Elizabeth City, all of which are located in the
State of North Carolina. Pasquotank County, on behalf of the region, contracted with MCP to assess
the existing Ultra High Frequency (UHF) and Very High Frequency (VHF) conventional analog
communications systems. The goal is to determine the best approach for enhancing or replacing the
current radio systems, in order to improve radio and paging communications within the two-county
region. The assessment includes a review of how the Pasquotank-Camden-Elizabeth City Central
Communications Center (9-1-1 Center) interfaces with the current radio communications systems, as
well as an analysis of how the 9-1-1 Center would interface with the recommended systems.
The 9-1-1 Center provides dispatching services for the following agencies:
 Pasquotank County Sheriff’s Office
 Camden County Sheriff’s Office
 Elizabeth City Police Department
 Elizabeth City Fire Department
 Pasquotank-Camden Emergency Medical Services (EMS)
 Eight volunteer fire departments
The 9-1-1 Center also handles requests for the Pasquotank-Camden Emergency Management
Coordinator, as well as the Elizabeth City and Pasquotank County utilities departments, and is in
constant communication with the North Carolina State Highway Patrol and Elizabeth City State
University Campus Police.
The current regional system uses nine radio sites and operates on both UHF and VHF frequencies in
conventional analog mode. Various elements of the system have been installed over the last 20 years.
Based on the information gathered, MCP determined numerous critical issues affecting the current
system, including the following:
 Interoperability is very limited both within the two-county area and with external agencies. This
makes agency-to-agency communication cumbersome and less than reliable
 A lack of coverage and unreliable performance exist in many parts of the two-county area. The
system design is insufficient to provide reliable public safety-grade radio system performance
 The current system design includes single points of failure that can leave first responders with
no reliable way to be dispatched, or to communicate for an extended period of time if a failure
does occur. Combined with the reduced reliability of aging components, the overall system is at
risk
 Channel capacity is very limited due to the conventional design, with channels being transmitted
from only one site and a limited number of available frequencies
 Modern radio safety features, such as an emergency button and encryption for specialty units,
are unavailable today
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In summary, the current system’s limitations today include insufficient:
 Coverage
 Capacity
 Redundancy
 Security and control features
 Interoperability
Mitigating or eliminating these limitations and deficiencies should be the requirement of the selected
communications system solution.
The existing communications system cannot be upgraded to meet these requirements in its present
configuration; thus, the above performance limitations and concerns will continue without an investment
in a new system.
Solution Options
MCP evaluated several available public safety technologies to determine solutions that would optimally
address the identified performance gaps. The analysis focused on solutions that would improve radio
communications within the two-county region. The evaluated solutions include Project 25 (P25)
trunking and multicast systems operating in the 700/800 megahertz (MHz) band and conventional
simulcast systems operating in the UHF and VHF bands. Three different solution options, plus paging
system enhancements, were explored in detail. Section 5.1 of this report describes the three options
for replacing the current public safety voice radio systems, which are as follows:
 Transitioning to the State of North Carolina 800 MHz, Motorola P25 Phase I, multicast trunked
system, known as the Voice Interoperability Plan for First Responders (VIPER) system
 Implementing a new 700 MHz P25 Phase II trunked system
 Implementing a UHF simulcast system
Both Option 1 and Option 2 would resolve the limitations of the existing systems by providing
substantially increased capacity and addressing coverage issues. They also would significantly
enhance interoperability, both within the two counties and with external agencies, which will be
discussed in more detail later in this report.
However, as a result of its evaluation, MCP determined that Option 1 would be the preferred choice, as
it balances performance improvement with value and cost efficiencies, i.e., it would meet public safety
users’ needs—both today and for the foreseeable future—at a lower cost than Option 2.
The highlights of the VIPER option include:
 Resolution of all identified performance deficiencies with the current systems
 The most expedient implementation, as most of the necessary infrastructure is currently in place
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


The most cost-effective way to move to a P25 700/800 MHz trunked system solution
o Provides the ability to procure most equipment and radios from the competitively bid state
pricing structure
o Avoids the cost of developing a separate specification and request for proposal (RFP) for a
new independent system; however, some procurement effort still would be required
o Some P25 800 MHz trunked VIPER system radios already have been purchased by local
agencies
o Would avoid significant new infrastructure costs
Moving to a system platform (VIPER) that many surrounding counties utilize, or plan to utilize in
the future, would enhance interoperability more compared with a new 700 MHz trunked system
Would provide statewide coverage for local users, as authorized by VIPER use guidelines
Because the State already has invested in the VIPER system infrastructure, the cost of Option 1 would
be significantly less than if the two counties were to build their own 700 MHz trunked system. Because
the State diligently maintains the system infrastructure and has made a long-term commitment to the
VIPER system, it also is a low-risk solution with lower maintenance costs for local users. Moreover,
VIPER uses a flexible, standards-based architecture that will limit the need for future upgrades.
If only the current VIPER sites in the area are utilized, and no new sites added, coverage predictions
look favorable but provide a slightly lower level of coverage than what typically would be required from
a newly built 700/800 MHz trunked system. Consequently, if the VIPER option is selected, MCP highly
recommends comprehensive testing of the coverage currently provided by the existing VIPER sites to
verify that coverage would be sufficient and/or to identify areas where it would be insufficient. Specific
critical buildings that would require supplemental in-building coverage enhancements also should be
identified. The need for any additional VIPER sites, and for any in-building coverage enhancements,
should be identified and costs estimated as part of the total budget.
While MCP anticipates that two channels may need to be added to each of the three existing VIPER
sites in the region, a radio traffic analysis will need to be completed by the State to verify that. If it were
determined that additional channel equipment is necessary, the implementation costs would be borne
by the local entities; however, once installed, the State would take over long-term maintenance for this
additional equipment. A review of the regional VIPER Talk Group Master Plan also should be an
element of the radio traffic analysis. It is important to note that some local agencies, including
Pasquotank-Camden EMS and the Camden County Sheriff’s Office, already have switched to the
VIPER system and have had a favorable experience with its use.
Either Option 1 or Option 2 will require the replacement of most existing portable and mobile radios.
The VIPER option also would require leasing commercial fiber if a direct interface of the dispatch center
consoles to the VIPER core located in Farmville, North Carolina, is desired. With VIPER, the system
users will have the added benefit of taking advantage of 800 MHz channels that already are assigned
to the VIPER system, which eliminates the uncertainty regarding frequency acquisition.
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Option 2 is to build an independent P25 Phase II 700 MHz trunked radio system. This solution would
resolve all of the current system’s performance deficiencies. In addition, this option would include an
additional level of local control and system redundancy, and designing a new system would provide the
highest level of coverage performance, as sites could be placed in ideal locations selected to optimize
coverage. However, building a new system has a higher cost, because significant additional
infrastructure equipment would need to be purchased, and because site upgrades or new sites would
be needed. Also, long-term maintenance costs would be significantly higher than with the VIPER
option.
Option 3 is a UHF conventional analog simulcast system. Moving all local users to UHF and building
out a simulcast infrastructure would resolve some of the performance deficiencies and interoperability
issues within Pasquotank County, but not with the Camden County Sheriff’s Office or other area
agencies that use the VIPER system. Methods of interfacing UHF, VHF, and 800 MHz channels could
be developed, but they would be inefficient from frequency- and channel-use perspectives. Meanwhile,
adequate UHF channels appear to be available but there always is some uncertainty when new
frequency acquisition is needed for a solution. And while a UHF conventional simulcast system would
require new infrastructure at significant cost, it would provide fewer benefits than transitioning to a
700/800 MHz, P25 trunked system platform. Finally, in order to improve in-county interoperability, all
current fire service VHF users would need to buy new UHF radios.
Paging System Enhancements
Continued use of the standalone VHF analog paging system to provide paging coverage throughout the
two-county area is recommended regardless of the radio system option selected. As a short-term
action, it is recommended that the leased line providing connectivity from the Center to the Perquimans
paging base at the Navy Tower is tested to ensure error-free transmission. If a new County-owned
radio system is pursued, it is recommended that the paging system share the new radio system
backhaul. Today’s paging system is a conventional single-site design, which provides limited area-wide
coverage. As a result, two paging system enhancements are recommended.
The first concerns replacing the existing tone-and-voice paging system with a digital, alphanumeric
paging system. An alphanumeric, or text, paging system would provide better coverage and thus more
reliable paging with the same number of sites. Alphanumeric pagers also are considerably less
expensive than tone-and-voice pagers and provide storage of received pages for rereading.
The second enhancement concerns implementation of a simulcast paging system. Moving to a
simulcast design would simplify operational procedures for dispatch, reduce the potential for human
error when paging, and provide greatly enhanced coverage and reliability for all pages throughout the
two-county area. Under a simulcast design, personnel would reliably receive pages no matter where
they were within the two-county area.
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Cost Estimate Summary
For the VIPER option, costs are based in part on current State contract pricing for radios. Other option
costs are based on list pricing. The cost estimates are intended to be conservative to account for
variability during procurement. Table 1 below summarizes the estimated costs for the options
presented.
Table 1 – Estimated Costs
Cost Element
System Option 1
System Option 2
System Option 3
Paging System
Enhancements
Description
Transition to the State 800 MHz P25 trunked
VIPER system
New 700 MHz P25 trunked system
UHF conventional simulcast system
Recommended enhancements to the VHF
paging system
Price
$3,134,414
$11,103,041
$5,790,120
$305,868
Key Recommendations and Next Steps
The current radio and paging systems have numerous performance and safety deficiencies that have
the everyday potential to negatively impacting the ability of public safety first responders to
communicate during both routine and critical incidents. Meaningful improvements only will come
through an investment in a new system and radios. Key recommendations from this report include:
 Transitioning remaining public safety agencies that have not already done so to the VIPER
system. This is the most cost-effective and expedient manner of resolving the existing
communication system’s performance deficiencies
 Enhancing the region’s VHF paging system by implementing a simulcast design and digital
pagers
 Moving forward with additional planning and procurement activities to support the above project
elements
To move forward with planning and procurement, the County should contract with a qualified firm to
support necessary activities. If the VIPER system is selected, support will be needed for coverage
testing, coordination with the State, and new radio procurement and installation. Specifications will
need to be developed for any paging system enhancements and for any additional VIPER channels or
sites. Specifications and procurement support should be structured to align with either a sole-source or
competitive procurement process, as appropriate.
If Option 2 or Option 3 are selected, additional specifications will need to be developed with
corresponding procurement process support. Regardless of the solution chosen, in order to obtain the
best possible pricing and value, it is MCP’s recommendation that the County proceed with a
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competitive procurement for those project elements for which a sole-source procurement is not
required. This can produce additional cost savings through the implementation process, especially if
the procurement is divided between radio infrastructure, backhaul, and site-development vendors.
The typical implementation period for a radio system is 12 to 24 months after vendor contract award.
With the necessary planning and procurement tasks, it may be two to three years before a new system
is implemented and operational. In contrast, the timeline for a transition to the VIPER system would be
significantly shorter, especially if no new sites were required.
MCP fully understands the public safety communications challenges faced by Pasquotank County,
Camden County, and the City of Elizabeth City, and what must be accomplished to provide a long-term
solution that will satisfy the needs of first responders in the region for years to come. Our focus within
this report is to provide you with the background information, explanations, and recommendations
necessary to support your decision-making process. We stand available to assist the region with its
planning, procurement, and implementation needs.
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1. INTRODUCTION
The public safety first responders—law enforcement, fire, and emergency medical services (EMS)—
within the Pasquotank County and Camden County region long have been aware of radio and paging
system deficiencies that can and have negatively impacted the ability of first responders to
communicate during both routine and critical incidents. First responders provided MCP with numerous
examples of active law enforcement, fire and EMS incidents where radio messages were not heard at
all or were not understandable. Operationally, the current system designs—which rely on individual
transmit sites, voted receive sites and different frequency bands—result in an operational model that is
complicated, and system performance that is unpredictable and prone to intermittent problems.
In addition, the inability of users on different frequencies to hear and talk to other agencies is a critical
issue that often creates operational command-and-control problems and is an important safety concern.
Meanwhile, insufficient channel availability equates to channel overcrowding during major incidents
such as a large structure fire or a severe weather event. Consequently, the ability of first responders to
communicate when the need is greatest is severely hampered. Finally, the recent requirement to
narrowband VHF and UHF channels resulted in a coverage reduction, and considerable interference is
experienced on the VHF channels.
In response to public safety providers voicing these concerns to local elected and appointed officials,
this detailed study and analysis of radio system needs was commissioned. MCP was tasked with
evaluating the current communication system and providing options and solutions for any identified
deficiencies and concerns. The task is to develop a conceptual plan for improving public safety
communications in a cost-effective and logical manner. Keeping cost down by leveraging past
investments and other communications resources was considered where possible.
2. METHODOLOGY
This section provides a description of MCP’s approach to completing the assessment of the region’s
public safety communications systems.
2.1. INITIAL MEETING
An initial meeting was held with local public safety representatives on October 20, 2015. During the
meeting, the project team reviewed the scope of work, agreed on content that would be contained in
the deliverables, and established a project schedule. Coordination of staff interviews, site surveys, the
Web survey, and the report review and presentation process also occurred.
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2.2. PUBLIC SAFETY AGENCY REPRESENTATIVE INTERVIEWS
MCP conducted both group and individual meetings with a cross section of public safety agency
representatives across both counties. We met with first responders from law enforcement, fire, and
EMS agencies. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the plans and gather feedback from various
agencies regarding the existing communication systems, and to understand performance and
operational requirements for any new or enhanced communications systems.
2.3. WEB SURVEY
A Web survey was developed with input from County staff to obtain feedback from each public safety
agency within the two counties. Specifically, the survey was distributed to all first responder agencies
in order to acquire subscriber inventory information from each agency, as well as additional user
feedback regarding the communication system, above and beyond the data gathered during the focus
group sessions. Users unable to attend the focus group sessions were able to utilize the Web survey
to provide their feedback.
2.4. RADIO SITE SURVEYS
Radio site surveys were conducted to inventory the existing system infrastructure, assess the condition
of the existing facilities, and evaluate their ability to support new or upgraded equipment in the future.
2.5. REPORT DEVELOPMENT
MCP developed this radio system assessment report based on the information collected. The report is
divided into seven primary sections: Introduction, Methodology, Findings, Analysis, Recommendations,
Next Steps, and Conclusion. The Findings section details all of the information gathered regarding the
current system, and includes technical and operational baselines. The Analysis section includes a
description of available radio communications technology and how it could be utilized to the benefit of
local public safety service providers. The Recommendations section includes MCP’s recommendations
for updating the regional radio communications systems with an improved system targeted to
addressing the needs of the public safety community. The Next Steps section includes conceptual
system designs, cost estimates, and procurement recommendations. The report’s Conclusion briefly
summarizes a suggested strategy moving forward.
3. FINDINGS
This section provides a detailed description of MCP’s findings regarding the current communications
environment within the two counties.
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3.1. TECHNICAL BASELINE
The technical baseline describes the system and how it operates. The information is objective and is
based strictly on MCP’s assessment of the system inventory and design.
3.1.1.
Current System Design
Pasquotank County’s primary communications system is comprised of a nine-site, voted receive
system operating in narrowband VHF and UHF analog mode. The system provides coverage for both
Pasquotank and Camden counties. The system equipment is primarily manufactured by Motorola
Solutions, Inc. (Motorola) and the system is serviced by Gately Communication, Inc. The radio
equipment employed at each site consists of Motorola GR 1225, GTR 8000 and MTR 2000 radios. The
operator position equipment at the dispatch center consists of five Motorola MCC 7500 dispatch
consoles.
Law enforcement in Pasquotank County communicates on UHF channels, while fire and EMS
communicate on VHF channels. Additionally, the Camden County Sherriff’s Office recently migrated to
the State’s VIPER system, an 800 MHz P25 radio system.
A single transmit site is used for Pasquotank and Camden counties, located on Wellfield Road, for the
main dispatch, law enforcement, and most TAC channels. A nearby State-managed tower houses
additional Pasquotank County equipment. The two towers are separated by a distance of a few
hundred feet.
The TAC4 channel uses the Shiloh site as a transmit site; all other TAC channels are transmitted from
the main dispatch tower.
The system utilizes voters that compare the received audio from a subscriber radio transmission and
determine which radio site received the strongest radio signal. This technology expands the talk-in
coverage footprint of each channel to the combined coverage footprint of all the received sites for that
channel.
Paging is accomplished in Pasquotank and Camden counties by using the fire and EMS dispatch
channel. Regional TAC channels are assigned to incidents as part of the initial page.
3.1.2.
Coverage
Talk-out radio coverage within Pasquotank and Camden counties is roughly the same for each channel
being used, because each channel uses the same transmit site. The talk-in coverage varies, however,
because receive sites are used for each channel.
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Propagation modeling was performed to assess coverage of the existing systems. The studies listed
below were conducted for Pasquotank County:
 Mobile talk-out
 Mobile talk-in
 Portable talk-out (in street)
 Portable talk-in (in street)
 Portable talk-out (in buildings with 6 decibels [dB] of attenuation)
 Portable talk-in (in buildings with 6 dB of attenuation)
 Pager
Based on the feedback received from Pasquotank County and Camden County technical personnel,
coverage problems exist throughout the counties. The most prominent and consistent coverage
problems occur in the northern and southern parts of both counties.
Based on each county’s radio site information, MCP conducted radio propagation studies to provide
coverage projections for Pasquotank and Camden counties. The coverage studies, found in Appendix
B, confirm the high level of coverage provided throughout the central portion of both counties, and
confirm the areas where coverage gaps were identified.
Paging Coverage
Paging on the Pasquotank County radio system is accomplished using the fire and EMS dispatch
channel, located at the main dispatch tower on Wellfield Road.
A paging transmitter with neighboring Perquimans County’s paging frequency is located at the Stateowned Navy Tower on Wellfield Road. The Inter-County Fire Department is paged using the
Perquimans County frequency for calls that take place in Perquimans County.
3.1.3.
Capacity
Capacity is the ability of a radio system to adequately handle all necessary radio traffic that first
responders generate in order to communicate effectively. This is a reflection of the number of users on
a specific channel, the duration of each radio transmission, and how often each active user transmits.
When a channel has reached capacity, traffic on the channel is congested to the point that a radio user
with a need to communicate does not have the opportunity. When this occurs, another channel may be
utilized.
Capacity on the current communication system is based on the usage of any individual channel. When
too many users share a single conventional channel, operations may be impeded when multiple events
Mission Critical Partners | 10
occur simultaneously. The Counties currently use TAC channels for fire operations; the TAC channels
usually are assigned during the initial paging dispatch.
Expanding capacity on the current communication system requires implementation of an additional
repeater at each radio site, the licensure of an additional countywide frequency, additional circuit
capacity, and additional voting and simulcast equipment. Because of these requirements, adding
additional channels is a costly and potentially impossible task depending on frequency availability.
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) guidelines and user feedback typically are utilized to
gauge the capacity of conventional systems. FCC guidelines recommend 70 to 100 subscriber radios
per channel on conventional systems. More or less may be appropriate based on the usage levels of
those channels. The region currently has approximately 629 subscriber radios. Central
Communications currently uses two dedicated law enforcement channels, one EMS channel, one
fire/EMS dispatch channel and five TAC channels for primary radio communications. The total number
of channels provides an average of one channel for every 70 users on the system.
3.1.4.
Subscriber Radios
Subscriber units (mobile, portable, and control station radios) within the two counties are owned by
each operating agency. The user group consists of nine fire departments, three law enforcement
agencies, one EMS agency, and one emergency management agency.
Subscriber Inventory
MCP gathered subscriber radio inventory information from each public safety agency within the two
counties. Approximately 376 portable radios, 253 mobile radios, 19 control stations, and 459 pagers
are in use on the regional communications systems.
Table 2 below details the approximate number of subscriber radios utilized by each agency.
Table 2 – Pasquotank County/Camden County Subscriber Summary
Discipline
Law
Law
Law
Fire
Fire
Fire
Fire
Fire
Fire
Agency
Portable
Mobile
Control
Stations
Pagers
76
24
9
27
12
27
16
38
31
60
20
57
19
6
5
6
8
9
2
1
0
2
1
1
0
0
1
0
0
0
60
30
50
43
39
70
Elizabeth City Police Department
Camden County Sheriff’s Office
Pasquotank Sheriff’s Office
Elizabeth City Fire Department
Inter-County Fire Department
Newland Volunteer Fire Department
Nixonton Volunteer Fire Department
Providence Volunteer Fire Department
South Camden Volunteer Fire Department
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Discipline
Agency
Portable
Mobile
Control
Stations
Pagers
Fire
Fire
EMA
EOC
EMS
South Mills Volunteer Fire Department
Weeksville Volunteer Fire Department
Pasquotank-Camden EMA
Pasquotank-Camden EOC
Pasquotank-Camden EMS
Total for EMS
Total for Fire
Total for Law Enforcement/EMA
Total Subscribers
11
18
13
0
74
74
180
122
376
6
6
5
0
46
46
65
142
253
1
1
8
1
0
0
7
12
19
50
31
0
0
86
86
373
0
459
Portable Radios
Figure 1 below indicates the portable radio models used today by agencies in the region. Motorola is
the most popular brand across all agencies. The three most popular models are the Motorola HT 1250,
the PR 400, and the XTS 2500. The HT 1250 and the PR 400 are not P25 capable and would require
replacement if a P25 system is implemented. The XTS 2500 is P25 capable, but is no longer in
production.
Remainder of page intentionally left blank.
Mission Critical Partners | 12
Portable Radio Models
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
Figure 1 – Portable Radio Models Used by Agencies
Mobile Radios
Figure 2 below indicates the mobile radio models used by agencies in the region today. Motorola is the
preferred brand across all agencies. The three most popular models are the Motorola CDM 1250, CDM
1550, and the PM 1500. Of these three models, only the PM 1500 can be upgraded to P25 capability.
If connection to the VIPER system is desired, agencies using these models would be required to
replace them with a 700/800 MHz capable radio, because the CMD 1250, CMD 1550 and the PM 1500
cannot operate in the 700/800 MHz frequency band.
Mission Critical Partners | 13
Mobile Radios
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Figure 2 – Mobile Radio Models Used by Agencies
Remainder of page intentionally left blank.
Mission Critical Partners | 14
Pager Models
Figure 3 below indicates the pager models used by agencies in the region today. Motorola is the most
popular brand of pagers, while the Minitor V is the most popular model with 321 pagers distributed,
mainly within the fire departments in the Counties. However, the Minitor V has been discontinued by
Motorola and replaced with the Minitor VI.
Pagers
350
300
250
200
150
100
50
0
Minitor IV
Minitor V
Minitor VI
Watchdog
Figure 3 – Pager Models Used by Agencies
3.1.5.
Radio Sites
Radio sites are a vital extension of the radio system in that they provide a secure space to house the
equipment that provides communications to first responders. They also provide protection from natural
and manmade threats in order to allow communications equipment to operate at optimum performance.
Radio sites are also an important factor when designing a new communications system, as it relates to
site reliability, availability, and function.
Pasquotank County utilizes nine tower sites. All of the sites are government-owned, with no lease
costs. Figure 4 below presents a map of the site locations, while Table 2 below provides a summary of
site usage by radio channel. “Tx” indicates that a channel is transmitted out to mobile and portable
Mission Critical Partners | 15
radios from that site, while “Rx” indicates that audio is received by the site from mobile and portable
radios.
Figure 4 – Pasquotank County and Camden County Radio Sites
Table 3 – Current Tower Use
Site
Durants Neck Water
Tank
Elizabeth City Water
Tank
Esclip Water Tank
Fire Tower
Main Dispatch Tower/
Tower “A”
Navy Tower
Shiloh Water Tank
South Mills
Wades Point
Pasquotan
k Sherriff
Elizabeth
City PD
Fire/EMS
Dispatch/
Paging
EMA
TAC2
TAC3
TAC4
Rx
Rx
TAC5
TAC6
Rx
Rx
Rx
Tx/Rx
Rx
Tx/Rx
Tx/Rx
Backup
Tx/Rx
Tx/Rx
Tx/Rx
Tx/Rx
Tx/Rx
Rx
Rx
Tx/Rx
Rx
Tx/Rx
Rx
Rx
Rx
The County uses its own shelters at most of the sites, though it co-locates in existing shelters at the
South Mills, Elizabeth City, and Navy Tower sites.
Mission Critical Partners | 16
During the course of MCP’s investigation, deficiencies were found regarding site alarming, electrical
grounding, backup power, and installation practices. MCP recommends that upgrades are made to
provide alarming at each site and to improve electrical grounding. A more detailed breakdown of site
conditions and recommendations can be found in Appendix A. Recommended site enhancements
were included in pricing for all three options.
3.1.6.
Central Communications Center
The Pasquotank – Camden – Elizabeth City Central Communications Center is the primary public
safety answering point (PSAP) and dispatch center for all public safety agencies within the two
counties. The 9-1-1 Center is equipped with five dispatch console positions, with staffing levels that
vary by shift and unique activity needs. Each of these positions serve both call-taker and dispatch
functions. Dispatchers are assigned to channels and user groups based on a daily schedule. The
channel assignments are rotated and all dispatchers are cross-trained to dispatch calls for all public
safety disciplines.
Dispatch Consoles
Pasquotank County currently has five Motorola MCC 7500 consoles for main dispatch operations. All
five positions are configured in the same manner. All dispatch staff is cross-trained to dispatch all
services.
The County also has two MCC 7100 Internet Protocol (IP) dispatch consoles to provide a mobile
dispatch solution. The MCC 7100 console is a software package that requires only a laptop and a
virtual private network (VPN) connection to the County network in order to operate.
Logging Recorder
Radio traffic is recorded for all channels that appear on the Pasquotank County dispatch consoles. The
recorder is a Higher Ground Capture-911 recording system, which is able to record up to 72 channels
in both analog and digital mode. It currently records both phone and radio traffic.
3.1.7.
Equipment End of Life
Within a radio communications system, each individual system component has a period of support from
the manufacturer during which time component repair and spare parts are available. After the vendor
ceases to manufacture a specific component, the vendor typically will stockpile excess parts and
support the unit for an additional five to seven years on a “best effort” basis. After that period, support
for the component can be obtained only through third parties. The ongoing maintenance of equipment
that has reached end of life (EOL) may become exceedingly expensive as the availability of
replacement parts becomes more limited, and may result in extended system downtimes until repairs
Mission Critical Partners | 17
can be made. Combined with the fact that older components become less reliable, the overall system
reliability and recovery times can be expected to worsen.
The primary system components utilized by Pasquotank County all were manufactured by Motorola.
Some of these components are no longer manufactured by Motorola, and are approaching the end of
the five-to-seven-year window after which support from the manufacturer no longer will be available; in
fact, a couple of components no longer are being supported by Motorola. Table 4 below summarizes
the EOL dates for the primary system components utilized in the Pasquotank County region.
Table 4 – EOL Dates for System Components
Quantar repeater
Spectra TAC voter
Astro-TAC voter
MTR 2000 repeater
GR 1225 repeater
3.1.8.
Component
EOL Date
December 2020
No longer supported
December 2018
March 2018
No longer supported
Frequency Considerations
The Pasquotank County radio system operates in the VHF and UHF bands, with fire and EMS users on
VHF and law enforcement on UHF. Services using different frequency bands have been reported as a
source of interoperable communications problems. Police are not able to talk directly to fire or EMS
units without the use of a second VHF radio. Dispatch often will serve as a relay between the services,
which is an inefficient use of radio resources. This lack of direct ability to monitor important calls can
also create circumstances where responding units may not receive important life safety information
while en route to an incident.
3.1.9.
System Resiliency and Single Points of Failure
The current system configuration uses a hub-and-spoke design with the main dispatch site serving as
the connectivity hub for all other sites.
The most catastrophic failure point is located at the main dispatch tower, where the voter/comparators
are located. Should a failure occur with these devices, the entire channel would become disabled. If a
channel fails, the users could switch to an alternate channel and operate with a higher channel usage
until the primary channel could be restored; however, the alternate channel(s) may provide reduced
coverage.
The majority of radio infrastructure utilized in Pasquotank and Camden counties is approximately ten
years old. The typical lifecycle for radio system components is ten to 15 years. As equipment ages,
failures become more likely due to wear and tear. Devices with moving parts, such as fans and power
Mission Critical Partners | 18
amplifiers, typically are the first components to experience failures. Accordingly, a system architecture
is needed that can accommodate component-level failures without resulting in a catastrophic loss of
capabilities for first responders.
3.1.10.
Connectivity/Backhaul
The Pasquotank-Camden County radio system relies on UHF radio links and 4.9 gigahertz (GHz)
microwave link to provide connectivity between each remote radio site and the control equipment
located at the main dispatch tower.
Leased T1 circuits require monthly fees to the local telephone company. These circuits also have a
tendency to suffer from poor reliability, often dropping connectivity during storms or periods of high
usage. Two leased circuits provided by CenturyLink are currently in use. The first circuit serves as a
backup to the microwave connectivity from the Center to the main dispatch tower. The second circuit
serves as the only connectivity to the Navy Tower.
Table 5 below summarizes the backhaul links utilized in the Pasquotank-Camden County network.
Table 5 – Pasquotank-Camden County Backhaul Summary
Site
Backhaul Type
Site
Durants Neck water tower
UHF radio link
Main dispatch tower
Elizabeth City water tower
Esclip water tower
Fire Tower
Main Tower
Main Tower
Navy Tower
Fiber link
UHF radio link
UHF radio link
Various, hub site
Leased circuit
Leased circuit
9-1-1 Center
Main dispatch tower
Main dispatch tower
Radio sites; 9-1-1 Center
9-1-1 Center
9-1-1 Center
4.9 GHz microwave
4.9 GHz microwave
4.9 GHz microwave
Main dispatch tower
Main dispatch tower
Main dispatch tower
Shiloh water tower
South Mills
Wades Point
3.1.11.
Interoperability
Interoperability refers to the ability of users to communicate with agencies that fall outside of their
primary response group. Interoperability may be between different law enforcement agencies within
the same county, across disciplines, with agencies in neighboring counties, or with any other agency
with which communication may be required.
This section includes a description of technological solutions utilized within Pasquotank and Camden
counties to establish interoperability.
Mission Critical Partners | 19
Interagency Communications (In County)
Agencies that operate on the same radio bands (VHF for fire, UHF for law enforcement in Pasquotank
County and Elizabeth City) have each other’s channels programmed into their radios today.
To communicate with an agency on another frequency band, users must relay information through
dispatch or request console patching, which is available at the Center. Patching is infrequently used,
however, as it effectively ties up two channels on different frequency bands; it also results in some
inherent audio delays on the front end of a call on a repeated channel and when connecting to a
trunked system.
State of North Carolina Agencies
The State of North Carolina operates the 800 MHz VIPER system, and several local agencies have
been using it for communications. For instance, the Camden County Sheriff’s Office transitioned to
VIPER for all of its primary radio traffic and Pasquotank–Camden EMS uses it for mobile
communications. Pasquotank–Camden EMS also maintains a cache of VIPER radios for use during
special events. For other agencies using VHF or UHF, unit-to-unit interoperability between County,
City, State, or other VIPER users is not available. Interoperability for VHF and UHF users depends
primarily on a relay through the 9-1-1 Center. While the 9-1-1 Center can patch VHF and UHF
channels to the VIPER system, patching rarely is used to support interoperability. Some State troopers
have UHF radios so that they can communicate directly with local law enforcement.
Other Adjacent Counties
Currituck County has migrated to the VIPER system for law enforcement, fire and EMS
communications. The Perquimans County Sheriff’s Office has migrated to VIPER, with fire and EMS
remaining on VHF at this time. Gates County has not yet transitioned to VIPER, but is considering
doing so.
3.1.12.
Maintenance
Maintenance on the County-owned radio infrastructure is provided primarily by Gately Communications,
a local Motorola-certified service shop. Gately provides preventive maintenance and repair services on
all County equipment. A total of $81,045 is estimated to be spent every year on maintenance of the
radio system and ancillary systems.
Subscriber radios are owned and maintained by each municipality or agency.
Table 6 below summarizes the collective recurring maintenance costs for sites in Pasquotank and
Camden counties that the 9-1-1 Center oversees.
Mission Critical Partners | 20
Table 6 – Pasquotank County Recurring Fees
Service
Annual Fee
Tower maintenance
Site yard maintenance
Leased circuits
Radio equipment maintenance
Console maintenance
$10,000
$2,000
$4,680
$21,456
$42,909
Annual Total
$81,045
3.2. OPERATIONAL BASELINE
The operational baseline describes various user groups and their feedback regarding the system. The
purpose of the operational baseline is to establish the needs that the current communications system
satisfies, and to determine those needs that are not being met. Using this information, a set of
requirements is established that defines what features the new communications system must provide.
This section includes a summary of the agencies that utilize the Pasquotank County/Camden County
radio system, feedback collected from key personnel and from Web surveys regarding the system, and
MCP’s assessment of the most critical system concerns that should be addressed in an improved or
new communications system.
3.2.1.
User Agencies
There are eight fire departments, three law enforcement agencies, one EMS agency, and one
emergency management agency using the system. Table 7 below summarizes the user groups and
the number of personnel employed by each agency.
Table 7 – Pasquotank-Camden County System Users
Discipline
Fire
Fire
Law
Fire
Law
Fire
EMA
Agency
Inter-County Volunteer Fire Department
Elizabeth City Fire Department
Camden County Sheriff's Office
South Mills Vol. Fire Department
Elizabeth City Police Department
South Camden Fire Department
Emergency Management Agency (EOC)
Full-Time
Personnel
0
45
20
0
61
0
1
Mission Critical Partners | 21
Part-Time
Personnel
0
0
6
0
0
0
0
Volunteers
24
0
0
48
0
55
0
Discipline
Fire
Agency
Pasquotank Providence Fire Department
Pasquotank-Camden Emergency Management
Agency
Pasquotank-Camden EMS
Weeksville Volunteer Fire Department
Pasquotank-Nixonton Volunteer Fire Department
Pasquotank Newland Volunteer Fire Department
Pasquotank County Sheriff's Office
Totals
EMA
EMS
Fire
Fire
Fire
Law
3.2.2.
Full-Time
Personnel
0
Part-Time
Personnel
0
1
0
58
0
0
0
48
234
36
0
0
0
10
52
Volunteers
32
10
30
28
28
26
0
281
Web Survey Responses
User feedback regarding the various communications systems was gathered through a mix of
mandatory and optional questions on the Web survey. MCP received 14 responses, with all agencies
submitting a response. The unabridged responses from the online survey can be found in Appendix D.
Responses from fire, EMS and law enforcement are summarized below:
 Numerous comments regarding the need for consistent and reliable radio performance on all
channels throughout the two-county area (Improved reliability and coverage)
 Numerous comments regarding the need for improved interoperability
 Need for additional channels
 Need for more reliable paging performance
 Desire to move to a system that will be a long-term solution
 Safety concern regarding lack of coverage and reliable communications today
 Desire for encryption capability
 Desire for over-the-air rekeying (OTAR)
4. ANALYSIS
In order to establish a direction for the radio network, an analysis must be completed that reviews
industry standards and trends, and determines which technologies will most benefit the user
community. This section explores the various components and technologies that will determine the
recommended specifications or system option.
4.1. COVERAGE
Adequate coverage is the most important feature of any radio system. Coverage concerns were noted
by many agencies within the two counties. Radio coverage is a difficult variable to quantify. Once a
radio wave leaves an antenna, the propagating wave interacts with the air, atmosphere, clouds, trees,
Mission Critical Partners | 22
ground, and any other medium between the transmitter and receiver. These obstacles obscure and
weaken the radio frequency (RF) signal, making it more difficult for the receiver to interpret the signal.
In addition, the longer a radio wave travels, the weaker the received signal becomes.
Once the wave reaches the user’s radio, the receiver antenna must be able to detect the RF signal that
has been weakened and corrupted with noise and reconstruct the audio. The ability of a receiver to
decode an RF signal is dependent on the signal-to-noise ratio, i.e., how much signal is left relative to
the noise that has been introduced during its travels. In addition, the receiver equipment itself
generates RF noise, which the RF signal also must overcome.
When quantifying coverage in an LMR system, three levels must be considered, as follows:
 Mobile
 Outdoor portable
 Indoor portable
Mobile coverage is defined as the geographic area where a vehicular-mounted radio can communicate
reliably with the base station at an associated radio tower. Mobile radios use higher power than
portable radios, have higher-mounted antennas, have more efficient antennas, and have antennas
mounted free from immediate obstructions. Because mobile radios are able to receive a weaker signal
and transmit with more power, they are able to operate over a wider area than portable radios. The
higher-power transmitter helps to improve talk-in coverage, i.e., coverage from the mobile unit to the
tower.
Portable outdoor coverage is more limited than mobile coverage. When using a portable radio, the
signal is attenuated by the user’s body. The closer an obstacle is to the antenna, the more dramatic
the impact on the radio’s performance. Portable radio antennas typically are used at a lower height
than mobile radio antennas, leaving the radios more submerged in the terrain, which further impedes
the signal. Portable radios typically are limited to transmitter power output (TPO) of 3 to 5 watts,
compared with mobile radios, which typically have a TPO of 35 to 50 watts. Ergo, a portable radio
needs significantly more received signal power compared with a mobile radio to interpret the signal.
Indoor coverage is the most limited radio coverage level. Public safety radio users often need to
communicate within buildings. Buildings further impede the radio wave, making it more difficult for the
portable radio inside the building to interpret the signal. A plethora of building factors—such as the type
of construction, number of floors, number of windows, location of the building relative to tower sites,
placement of fire walls, location of electrical wiring, and the location of the user within the building—
impact the path of the radio wave and the ability of the radio to interpret a received signal. When
designing a radio system, buildings typically are quantified as to how much they degrade a radio signal.
Because there are so many factors associated with in-building coverage losses, there is no perfect way
to quantify such coverage. Typical building losses range from 8 to 24 dB reduction of the signal.
Losses within a building may differ dramatically from one location within a single building to another.
Radio systems are designed to meet categories of average building loss specifications. Coverage
Mission Critical Partners | 23
within individual buildings may be enhanced through bidirectional amplifiers (BDAs) that reradiate
received signals from outside the building to inside the building.
When designing a radio system, coverage requirements should meet the coverage needs of the users.
For instance, a state highway patrol agency may require only mobile radio coverage, while a fire
department in a major metropolitan area likely will have a requirement for in-building coverage. The
greater the coverage requirement that a system has, the greater the number of radio sites that are
necessary. The number of radio sites increases significantly as the coverage requirement increases,
dramatically increasing costs. When a vendor is contracted to install a radio system, a coverage
requirement typically is defined in the contract. The typical coverage requirement is 95 percent outdoor
portable coverage throughout the entire jurisdiction; however, required coverage levels vary from
system to system. Once the system is installed, the vendor must demonstrate proof of performance by
testing the system using a combination of automated and manual coverage testing tools.
4.1.1.
Pasquotank County and Camden County Coverage
MCP performed propagation modeling for mobile, portable, and in-building coverage for the existing
Pasquotank-Camden County system. Although adequate mobile coverage appears to be provided
countywide, portable coverage shows deficiencies in the northern and southern regions of both
counties. Indeed, portable coverage with 6 dB of building attenuation added to simulate the loss
associated with a wood-frame house shows even more pronounced coverage deficiencies of the
current system. Meanwhile, paging coverage shows a similar footprint to the radio channels.
Coverage maps for the existing system can be found in Appendix A.
In general, talk-in coverage is stronger than talk-out coverage, due to the use of a single transmit site
and a voted receive signal for each channel.
A simulcast transmit site combined with voted receive signals would provide stronger countywide
coverage.
4.2. CAPACITY
The capacity of a radio system is the system’s ability to provide an effective communications path for all
users at any time. When a system reaches capacity, the ability of radio users to communicate is
inhibited. On a conventional system, an agency may not be able to communicate because the channel
is overloaded with traffic. On a trunking system, a talkgroup may be denied service because all
frequencies are currently in use by active talkgroups. Capacity on a system is directly related to the
number of radio channels in the system. A conventional system assigns one user group for each
frequency. In contrast, a trunking system dynamically allocates a pool of frequencies to a pool of user
groups as needed, which results in more communications capacity than that provided by a non-trunked
(conventional) system.
Mission Critical Partners | 24
Capacity on a radio system can be quantified on several levels. The lowest capacity level pertains to
how the system accommodates day-to-day radio traffic. Day-to-day traffic coincides with the number of
emergencies, which are typically higher during nights and weekends. Conventional systems may
experience capacity problems when multiple incidents occur simultaneously for users on a shared
channel. While these incidents do not necessarily occur on a day-to-day basis, they are common
enough that systems should be designed to accommodate the higher traffic loads of multiple incidents.
The next capacity level relates to planned events—such as parades, holidays, and sporting events—for
which increased radio traffic will be planned. During these events, it is expected that radio usage will
be higher. Planned events demanding high radio usage can be accommodated by proper event
planning. Radio channels can be assigned ahead of time so that users can properly manage the
capacity on the radio system.
The highest capacity level relates to unplanned events—such as natural disasters—that demand a high
level of radio capacity. During these events, it is likely that a radio system must accommodate both the
primary users and traffic for mutual-aid arriving from other jurisdictions to support the emergency
response. System capacity in these events is the hardest to manage, yet can be the most critical.
Like coverage, it is important to design a radio system with capacity that is adequate to meet user
needs. FCC guidelines recommend one radio channel for every 70 to 100 users. This is a rough
estimate because actual usage depends on the operational requirements of each individual agency. A
more accurate estimate of loading for trunking systems is based on Erlang calculations, which take into
consideration the type of users, as well as the frequency and duration of radio calls. Ideally, coverage
is designed to meet the capacity needs during the worst-case situation, not just everyday use.
Trunking systems provide far more capabilities than conventional systems for managing system
capacity. First and foremost, trunking systems are inherently more spectrally efficient than
conventional systems, because the dynamic allocations of talkgroups provide a higher rate of channel
reuse. Second, priority can be set on trunking systems so that access is denied to less-critical user
groups when capacity is reached. Third, features such as dynamic allocation enable radio managers to
remotely alter the composition of user groups and their access to the radio system.
4.2.1.
Pasquotank County and Camden County Capacity
FCC guidelines and user feedback typically are utilized to gauge the capacity of conventional systems.
FCC guidelines recommend 70 to 100 subscriber radios per channel on conventional systems. More or
less may be appropriate based on the usage levels of those channels. The County currently has
approximately 629 subscriber radios. Pasquotank County currently uses two dedicated law
enforcement channels, one EMS channel, one fire/EMS dispatch channel and five TAC channels for
primary radio communications. The total number of channels provides an average of one channel for
every 70 users on the system. While this loading falls within the general channel-loading
Mission Critical Partners | 25
recommendations, user feedback regarding system capacity highlighted regular instances of channel
congestion and the need for more capacity, especially during critical or large-scale incidents.
4.2.2.
Loading for Trunking Systems
Because trunking systems dynamically assign frequencies to active channels, capacity is defined as
the probability that the system will not have an available frequency to accommodate a talkgroup
request, resulting in the subsequent queuing of the call. Erlang C calculations can be made to
determine the appropriate number of channels for a trunking system based on the number of active
users, the average number of calls per hour, and the average duration of each call.
MCP performed Erlang C calculations to determine the appropriate number of trunking channels to
support the region if a trunking system ultimately is implemented. MCP performed the analysis using
250 active users with an average of five calls per hour, and an average call duration of four seconds.
Table 8 below summarizes the results of the Erlang C calculations.
Table 8 – Erlang C Calculations
# Of Users
Average
Call
Duration
# of Calls
per Hour
Acceptable
Queued Call
Delay
(in seconds)
Maximum #
of Voice
Channels
2.5
250
5.0
4.00
1.0
5
Number of
Voice
Channels
Probability
Call
Request
Blocked
Average
Queue
Depth
Average
Call Delay
Queued Call
Delay
(in seconds)
Arbitrary
Call Delay
% Calls
Exceeding
Acceptable
Queued Call
Delay
0.01
0.01
0.02
0.49
0.01
0.1%
0.06
0.03
0.11
0.59
0.03
3.5%
0.20
0.17
0.62
0.72
0.14
14.4%
0.57
1.29
4.66
0.88
0.50
50.4%
System
Erlangs
5
4
3
2
Based on these results, a trunking system with five voice paths is necessary to provide an adequate
level of capacity for the region. One additional channel is required for the control channel,
necessitating a total of six channels.
4.3. INTEROPERABILITY ISSUES AND STANDARDS
One of the primary goals of any communications system is to provide interoperability for emergency
response personnel. Interoperability has been identified as a major limitation within the two-county
Mission Critical Partners | 26
region. MCP’s assessment of interoperable communications is based on the Interoperability
Continuum developed by the federal SAFECOM program and adopted by the Department of Homeland
Security (DHS) as the standard for evaluating interoperable communications. The Interoperability
Continuum provides a basis for planning both tactical interoperable communications programs and
strategic initiatives to improve interoperable communications. Federal grant programs that provide
funding for interoperable communications initiatives use the goals and standards encompassed in the
Interoperability Continuum.
The information that follows provides a foundation for MCP’s approach to assessing interoperable
communications.
4.3.1.
DHS Security Guidance and Template
The tragic events of September 11, 2001, emphasized the critical importance of effective emergency
responder communications systems. The lack of emergency response interoperability is a longstanding, complex, and costly problem with many impediments to overcome. Interoperability is the
ability of emergency response agencies to talk to one another via radio communication systems—to
exchange voice and/or data with one another on demand, in real-time, when needed, and when
authorized.
SAFECOM is a federal program that provides research, development, testing and evaluation, guidance,
tools, and templates regarding communications-related issues to local, tribal, state, and federal
emergency response agencies working to improve emergency response through more effective and
efficient interoperable wireless communications. SAFECOM has developed an interoperability model
consisting of an Interoperability Continuum that sets goals in five elements considered essential to
achieving effective interoperable communications: governance, standard operating procedures (SOPs),
technology, training and exercises, and usage. The goals in this continuum have been incorporated
into guidelines and requirements for federal funding designated for interoperable communications. The
information that follows provides a brief overview of the SAFECOM interoperability model.
In general, interoperability refers to the ability of emergency responders to work seamlessly with other
systems or products without any special effort. Wireless communications interoperability specifically
refers to the ability of emergency response officials to share information via voice and data signals on
demand, in real-time, when needed, and as authorized. For example, when communications systems
are interoperable, police and firefighters responding to a routine incident can talk to each other to
coordinate efforts. Communications interoperability makes it possible for emergency response
agencies responding to catastrophic accidents or disasters to work effectively together. Finally,
interoperability allows emergency response personnel to maximize resources in planning for major
predictable events or for disaster relief and recovery efforts.
Tactical interoperable communications are defined as the rapid provisioning of on-scene, incidentbased, mission-critical voice communications among all first-responder agencies (EMS, fire, and law
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enforcement), as appropriate for the incident, and in support of an Incident Command System (ICS), as
defined in the National Incident Management System (NIMS).
There are a variety of challenges to interoperability: some are technical, some are financial, and some
stem from human factors such as inadequate planning and lack of awareness of the real importance of
interoperability.
4.3.2.
Interoperability Continuum
Interoperability planning should be based on the principles developed by the SAFECOM program—
including the Interoperability Continuum, which is depicted in Figure 5 below.
Figure 5 – SAFECOM Interoperability Continuum
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The Interoperability Continuum was established to depict the core facets of interoperability, according
to the stated needs and challenges of the emergency response community. It will aid emergency
responders and policymakers in their short- and long-term interoperability efforts, as they plan and
implement interoperability solutions.
Making progress in all aspects of interoperability is essential, because the elements are
interdependent. Therefore, to gain a true picture of a region's level of interoperability, progress along
all five elements of the Interoperability Continuum must be considered together. For example, when a
region procures new equipment, that region should plan training and conduct exercises to make the
best use of that equipment.
Governance
A common governance structure for solving interoperability issues will improve the policies, processes,
and procedures of any major project by: enhancing communication, coordination and cooperation;
establishing guidelines and principles; and reducing any internal jurisdictional conflicts. This structure
should encompass local, state, and federal entities, as well as representatives from all pertinent
emergency response disciplines within the identified region. A formal governance structure is critical to
the success of interoperability planning. The Interoperability Continuum identifies four levels of
governance from least effective to most effective:
 Individual agencies working independently—a lack of coordination among responding
organizations
 Informal coordination between agencies—loose line-level or agency agreements that provide
minimal incident interoperability
 Key multidiscipline staff collaboration on a regular basis—a number of agencies and disciplines
working together in a local area to promote interoperability
 Regional committee working with a statewide interoperability committee—multidisciplinary
agencies working together across a region pursuant to formal written agreements as defined
within the larger scope of a state plan. Such an arrangement promotes optimal interoperability
Standard Operating Procedures
Standard operating procedures (SOPs) are formal, written guidelines or instructions for incident
response. They typically have both operational and technical components. The Interoperability
Continuum identifies five levels of SOPs from least effective to most effective:
 Individual agency SOPs—Uncoordinated procedures across agencies that can hinder effective
multidiscipline/multiagency response
 Joint SOPs for planned events—Development of SOPs for planned events. This typically
represents the first phase as agencies begin to work together to develop interoperability
 Joint SOPs for emergencies—SOPs for emergency-level response that are developed as
agencies continue to promote interoperability
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

Regional set of communications SOPs—Region-wide communications SOPs for
multiagency/multidiscipline/multi-hazard responses as an integral step towards optimal
interoperability
NIMS-integrated SOPs—Regional SOPs molded to conform to the elements of the NIMS
program
Technology
Although technology is a critical tool for improving interoperability, it is not the sole driver of an optimal
solution. Success in each of the other elements is essential to the proper use and implementation of
technology, and should drive its procurement. Technology is highly dependent upon existing
infrastructure within a region. Multiple technology solutions may be required to support large events.
The Interoperability Continuum identifies five levels of technology from least effective to most effective:
 Swap radios—Swapping radios or maintaining a cache of standby radios is an age-old solution
that is time-consuming, management-intensive, and may provide only limited results due to
channel availability
 Gateways—Gateways retransmit across multiple frequency bands providing an interim
interoperability solution as agencies move toward shared systems. Gateways, however, are
inefficient in that they require twice as much spectrum because each participating agency must
use at least one channel in each band per common talk path, and because they are tailored for
communications within the geographic coverage area common to all participating systems
within the region
 Shared channels—Interoperability is promoted when agencies share a common frequency
band, air interface (analog or digital), and are able to agree on common channels. However,
the general frequency congestion that exists across the United States can place severe
restrictions on the number of independent interoperability talk paths available in some bands
 Proprietary shared systems and standards-based shared systems—Regional shared systems
provide the optimal solution to interoperability. While proprietary systems limit the user's choice
of product with regard to manufacturer, standards-based shared systems promote competitive
procurement and a wide selection of products to meet specific user needs. With proper
planning of the talkgroup architecture, interoperability is provided as a byproduct of system
design, thus creating an optimal technology solution
Training and Exercises
Proper training and regular exercises are critical to the implementation and maintenance of a
successful interoperability solution. The Interoperability Continuum identifies five levels of training and
exercises from least effective to most effective:
 General orientation on equipment—Agencies provide initial orientation to the users with regard
to the user’s particular equipment. Multijurisdictional/multiagency operations are often an
afterthought to this training, if included at all
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



Single agency tabletop for key field and support staff—Structured tabletop exercises promote
planning and help to identify response gaps. However, single-agency activities do not promote
interoperability across disciplines and jurisdictions. Additionally, management and supervisory
training is critical to promoting routine use of interoperability mechanisms
Multiagency tabletop for key field and support staff—As agencies and disciplines begin working
together to develop exercises and provide field training, workable interoperability solutions
emerge
Multiagency full functional exercises involving all staff—Once multiagency/multidiscipline plans
are developed and practiced at the management and supervisory level, it becomes critical that
all staff who eventually would be involved in actual implementation receive training and
participate in exercises
Regular comprehensive regional training and exercises—Optimal interoperability involves
equipment familiarization and an introduction to regional/state interoperability at the time of hire
(or in an academy setting). Success will be assured by regular, comprehensive, and realistic
exercises that address potential problems in the region and involve the participation of all
personnel
Despite the best planning and technology preparations, there is always the risk of the unexpected, i.e.,
critical and unprecedented incidents that require an expert at the helm to immediately adapt to the
situation. Within ICS, these specialists are called Communications Unit Leaders (COMLs).
The COMLs’ role is a critical function that requires adequate training and cannot be delegated to an
individual simply because that person has a general familiarity with radios. Rather, the proper training
of these individuals is of significant importance to a region's ability to respond to unexpected events,
prepare the region to manage the communications component of larger interoperability incidents, and
apply the available technical solutions to the specific operational environment of the event. COMLs
training and certification is a formalized process administered by the DHS as part of the NIMS program.
Usage
Usage refers to how often interoperable communications technologies are used. Success in this
element is contingent upon progress and interplay among the other four elements of the Interoperability
Continuum. The range of usage in actual practice includes the following:
 Planned events—Events for which the date and time are known. Examples include athletic
events and large conferences/conventions that involve multiple responding agencies
 Localized emergency incidents—Emergency events that involve multiple multijurisdictional
responding agencies. A vehicle collision on an interstate highway is an example of this type of
incident
 Regional incident management—Routine coordination of responses across a region that include
automatic-aid fire response, as well as response to natural and fabricated disasters
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
Daily use throughout the region—Interoperability systems that are used every day for managing
routine as well as emergency incidents. In this optimal solution, users are familiar with the
operation of the system and routinely work in concert with each other
4.3.3.
Technology on the Interoperability Continuum
Since this assessment is primarily based on radio technology, MCP focused on how current and future
technologies might support effective interoperability for first responders within the two counties. There
are five general levels concerning the technology element of the Interoperability Continuum: radio
caches, shared channels, interoperable gateways, proprietary shared systems, and standards-based
shared systems.
Swapping Radios (Radio Caches)
Swapping radios, by maintaining radio caches, is one way to provide interoperability among agencies
jointly responding to an incident. Radio caches allow on-scene responders from all agencies to swap
incompatible radios. This allows all responders to use a common, compatible set of radios. For a radio
cache to be an effective shared resource, it should have the following characteristics:
 Be fully charged and maintained, ready for deployment at all times
 Include extra charged batteries for extended deployments
 Provide personnel to transport the radios to the incident scene
 Provide technicians for on-scene support during the deployment
 Provide check-out and tracking procedures during the incident to assure that the radios are
properly returned to the cache following the incident
Pasquotank–Camden EMA maintains a cache of VIPER 800 MHz radios.
Radio caches represent one of the primary tools available to support interoperability with agencies
operating in the 800 MHz frequency bands. However, the use of radio caches as the sole method to
achieve interoperability is not desired. Properly maintaining a radio cache and assuring that radios are
always ready to be used is labor intensive and time consuming. Also, users of cache radios may not be
familiar with the equipment or the system. In addition, resources are limited to the number of cache
radios, which typically is insufficient in the event of a major disaster when many users must operate on
a neighboring system.
While it certainly would be desirable to eliminate the need to maintain two radio platforms to provide
mutual-aid communications with neighboring jurisdictions, it is important to point out that interoperable
gateways require overlapping coverage from both systems to be effective. It is likely that this
requirement will not be met when users are responding to another jurisdiction in order to provide
mutual-aid. For this reason, cache radios can be an effective tool when other interoperability solutions
are not available. During a major disaster, emergency response agencies from all over the state or
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country may respond. During these events, all aspects of the interoperability continuum become
critical, including cache radios.
Interoperable Gateways
Gateway systems provide connections between two or more radio networks, allowing users on one
network to communicate with users on other networks. For example, a group of users on an 800 MHz
channel used by Agency A can be connected to a group of users on a VHF channel used by Agency B.
The interconnection is created when two or more radio channels or voice paths are connected to each
other via a gateway device, such as a console patch.
Gateway systems can be configured to support any number of channels. Using gateway systems,
usually through a dispatch console, a dispatch operator can select the appropriate channels to
interconnect. With many gateways, multiple interconnect sessions involving distinct groups can be
established at any given time by the gateway operator. The maximum number of simultaneous
interconnect sessions in progress depends on the gateway system.
Gateway systems typically are used in regions where there is overlapping coverage of participating
radio communications systems. For example, two agencies responding to an incident can have
channels from their respective communications networks interconnected; however, this is only useful if
the coverage area of each network includes the incident location. An agency must be able to access its
own communications network. Thus, the service areas for a gateway system generally are restricted to
the overlapping service area of all participating agencies.
Mobile gateways refer to field-deployable devices that can be used to enhance tactical interoperability.
Mobile gateways are the most useful when agencies do not have overlapping coverage and must
respond to a localized event such as a rural brush fire. The gateway allows for the interconnection of
simplex channels in different frequency bands, and permits localized interoperability within the limited
coverage area of the gateway transmitters and antenna systems. The problem with these systems is
the time delay associated with deploying the equipment and training limitations due to the infrequent
use of equipment.
Central Communications Center operates a fixed gateway device. The dispatch consoles serve as
fixed gateways, permitting patching between any channels that are monitored on the console.
However, patches between trunked and conventional systems can lead to some technical and
operational challenges. For instance, conventional users cannot hear the trunking system grant tone
through the patch; consequently, the first second of transmitted audio may not be heard by users on the
trunked system. Training is necessary to assure that users compensate for the delay. Current model
consoles support buffered audio that automatically compensates for delays between trunked and
conventional transmissions.
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While gateways are an effective method to establish interoperability, they are not the ideal method due
to the need for overlapping coverage and the loading of channels in multiple systems. However,
situations certainly exist where patching is an effective interoperability tool.
Shared Channels
Shared channels refer to common frequencies that have been established and are programmed into
radios to provide direct interoperable communications among disparate agencies. In order to use this
option, all user radios must be capable of operating on the same frequency band with the same
modulation scheme. Shared channels and shared systems are the only types of interoperable
communications equipment that are always available, because no third-party intervention or
overlapping system coverage is necessary.
While shared channels can greatly support interoperable communications, when other agencies
operate on different frequency bands, the use of multiband radios or other interoperability tools are
necessary to interoperate with these agencies.
Proprietary Shared Systems
Proprietary shared systems refer to the use of a common technology among multiple agencies that is
proprietary to a specific vendor. Multiple users operating with a proprietary technology have the ability,
with proper permission, to access the talkgroups and features of the system. Seamless interoperability
would be available provided that all users were using the same proprietary technology in the same
frequency band.
Proprietary systems have the inherent limitation of being specific to an individual vendor. Use of
proprietary systems as a regional interoperability solution requires the consensus of all stakeholders on
the vendor and technology to implement. Individual agencies that choose to operate proprietary
solutions without the consensus of interoperability partners within the region create an interoperability
scenario that is limited to a gateway solution. Even if that consensus is achieved, regional proprietary
systems limit the capabilities of users from outside the region to communicate.
In the present public safety radio market, proprietary systems are not recommended as an
interoperability solution. Proprietary systems became popular during the advent of trunking systems in
the 1980s and 1990s. However, with the development of P25, proprietary systems are less desirable
given their inherent interoperability limitations and vendor restrictions.
Standards-based Shared Systems
Standards-based shared systems involve the implementation of a common standards-based
technology. P25 is an example of a standards-based technology.
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By implementing standards-based shared systems, radio users have the flexibility to purchase
equipment from different vendors and still maintain shared communications on trunking architecture.
This allows users from different agencies to access shared talkgroups on neighboring systems in much
the same way that shared channels are used. However, shared system access in this case provides
the guest user access to the wide-area coverage, security, and other feature sets provided by trunking
systems. In addition, trunking systems are better able to manage system loading and capacity, and are
thus better able to accommodate an influx of interoperability traffic. Because these systems are
standards-based, it is more likely that users responding from outside the region that have radios based
on a common standards-based technology will be able to operate on the system.
The only interoperability limitation of standards-based shared systems concerns the frequency band.
When users operate in disparate frequency bands, the only solutions available to allow cross-band
communication are gateways or multiband radios.
The North Carolina VIPER system is an example of a shared P25 800 MHz trunking platform.
4.4. RADIO SYSTEM TECHNOLOGIES
4.4.1.
Analog versus Digital
Analog refers to a method of radio transmission where a continuous audio message is modulated
(piggybacked) onto a high-frequency wireless carrier. Because the transmission waveform is
continuous, any noise or interference appearing on the wireless signal will be transferred to the
decoded audio message. This noise and interference will appear as static. When the signal and noise
becomes significantly high relative to the transmitted signal, the audio message is not discernible
among the static.
Digital refers to a method of radio transmission where an audio message is first converted into discrete
binary (1 and 0) values using an analog-to-digital converter before being transmitted onto a wireless
carrier. When the wireless message is received, the message is passed through a digital-to-analog
converter and the original audio message is restored. With digital transmission, noise and interference
only will impact the received audio if the noise and interference is so significant that the receiver
interprets a “1” as a “0” or vice versa (this is known as a bit error). Digital systems are able to
reconstruct the original transmitted message perfectly over a farther distance than analog systems.
However, once a digital transmission is weak enough that the receiver no longer can discern ones and
zeros, the transmitted message very quickly becomes unintelligible.
In radio communications, there are strengths and weaknesses for both analog and digital systems.
Table 9 below lists the strengths and weaknesses of analog systems.
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Table 9 – Analog System Strengths and Weaknesses
Strengths
Compatible with a wide range of less-expensive
subscriber radios
Arguably able to perform better in very weak coverage
areas
Received audio has more likeness to original
transmission
Gradual decline in service as coverage weakens, so
users are aware when they are approaching service
boundary
Weaknesses
Most modern public safety radio technologies do not
use analog technology
Minimal options for encryption
Minimal options for data transmission
Greater level of static throughout coverage area
Table 10 below lists the strengths and weaknesses of digital systems.
Table 10 – Digital System Strengths and Weaknesses
Strengths
Adopted in modern communications system platforms,
including P25
Able to transmit data along with voice
Natively compatible with digital transmission networks,
such as Internet Protocol (IP)
Capable of supporting the Advanced Encryption
Standard (AES) and Data Encryption Standard (DES)
Wider range of undistorted audio
Weaknesses
More-expensive subscriber equipment with less
options
Received audio has some distortion and is not a pure
reproduction of the original transmission
Arguably performs weaker in poor coverage areas
No audible warning that coverage is weakening until
the point that coverage is not available (all or nothing)
Figure 6 below demonstrates the audio quality difference between analog and digital systems.
Remainder of page intentionally left blank.
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Figure 6 – Audio Quality of Analog and Digital Systems
4.4.2.
Project 25 (P25)
The Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials, International (APCO) P25 standards for
public safety digital radio were established under the guidance of APCO and developed under the
governance of the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA). The development of P25 standards
involved representatives from local, state, and federal government agencies, in conjunction with
industry representatives, who evaluated basic technologies to develop common standards for
advanced digital LMR technology for public safety organizations.
P25 is a suite of eight standards intended to help produce equipment that is interoperable and
compatible regardless of manufacturer. The P25 standards suite includes the following interfaces:
 Common air interface (CAI)
 Fixed/base station subsystem interface (FSSI)
 Inter-RF subsystem interface (ISSI)
 Console subsystem interface (CSSI)
 Data network interface
 Network management interface
 Telephone interconnect interface
 Subscriber data peripheral interface
P25 has four key objectives:
 Provide enhanced functionality with equipment and capabilities focused on public safety needs
 Improve spectrum efficiency
 Assure competition among multiple vendors through an open systems architecture
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
Allow effective, efficient, and reliable intra-agency and interagency communications
P25 is intended to make informed decisions easier for users when planning to convert an existing
system to digital. Using the P25 standards, vendors’ systems can be more readily compared because
they use an agreed-upon baseline set of specifications. This allows users to more accurately compare
the direct features and benefits of both entire systems and individual radio products. It is intended to
make bidding processes more competitive among prospective vendors. In addition, users should have
the opportunity to mix and match equipment among P25-compliant suppliers because all compliant
equipment will use the same standards and work on any P25-compliant system.
DHS in its 2007 Federal Grant Guidance for Emergency Response Communications and
Interoperability Grants indicated a strong preference for P25-compliant radio equipment, stating:
“When procuring equipment for communication system development and expansion, a
standards-based approach should be used to begin migration to multi-jurisdictional and
multi-disciplinary interoperability. Specifically, all new digital voice systems should be
compliant with the P25 suite of standards. This recommendation is intended for
government-owned or -leased digital land mobile public safety radio equipment. Its
purpose is to make sure that such equipment or systems are capable of interoperating
with other digital emergency response land mobile equipment or systems. It is not
intended to apply to commercial services that offer other types of interoperability
solutions.
“Further, it does not exclude any application if the application demonstrates that the
system or equipment being proposed will lead to enhanced interoperability. With input
from the user community, these standards have been developed to allow for backward
compatibility with existing digital and analog systems and to provide for interoperability in
future systems. The FCC has chosen the P25 suite of standards for voice and low-tomoderate-speed data interoperability in the new nationwide 700 MHz frequency band
and the integrated wireless network (IWN) of the United States Homeland Security,
Justice and Treasury Departments has chosen the P25 suite of standards for their new
radio equipment. The United States Department of Defense has also endorsed P25 for
new LMR systems.”
Only where there are compelling reasons to do so will the federal government fund the procurement of
non-P25-compliant radio equipment.
The final documents establishing the P25 standard were approved and signed in August 1995 at the
APCO International Conference and Exposition in Detroit, Michigan. These are referred to as the P25
Phase I standards; however, P25 is an ongoing project. The current effort, referred to as P25 Phase II,
is to develop standards for narrowband operations using 6.25-kHz channel spacing. This will require
the use of time division multiple access (TDMA) technology. In April 2007, the majority of the P25
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steering committee selected what is referred to as the 12-kilobit per second, two-slot TDMA solution for
Phase II technology.
According to APCO, this selection not only allows for a graceful migration to Phase II and backward
compatibility with Phase I systems, but it also offers advanced capabilities that will result in an even
more robust P25 system. This solution was chosen in order to accommodate ever-increasing needs for
spectral efficiency and user capacity in public safety wireless voice and data radio systems, while
ensuring full-feature functionality and improved audio quality. The P25 Phase II standard is currently
complete and equipment is being sold today that is Phase II-compliant. However, while many vendors
have P25 Phase I-compliant systems and subscribers, only a limited number currently are providing
Phase II-compliant systems and subscribers.
Based on the current market for trunked public safety radio system technologies, a P25 standardsbased system is the only reasonable technology available for implementation by Pasquotank and
Camden counties should they elect to deploy a new trunking solution other than a migration to VIPER.
4.4.3.
Network Architectures
The sections that follow discuss the network architectures available for deployment.
Single-Site Conventional
Single-site conventional systems are the most basic type of public safety systems installed today.
These systems operate as a standalone site, which at a minimum includes a repeater, duplexer, and
antenna. Each repeater corresponds to one specific channel on a subscriber radio. Coverage on that
channel is limited to the coverage provided by the radio site. If multiple repeaters are implemented at a
single site, each repeater corresponds to a different channel. Connectivity from the tower to the 9-1-1
Center is provided via an RF control station. These stations are basically stationary mobile radios that
receive the repeated audio from the radio site and play it on the dispatch console.
The primary limitation of a single-site conventional system is coverage, which is limited to the area
around the single radio site. Often, agencies will operate multiple conventional sites to cover a larger
area. With this setup, each site basically functions as its own system with its own unique coverage
area. When a user roams throughout the coverage area, the user must be conscious to switch to the
appropriate channel associated with the tower in closest range. Radio users talking on channels on
different towers will not be able to communicate directly with each other unless the dispatcher has
established a patch to link the stations. Dispatchers are challenged with knowing what channels to use
to contact users in the field. If coverage is provided by four different radio sites, then there are four
distinct dispatch channels for each discipline that dispatchers must monitor. As the number of radio
sites in a conventional system increases, the operational challenge placed on radio users and
dispatchers increases dramatically.
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Single sites can be implemented in narrowband analog and conventional P25 configurations. Singlesite conventional systems can be implemented in the VHF, UHF, 700 MHz and 800 MHz bands;
however, conventional stations are limited by the FCC to five frequencies per site in the 700 and 800
MHz bands. Moreover, 700 MHz systems must be digital and future regulations imposed on the 700
MHz band will prevent the operation of conventional systems, unless they are used on the
interoperability channels or channel efficiency can be increased.
Table 11 below summarizes the strengths and weaknesses associated with single-site conventional
radio systems.
Table 11 – Single-Site Conventional System Strengths and Weaknesses
Strengths
Simple design, requiring minimal radio equipment to
function
Less expensive than other system options
Very effective for small coverage areas that can fit
within the footprint of a single site
A single failure will not negatively impact multiple
radio sites
Weaknesses
Dispatchers have to monitor multiple channels and
track which users are in the range of which channels
Responders have to switch channels depending on
their geographic area
Users within the range of different towers cannot
communicate directly with each other unless a
console patch is performed
Towers cannot be located out of range from a control
station located at dispatch centers unless another
form of backhaul is implemented
Less expensive subscriber options are available
All radios are capable of operating in the analog
conventional mode
MCP does not believe the use of single-site conventional systems will meet the needs of local users.
Many of the performance issues with the current infrastructure are related to these limitations.
Conventional with Voted Satellite Receivers
A conventional system with voted satellite receivers works much like a single-site conventional system
does, but utilizes multiple receivers to enhance talk-in coverage. In a radio system, coverage is defined
for both talk-out and talk-in. Talk-out coverage is coverage from the radio tower to the remote user.
Talk-in coverage is from the radio user to the radio tower. Typically, talk-out coverage stretches farther
than talk-in coverage. A user in talk-out range, but out of talk-in range, will hear the dispatcher and
other users, but will not be able to return calls to the dispatcher or other users.
The satellite receivers are receive-only stations located at different radio sites. The satellite receivers
are programmed to the same frequency as the primary receiver. When a remote user transmits, the
signal is received by multiple receive sites in the network. Backhaul connectivity, provided typically by
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a microwave network or leased line, sends the receive audio to a voter/comparator. The device
compares the multiple audio sources and selects the clearest one. That audio is then passed to the
transmitter to be repeated.
Satellite receivers are useful tools for enhancing talk-in coverage; however, use is limited because most
jurisdictions that have coverage problems with a single conventional site likely will need multiple
transmitters and receivers to meet coverage needs. A satellite receiver system is still limited to a single
transmitter. The costs associated with satellite receivers are much higher than single-site conventional
systems because multiple base stations, multiple radio sites, backhaul, and voting equipment are
needed.
Voted receive systems can be implemented in conventional narrowband analog or P25 modes.
Satellite receiver systems can be implemented in the VHF, UHF, 700 MHz, and 800 MHz frequency
bands. However, 700 MHz systems must be digital and future regulations imposed on the 700 MHz
band will prevent the operation of conventional systems, unless they are used on the interoperability
channels or channel efficiency can be increased.
Table 12 below summarizes the strengths and weaknesses associated with a conventional system with
satellite receivers.
Table 12 – Conventional System with Voted Satellite Receivers Strengths and Weaknesses
Strengths
Greater coverage compared with single-site
conventional systems
Audio quality is generally improved throughout the
coverage area
Backhaul connectivity and voting equipment can be
reused in future simulcast or trunking systems
Adequate when improved talk-in coverage satisfies
coverage need throughout the jurisdiction
Utilizes same subscriber equipment as other
conventional systems
When coverage goals are met, a single channel is
sufficient throughout the coverage area
Weaknesses
Expenses are significant compared to single-site
systems
Application is limited to areas where additional
receive sites will provide adequate coverage
Multiple transmitters still will require users to switch
channels between transmitters and dispatchers to
monitor multiple channels
Limited to one user group per channel
MCP does not believe the use of single-site conventional systems with voted satellite receivers will
meet the needs of local users. Some of these systems are in place today, with known limitations and
deficiencies.
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4.4.4.
Conventional Simulcast
Conventional simulcast systems have very similar architectures to that of voted receiver systems. The
primary difference is that all interconnected sites transmit and receive. Simulcast refers to system
architectures where the same frequencies are transmitted at multiple radio sites. Designs using this
configuration must be developed carefully, as radio sites on the same frequencies will interfere if timing
on the transmitters is not perfectly coordinated. The most ideal method of timing simulcast transmitters
uses Global Positioning System (GPS) clocks with high-accuracy oscillators. Audio received by
multiple radio sites is voted to determine which audio stream has the best quality. That audio is then
sent to all radio sites for retransmission.
A conventional simulcast system provides a solution that can supply coverage from multiple radio sites
over a large area. With a simulcast system, a single channel is utilized throughout the entire coverage
area. Users roaming throughout the area do not need to switch channels and dispatchers only need to
monitor a single channel per user group. Conventional simulcast systems utilize the same subscriber
equipment as single-site conventional systems.
The cost associated with conventional simulcast systems is somewhat greater than satellite receiver
systems. While most core components are the same, backhaul connectivity might need to be
enhanced. The primary additions are the transmission systems at the satellite sites and simulcast
equipment at each radio site.
The primary limitation with conventional simulcast systems is capacity. For every user group, a
repeater needs to be added at each base station. Once capacity needs grow beyond four or five
channels, it is typically more beneficial to implement a trunking system. There are potential risks of
interference in a simulcast system in areas where radio coverage from multiple sites overlap. It is in
these areas where the potential for sites to interfere with each other can occur if timing between them is
not ideal. Simulcast systems have multiple solutions for achieving transmitter timing, some less
expensive and less accurate than others. Less-expensive simulcast designs are likely to experience
more interference problems in overlapping coverage areas.
Conventional simulcast systems may be implemented in the narrowband analog or P25 modes, and
are available in the VHF, UHF and 800 MHz frequency bands. However, future regulations imposed on
the 700 MHz band will prevent the operation of conventional simulcast systems, unless they are used
on the interoperability channels or channel efficiency can be increased.
Table 13 below summarizes the strengths and weaknesses associated with a conventional simulcast
system.
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Table 13 – Conventional Simulcast System Strengths and Weaknesses
Strengths
Design can provide single-channel coverage over a
wide area
Flexible design can be used to enhance coverage
where necessary through the addition of additional
radio sites
Voted audio assures best available audio is
retransmitted
System is spectrally efficient, reusing frequencies at
multiple radio sites
Less expensive than trunking systems
Backhaul and coverage design provides upgrade path
to trunking system in the future
Weaknesses
Capacity is limited to one user group per channel
Potential interference exists in simulcast overlap
areas
Loss of the backhaul connection will result in the loss
of multiple radio sites
Option 3, the implementation of a conventional UHF simulcast system, is a possible system alternative;
however, it is a less desirable solution than moving to a trunked 700 MHz or 800 MHz P25 system.
4.4.5.
Multicast Trunking
A multicast trunking system utilizes an architecture whereby different frequencies are utilized at each
radio site. A trunking system generally has a larger pool of user groups than radio channels. When a
specific user group needs to communicate, the radio system assigns the group to a specific channel.
Since each user group is not talking all the time, the system is able to better manage spectral efficiency
by only assigning active groups to a specific frequency. With a multicast trunking system, different
frequencies are utilized at each radio site.
Trunking systems typically provide a multisite, wide-area coverage solution. A multicast system allows
users to roam from site to site without switching channels. While the actual radio frequencies change,
the radio system is able to “handshake” traffic between sites and channels so that communication on a
specific talkgroup is seamless to the user.
Trunking systems have numerous additional features that are alluring to public safety users. These
include encryption, system keys, system identifications (IDs), telephone interconnect, private call, group
calls, dynamic talkgroup allocations, over-the-air rekeying (OTAR), over-the-air programming (OTAP),
low-bandwidth mobile data, and other features that are not available with conventional radio systems.
Trunking systems have a significantly larger hardware requirement than conventional systems. Above
and beyond a conventional simulcast system, trunking systems require a central core to serve as the
brain of the system; this core manages users, radio traffic, site affiliations, and other aspects that are
seamless to the end-user. Trunking controllers are needed at radio sites to assign repeaters to specific
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talkgroups. Trunking systems are very complex and require stringent conditions to function properly.
Due to the complexity of these systems and the associated cost, a much higher value is placed on
assuring site conditions are optimal and system alarming tools are utilized.
Compared with a simulcast trunking system (described in the next section), multicast systems are less
spectrally efficient because different frequency groups are needed at each radio site. For high-density
areas, this can amount to a dramatic number of frequencies in a very small area. Multicast systems,
however, are beneficial in the event that connectivity is lost. If site connectivity is lost, each site will
continue to operate in site trunking mode. Wide-area coverage and site-to-site communications will be
lost, but communications around any one given site will continue.
Subscriber equipment for trunking systems is generally more expensive than equipment for analog
systems. Radios capable of both modes require an expensive firmware upgrade to perform trunking
operations. Inexpensive business-model radios typically are not capable of operating on public safetygrade trunking systems.
Multicast trunking systems are available in the VHF, UHF, 700 MHz, and 800 MHz bands, although
trunking systems typically are implemented in 700 MHz or 800 MHz due to frequency availability. VHF
presents challenges with locating spectrum sufficient for trunking operation. While trunking systems
may operate in analog or digital modes, today’s market primarily is based on digital P25 systems.
Table 14 below summarizes the strengths and weaknesses associated with a multicast trunking
system.
Table 14 – Multicast Trunking System Strengths and Weaknesses
Strengths
Wide-area coverage solution that is capable of
supporting relatively small systems up to statewide
and multistate systems
Scalable capacity to meet the needs of many users
System can be operated in conjunction with simulcast
trunking systems and single-site conventional systems
Communication continues in the event backhaul
connectivity is lost
An increased number of features (compared with
conventional systems)
Less expensive than simulcast trunking systems
because timing circuits are not necessary
Weaknesses
Spectrally inefficient compared to simulcast systems
Spectral inefficiency limits use for VHF systems due to
channel availability
Expensive system and subscriber units compared with
conventional systems
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The State’s VIPER system is a trunked multicast solution and it would resolve the various deficiencies
of the current radio systems as described in this report.
Simulcast Trunking
Simulcast trunking systems operate much like multicast trunking systems. The primary difference is
that the same frequencies are reused at multiple radio sites in simulcast trunking systems.
Implementation of simulcast circuits requires the introduction of timing circuits. The feature sets
provided by simulcast trunking systems are similar to those provided by multicast trunking systems.
With the introduction of timing circuits, the opportunity exists for interference in simulcast overlap areas.
In addition, loss of backhaul connectivity can result in a catastrophic failure. Because sites operate on
the same frequencies, a loss of coordination between the sites will limit the ability of the sites to
function as independent systems, as the sites will interfere with each other. Typically, simulcast
systems are designed to fall back to a more limited number of radio sites that do not share overlapping
coverage. Due to this reason, it is especially important that backhaul networks be designed to a very
high fault-tolerant design, with high reliability levels, when accommodating simulcast systems.
Simulcast trunking systems are available in the VHF, UHF, 700 MHz, and 800 MHz bands, although
typically these systems are implemented in 700 MHz or 800 MHz. VHF presents challenges with
locating spectrum sufficient for trunking operation. While trunking systems may operate in analog or
digital modes, today’s market primarily is based on digital P25 systems.
Table 15 below summarizes the strengths and weaknesses associated with a simulcast trunking
system.
Table 15 – Simulcast Trunking System Strengths and Weaknesses
Simulcast Trunking Strengths
Wide-area coverage solution that is capable of
supporting relatively small systems up to statewide
and multistate systems
Scalable capacity to meet the needs of many users
System can be operated in conjunction with multicast
trunking systems and single-site conventional systems
Additional features (compared with conventional
systems)
The most spectrally efficient system design available
Simulcast Trunking Weaknesses
More expensive than multicast systems
Potential for interference in simulcast overlap areas
Loss of multiple sites in the event backhaul
connectivity is lost
Expensive system and subscriber units compared with
conventional systems
Option 2, the implementation of a new 700 MHz trunked simulcast P25 system would be a full-featured
solution; however, it also would be the most expensive alternative considered in this report.
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4.4.6.
Shared Systems
Shared systems provide a way for multiple agencies to share common system components in order to
reduce costs and increase operational effectiveness. Typically, agencies that share a common
response area or border each other receive the greatest benefit from system sharing.
System sharing can range in degree from one common system serving many agencies to separate
systems sharing a single radio site that lies on the border between two systems.
P25 trunking systems provide the greatest opportunity for system sharing because central control
equipment used on P25 systems often can accommodate a far greater level of users than is typically
required for a single agency.
Agencies that share control equipment have the added benefit of improved interoperability with other
agencies interconnected with the control equipment. In this scenario, subscriber radios can be
configured to roam to any interconnected radio site as long as the frequency band of the site and the
subscriber are compatible.
Shared systems come with the task of developing agreements with the sharing agencies in order to
establish equipment ownership and responsibilities. Additional planning is required in advance of
installation to work through these details and establish usage criteria that is acceptable to all parties
involved. Governance and SOPs are equally important to ensure consistent usage of the shared
system and its resources following implementation.
The option presented in which regional system users would transition to the State’s VIPER system is an
example of a shared system concept.
4.5. EMERGING COMMUNICATIONS ISSUES AND TRENDS
4.5.1.
TDMA
TDMA is a technology that permits the division of a single radio channel into multiple voice paths.
When implemented according to the P25 standard, TDMA permits the splitting of each radio channel
into two distinct voice paths. TDMA is the primary feature associated with P25 Phase II. Major system
manufacturers currently are deploying P25 Phase II-compliant systems.
The use of TDMA has numerous benefits, the greatest of which is to enable more efficient use of radio
spectrum. Radio spectrum is a limited resource and, in high-population regions, there typically is not
enough spectrum to satisfy the needs of all agencies.
Major P25 equipment vendors are now selling P25 Phase II-compliant systems and subscriber radios.
The smaller vendors that do not yet have a fully developed product are marketing P25 Phase I systems
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with a guaranteed upgrade to Phase II. Therefore, a competitive environment exists in today’s market
for Phase II systems.
One of the requirements of the P25 Phase II standard is backward compatibility with Phase I. This
backward compatibility requires repeater stations to be capable of operating in both the Phase I and
Phase II modes. However, repeaters configured according to the standard must be partitioned; this
results in the split of trunking resources between Phase I frequency division multiple access (FDMA),
with one voice path per channel, and Phase II TDMA, which has two voice paths per channel. Phase I
backward compatibility is necessary for subscriber radios on the system that may not be Phase IIcapable, including radios roaming into the counties for interoperability purposes. The major equipment
vendors have taken Phase I backward compatibility beyond the standard by providing repeater systems
that can dynamically switch between FDMA and TDMA, thus eliminating the need to partition channels.
Talkgroups also may be configured in a dynamic fashion so that the system will initiate a TDMA call of
all active radios on the talkgroup operating in the TDMA mode, and initiate an FDMA call if there are
any FDMA-only radios active on the talkgroup.
TDMA is a viable option for the region if construction of a trunking system is elected. TDMA will benefit
the counties if only a limited number of radio frequencies can be secured. Further, if the counties
construct a 700 MHz system, a TDMA system will be required to satisfy FCC spectrum efficiency
requirements. However, TDMA systems have a more limited pool of compatible subscriber radios, with
costs typically about $500 more per radio to provide TDMA capability. System infrastructure costs also
are more expensive.
4.5.2.
Multiband Radios
Multiband radios enable a single subscriber unit (mobile or portable) to communicate in multiple
frequency bands. Examples of P25 Phase II-compliant multiband radios on the market today are the
Motorola APX radios, the Harris Unity radio and the Thales Liberty radio. Multiband radios are not
represented presently on the Interoperability Continuum, but represent a powerful tool for establishing
interoperability between systems operating in different frequency bands.
Multiband radios are recommended as an effective means of establishing interoperability without the
need for overlapping coverage areas or gateways. Minimal training is needed for users operating
multiband radios, as system switches may be accomplished simply by changing the channel on the
radio. Cross-band scanning allows users to monitor dispatch channels from multiple overlapping
systems on different frequency bands, although careful evaluation should be given to the actual crossband scanning performance of the specific model to be procured.
Multiband radios are costly and are still limited in their ability to communicate across different
proprietary systems. Proprietary systems such as Motorola SMARTNET, Harris EDACS and Harris
OpenSky are still limited to radios developed by that manufacturer or licensed by that manufacturer. As
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multiband radios are on the market longer and competitors introduce additional multiband radios, the
cost can be expected to decrease.
Pasquotank and Camden counties have neighboring agencies that operate in the VHF, UHF and 800
MHz frequency bands. Accordingly, multiband radios could provide a significant interoperability benefit.
However, careful consideration should be given to the ability to monitor multiple channels in multiple
bands at the same time. Use of a single multiband radio results in the risk of missing traffic on nonmonitored frequency bands. Consequently, multiband radios are recommended only in limited
circumstances and for specialized personnel who not only have frequent interoperability needs, but also
have the training to properly manage incidents when agencies in different frequency bands are
involved. Moreover, deployment of multiband radios to all users is cost prohibitive.
4.5.3.
ISSI
The Inter-RF Subsystem Interface (ISSI) is a P25 standard that addresses the linking of two P25
system cores, permitting the roaming of a P25 subscriber from one system to another. The intent
behind ISSI is for two adjacent P25 trunking systems to look like one wide-area system to a system
end-user. In theory, a user could cross the border from one system into another and never lose
communications with home network users or the dispatch center.
While ISSI technology has been available for several years, the technology has not been widely
implemented. This is largely because of limitations in the initial standard. The setup of ISSI between
two neighboring systems requires infrastructure investments by both agencies and backhaul
connectivity between the systems. Once the connection has been established, extensive ID and
permission provisioning is necessary on both systems to permit roaming capability. Once this has been
established, designated ISSI-capable talkgroups must be created in both systems to allow crosssystem roaming. Because roaming only can take place on certain talkgroups, separate ISSI talkgroups
distinct from everyday dispatch and tactical talkgroups must be established. Users then must switch
channels on their radios to an ISSI talkgroup when they roam to another system. In practice, these
steps have proved to be too cumbersome for most agencies to adopt.
An updated version of the ISSI standard has been completed and is commonly referred to as “Next
Generation ISSI.” The new standard requires less provisioning between systems and allows for more
seamless roaming between interconnected systems.
ISSI will be an available option only if a P25 trunking system is implemented. In the event that a
standalone P25 system is implemented, ISSI could be used to provide connectivity to the State’s
VIPER system, or the new Dare County system being implemented.
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4.5.4.
Long-Term Evolution (LTE)
LTE is a commercial wireless broadband standard. The standard has been adopted by the public
safety community for implementation on mission-critical, public safety-grade broadband networks.
While commercial cellular networks are deploying this technology across the country, implementation of
private public safety LTE networks has yet to take hold. Public safety agencies depend largely today
on commercial broadband 3G networks, using wireless air cards, for their data needs.
In 2014, the public safety sector was awarded access to the 700 MHz D Block, accounting for 10 MHz
of broadband spectrum. The allocation is immediately adjacent to the 10 MHz of broadband spectrum
already allocated to public safety. Congress has committed to funding a nationwide LTE network on
this 20 MHz block of spectrum. Referred to as the Nationwide Public Safety Broadband Network
(NPSBN)—which is being developed under the auspices of the First Responder Network Authority
(FirstNet)—this network is intended to provide nationwide broadband coverage to first responders.
However, much of the details behind the FirstNet build-out have yet to be defined, including costs to
end-user agencies.
LTE itself is a wireless network providing high-speed data to subscriber devices. The benefit to public
safety concerns the applications that will run over this network; however, only a handful of these
applications exist today. There also has been discussion that voice over LTE eventually will take the
place of narrowband voice radio systems. However, the LTE standard does not provide the equivalent
quality of service (reliability) provided by current public safety LMR voice systems, and does not provide
direct unit-to-unit simplex operation. Because of these significant limitations, if LTE is ever be able to
take the place of narrowband voice systems, it certainly will not be any time within the near future.
While there would be benefits to an LTE broadband system within the region from a data perspective,
the decision is distinct from the radio system procurement, as LTE is not yet mature enough to serve as
a viable voice radio system alternative.
4.6. SYSTEM LIFECYCLES
Two-way radio equipment always has had a replacement lifecycle. The lifecycles of today’s robust,
feature-rich radio systems particularly have been impacted by rapidly advancing and changing
technologies. Based on the typical lifespan of each type of equipment, a general schedule of
replacement is shown below in Tables 16-19 below. Replacement cycles may vary (+/- 25 percent)
based on factors such as the need for new technology and general wear and tear. Once equipment
reaches the end of its lifespan, it is time to upgrade that equipment.
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Table 16 – Facility Equipment Lifespan
Facility Equipment
Building (prefabricated)
Building (block construction)
Towers
Generators (small/remote sites)
Generators (large/main sites)
Grounding systems
Lifespan
15 Years
20 Years
20 Years
10 Years
15 Years
10 Years
Table 17 – Maintenance Equipment Lifespan
Maintenance Equipment
Fencing
HVAC (small/remote sites)
HVAC (large/main sites)
Lifespan
10 Years
2-5 Years
10 Years
Table 18 – Radio Equipment Lifespan
Radio Equipment
Repeaters/base stations
Antenna systems
Dispatch consoles
Mobile radios
Portable radios
Pager units
Lifespan
15 Years
7 Years
10 Years
10 Years
7 Years
5 Years
Table 19 – Microwave Equipment Lifespan
Microwave Equipment
Radios
Channel banks
Battery systems
Uninterruptible power systems (UPS) (small
battery systems)
4.6.1.
Lifespan
10 Years
10 Years
10 Years
2-3 Years
Equipment Lifecycle
Some of the radio equipment in use within the two counties is more than ten years old, which is near—
or in some cases, past—the end of typical replacement periods. Consequently, this equipment will
begin to suffer from higher failure rates and the risk of obsolescence from the equipment vendor.
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4.7. RADIO SITE RESILIENCE
Modern radio systems tether to radio sites for all of their primary support. A radio site is more than a
high point on which to hang an antenna—indeed, a radio system is 99 percent dependent on the site’s
performance and support. MCP conducted an inspection of local radio sites. Each evaluation focused
on installation practices, site conditions, notification systems, and redundancy of critical elements.
These inspections were grounded in industry best practices and standards for critical communications
facilities, primarily Motorola R56®, Standards and Guidelines for Communication Sites.
R56 generally has been adopted throughout the industry for common use in site construction. All
vendors have products that comply with the standard, or which at least track very closely to R56. Noncompliance with R56 standards does not make the installation wrong, but it may place the site at an
increased risk of downtime or significant site/equipment damage. Consequently, MCP recommends
adherence to R56 guidelines when deploying radio equipment.
Key elements that must be considered to ensure a reliable radio site and reduce system downtime from
potential failures include:
 Climate Control—Air-conditioning sufficient to support the building size and thermal load
present; monitoring for low-, medium-, and high-temperature alarms; installation of a
thermostatically controlled fan-and-ventilation system
 Connectivity—Two avenues of connectivity should be present. Reverse loop or multipath
microwave; microwave with fiber or copper backup; hot standby microwave; and multiple copper
or fiber circuits all are acceptable in meeting this requirement
 Power—Commercial power backed up by a generator, fixed or portable, and sufficient direct
current (DC) power via a DC plant or UPS system capable of running the site for no less than
six hours for transmitter sites is required. The ability to monitor power alarms—such as
alternating current (AC) power fail, DC power fail, rectifier fail, generator start, generator run,
generator fail, and low battery—should be evaluated
 Physical site – Availability of temporary resources—such as mobile command posts and cell on
wheels (COW) in the event of a system outage—and other site support, such as snow removal
and other methods of improving road conditions to facilitate site access, are a must
4.7.1.
Grounding
Most deficiencies found at the radio sites were found on the external and internal grounding systems.
MCP recommends that site grounding is brought up to standards with a system refresh. Equipment
warranties sometimes will not apply if the equipment is not grounded according to industry standards.
A more detailed list of grounding recommendations are provided on a site-by-site basis in Appendix A.
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4.7.2.
Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS)
A UPS system typically is used to power radio equipment for a period of time until the facility or
equipment generator is able to start and provide power. Radio equipment is at risk of system crashes
upon the loss of power even if the generator starts immediately. A sudden loss of power could result in
permanent damage to radio equipment. MCP recommends that the region install a UPS or a DC
battery power plant in the new or upgraded system, to protect sensitive equipment in the event of a
power failure.
4.8. FREQUENCY BANDS AND LICENSING CONSIDERATIONS
Frequency acquisition is one of the most challenging, time consuming, and uncertain aspects of any
radio system implementation. In many cases, the availability of frequencies can dictate the frequency
band in which a system is constructed.
This section addresses the strengths and weaknesses of each available public safety frequency band,
as well as the frequency availability in each band.
4.8.1.
VHF High Band (150–160 MHz)
The VHF high band frequency range is the oldest of the available public safety frequency bands that is
still widely utilized today. VHF is utilized by fire and EMS agencies in the region currently. VHF radio
signals travel over rough terrain farther than signals in other bands; as such, VHF systems constructed
in rough terrain require less radio sites than systems constructed in other frequency bands. However,
the VHF band is more susceptible to interference and atmospheric ducting conditions that have been
known to cause heavy interference intermittently. These intermittent conditions affect coastal regions
more than land-locked regions.
The VHF band was not originally designed for the use of repeater systems, so repeater pairs must be
constructed using individual frequencies located throughout the 150–160 MHz range. The combination
of multiple repeater pairs at individual radio sites introduces numerous challenges because of system
design constraints. Spacing frequencies so that they do not interfere with each other, and so that they
can be combined into single combiner units, significantly restricts the frequencies that can be used.
Due to the reported interference from fire and EMS personnel and the potential for future interference,
VHF is not recommended for the region.
4.8.2.
UHF
The UHF frequency band covers the range from 450 MHz to 470 MHz. The lower portion of the band
includes the general public safety and industrial/business frequency pools. The UHF band provides
fixed offsets between transmit and receive frequencies, thus supporting the use of repeater systems.
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Preliminary research indices that additional UHF frequencies may be available; however, if Option 3 is
selected, more in-depth frequency availability research will need to occur. Table 20 below lists the UHF
frequencies that might be available for use by the new radio system.
Table 20 – Potential New UHF Frequency Acquisitions
4.8.3.
Frequency
Closest Co-Channel
(km)
453..0250
453.1250
453.1500
453.2875
453.3875
453.6500
453.9375
453.9875
460.4625
460.5375
161
79
90
99
105
86
112
141
102
172
Closest 12.5 kHz
Adjacent Channel
(km)
45
63
60
32
56
49
32
32
24
32
700 MHz
Frequencies in the 700 MHz band are pre-paired for repeater operations, with mobile frequencies 30
MHz above the base frequencies. The 700 MHz frequency band provides the most likely source of
spectrum for the two counties. The band is not heavily encumbered and frequency assignments have
already been made to Pasquotank and Camden counties. A total of ten 25-kHz channel blocks are
assigned for usage within Pasquotank County, while five 25-kHz channels have been assigned to
Camden County. Tables 21 and 22 below summarizes these frequencies. Although some of the
paired mobile frequencies are in the 800 MHz band, the allotted frequency pair is still considered part of
the 700 MHz spectrum.
Table 21 – 700 MHz Assignments for Pasquotank County
Channel Number
17-20
89-92
281-284
353-356
401-404
461-464
549-552
633-636
Base Frequency
769.1125
769.5625
770.7625
771.2125
771.5125
771.8875
772.4375
772.9625
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Mobile Frequency
799.1125
799.5625
800.7625
801.2125
801.5125
801.8875
802.4375
802.9625
Channel Number
873-876
913-916
Base Frequency
774.4625
774.7125
Mobile Frequency
804.4625
804.7125
Table 22 – 700 MHz Assignments for Camden County
Channel Number
289-292
409-412
449-452
505-508
557-560
Base Frequency
770.8125
771.5625
771.8125
772.1625
772.4875
Mobile Frequency
800.8125
801.5625
801.8125
802.1625
802.4875
Obtaining these frequencies will require authorization from the Region 31, 700 MHz Planning
Committee.
Several technical constraints regarding the use of the 700 MHz frequencies will limit the types of
systems that Pasquotank and Camden counties can construct in this band. The system must be digital
and must permit subscriber operation on conventional interoperability channels in the P25 mode.
Most current production subscriber radios are capable of operating in both the 700 MHz and 800 MHz
frequency bands; thus, the frequencies can be used interchangeably.
4.8.4.
800 MHz
Frequencies in the 800 MHz band are pre-paired for repeater operations, with mobile frequencies 45
MHz below the base frequencies. The frequencies are assigned in licensing pools: the interleaved
band (854–860 MHz) is governed by frequency coordination rules; the National Public Safety Planning
Advisory Committee (NPSPAC) band (851–854 MHz) is governed by regional planning committees
(RPCs). The 800 MHz band is heavily encumbered and frequency acquisition will be more limited.
Much of the 800 MHz interleaved band has been vacated by Sprint/Nextel as a result of the rebanding
process. These channels are available to public safety for a period of time. However, most available
800 frequencies already have been allocated for use on the State’s VIPER system; therefore, the 700
MHz channels present a more viable option.
4.9. CONNECTIVITY
Typically, connectivity for a public safety communications network is comprised of one or a combination
of the following:
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


Leased telephone lines
Fiber-optic cables
Wireless links (e.g., microwave or RF links)
In most situations, connectivity is a combination of analog and digital circuits that carry voice, data, and
control tones between the radio consoles and the network of radio communication sites.
Backhaul for the existing sites is provided using a mix of UHF radio links, point-to-point Motorola
microwave links, and a leased line from the dispatch center to the main dispatch tower.
4.9.1.
Leased Phone Lines
Leased telephone lines are the simplest form of backhaul connectivity. To interconnect two radio sites,
or a radio site and a PSAP, an agency may lease a copper pair or T1 line from the local telephone
company. A single T1 line typically is capable of supporting the bandwidth requirements of a small- to
moderately sized trunking system, while a two-wire circuit can support a single voice channel. By
leasing the T1 line for a monthly fee, the user has guaranteed bandwidth on the network. The specific
fee depends on the length of the connection. T1 lines are subject to the reliability of the public switched
telephone network (PSTN), which utilizes a combination of copper wires and other media, such as fiber.
The leased T1 circuits have proved to be adequate for the current system. Because there are no
alarming systems on the leased circuits, no notification is provided to the 9-1-1 Center when a circuit
failure has occurred. A circuit failure on the existing system will result in a loss of a radio site or sites,
depending on the severity of the outage. The circuits only will support individual voice channels, and
do not provide the capacity necessary to support higher-bandwidth applications such as trunking.
Moreover, additional lines are required for each channel, which results in higher monthly fees.
The current leased circuits from the 9-1-1 Center to both the main dispatch and the Navy Tower incur a
total monthly cost of $390.
4.9.2.
Fiber-Optic Networks
Fiber-optic cables provide the highest bandwidth, and the best radio site connectivity, of any medium
available today. Extensive fiber-optic networks, however, are not heavily implemented for various
reasons:
 Single points of failure within a fiber network require the use of redundant network paths to
mitigate the loss-of-service risk
 Running new fiber-optic cable is very expensive and not typically justified solely for a radio
project
 Bandwidth on a fiber system can support many broadband data systems—far more than is
necessary for a radio system
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
Fiber-optic networks that have been implemented primarily are found in major metropolitan
areas
Construction of a fiber-optic infrastructure is very expensive, and is certainly in excess of what is
required to run a trunked radio system. Typically, radio systems may be piggybacked on existing
municipal or leased fiber networks. Consideration also should be made to assure that the fiber network
provides redundant paths that do not include single points of failure.
4.9.3.
Microwave
Microwave networks provide a means to wirelessly connect radio sites and dispatch facilities.
Bandwidth on a microwave network is typically greater than or equal to a leased T1 line. Microwave
networks are an excellent alternative where no fixed-line infrastructure is present. In addition, a
microwave network can be owned entirely by the agency, will not require the monthly fees of leased T1
lines, and restoration to service is within the control of the County. Microwave networks, however, do
have disadvantages that can be mitigated.
Microwave networks are not subject to reliability concerns resulting from line breakage, but are subject
to wireless phenomenon such as rain fading. Good design will mitigate this hazard. In addition,
microwave dishes may be misaligned in high winds, potentially impacting link connectivity. Good
design that requires a higher wind speed survival rating will mitigate this hazard.
Microwave network capacity is generally higher than the bandwidth requirements for radio systems.
The additional bandwidth provides options for other data applications on the network.
Microwave links are used on the existing system to provide connectivity to two radio sites. Connectivity
to these radio sites has proved highly reliable. To limit leased line costs and provide increased
reliability, the expanded use of microwave connectivity would benefit the counties.
5. RECOMMENDATIONS
Based upon MCP’s findings concerning the existing regional system, user feedback regarding
requirements for a new system, and analysis of existing technologies and trends, MCP has developed
recommendations to address the issues faced by the radio system users within the two counties. This
section outlines the specific system design considerations and recommended components to comprise
the new system. These considerations may be incorporated into specifications that will be issued in a
request for proposal (RFP) for the new system, or would be features of any existing system such as
VIPER.
Based on MCP’s assessment of the existing system and user feedback, the following criteria have been
defined as the top priorities of the new system:
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1. Enhancing coverage and reliability
 There is a lack of coverage and reliable performance in many parts of the two-county
area. The current system designs are insufficient to provide reliable public safety-grade
radio system performance
2. Enhancing interoperability
 Interoperability is very limited both within the two-county area and with external
agencies. This makes agency-to-agency communication cumbersome and unreliable
3. Increase system channel capacity
 Channel capacity is very limited due to the conventional design, with channels being
transmitted from only one site and a limited number of available frequencies. This is
particularly an issue during a critical incident or large scale event
4. Make modern radio safety features available to system users
 Modern radio safety features, such as an emergency button and encryption for specialty
units, are unavailable today
5.
Mitigate single points of failure and equipment end-of-life concerns
 The current system design includes single points of failure that can leave first
responders with no reliable way to be dispatched or to communicate for an extended
period of time if a failure does occur. Combined with the reduced reliability of aging
components, the overall system is at risk
5.1. SYSTEM OPTIONS
It is MCP’s assessment that coverage and reliability are far and above the two most critical aspects of
the communications system that must be addressed. MCP has identified multiple design options that,
at a minimum, satisfy these criteria. The design options vary regarding the degree to which the
remaining criteria are satisfied.
The sections that follow identify the different technology options that MCP believes would satisfy all or
most of the needs of system users. The three different solution options for replacement of the current
public safety voice radio systems examined are:
1. Transitioning to the State’s VIPER 800 MHz , P25 Phase I, trunked system
2. Implementing a new 700 MHz, P25 Phase II, trunked system
3. Implementing a UHF simulcast system
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5.1.1.
Option 1—Transitioning to the State’s VIPER P25 Phase I, Trunked System
(Recommended)
The VIPER system would provide the best balance of features, capabilities, and cost of the three
options considered, and would satisfy all of the critical system criteria defined by MCP as identified by
system users. A P25 trunked multicast system would provide a reliable and flexible platform that can
address coverage and reliability issues, and provide substantially increased capacity through the use of
talkgroups, which are a feature of a trunked radio system.
Because the State already has invested in the VIPER system infrastructure, the cost of this option is
significantly less than if the two counties were to build their own P25, 700 MHz trunked system. As the
State diligently maintains the system infrastructure and has made a long-term commitment to the
VIPER system, it is also a low-risk solution with lower maintenance costs for local users. VIPER uses a
flexible, standards-based architecture that will limit the need for future upgrades.
If only the current VIPER sites in the area are utilized, and no new sites added, coverage predictions
look favorable but provide a slightly lower level of coverage than what typically would be required from
a newly built 700/800 system. If the VIPER option is selected, MCP highly recommends
comprehensive testing of the coverage currently provided by the existing VIPER sites, in order to verify
that coverage will be sufficient and/or to identify areas where it would be insufficient. Specific critical
buildings that would require supplemental in-building coverage enhancements also should be identified.
Through this testing the need for any additional VIPER sites, as well as any in-building coverage
enhancements, could be identified and costs estimated as part of the total budget. Propagation studies
have been provided in Appendix C.
MCP anticipates that current channel capacity for selected regional VIPER sites may need to be
increased. Preliminary loading analysis indicates that two channels may need to be added at three
different VIPER sites. A traffic analysis will need to be completed by the State to verify that. If it were
determined that additional channel equipment is necessary, the implementation costs would be borne
by the local entities; however, once installed, the State would take over long-term maintenance for this
additional equipment. This traffic analysis also should include a review of the regional VIPER Talk
Group Master Plan. It is important to note that some local agencies—including Pasquotank-Camden
EMS and the Camden County Sheriff’s Office—already have switched to the VIPER system and have
had a favorable experience with its use.
By migrating to digital technology, system users would benefit from other capabilities provided by the
P25 platform. These include redundant configurations with no single point of failure, encryption
capabilities, added network security, affiliation control, and unit IDs.
A migration to the VIPER system would require new subscriber units (mobile and portable radios) for all
current VHF and UHF system users. However, radio equipment is available at discounted pricing
through the State’s contract with Motorola.
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Table 23 below summarizes the strengths and weaknesses of this option.
Table 23 – VIPER System Strengths and Weaknesses
Strengths
Countywide coverage in both counties utilizing 5
existing regional VIPER sites, with improved reliability
through overlapping site coverage, fault-tolerant
design, and properly constructed radio sites
Flexible standards-based architecture to support
future expansion and technology refresh
Improved capacity through use of trunking
architecture
Greatly enhanced interoperability, both in county and
with other external VIPER system users
Improved security and control through system keys,
subscriber ID restrictions, and encryption capabilities
Interference protection through use of clear 800 MHz
spectrum
The most expedient implementation, as most if not all
of the necessary infrastructure is currently in place
The most cost-effective way to move to a P25
700/800 MHz trunked system solution
Would provide statewide coverage for local users, as
authorized by VIPER use guidelines
Allows for radio safety features, such as emergency
button and encryption
Infrastructure is maintained by the State as a State
cost
5.1.2.
Weaknesses
Recommended coverage testing may indicate that
one additional VIPER site should be added and that
selected critical buildings may require coverageenhancement solutions
Requires replacement of all VHF and UHF existing
subscriber equipment
Somewhat higher maintenance costs for subscriber
equipment compared to conventional VHF and UHF
radios
Would require the lease of commercial fiber if full
console connectivity to the VIPER system core was
desired
As an operational policy, VIPER does not allow overthe-air rekeying (OTAR)
Option 2—700 MHz, P25 Phase II, Trunked Simulcast System
A P25 Phase II (TDMA) trunked simulcast system would provide the greatest level of capabilities for
system users, but is also the highest-cost option of the three. The typical time required to implement a
project of this nature from inception is two to three years. A P25 trunked simulcast system will provide
a reliable and flexible platform that can address coverage issues through the installation of additional
sites and provide substantially increased capacity. The 700 MHz band includes readily available
channels, including frequencies pre-coordinated for use in the region.
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Based on loading calculations, it is estimated that a total of five talk paths will be necessary to provide
an adequate level of capacity. This capacity level can be obtained through the usage of six frequencies
with FDMA operation, or four frequencies with TDMA operation. Option 2 includes TDMA operation for
a P25 Phase II system. Each channel would be available for access at every site. MCP estimates that
seven radio sites will be required to provide typical public safety-grade coverage and performance.
Propagation studies have been provided in Appendix D.
By migrating to digital technology, system users would benefit from other capabilities provided by the
P25 platform. These include redundant configurations with no single point of failure, encryption
capabilities, added network security, affiliation control, and unit IDs.
A migration to a 700 MHz, P25 Phase II, trunked simulcast system would require the complete
replacement of the County’s existing equipment, including fixed infrastructure and subscriber units,
though some of the existing radio sites and supporting facilities could be reused. However, the VHF
paging system would need to be separately retained and enhanced as described within this report, and
at least one new (greenfield) site would need to be developed under Option 2.
Table 24 below summarizes the strengths and weaknesses of this option.
Table 24 – 700 MHz, P25 Phase II, Trunking System Strengths and Weaknesses
Strengths
Countywide coverage in both counties utilizing
approximately 7 radio sites (includes the use of
several existing sites)
Greatly enhanced interoperability, both within the
counties and with external 700/800 MHz P25 users
Improved capacity through use of trunking
architecture
Improved reliability through overlapping site coverage,
fault-tolerant design, and properly constructed radio
sites
Phase II TDMA allows for the highest level of
spectrum efficiency, with two talk paths per working
channel
Improved security and control through system keys,
subscriber ID restrictions, and encryption capabilities
Interference protection through use of clear 700 MHz
spectrum
Spectrum in 700 MHz band is readily available
Capable of providing data backbone to support
functions like GPS and OTAP
Flexible standards-based architecture to support
future expansion and technology refreshes
Weaknesses
The highest-cost option due to significant new P25
Phase II infrastructure
Requires replacement of most existing subscriber
equipment
Higher maintenance costs compared to existing
systems
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A trunked 700 MHz, P25 Phase II system would satisfy all of the critical system criteria defined by
MCP, as identified by system users.
Discount levels have been provided to represent the possible savings off list price. Discount levels of
about ten percent are consistent with sole-source pricing using a state contract or other available
contracting vehicles. However, MCP has had success achieving discount rates of 30 percent or greater
by conducting competitive procurements and/or splitting components between different vendors.
5.1.3.
Option 3—UHF Simulcast System
Option 3 is a UHF conventional analog simulcast system. Moving all local users to UHF and building
out a simulcast infrastructure would resolve some of the performance deficiencies and would resolve
interoperability issues within Pasquotank County, but not with the Camden County Sheriff’s Office or
other area agencies that use the State’s VIPER system. Methods of interfacing UHF, VHF, and 800
MHZ channels could be developed, but they would not be efficient from frequency- and channel-use
perspectives. Adequate UHF channels appear to be available but there is always some uncertainty
when new frequency acquisition is needed for a solution.
Also, a UHF conventional simulcast system would require new infrastructure at significant cost, but
would provide fewer benefits than transitioning to a 700/800 MHz, P25 trunked system platform. To
realize an improvement for in-county interoperability, all current fire VHF users would need to buy new
UHF radios. A five-site design is anticipated to meet public safety coverage and performance criteria.
Table 25 below summarizes the strengths and weaknesses of this option.
Table 25 – UHF Simulcast System Strengths and Weaknesses
Strengths
Countywide coverage within both counties, with a 5site design
Improved coverage and usability through the
implementation of a simulcast design
Improved capacity through the addition of new UHF
channels
Improved reliability through overlapping site coverage,
fault-tolerant design, and properly constructed radio
sites
Improved security and control through system keys,
subscriber ID restrictions, and encryption capabilities
Interference protection through use of clear UHF
spectrum
Weaknesses
Does not provide a good solution to achieve
interoperability with VIPER or other 700/800 MHz,
P25 system users
Requires replacement of all existing VHF subscriber
equipment with UHF radios
Higher maintenance costs compared with existing
system
Unlikely to acquire additional channels for future
expansion
Unless a more expensive P25 UHF system was
implemented, future grant funding for radios would be
unlikely
Less robust encryption options
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Strengths
Reduced costs through less expensive base stations,
lack of trunking control equipment, and reuse of
existing subscriber radios
Weaknesses
Does not allow for over the air rekeying (OTAR)
A simulcast UHF system would satisfy some but not all of the critical system criteria defined by MCP,
as identified by system users, but it requires fewer and less expensive new UHF radios when compared
with the radio costs associated with Option 1 or Option 2.
5.1.4.
Paging System Recommendations
Continued use of the standalone VHF analog paging system to provide paging coverage throughout the
two-county area is recommended regardless of the radio system option selected. As a short-term
action, it is recommended that the leased line providing connectivity from the 9-1-1 Center to the
Perquimans paging base at the Navy Tower is tested to ensure error-free transmission. If a new
County-owned radio system is pursued, it is recommended that the paging system share the new radio
system backhaul.
Today’s paging system is a conventional multisite design that is operationally complicated and which
provides limited area-wide coverage. Two enhancements to the paging system are recommended.
The first is to replace the existing paging tone-and-voice paging system with a digital, alphanumeric
paging system. An alphanumeric, or text, paging system would provide better coverage and thus more
reliable paging with the same number of sites. In addition, alphanumeric pagers are considerably less
expensive than tone-and-voice pagers and provide storage of received pages for rereading.
The second recommendation is to implement a simulcast paging system. Moving to a simulcast design
would simplify operational procedures for dispatch, reduce the potential for human error when paging,
and provide greatly enhanced coverage and reliability for all pages throughout the two-county area.
Under a simulcast design, personnel would reliably receive pages no matter where they were within the
two-county area.
5.1.5.
System Coverage
If a new P25 700 MHz or UHF simulcast system is implemented, MCP recommends 95 percent onstreet portable coverage countywide and in-building (6 dB of attenuation) portable coverage in the
population centers. These coverage criteria can be applied to Option 2 and Option 3 provided by MCP.
As noted in the Option 1 (VIPER) section above, MCP is recommending that existing coverage be
tested and evaluated against desired coverage levels. The option of adding a VIPER site then can be
evaluated on a cost/benefit basis.
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If a new system is built, or a new site is added to the VIPER system, MCP recommends a verification
test that includes a combination of automated testing and delivered audio quality (DAQ) tests. The
selected vendor would be responsible for verifying performance by demonstrating successful tests
throughout 95 percent of the counties.
5.1.6.
System Capacity
System capacity differs depending on whether the County selects a trunked or conventional
architecture, and is based on the specific design.
For a trunked network, capacity is determined based on grade of service (GoS), or the probability of
receiving a busy signal. MCP recommends a minimum GoS of 1 percent for a public safety system.
Based on the number of radio users within the two county region and a growth factor of 25 percent,
Erlang C calculations indicate that a total of five talk paths are necessary to provide a GoS of 1 percent.
P25 systems require one channel to be designated as the control channel, necessitating that four
frequency pairs provide the appropriate capacity for a TDMA system.
If the County procures any features that utilize the P25 data backbone, additional capacity will be
needed to support these features. This excess capacity may be accommodated through the use of
additional channels or the implementation of TDMA.
5.1.7.
Interoperability Features
The greatest enhancement to day-today interoperability will come from a transition of users off different
frequency bands onto one shared frequency platform. While Option 1 and Option 2 would accomplish
this, Option 3 only would partially accomplish this within the two counties, with the exception of the
Camden County Sheriff’s Office users if they were to remain on the VIPER system.
Option 1 or Option 2 provide added wide-area interoperability to any other users of P25 700/800 MHz
systems. However, with a transition to the VIPER system, statewide interoperability is achieved with
the ability to talk to any other VIPER system users, within system-use guidelines.
Central Communications Center should continue to utilize the current interoperability gateway for
special events or unique incidents where patching is desired. Patching through a gateway is not a
means to improve day-to-day interoperability between regional agencies, but can be a helpful tool for
special or unique events.
Programming of the national interoperability channels is recommended for all subscriber radios,
regardless of which frequency band is implemented. These channels are programmed by most
agencies across the country and provide common channels that are frequently used for tactical simplex
communications and patching during interoperable events.
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5.2. SUBSCRIBER RADIOS
Subscriber radios are one of the most significant components of a communications system. Subscriber
radio equipment needs to be compatible with the infrastructure technology implemented by the counties
and should meet industry standards for durability and reliability for public safety use.
Most subscriber radios utilized within the two counties today are not capable of 700/800 MHz, P25
operation. Therefore, most subscriber radios will need to be replaced if a 700/800 MHz, P25 trunking
system is implemented, regardless of whether it is multicast or simulcast. This equates to
approximately 376 portable radios, 253 mobile radios, and 17 control station radios. MCP has based
system cost estimates on a one-for-one replacement of each existing radio based on the different
options.
5.2.1.
Subscriber Radio Features
P25-compliant subscriber radios typically are constructed to meet the durability and reliability
requirements needed for public safety communications. At a minimum, the following features are
recommended for portable radios utilized by public safety users:
 Minimum Mil-Spec F testing
 Model II with liquid crystal display (LCD) and partial keypad
 Emergency call/alert functionality
 Minimum 512 channels
 Minimum three watts (700 MHz) output power
 MDC 1200 signaling
 Separate volume and channel adjustment knobs
 AES- and DES-capable
The following features are recommended for mobile radios utilized by public safety users:
 Minimum Mil-Spec F testing
 Emergency call/alert functionality
 Minimum 512 channels
 Minimum 50 watts (VHF) and 30 watts (700 MHz) output power
 MDC 1200 signaling
 Separate volume and channel adjustment knobs
 AES- and DES-capable
Encryption
Encryption has been identified as a requirement by regional law enforcement agencies. Standardsbased AES digital encryption is the most secure encryption available for public safety radios and is the
standard encryption per P25 specifications. AES is only available on P25 trunking options.
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It is not necessary to purchase the encryption feature for every public safety radio; however, radios
capable of encryption should be purchased so that agencies can activate that feature on the radios
necessary to support special operations, which would benefit from the added security provided by
encrypted communications. As there is a cost to adding this feature on a radio, some agencies choose
to implement it selectively, while other agencies implement it on all radios. Encryption can be
implemented on specific talkgroups for use on an as-needed basis. If law enforcement elects to
encrypt primary talkgroups, special considerations must be made for interoperating with agencies that
may not have encryption-capable radios, or access to local encryption keys.
Proprietary Features
Proprietary features are those features available on P25 systems that do not conform to the P25
standard. When proprietary features are implemented, use of those features only will work between
subscriber radios manufactured by the same vendor. In many cases, the subscriber radio
manufacturer must match the system manufacturer for these features to work.
MCP cautions that the adoption of proprietary features may lock agencies within the counties into
having only one available vendor from which to purchase subscriber radios, in order to maintain use of
the feature. An example of such a proprietary feature is described below.
Over-the Air Programming (OTAP)
OTAP is an optional feature that permits the remote programming of subscriber radios utilizing the P25
data network. OTAP can significantly reduce programming time and effort compared with the typical
manual programming of radios.
Careful consideration must be given to system capacity when OTAP is implemented. Each radio will
require temporary usage of a voice channel to receive OTAP data. OTAP requires a large amount of
data and, therefore, substantial data usage for each radio to be programmed. Programming of an
entire fleet will require a large amount of system resources over an extended period of time. Because
voice transmissions take precedence over data, programming times may be further extended.
OTAP-equipped systems and radios are available from multiple manufacturers. However, subscriber
radios must match the system vendor, which limits competition for subscriber radios if all radios are to
be equipped with OTAP. MCP recommends that the vendor price this as an option.
5.3. CONSOLES
For P25 systems, the interface between the system and the console remains proprietary for the largest
system vendors. Because of this interface, the dispatch console manufacturer will be required to match
the radio system vendor. P25 systems permit a direct IP connection between the system and console
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units, significantly reducing the amount of backroom equipment necessary to provide channel audio to
the consoles. The consoles at Central Communications Center recently were replaced and are
compatible with the VIPER P25 system.
The current console system supports an interface with the computer-aided dispatch (CAD) system that
allows the CAD system to automatically select the appropriate paging tones for fire and EMS dispatch.
5.4. LOGGING RECORDER
P25 systems provide a significant amount of information along with call audio. This information
includes unit ID, affiliated radio sites, talkgroup information, and other data that may be useful in the
event that the call needs to be recalled and reviewed in the future. Only certain model logging
recorders are capable of recording this data. Certain model recorders also are capable of directly
interfacing with P25 systems, while others only can support four-wire audio through a control station
interface. Control station interfaces can be costly if a significant number of channels are to be
recorded, as each channel requires a separate mobile radio to provide the four-wire audio.
The current Higher Ground Capture-911 recording system at Central Communications Center is
capable of P25 operation. Direct connectivity to the VIPER system can be supported if redundant fiber
backhaul is provided to connect to the VIPER system switch located in Farmville, N.C. The cost for this
connection is included in the VIPER option (Option 1) cost estimates.
5.5. BACKHAUL
Backhaul connectivity is a critical component of multisite radio systems. A robust and reliable backhaul
network is required to ensure reliable communications.
P25 systems require higher bandwidth than conventional systems. A leased T1 circuit is the minimum
bandwidth typically acceptable for P25 systems. Use of T1 circuits reduces capital costs, but requires
recurring fees. T1 circuits do not typically include redundant routing and are subject to failures during
high-usage periods.
Based on the desire for a reliable network and minimal recurring fees, MCP recommends that any new
backhaul system implement a loop-configured microwave network. The loop should include all radio
sites and the 9-1-1 Center. Such a network will require a greater capital investment; however, the
return on investment is typically seven to ten years when compared with fees for leased circuits. The
loop configuration proposed for Option 2 or Option 3 will permit a failure to occur at any one tower site
on the ring, while still permitting continued connectivity to the remaining sites.
Loop-protected microwave backhaul is the desired technology of most agencies implementing trunked
radio systems. The underlying reason is that modern trunked radio systems include redundant
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components at every failure point, virtually eliminating single points of failure. With highly reliable radio
equipment, an equally reliable backhaul network is required to fulfill the potential of the equipment.
MCP estimates microwave costs at $120,000 per hop, with the potential for reductions depending on
the level of competition. The number of microwave hops depends on the number of radio sites required
for the RF design.
5.5.1.
DC Plant
Microwave systems are powered through DC plants sized for the load of that connectivity equipment.
To provide consistent power for all of the proposed equipment, MCP recommends increasing the size
of the microwave DC plant to support the power of the radio equipment. This is a typical configuration in
new systems and reduces the necessity of a UPS at the sites.
5.6. REDUNDANCY AND SURVIVABILITY
All of the options proposed by MCP provide for improved network redundancy and survivability. The
use of multiple radio sites will provide a considerable amount of overlapping coverage. In the event of
a failure at any one tower site, overlapping coverage from the surrounding simulcast or multicast sites
will provide a means for users to communicate. In-building or portable coverage may be limited
depending on the location of the users, but mobile coverage likely will be available, regardless of where
the failure occurs and where the user is located.
P25 systems provide significant levels of system fallback that are not provided in conventional systems.
Control equipment typically is installed with onsite backups that can control the system in the event of a
failure to the primary equipment. The loss of connectivity between components results in fallback
operational modes, such as site trunking or fail-soft.
Site trunking occurs when connectivity is lost with the system controller. In this fallback mode, all radio
sites continue trunking in a simulcast mode. The only significant limitation is the loss of connectivity of
the dispatch consoles. Backup portable radios to control stations can mitigate this risk for dispatchers.
A loop-configured backhaul network would ensure reliable connectivity between radio sites. Further,
proper radio system construction and installation with component alarming would ensure that radio
sites are less susceptible to environmental and manmade conditions.
5.7. MAINTENANCE
A preventive-maintenance agreement with local service shops exists for the VIPER system. Similarly,
MCP recommends that a preventive-maintenance program be included if Option 2 or Option 3 is
implemented.
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Recurring maintenance costs can be anticipated to increase under Option 2 or Option 3 when
compared with current costs, as either new system will include additional system components, which
result in higher maintenance costs.
P25 systems specifically include numerous hardware and software components that must be
maintained. Additional maintenance services are available, such as remote monitoring of system
alarms and remote technical support, which significantly can reduce the amount of time needed to
correct system failures. In addition, the regular update of system software permits bug fixes, the
addition of features, and a regular refresh of technology to extend the life of the system.
The first year of maintenance typically is included with any system purchase, with an option to purchase
additional maintenance for subsequent years. This maintenance may be contracted with the system
vendor directly or with a local radio shop.
The maintenance vendor will depend on the system vendor selected. Maintenance vendors are trained
and certified for certain systems; the maintenance vendor will need to be qualified to work on the
installed system.
MCP recommends that optional pricing be secured for system maintenance for years two through ten
following system implementation.
5.8. CONCEPTUAL SYSTEM DESIGNS
MCP has developed conceptual system designs for Option 2 and Option 3 that include the selection of
radio sites to provide the recommended level of coverage, as well as for the paging system
enhancements.
The conceptual 700 MHz P25 Phase II trunked radio system would use seven radio sites to provide
coverage throughout both counties. The locations include Esclip, Fire Tower, Main Dispatch Tower,
Shiloh, South Mills, Wades Point, and a greenfield site. All sites would be connected by a loopconfigured microwave network.
The conceptual design for a P25 Phase II trunking system includes a total of four channels at each
radio site, with all sites arranged in a simulcast configuration. Based on loading calculations for
trunking systems, this will give the system users six talk paths for expanded capacity, compared with
the five indicated by the Erlang C loading calculations. Phase II systems provide two talk paths per
voice channel, resulting in an even number of talk paths. Central control equipment is assumed to be
located at the 9-1-1 Center, which would be on the loop-configured microwave network. Microwave
backhaul has been included for both options, with each site containing bidirectional transmission
systems.
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In contrast, the conceptual five-site UHF conventional simulcast system design uses Fire Tower, Main
Dispatch Tower, Shiloh, South Mills, and Wades Point. All sites would be connected by a loopconfigured microwave network.
The conventional UHF system would need to provide the same number of channels currently used by
law enforcement, fire, and EMS personnel. It is estimated that ten channels would provide the required
capacity.
MCP also has developed a conceptual design for the digital tone-and-voice simulcast paging system
that will use three sites. Coverage studies for the paging system can be found in Appendix F.
5.9. COST ESTIMATES
MCP developed cost estimates for each of the three radio system options and for the paging system
enhancements. The sections that follow identify the cost summaries for each option as well as the
high-level assumptions for each option.
For portable radio pricing, MCP includes all necessary software, antenna, single-unit charger, and
remote speaker microphone. For mobile radio pricing MCP includes all necessary software, control
head, antenna, palm microphone, and installation. Spare batteries were not included in pricing, but are
estimated to cost $98 each.
The cost for encryption was not included in subscriber price estimates. For agencies interested in
purchasing encryption, an estimate of $475 per radio should be used.
Table 26 below summarizes the costs associated with each of the identified options, including
microwave backhaul, user equipment and project management and engineering. Budgetary numbers
are provided for each option. Estimated costs in Table 43 are based on a potential 30 percent discount
off list price or in the case of the VIPER option, 25% discount from state contract pricing for radios.
Table 26 – Estimated Costs
System Option
Option 1 – Transition
to VIPER 800 MHz
P25 trunked system
Option 2 – New 700
MHz P25 Phase II
trunked system
Radio and
Microwave
System
User Equipment
$942,258
$2,024,156
$168,000
$3,134,414
$6,895,941
$2,430,200
$1,776,900
$11,103,041
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Project
Management/
Engineering
Project Total
System Option
Option 3 – UHF
conventional
simulcast system
5.9.1.
Radio and
Microwave
System
$4,232,120
User Equipment
$454,000
Project
Management/
Engineering
$1,104,000
Project Total
$5,790,120
Option 1 – 800 MHz, P25 Phase I, Trunking—VIPER
Assumptions include the following:
 No new sites in base cost estimate
 Adding two additional channels at three existing VIPER sites
 Optional cost to add one new 7-channel VIPER site is provided, but is not included in the base
Option 1 pricing above
 Replacement of 352 portable radios, 233 mobile radios, and 18 control station radios
 Fiber connectivity from Central Communications 9-1-1 Center to VIPER core site in Farmville,
N.C.
 Console Subsystem Interface (CSSI) to VIPER system
 Vendor project management and engineering
 Recommended spares and test equipment
 Mobile radio pricing includes dash-mounted radio control head, P25 software, packet data, overthe-air programming, 3-dB antenna, and palm microphone. With state contract pricing of 25
percent off list price, the price used for mobiles is $3,212. An additional $400 is estimated for
each mobile installation
 Portable radio pricing includes P25 software, packet data, over-the-air programming, ¼-wave
antenna, single-unit charger, and remote speaker microphone. With state contract pricing of 25
percent off list price, the price used for portables is $3,155
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Figure 6 – Opinion of Probable Cost – Transition to VIPER 800 MHz System
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5.9.2.
Option 2 – 700 MHz P25 Phase II Trunked Simulcast System
Assumptions include the following:
 P25 Phase II system using seven sites, with four channels at each site
 Structural analysis and modifications for all towers to latest TIA-222 revision G standard
 Loop-configured microwave network connecting seven radio sites and dispatch
 Replacement of 376 portable radios, 253 mobile radios, and 17 control station radios
 Licensing of 700 MHz channels
 New shelters at four existing sites with grounding and security enhancements
 Development of a greenfield site to include a new 150-foot tower, shelter, generator, site
grounding, and security
 Vendor project management and engineering
 Recommended spares and test equipment
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Figure 7 – Opinion of Probable Cost – 700 MHz P25 Phase 2 Trunked
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5.9.3.
Option 3 – UHF Simulcast System
Assumptions include the following:
 Total of five sites with ten channels at each site
 Simulcast transmit and voted receive signal at all sites
 Structural analysis and modifications for all towers to latest TIA-222 revision G standard
 Loop-configured microwave network connecting five radio sites and dispatch
 Replacement of 276 portable radios, 116 mobile radios, and 16 control station radios
 New shelters at four existing sites with grounding and security enhancements
 Vendor project management and engineering
 Recommended spares and test equipment
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Figure 8 – Opinion of Probable Cost – UHF Conventional – 5 Site 10 Channel System
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5.9.4.
Enhancements to the VHF Paging System
Assumptions include the following:
 Total of three existing sites
 Simulcast design
 The purchase of 459 alphanumeric pagers
 Vendor project management and engineering
 Recommended spares
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Figure 9 – Opinion of Probable Cost – VHF Alphanumeric Paging – 3 Sites
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5.10.
SUSTAINMENT COSTS
With either Option 2 or Option 3, an increase in system sustainment costs can be anticipated. With the
VIPER option, infrastructure sustainment costs are born by the State. At present, the State does not
charge a user fee.
6. NEXT STEPS
The current radio and paging systems have numerous performance and safety deficiencies that have
the potential every day of negatively impacting the ability of public safety first responders to
communicate during both routine and critical incidents. Meaningful improvements only will come
through an investment in new systems and radios. Key next steps include the following:
 Transition remaining public safety agencies that have not already done so to the VIPER system.
This is the most cost-effective and expedient manner of resolving existing communications
system performance deficiencies and moving to a standards-based, next-generation technology
platform
 Enhance the region’s VHF paging system by implementing a simulcast design and digital
pagers
 Move forward with additional planning and procurement activities to support the above project
elements, to include recommended site upgrades
Upon selecting the desired radio system option and paging system enhancements, and identifying
appropriate funding, planning and procurement activities can proceed. To move forward with planning
and procurement, Pasquotank County, on behalf of the region, should contract with a qualified firm to
support necessary activities.
If the VIPER system is selected, support will be needed for coverage testing, coordination with the
State, and new radio procurement and installation. Specifications will need to be developed for any
additional VIPER channels or sites, as well as for any paging system enhancements. Specifications
and procurement support should be structured to align with either a sole-source or competitive
procurement process, as appropriate. If Option 2 or Option 3 is selected, additional specifications will
need to be developed with corresponding procurement process support.
The typical implementation period for a radio system is 12 to 24 months after vendor contract award.
With the necessary planning and procurement tasks, it may be two to three years before a new system
is implemented and operational. In contrast, the timeline for a transition to the VIPER system would be
significantly shorter, especially if no new sites were required.
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Regardless of the solution chosen, in order to obtain the best possible pricing and value, MCP
recommends that the County proceed with a competitive procurement for those project elements where
a sole-source procurement is not required. A competitive procurement will ensure that the County
receives the best available pricing and that the solutions offered are not limited to a specific vendor.
This can produce additional cost savings through the implementation process, especially if the
procurement is divided between radio infrastructure, backhaul, and site-development vendors.
To move forward with a competitive procurement, the County will need to retain assistance for the
development of system specifications. The specifications will include minimum performance
requirements and functional requirements, in order to put the onus of system performance on the
selected vendor. This effort would be significantly streamlined if the VIPER system option is selected;
however, some procurement support likely would still be required.
Once the specifications are completed, the County’s contracting requirements would be added to form
an RFP package. It is MCP’s experience that the RFP should allow vendors one to three months to
provide a response, depending on the complexity of the scope of work. Once proposals are received,
the proposals will be evaluated and scored based on how well the solutions offered would satisfy the
regions’ requirements, and on the prices offered. As part of the negotiation process, the offerings of
promising proposals will be further refined. Best-and-final-offer requests may be utilized as a
negotiation tactic to further reduce pricing or receive additional features. Ultimately, a single vendor
would be selected for contract negotiations. Once a vendor is selected, system implementation may
take anywhere from 12 to 24 months.
MCP understands that there are multiple options available to the regions, including some that may
involve waiting a significant period of time before any action is taken. Among several points to consider
in this regard is the fact that interest rates for bond issues right now are extremely low, resulting in
lower borrowing costs for capital projects. A delay in the project could thus result in higher borrowing
costs, especially if action is not taken for several years. Further, MCP has found that system purchase
costs are at an all-time low. This is a reflection of the current radio equipment market and current
competition levels. There is no guarantee that the deals available still will be available several years
from now. In a nutshell, now is the time to act.
6.1. SECURE FUNDING
In order to move forward with the procurement, funding will need to be secured for the new systems or
potential additions to the VIPER system. Based on the regions’ desired system option, a budgetary
commitment should be secured. The cost estimates provided may be used for budgetary purposes.
MCP notes that these estimates are intended to be somewhat higher than the actual anticipated costs,
in order to provide the regional partners with flexibility during procurement.
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6.2. PROCUREMENT OPTIONS
6.2.1.
Sole-source with the VIPER option
Certain elements of the VIPER option would require sole-source negotiations with Motorola; however,
many associated costs previously have been established by the State through its competitive
procurement process and state contract pricing.
6.2.2.
Competitive Procurement (RFP)
Competitive procurements typically yield the best overall system value when multiple vendors are
capable of offering equivalent or near-equivalent products.
Several components of a radio system may be offered by different vendors. These components include
the following:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Radio system infrastructure
Radio system subscriber radios
Microwave backhaul network
Radio site construction
RFPs may be developed that contract all of these components to a single vendor, or to separate
vendors.
RFP with Single Award
An RFP designed for a single award assigns the responsibility for all components to a single vendor.
Typically, this is the radio system infrastructure vendor, although in some cases RFP responses may
be bid by system integrators that do not manufacture any equipment themselves. Most system vendors
manufacture their own subscriber equipment and typically provide subscriber units as part of their
offering. With a single-award contract, the microwave and site construction components typically are
subcontracted to other companies.
The benefit of a single-award contract is that only one entity is responsible for project performance,
greatly simplifying issues regarding dispute resolution. This comes at the cost of an added markup by
the primary vendor for subcontracted equipment and services.
MCP recommends a single-award contract when the client desires one entity to be responsible for
system installation, but this potentially will result in higher costs.
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RFP with Multiple Awards
An RFP designed for multiple awards permits vendors to bid separately on the different system
components. More often than not, system infrastructure and subscriber radios are bid together.
However, significant cost savings may be recognized through the separate procurement of microwave
and site-development components. Separately procuring microwave and site-development services is
an available option even if infrastructure and subscriber components are procured through a solesource, shared-switch option. The drawback to multiple awards is the increased project management
responsibility for coordinating the different entities. However, project management services typically
can be contracted for far less than the added cost of a single-vendor contract.
Multiple awards may be accomplished through either a single RFP that permits vendors to
independently bid on different sections, and through multiple RFPs. If an RFP route is selected, MCP
recommends a single RFP that permits vendors to bid the system as either a single-award or multipleaward. This type of RFP will provide the County comparative prices for single-award and multipleaward options, thus providing the greatest level of pricing options.
If the County elects to proceed with a competitive procurement, MCP recommends a single RFP that
will permit vendors to respond to all system components or individual components.
7. CONCLUSION
The public safety radio system users in Pasquotank and Camden counties and in the City of Elizabeth
City have identified numerous radio system deficiencies that exist today, and which can and do
adversely impact their ability to reliably communicate in both routine and critical circumstances.
Local elected officials and senior staff wisely have requested a needs assessment to better understand
the situation and to receive information regarding options and recommendations that would improve
public safety communications capabilities in the region. By planning and working together, both
counties and the city can benefit from the avoidance of duplicative efforts and the savings that would
come from a shared infrastructure concept.
With the completion of this report, decisions can be made based on a much better understanding of the
needs and potential solutions. It is suggested that the entities maintain the current momentum by
progressing directly into the planning, procurement, and implementation phases. The success of these
phases and their individual components will have a direct impact on the success of any initiative. The
regional communications system is in desperate need of improvement. The typical implementation
period for a radio system is 12 to 24 months. Given the necessary planning and procurement tasks, it
may be two to three years before a new system is implemented and operational. With the challenges
faced by the existing system, time is of the essence.
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MCP fully understands the challenges the counties and city face and what must be accomplished to
provide a long-term communications solution that will satisfy the needs of first responders in the region.
MCP is available to assist with planning, procurement, and implementation needs as appropriate.
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Appendix A – Pasquotank – Camden County Sites Review
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APPENDIX A – TRANSMITTER SITE REVIEWS
Site inspections focused on the region’s ability to keep critical communications operating while
under the duress of incidents resulting from natural and manmade emergency events. MCP
evaluated each location based on installation practices, site conditions, notification systems,
redundancy of critical elements, and action plans employed at that location. These inspections
were based on industry best practices and standards for critical communications facilities,
primarily Motorola R56®, Standards and Guidelines for Communication Sites.
Motorola R56 is a standard that generally has been adapted industrywide as a best-practices
guide to successful communications site construction. All vendors have similar standards but
track very closely to R56. Non-compliance with R56 standards does not make the installation
wrong, but is deemed to place the site at an increased risk of downtime or significant
site/equipment damage. Therefore, MCP recommends adherence to R56 specifications when
deploying radio equipment.
MCP’s evaluation of regional sites were focused towards providing a site survivability rating.
Installation practices and site conditions were evaluated as relevant to site survivability. Sites
were evaluated according the following categories:
 Alarms/Notifications
 Climate Control
 Connectivity
 Electrical Surge
 Equipment Failure
 Physical Damage
 Power Failure
 Site Security
Alarms/Notifications
System alarms are critical for site survivability and/or prompt recovery. With radio sites being
unmanned, notification systems work as the eyes and ears of repair and maintenance personnel
at a communications site. System, shelter, and power alarms provide early detection of
problems and greatly aid in minimizing downtime.
MCP downgrades the site for failure to alarm and downgrades other issues that rely on the
alarms for survival. For example, the failure to monitor low- and high-temperature alarms
negatively impacts climate control; as a result, air-conditioner failure might not be detected until
radio equipment performance begins to suffer or fail.
Table 1 below lists the alarm conditions that should be monitored and the alarms that currently
are monitored. The table also identifies where the alarms report. At this time, Pasquotank-
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Camden Central Dispatch does not monitor alarms, because they are not installed, or are not
connected to dispatch.
Table 1 – Suggested Site Alarms
Alarm Matrix
Required Alarms
Power Alarms
AC Power Failure
Rectifier Failure
Low Battery
DC Power Failure
Generator Start
Generator Run
Generator Fail
Shelter Alarms
Low Temperature
High Temperature
Intrusion
Smoke
Radio Alarms
High RF Power
High VSWR
Low RF Power
Fan Alarms
Lost Contact
Climate Control
Heat is a major threat to the survivability of electronics equipment. A radio shelter in the
summer can easily reach 115 degrees Fahrenheit (°F) or higher. This is not only problematic
for sensitive radio equipment but can be devastating to battery banks. Room temperature
should be kept at 72–75 °F, with 35–40 percent humidity (non-condensing) for best performance
of all radio systems and components.
Air-conditioning (AC) units are used to provide the first line of defense against heat, but they can
malfunction. A thermostat-controlled fan-and-vent system set at 90 °F can effectively vent some
of the heat in the event of an AC failure. Some newer radio systems cannot tolerate cold
weather below 40° F in the cabinet.
Consequently, sites should be monitored for low- and high-temperature alarms. These alarms
can be set at a level that ensures technical staff are alerted when a thermal condition exists that
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is potentially detrimental to the equipment, allowing for a timely response. Typically the lowand high-temperature alarm settings would be set at 50 °F and 90 °F, respectively.
Connectivity
Two means of connectivity should be present. Reverse loop or multipath microwave;
microwave with fiber or copper backup; hot standby microwave; and multiple copper or fiber
circuits all are acceptable means of meeting this requirement.
Redundant and different means of connectivity provide more reliable uptime compared with a
single means of connectivity. Two separate backhaul paths from a site would allow a site to
maintain overall connectivity in the event of failure on one of the paths. Connectivity could be
maintained while repairs are conducted and the redundant path is brought back online.
Electrical Surge
Electrical surge enters a site primarily from three areas: antenna/tower, phone, and power.
Lightning is the primary cause of electrical surge. Newer radio systems are more sensitive to
electrical surge than older systems. To ensure the radio system is adequately protected from
electrical surge, all copper services must include surge protection and the site must utilize a
properly designed grounding system.
Improper grounding presents a risk to equipment and personnel. The purpose of grounding is
to make all conductive items the same electrical potential, thus eliminating dangerous electrical
currents. Any time there are metallic objects present that are not tied to the grounding system,
an electrical surge or discharge threat occurs. Deficiencies in the grounding system undermine
the protection afforded by the entire system and can result in injury, death, and damaged
equipment, leading to a loss of service from the site.
Site grounding and surge protection systems consist of three main components—sub-terrain,
exterior, and interior. Sites were inspected based on compliance with the grounding and surgeprotection specifications portion of Motorola R56.
A. Sub-Terrain Grounding
During this evaluation, the sub-terrain system was not inspected or tested. The sub-terrain
grounding system is designed to provide a path to ground measuring 5 ohms or less. The
underground system should consist of shelter ground rings, tower ground rings, ground rods
and ground radials. Buried portions of the grounding system only can be tested electrically
once they are covered with dirt. MCP utilized visual inspection of the grounding system and did
not perform electronic verification of the sub-terrain system. The number of ground rods and
radials are dependent on soil condition at the site. MCP recommends ground-resistivity testing
to confirm the integrity of the buried system prior to installing new equipment at sites.
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B. Exterior Grounding
Exterior grounding inspection included the antenna cables, tower steel, ice bridges, fences,
gates, ground bus bars, building entry ports, and ancillary metallic objects. Metallic items
require connection to the sub-terrain grounding system using the appropriate wire and
connection method.
C. Interior Grounding
The interior grounding inspection included the cable entry port, polyphaser installation, ladder
racks, equipment cabinets, equipment, ancillary metallic objects, ground bus bar, halo, power
surge protection and phone surge protection.
Power
Commercial power should be backed up by a generator, fixed or portable, and sufficient direct
current (DC) power should be available—via a DC plant or uninterruptible power supply (UPS)
system capable of running the site for no less than six hours for transmitter sites and eight hours
for communications centers. Also considered is the ability to monitor power alarms, such as
alternating current (AC) power fail, DC power fail, rectifier fail, generator start, generator run,
generator fail, and low battery.
Equipment Failure
Maintenance contract commitments, equipment age, installation practices, and spare parts
availability all are assessed under equipment failure.
Gately Communication Company provides service to the existing equipment and facilities.
Service to a new radio system is expected to carry warranty coverage from a factory-authorized
radio shop for the first year. It is expected that Gately will take over full maintenance
responsibilities upon conclusion of the warranty period. Spare parts for the radio system are in
the County’s possession and located at Gately’s radio shop.
Physical Site Damage
Physical damage addresses conditions at the site that would restrict, delay, or prevent service
and support personnel from entering the site, such as heavy snowfall. Or it can refer to actual
physical damage to the site severe enough to render the site useless, such as a fallen tower or
a shelter fire.
To address a downed tower or shelter fire (for example), Pasquotank and Camden counties
could consider purchasing a Cell-On-Wheels (COW) or work with neighboring counties to host a
regional COW as a means to recover service until permanent repairs can be made.
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The overall recommendations of this report are focused on site survivability. Hardening
communications facilities reduces the likelihood that maintenance personnel would have to
access the site during a major incident, thus minimizing this risk.
Site Security
A. Exterior Security
Perimeter security breaches are likely to come in the form of two potential threats: mischievous
youths and copper thefts.
Mischievous youth do on occasion enjoy the remote atmosphere of a tower site. Most of this
activity involves drinking and occasional graffiti. Often the youth will stay outside the fence and
pose little threat to the site itself.
Copper theft is a threat to perimeter tower site security. When copper prices approach $3.00
per pound, theft quickly rises. Radio towers are well known in the theft market as prime sources
of copper. The dollar value of the theft is only a small part of the risk. These thieves often cut
coaxial cables and power lines, which takes the radio system out of service for an extended
period of time. On some occasions, copper thieves take the power lines to the tower lights,
presenting a threat to air traffic. Thieves also target the copper-rich site grounding systems.
Disrupting the grounding system will not cause an immediate issue with the radio system, but if
not detected and corrected promptly the site will be exposed to electrical surges that could
destroy equipment and keep the site off the air for an extended period of time.
Tinned copper provides the same grounding properties while having a different appearance
from pure copper. Its use in exterior grounding can reduce copper theft.
Security cameras, with motion-sensing alarms, provides a means of detecting perimeter
intrusions.
B. Interior Security
This aspect addresses the security of the communications room or shelter interior. Protection
from insects, rodents, and human intrusion all are assessed under interior security.
Interior security measures include proper shelter doors, locks, proper sealing of conduits, and
intrusion alarms. An intrusion alarm system should provide alerts back to a staffed network
operations center (NOC), dispatch center, or other control point in order to be effective.
The ultimate goal is to identify vulnerabilities and suggest methods to mitigate the threats to the
transmitter sites in an effort to ensure the site remains fully operational while under duress.
Even utilizing all best practices and techniques, there may be instances where the critical
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elements of the site are stressed to the point of failure. As a result, the secondary goal is to
recover sites in four hours or less.
Each site inspected has been color coded to reflect the site’s overall survivability rating, as well
as the key elements of each site. Before explaining the color-coded values, the definition of
survivability must be clear. Survivability is not about preventing every power outage, lightning
strike, or other incident at the transmitter site; survivability is about how the incident is handled
and managed. Survivability considers four aspects:
 Installation – Are site-installation best practices employed?
 Notification – How fast is the incident accurately and properly reported?
 Redundancy – What measures are in place to keep the site on the air while impaired?
 Action – How fast can the repairs be made?
The survivability color codes reflect the site risk in terms of the likelihood of downtime, which is
defined as a period of time expressed in minutes that a radio site has lost its ability to support
the mission. Downtime does not include site impairments as long as the radio still provides
normal usable coverage and capabilities to the service area. Impairment is defined as a site
condition that is less than normal but not traffic affecting, such as a site operating on generator
power during a commercial power disruption. The end result is that the lower the risk for
unscheduled downtime, the higher the survivability rating.
The sites and key elements within the sites are rated as green, yellow, orange, or red to indicate
the health or survivability of each item evaluated. The color-coded rating system is based on
anticipated downtime considering certain site conditions. A GREEN rating does not mean a site
will never experience an outage or an outage of more than four hours; it means that conditions
exist that greatly minimize the risk of downtime. Conversely, a RED rating does not mean a site
will always experience extended periods of downtime, but rather that conditions exist for a
significant risk of extended periods of downtime.
 GREEN indicates that primary, backup, and recovery capabilities meet or exceed best
practices or have very minor issues, and risk of downtime is expected to be less than
240 minutes (4 hours) per event
 YELLOW indicates that noteworthy enhancements can be made to improve site
survivability and that there is an elevated risk of exceeding 240 minutes (4 hours) of
downtime, but not more than 480 minutes (8 hours) per event
 ORANGE indicates that there are potentially serious deficiencies with primary, backup,
or recovery capabilities that greatly increase the risk for downtime or impaired
operations. Downtime potential is in excess of 480 minutes (8 hours), but not more than
720 minutes (12 hours) per event
 RED indicates critical deficiencies in primary, backup, or recovery capabilities that have
the potential, if not addressed, to cause extended periods of downtime in excess of 720
minutes (12 hours) per event, especially during a major incident when other systems and
resources are stressed
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DURANTS NECK
The Durants Neck site is a water tower owned by Perquimans County. The water tower is
located at 36o 08’ 48.77” N and 76o 17’ 41.18” W in Durants Neck, North Carolina. This site
does not display an antenna structure registration (ASR) number. Commercial power is
provided by Albemarle EMC.
The site houses a receiver for the Pasquotank County Sheriff’s Office channel, as well as UHF
radio link equipment in a 6-foot by 8-foot wooden shelter.
An Eaton UPS system provides backup power and surge protection.
Photo 1 – Durants Neck Water Tower
Photo 2 – Durants Neck Water Tower Top
Photo 3 – Durants Neck Equipment Shelter
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1. SITE SURVIVABILITY
Table 2 below provides an overview of the risk exposure at the Durants Neck site.
Table 2 – Durants Neck Survivability Chart
Category
Overall Site
Alarms
Climate
Connectivity
Electrical Surge
Equipment Failure
Physical Damage
Power Failure
Security
Survivability
Rating
Risk
MODERATE
8–12 hours downtime
CRITICAL
More than 12 hours
downtime
CAUTIONARY
4–8 hours downtime
SLIGHT
0–4 hours downtime
CAUTIONARY
4–8 hours downtime
SLIGHT
0-4 hours downtime
SLIGHT
0–4 hours downtime
MODERATE
8–12 hours downtime
SLIGHT
0–4 hours downtime
Primary Reason
Lack of alarms
Not actively monitoring critical
alarms
Single AC unit, not alarmed
No redundancy
Few grounding issues
Time to repair or replace
equipment
Limited DC power solution, lack of
generator
Lack of site/shelter alarming
2. ALARMS
The Durants Neck site is currently rated RED (critical). Currently no critical alarms are
monitored by the County or maintenance provider. To upgrade this issue to GREEN (slight), the
County should take the following actions when deploying the new radio system:
 Install appropriate shelter, power, and system condition sensors for all alarms listed
above
 Utilize an alarm system that stays active until the condition clears or an operator
acknowledges the alarm
 Utilize an alarm system that transmits a clear alarm when condition restores
 Route alarms to display in real-time at the dispatch center and page/alert the
maintenance provider
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3. CLIMATE CONTROL
The Durants Neck site utilizes a wall-mounted air-conditioner with a capacity of 6,000 BTU for
primary site cooling. The current cooling capacity is sufficient for the existing thermal load.
There is currently no heating available in the site. Although the current radio gear is tolerant of
both hot and cold conditions, a more controlled environment would provide for best operation
and longest life. A split-mount heating and cooling system would provide more reliable
temperature control year round.
High- and low-temperature conditions currently are not monitored.
The climate control issue is currently rated YELLOW (cautionary). To upgrade this site to
GREEN (slight), the County should take the following actions when deploying the new radio
system:
 Actively monitor low- and high-temperature alarms
 Install air-conditioning and heat; anticipate a single 1-ton unit for this space, which may
change with equipment design
4. CONNECTIVITY
Connectivity at the Durants Neck site is provided by a UHF radio link provided by Motorola GR
1225 radios. The current connectivity is sufficient to provide the required receive audio from
Durants Neck. A system with multiple channels, however, will require a more robust
connectivity solution.
Best practices recommend two means of connectivity for radio traffic. The impact of loss of
connectivity at Durants Neck is limited to the single site, making this lack of redundancy less
critical.
The radio link is not currently monitored. The receive audio voter at Tower “A” will show a
failure if connectivity is lost. The equipment at Tower “A” is not presently alarmed or monitored
from the 9-1-1 Center.
A lost-contact notification should be part of the alarm system—not necessarily for the site to
send out the lost-contact alarm, as there will be no path to send it on, but rather the equipment
in the 9-1-1 Center should issue an alert when contact with any node is lost.
The connectivity issue is currently rated GREEN (slight). The County should take the following
actions if deploying a new radio system:
 Upgrade connectivity to a more robust solution, such as licensed microwave
 Monitor the site for lost contact
 Complete a redundant path with hot-standby or reverse-loop protection
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5. ELECTRICAL SURGE
A. Exterior Grounding
Exterior grounding inspection included the antenna cables, tower steel, ice bridges, fences,
gates, ground bus bars, building entry ports and ancillary metallic objects, as noted in Table 3
below.
Table 3 – Exterior Grounding Detail
Item
Note
Water Tank Legs
Ice Bridges
Coaxial Ground Kits
Shelter Exterior Bus Bar
Exterior Cable Entry Port
Fence Posts
Not properly grounded
N/A – underground feed
Bonded to single point on tank leg
Not properly grounded
Not properly grounded
Not properly grounded
Gates
Generators
Other Exterior Metallic Objects
Not properly grounded
N/A
N/A
Photo 4 – Transmission line ground kits to
single point on tank leg. Tank leg not
grounded
Photo 5 – Tank leg not grounded
Exterior grounding issues include the following:
 Tank legs not grounded
 Lack of transmission line grounding bus bar
 Transmission lines not properly grounded
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B. Interior Grounding
The interior grounding inspection included the cable entry port, polyphaser installation, ladder
racks, equipment cabinets, equipment, ancillary metallic objects, ground bus bar, halo, power
surge protection and phone surge protection, as noted in Table 4 below..
Table 4 – Interior Grounding Detail
Item
Interior Cable Entry Port
Polyphaser Surge Arrestors
Note
Interior Perimeter Ground Bus (IPGB)
Ladder Racks Bonded
Cable Run from IPGB to Equipment Racks
N/A
Not properly grounded, support recommended
4 American wire gauge (AWG) bare tinned solid
copper wire to sub-terrain ground
Missing
N/A
Ok
Cabinet Grounds
Ancillary Metallic Objects
Ok – 2 AWG insulated copper wire
Some electrical panels not grounded
Master Ground Bus Bar (MGB)
Interior grounding issues include the following:
 Ancillary metallic objects are not all grounded. All non-equipment metallic objects
should be strapped as part of effective grounding. These objects should be strapped to
the interior perimeter ground bus (IPGB)
 An IPGB should be installed from the master ground bus bar (MGB)—at the cable entry
port—around the room six inches from the ceiling
 Polyphaser surge arrestors should be separately grounded to the MGB. Also, the surge
arrestors should be supported or mounted to a fixed structure
 The MGB is grounded using a 4 AWG tinned copper wire; a 2 AWG wire is
recommended
The electrical surge issue is currently rated YELLOW (cautionary). To upgrade this site to
GREEN (slight), the County should take the following actions:
 Ground the MGB with 2 AWG wire
 Install an IPGB
 Bond all ancillary metallic objects to the ground halo in both the equipment and
generator rooms
 Ground Polyphaser surge arrestors separately and provide mounting support
Mission Critical Partners | 11
6. EQUIPMENT FAILURE
The equipment currently installed at the Durants Neck site appears to be well maintained.
However, the GR 1225 radio is no longer supported by Motorola. Table 5 below provides a list
of radio equipment at the Durants Neck site.
Table 5 - Durants Neck Radio Equipment
Make
Model
Operation Mode
Usage
Motorola
Motorola
Motorola
MTR 3000
MTR 3000
GR 1225
Transmit/Receive
Receive
Transmit
Perquimans Fire TAC2
Pasquotank County Sherriff
UHF link to main dispatch tower
The equipment failure issue is currently rated GREEN (slight).
7. PHYSICAL DAMAGE
The Durants Neck site is located directly off a main road. No issues are predicted that are
specific to the site location or to site access, in the event of physical site damage.
The physical damage issue is currently rated GREEN (slight).
8. POWER
Pasquotank County does not monitor critical power alarms. Survivability greatly increases with
active alarming, as problems can be detected with commercial, battery, and generator power
systems as soon as they occur. Such detection enables maintenance personnel to better
manage resources, prioritize issues, and deliver the appropriate response to incidents.
A. Primary Power
Primary power is commercially provided by a 10 kilovolt-ampere (kVA), pole-mounted
transformer via a single overhead feed from Albemarle EMC.
B. Generator Power
There is no a generator at the Durants Neck site.
C. Uninterruptible Power Supply
An Eaton 9130 UPS system with three add-on battery modules provides a minimum of four
hours of backup power at the Durants Neck site. The current power needs are much lower than
Mission Critical Partners | 12
what a possible new radio system would require; as a result, the existing UPS system would
need to be upgraded or replaced to support the increased power load of a new system.
The power issue is currently rated ORANGE (moderate). To upgrade this site to GREEN
(slight), the County should take the following actions when deploying the new radio system:
 Actively monitor all power alarms
 Upgrade or replace the UPS system (if a new radio system is pursued)
 Provide a backup generator (if a new radio system is pursued)
9. SITE SECURITY
A. Exterior Security
Exterior security features at the Durants Neck site is normal for a transmitter site. Perimeter
security consists of a fenced property, but no fence around the radio shelter and tower. The
property gate is secured with a padlock.
B. Interior Security
The shelter is a wood building in good condition with a deadbolt lock. The shelter lock, coupled
with the exterior protection, provides reliable protection against unauthorized intruders.
However, the interior security system lacks an intrusion alarm system.
The site security issue is currently rated GREEN (slight). However, the County should take the
following action:
 Install and actively monitor an intrusion alarm system
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Mission Critical Partners | 13
ELIZABETH CITY WATER TANK
The Elizabeth City site is a water tower owned by the City of Elizabeth City. The water tower is
located at 36o 18’ 04.14” N and 76o 13’ 17.79” W in Elizabeth City, North Carolina. This site
does not display an ASR number. Commercial power is provided by City of Elizabeth City
Electric.
The site houses a receiver for the TAC3 and TAC4 channels, as well as fiber equipment that
provides a communications link to the 9-1-1 Center, which is located a few hundred feet away.
Equipment is placed in an existing wood shelter.
Photo 6 – Elizabeth City Water Tower
Photo 7 – Elizabeth City Water Tower Top
Photo 8 – Elizabeth City Equipment Shelter
Photo 9 – Elizabeth City Equipment in Shelter
Mission Critical Partners | 14
1. SITE SURVIVABILITY
Table 6 below provides an overview of the risk exposure at the Elizabeth City site.
Table 6 – Elizabeth City Survivability Chart
Category
Overall Site
Alarms
Climate
Connectivity
Electrical Surge
Equipment Failure
Physical Damage
Power Failure
Security
Survivability
Rating
Risk
CAUTIONARY
4–8 hours downtime
MODERATE
8-12 hours downtime
CAUTIONARY
4–8 hours downtime
SLIGHT
0–4 hours downtime
CAUTIONARY
4–8 hours downtime
CAUTIONARY
4-8 hours downtime
SLIGHT
0–4 hours downtime
CAUTIONARY
0–4 hours downtime
SLIGHT
0–4 hours downtime
Primary Reason
Lack of alarms
Not actively monitoring critical
alarms
Single AC unit, not alarmed
No redundancy
Few grounding issues
Lack of support for transmission
lines
Time to repair or replace
equipment.
Lack of UPS
Lack of site/shelter alarming
2. ALARMS
The Elizabeth City site is currently rated Orange (moderate). Currently no critical alarms are
monitored by the County or maintenance provider. This risk to prolonged outage is somewhat
mitigated by the site being located next to the 9-1-1 Center. To upgrade this issue to GREEN
(slight), the County should take the following actions when deploying the new radio system:
 Install appropriate shelter, power, and system condition sensors for all alarms listed
above
 Utilize an alarm system that stays active until the condition clears or an operator
acknowledges the alarm
 Utilize an alarm system that transmits a clear alarm when condition restores
 Route alarms to display in real-time at the dispatch center and the page/alert
maintenance provider
Mission Critical Partners | 15
3. CLIMATE CONTROL
The Elizabeth City site utilizes a wall-mounted air-conditioner with a capacity of 6,000 BTU for
primary site cooling. The current cooling capacity is sufficient for the existing thermal load.
There is currently no heating available at the site. Although the current radio gear is tolerant of
both hot and cold conditions, a more controlled environment would provide for best operation
and longest life. A split-mount heating and cooling system would provide more reliable
temperature control year round.
Louvered vents also are used to provide passive cooling in the summer, if needed.
High- and low-temperature conditions currently are not monitored.
The climate-control issue is currently rated YELLOW (cautionary). To upgrade this site to
GREEN (slight), the County should take the following actions when deploying the new radio
system:
 Actively monitor low- and high-temperature alarms
 Install air-conditioning and heat; anticipate a single 1-ton unit for this space, which may
change with equipment design
4. CONNECTIVITY
Connectivity at the Elizabeth City water tank site is provided by a fiber link to the neighboring
9-1-1 Center. The 9-1-1 Center has a microwave path to the Wellfield site, where the receive
voters for TAC3 and TAC4 are located. The current connectivity is sufficient for the Elizabeth
City site.
Best practices recommend two means of connectivity for radio traffic. The impact of loss of
connectivity at the Elizabeth City water tank is limited to the single site, making this lack of
redundancy less critical.
The fiber link currently is not monitored. The loss of this link, however, would be readily
investigated due to its proximity to the 9-1-1 Center.
A lost-contact notification should be part of the alarm system—not necessarily for the site to
send out the lost-contact alarm, as there will be no path to send it on, but the equipment in the
9-1-1 Center should issue an alert when contact with any node is lost.
The connectivity issue is currently rated GREEN (slight). However, the County should take the
following actions if deploying a new radio system:
 Monitor site for lost contact
 Complete a redundant path with hot-standby or reverse-loop protection
Mission Critical Partners | 16
5. ELECTRICAL SURGE
A. Exterior Grounding
Exterior grounding inspection included the antenna cables, tower steel, ice bridges, fences,
gates, ground bus bars, building entry ports and ancillary metallic objects, as noted in Table 7
below.
The exterior transmission lines were not seen to have grounding prior to entry to the shelter. A
master ground bus bar was also not found for the County shelter.
Table 7 – Exterior Grounding Detail
Item
Note
Water Tank Legs
Ice Bridges
Properly grounded
Not present
Coaxial Ground Kits
Shelter Exterior Ground Bus Bar
Exterior Cable Entry Port
Fence Posts
Gates
Generators
Not present
Not present
Not present
Not properly grounded
Not properly grounded
N/A
Other Exterior Metallic Objects
N/A
Photo 10 – Transmission line from back of
shelter
Photo 11 – Tank leg grounded with other
carrier lines
Mission Critical Partners | 17
Exterior grounding issues include the following:
 Lack of transmission line grounding bus bar
 Transmission lines not properly grounded
 Lack of fence grounding
B. Interior Grounding
The interior grounding inspection included the cable entry port, polyphaser installation, ladder
racks, equipment cabinets, equipment, ancillary metallic objects, ground bus bar, halo, power
surge protection and phone surge protection.
Table 8 – Interior Grounding Detail
Item
Interior Cable Entry Port
Polyphaser Surge Arrestors
Master Ground Bus Bar (MGB)
Interior Perimeter Ground Bus (IPGB)
Ladder Racks Bonded
Cable Run from IPGB to Equipment Racks
Cabinet Grounds
Ancillary Metallic Objects
Note
N/A
Not present
4 American wire gauge (AWG) bare tinned solid
copper wires to sub-terrain ground
Missing
N/A
Ok
Ok – 2 AWG insulated copper wires
Some electrical panels not grounded
Interior grounding issues include the following:
 Ancillary metallic objects are not all grounded. All non-equipment metallic objects
should be strapped as part of effective grounding. These objects should be strapped to
the IPGB. Grounding wires were present for ancillary equipment, but multiple grounding
wires were terminated to a common point that did not provide the proper grounding
 An MGB should be installed
 An IPGB should be installed from the MGB (at the cable entry port) around the room six
inches from the ceiling. Ancillary metal equipment and radio equipment should be
grounded to the IPGB
 The Polyphaser surge arrestors should be supported or mounted to a fixed structure
The electrical surge issue is currently rated YELLOW (cautionary). To upgrade this site to
GREEN (slight), the County should take the following actions:
 Ground the MGB with 2 AWG wire
 Install an IPGB
 Bond all ancillary metallic objects to the ground halo in both the equipment and
generator rooms
Mission Critical Partners | 18

Ground the surge arrestors separately and provide mounting support
6. EQUIPMENT FAILURE
The equipment currently installed at the Elizabeth City site appears to be well maintained.
However, the MTR 2000 radio is no longer in production and has an end-of-support date of
March 2018, while the MTR 3000 is a product that is currently in production. It is recommended
that the MTR 2000 is replaced in the next two years, if a need for a TAC receiver is present at
that time. Table 9 below summarizes the radio equipment at the site.
The transmission lines at the site are not supported from the shelter to the water tank. This
places unnecessary strain on the lines, increasing the likelihood of damage or failure of the
lines. It is recommended that ice bridge and cable support is installed from the shelter to the
water tank.
Table 9 – Elizabeth City Radio Equipment
Make
Model
Operation Mode
Motorola
Motorola
MTR 2000
MTR 3000
Receive
Receive
Usage
Fire TAC3
Fire TAC4
The equipment failure issue is currently rated YELLOW (cautionary). To bring equipment failure
to a GREEN status, is recommended that the County take the following steps:
 Install and properly ground ice bridge and cable support from the shelter entry point to
the water tank leg
 Replace equipment near end of support before the support expires (if the County elects
to keep the current radio system)
7. PHYSICAL DAMAGE
The Elizabeth City site is located directly off a main road. No issues are predicted that are
specific to the site location or to site access in the event of physical site damage.
The physical damage issue is currently rated GREEN (slight).
8. POWER
Pasquotank County does not monitor critical power alarms. Survivability greatly increases with
active alarming, as problems can be detected with commercial, battery, and generator power
systems as soon as they occur. This allows maintenance personnel to better manage
resources, prioritize issues, and deliver the appropriate response to incidents.
Mission Critical Partners | 19
A. Primary Power
Primary power is commercially provided by a 10 kVA, pole-mounted transformer via a single
overhead feed from Albemarle EMC.
B. Generator Power
A shared 50 kilowatt (kW) generator is used at the Elizabeth City water tank site, located in the
communications shelter, to provide backup power.
C. Uninterruptible Power Supply
No UPS backup power was noted at the Elizabeth City water tank site. In the event of a power
outage, there is a period of time before the backup generator will support the electric load at the
site. Without a UPS system, equipment will lose power while the cutover to the generator
occurs.
The power issue is currently rated YELLOW (cautionary). The County should take the following
actions:
 Actively monitor all power alarms
 Install a UPS system (if a new radio system is pursued)
9. SITE SECURITY
A. Exterior Security
Exterior security features at the Elizabeth City site are normal for a transmitter site. Perimeter
security consists of a fenced property, but no fence around the radio shelter and tower. The
property gate is secured with a padlock.
B. Interior Security
The shelter is a wood building in good condition with a deadbolt lock. The shelter lock, coupled
with the exterior protection, provides reliable protection against unauthorized intruders.
The interior security system lacks an intrusion alarm system.
The site security issue is currently rated GREEN (slight). However, the County should take the
following action:
 Install and actively monitor an intrusion alarm system
Mission Critical Partners | 20
ESCLIP
The Esclip site is located at a water tower owned by the water utility. The water tower is located
at 36o 10’ 29.50” N and 76o 09’ 37.22” W in Elizabeth City, North Carolina. This site does not
display an ASR number. Commercial power is provided by City of Elizabeth City Electric.
The site houses a receiver for the Pasquotank County Sheriff’s Office channel, as well as UHF
radio link equipment in a 6-foot by 8-foot wooden shelter.
A Generac 14 kW propane generator and a Tripp Lite SmartPro UPS system provide backup
power and surge protection.
Photo 12 – Esclip Water Tower Top
Photo 13 – Esclip Water Tower Compound
Photo 14 – Esclip Equipment Shelter
Mission Critical Partners | 21
1. SITE SURVIVABILITY
Table 10 below provides an overview of the risk exposure at the Esclip site.
Table 10 – Esclip Survivability Chart
Category
Overall Site
Alarms
Climate
Connectivity
Electrical Surge
Equipment Failure
Physical Damage
Power Failure
Security
Survivability
Rating
Risk
MODERATE
8–12 hours downtime
CRITICAL
More than 12 hours
downtime
CAUTIONARY
4–8 hours downtime
SLIGHT
0–4 hours downtime
MODERATE
8–12 hours downtime
SLIGHT
0-4 hours downtime
SLIGHT
0–4 hours downtime
MODERATE
8–12 hours downtime
SLIGHT
0–4 hours downtime
Primary Reason
Lack of alarms
Not actively monitoring critical
alarms
Single AC unit, not alarmed
No redundancy
Lack of interior and exterior
grounding
Time to repair or replace
equipment
Limited DC power solution, lack of
generator
Lack of site/shelter alarming
2. ALARMS
The Esclip site is currently rated RED (critical). Currently no critical alarms are monitored by the
County or maintenance provider. To upgrade this issue to GREEN (slight), the County should
take the following actions when deploying the new radio system:
 Install appropriate shelter, power, and system condition sensors for all alarms listed
above
 Utilize an alarm system that stays active until the condition clears or an operator
acknowledges the alarm
 Utilize an alarm system that transmits a clear alarm when condition restores
 Route alarms to display in real-time at the dispatch center and the page/alert
maintenance provider
Mission Critical Partners | 22
3. CLIMATE CONTROL
The Esclip site utilizes an indoor Idylis air-conditioner with a capacity of 12,000 BTU for primary
site cooling. The Idylis unit vents to the outside via a single-hose exhaust system. The current
cooling capacity is sufficient for the existing thermal load. There is currently no heating
available at the site. Although the current radio gear is tolerant of both hot and cold conditions,
a more controlled environment would provide for best operation and longest life. A split-mount
heating and cooling system would provide more reliable temperature control year round.
Louvered vents also are used as a secondary means to mitigate high shelter temperatures in
the event of a main AC failure.
High- and low-temperature conditions are not currently monitored.
The climate control issue is currently rated YELLOW (cautionary). To upgrade this site to
GREEN (slight), the County should take the following actions when deploying the new radio
system:
 Actively monitor low- and high-temperature alarms
 Install air-conditioning and heat; anticipate a single 1-ton unit for this space, which may
change with equipment design
4. CONNECTIVITY
Connectivity at the Esclip site is provided by a UHF radio link provided by Motorola GR 1225
radios. The current connectivity is sufficient to provide the required receive audio from Esclip.
A system with multiple channels, however, will require a more robust connectivity solution.
Best practices recommend two means of connectivity for radio traffic. The impact of loss of
connectivity at Esclip is limited to the single site, making this lack of redundancy less critical.
The radio link is not currently monitored. The receive audio voter at Tower “A” will show a
failure if connectivity is lost. The equipment at Tower “A” is not presently alarmed or monitored
from the 9-1-1 Center.
A lost-contact notification should be part of the alarm system—not necessarily for the site to
send out the lost-contact alarm, as there will be no path to send it on, but the equipment in the
9-1-1 Center should issue an alert when contact with any node is lost.
The connectivity issue is currently rated GREEN (slight). The County should take the following
actions if deploying a new radio system:
 Upgrade connectivity to a more robust solution, such as licensed microwave
 Monitor site for lost contact
Mission Critical Partners | 23

Complete a redundant path with hot-standby or reverse-loop protection
5. ELECTRICAL SURGE
A. Exterior Grounding
Exterior grounding inspection included the antenna cables, tower steel, ice bridges, fences,
gates, ground bus bars, building entry ports and ancillary metallic objects, as noted in Table 11
below.
A tower MGB or transmission line grounding kits were not observed at the Esclip site.
Table 11 – Exterior Grounding Detail
Item
Note
Water Tank Legs
Ice Bridges
Coaxial Ground Kits
Shelter Exterior Ground Bus Bar
Exterior Cable Entry Port
Fence Posts
Properly grounded
N/A – underground feed
Not present
Not present
N/A
Not properly grounded
Gates
Generators
Other Exterior Metallic Objects
Not properly grounded
Properly grounded
N/A
Photo 15 – Transmission line ground kits not
present
Photo 16 – Tank leg grounded
Mission Critical Partners | 24
Exterior grounding issues include the following:
 Lack of transmission line grounding bus bar
 Transmission lines not properly grounded
 Fence and gates not properly grounded
B. Interior Grounding
The interior grounding inspection included the cable entry port, polyphaser installation, ladder
racks, equipment cabinets, equipment, ancillary metallic objects, ground bus bar, halo, power
surge protection and phone surge protection, as noted in Table 12 below.
Table 12 – Interior Grounding Detail
Item
Note
Interior Cable Entry Port
Polyphaser Surge Arrestors
Master Ground Bus Bar (MGB)
Interior Perimeter Ground Bus (IPGB)
Ladder Racks Bonded
N/A
Not properly grounded, support recommended
Not present
Not present
N/A
Cable Run from IPGB to Equipment Racks
Cabinet Grounds
Ancillary Metallic Objects
Not present
Not present
Not properly grounded
Interior grounding issues include the following:
 Lack of an MGB
 An IPGB should be installed from the MGB (at the cable entry port) around the room, six
inches from the ceiling
 Polyphaser surge arrestors should be separately grounded to the MGB. Also, the surge
arrestors should be supported or mounted to a fixed structure
The electrical surge issue is currently rated ORANGE (moderate). To upgrade this site to
GREEN (slight), the County should take the following actions:
 Install and interior MGB and ground it with 2 AWG wire
 Install an IPGB
 Bond all ancillary metallic objects to the ground halo in both the equipment and
generator rooms
 Ground the surge arrestors separately and provide mounting support
 Install an exterior MGB and ground it with 2 AWG wire
 Install transmission line grounding kits
 Ground fence and gates
Mission Critical Partners | 25
6. EQUIPMENT FAILURE
The equipment currently installed at the Esclip site appears to be well maintained. However,
the GR 1225 radio is no longer supported by Motorola. Table 13 below summarizes the radio
equipment at the site.
Table 13 – Esclip Radio Equipment
Make
Model
Operation Mode
Usage
Motorola
Motorola
MTR 3000
GR 1225
Receive
Transmit
Pasquotank County Sheriff’s Office
UHF link to main dispatch tower
The equipment failure issue is currently rated GREEN (slight). However, the County should
replace the GR 1225 equipment if it elects to maintain the current radio system.
7. PHYSICAL DAMAGE
The Esclip site is located directly off a main road. No issues are predicted that are specific to
the site location or to site access in the event of physical site damage.
The physical damage issue is currently rated GREEN (slight).
8. POWER
Pasquotank County does not monitor critical power alarms. Survivability greatly increases with
active alarming, as problems can be detected with commercial, battery, and generator power
systems as soon as they occur. This allows maintenance personnel to better manage
resources, prioritize issues, and deliver the appropriate response to incidents.
A. Primary Power
Primary power is commercially provided by a 10 kVA, pole-mounted transformer via a single
overhead feed from City of Elizabeth City Electric.
B. Generator Power
A 14 kW Generac propane generator with a 200-pound propane tank provides backup to
commercial power at the Esclip site.
Mission Critical Partners | 26
C. Uninterruptible Power Supply
A rack-mounted Tripp Lite SmartPro UPS system provide surge protection and backup power
for the Esclip radio equipment while the generator is brought under load in the event of a
commercial power failure. The UPS system provides four minutes of runtime at a full load of
800 watts (W). This is sufficient time for the generator to start and take the electrical load at the
site.
The current power needs are much lower than what would be required by a possible new radio
system. Consequently, the existing UPS system would need to be upgraded or replaced to
support the increased power load of a new system.
The power issue is currently rated YELLOW (cautionary). The County should take the following
actions:
 Actively monitor all power alarms
 Upgrade or replace the UPS system (if a new radio system is pursued)
9. SITE SECURITY
A. Exterior Security
Exterior security features at the Esclip site are normal for a transmitter site. Perimeter security
consists of a fenced property but no fence around the radio shelter and tower. The property
gate is secured with a padlock.
B. Interior Security
The shelter is a wood building in good condition with a deadbolt lock. The shelter lock, coupled
with the exterior protection, provides reliable protection against unauthorized intruders.
The interior security system lacks an intrusion alarm system.
The site security issue is currently rated GREEN (slight). However, the County should take the
following action:
 Install and actively monitor an intrusion alarm system
Mission Critical Partners | 27
FIRE TOWER
The Fire Tower site is a lattice self-support 120-foot fire tower owned by Pasquotank County.
The tower is located at 36o 25’ 54.81” N and 76o 22’ 31.78” W in Durants Neck, North Carolina.
This tower has an ASR number of 1234681. Commercial power is provided by Albemarle EMC.
The site houses receivers for the Pasquotank County Sheriff’s Office and TAC5 channels, as
well as UHF radio link equipment, in a 6-foot by 8-foot wooden shelter.
A Generac 14 kW propane generator and a Tripp Lite SmartPro UPS system provide backup
power and surge protection.
Photo 17 – Fire Tower
Photo 18 – Fire Tower shelter
Remainder of page intentionally left blank.
Mission Critical Partners | 28
1. SITE SURVIVABILITY
Table 14 below provides an overview of the risk exposure at the Fire Tower site.
Table 14 – Fire Tower Survivability Chart
Category
Overall Site
Alarms
Climate
Connectivity
Electrical Surge
Equipment Failure
Physical Damage
Power Failure
Security
Survivability
Rating
Risk
MODERATE
8–12 hours downtime
CRITICAL
More than 12 hours
downtime
CAUTIONARY
4–8 hours downtime
SLIGHT
0–4 hours downtime
CAUTIONARY
4–8 hours downtime
SLIGHT
0-4 hours downtime
SLIGHT
0–4 hours downtime
CAUTIONARY
4–8 hours downtime
SLIGHT
0–4 hours downtime
Primary Reason
Lack of alarms
Not actively monitoring critical
alarms
Single AC unit, not alarmed
No redundancy
Few grounding issues
Time to repair or replace
equipment.
Limited DC power solution
Lack of site/shelter alarming
2. ALARMS
The Fire Tower site is currently rated RED (critical). Currently no critical alarms are monitored
by the County or maintenance provider. To upgrade this issue to GREEN (slight), the County
should take the following actions when deploying the new radio system:
 Install appropriate shelter, power, and system condition sensors for all alarms listed
above
 Utilize an alarm system that stays active until the condition clears or an operator
acknowledges the alarm
 Utilize an alarm system that transmits a clear alarm when condition restores
 Route alarms to display in real-time at the dispatch center and the page/alert
maintenance provider
Mission Critical Partners | 29
3. CLIMATE CONTROL
The Fire Tower site utilizes a wall-mounted air-conditioner with a capacity of 8,000 BTU for
primary site cooling. The current cooling capacity is sufficient for the existing thermal load.
There is currently no heating available at the site. Although the current radio gear is tolerant of
both hot and cold conditions, a more controlled environment would provide for best operation
and longest life. A split-mount heating and cooling system would provide more reliable
temperature control year round.
High- and low-temperature conditions are not currently monitored.
The climate control issue is currently rated YELLOW (cautionary). To upgrade this site to
GREEN (slight), the County should take the following actions when deploying the new radio
system:
 Actively monitor low- and high-temperature alarms
 Install air-conditioning and heat; anticipate a single 1-ton unit for this space, which may
change with equipment design
4. CONNECTIVITY
Connectivity at the Fire Tower site is provided by a UHF radio link provided by Motorola GR
1225 radios. The current connectivity is sufficient to provide the required receive audio from the
Fire Tower site. A system with multiple channels, however, will require a more robust
connectivity solution.
Best practices recommend two means of connectivity for radio traffic. The impact of loss of
connectivity at the Fire Tower site is limited to the single site, making this lack of redundancy
less critical.
The radio link is not currently monitored. The receive audio voter at Tower “A” will show a
failure if connectivity is lost. The equipment at Tower “A” is not presently alarmed or monitored
from the 9-1-1 Center.
A lost-contact notification should be part of the alarm system—not necessarily for the site to
send out the lost-contact alarm, as there will be no path to send it on, but the equipment in the
9-1-1 Center should issue an alert when contact with any node is lost.
The connectivity issue is currently rated GREEN (slight). However, the County should take the
following actions if deploying a new radio system:
 Upgrade connectivity to a more robust solution, such as licensed microwave
 Monitor site for lost contact
 Complete a redundant path with hot-standby or reverse-loop protection
Mission Critical Partners | 30
5. ELECTRICAL SURGE
A. Exterior Grounding
Exterior grounding inspection included the antenna cables, tower steel, ice bridges, fences,
gates, ground bus bars, building entry ports and ancillary metallic objects, as noted in Table 15
below.
Table 15 – Exterior Grounding Detail
Item
Note
Tower Legs
Ice Bridges
Coaxial Ground Kits
Shelter Exterior Ground Bus Bar
Exterior Cable Entry Port
Fence Posts
Not properly grounded, improper gauge wire
N/A – underground feed
Bonded to single point on tank leg
Not properly grounded
Not properly grounded
Not properly grounded
Gates
Generators
Other Exterior Metallic Objects
Not properly grounded
N/A
N/A
Photo 19 – Tower leg grounding
Photo 20 – Transmission lines not properly
grounded
Exterior grounding issues include the following:
 Tank legs not grounded with proper gauge wire
 Lack of transmission line grounding bus bar
 Transmission lines not properly grounded; multiple lines grounded to a single point
 Fence and gates not grounded
Mission Critical Partners | 31
B. Interior Grounding
The interior grounding inspection included the cable entry port, polyphaser installation, ladder
racks, equipment cabinets, equipment, ancillary metallic objects, ground bus bar, halo, power
surge protection and phone surge protection, as noted in Table 16 below.
Table 16 – Interior Grounding Detail
Item
Note
Interior Cable Entry Port
Polyphaser Surge Arrestors
Master Ground Bus Bar (MGB)
N/A
Properly grounded and supported
Properly grounded
Interior Perimeter Ground Bus (IPGB)
Ladder Racks Bonded
Cable Run from IPGB to Equipment Racks
Cabinet Grounds
Ancillary Metallic Objects
Missing
N/A
Ok
Ok – 2 AWG insulated copper wire
Some electrical panels not grounded
Interior grounding issues include the following:
 Ancillary metallic objects are not all grounded. All non-equipment metallic objects
should be strapped as part of effective grounding. These objects should be strapped to
the IPGB
 An IPGB should be installed from the MGB (at the cable entry port) around the room, six
inches from the ceiling
The electrical surge issue is currently rated YELLOW (cautionary). To upgrade this site to
GREEN (slight), the County should take the following actions:
 Install an IPGB
 Bond all ancillary metallic objects to the ground halo in both the equipment and
generator rooms
6. EQUIPMENT FAILURE
The equipment currently installed at the Fire Tower site appears to be well maintained.
However, the GR 1225 radios are no longer supported by Motorola and the Astro-Tac receiver
has an end-of-support date of March 2018. Table 17 below provides a list of radio equipment at
the Fire Tower site.
Mission Critical Partners | 32
Table 17 – Fire Tower Radio Equipment
Make
Model
Operation Mode
Usage
Motorola
Motorola
Motorola
Motorola
MTR 3000
Astro-Tac
GR 1225
GR 1225
Receive
Receive
Transmit
Transmit
Pasquotank County Sheriff’s Office
VHF TAC5
UHF link to main dispatch tower
UHF link to main dispatch tower
The equipment failure issue is currently rated GREEN (slight). However, it is recommended that
the County replace equipment at or near end of support if the County elects to maintain the
current radio system.
7. PHYSICAL DAMAGE
The Fire Tower site is located directly off a main road. No issues are predicted that are specific
to the site location or site access in the event of physical site damage.
The physical damage issue is currently rated GREEN (slight).
8. POWER
Pasquotank County does not monitor critical power alarms. Survivability greatly increases with
active alarming, as problems can be detected with commercial, battery, and generator power
systems as soon as they occur. This allows maintenance personnel to better manage
resources, prioritize issues, and deliver the appropriate response to incidents.
A. Primary Power
Primary power is commercially provided by a 10 kVA, pole-mounted transformer via a single
overhead feed from Albemarle EMC.
B. Generator Power
A 14 kW Generac propane generator with a 200-pound propane tank provides backup to
commercial power at the Fire Tower site.
C. Uninterruptible Power Supply
A rack-mounted Tripp Lite SmartPro UPS system provide surge protection and backup power
for the Fire Tower radio equipment while the generator is brought under load in the event of a
Mission Critical Partners | 33
commercial power failure. The UPS provides four minutes of runtime at a full load of 800 W.
This is sufficient time for the generator to start and take the electrical load at the site.
The power issue is currently rated YELLOW (cautionary). The County should take the following
actions:
 Actively monitor all power alarms
 Upgrade or replace the UPS system (if a new radio system is pursued)
9. SITE SECURITY
A. Exterior Security
Exterior security features at the Fire Tower site are normal for a transmitter site. Perimeter
security consists of a fenced property but no fence around the radio shelter and tower. The
property gate is secured with a padlock.
B. Interior Security
The shelter is a wood building in good condition with a deadbolt lock. The shelter lock, coupled
with the exterior protection, provides reliable protection against unauthorized intruders.
However, the interior security system lacks an intrusion alarm system.
The site security issue is currently rated GREEN (slight). The County should take the following
action:
 Install and actively monitor an intrusion alarm system
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Mission Critical Partners | 34
MAIN DISPATCH TOWER/TOWER “A”
The Main Dispatch tower site is a guyed 480-foot tower owned by Pasquotank County. The
tower is located at 36o 18’ 24.52” N and 76o 16’ 12.23” W in Elizabeth City, North Carolina. This
tower has an ASR number of 1025346. Commercial power is provided via an underground feed
by Albemarle EMC.
The site houses transmit and receive equipment for VHF and UHF channels serving
Pasquotank and Camden counties. Motorola point-to-point equipment, UHF radio link
equipment, and receive audio voters/comparators also are housed at the site. Equipment is
housed in an 8-foot by 10-foot cinder-block shelter.
A Tripp Lite SmartPro UPS system provides backup power and surge protection.
Photo 21 – Main Dispatch Compound
Photo 22 – Main Dispatch shelter
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Mission Critical Partners | 35
1. SITE SURVIVABILITY
Table 18 below provides an overview of the risk exposure at the Main Dispatch tower site.
Table 18 – Main Dispatch Tower Survivability Chart
Category
Overall Site
Alarms
Climate
Connectivity
Electrical Surge
Equipment Failure
Physical Damage
Power Failure
Security
Survivability
Rating
Risk
MODERATE
8–12 hours downtime
CRITICAL
More than 12 hours
downtime
CAUTIONARY
4–8 hours downtime
CAUTIONARY
4–8 hours downtime
CAUTIONARY
4–8 hours downtime
SLIGHT
0-4 hours downtime
SLIGHT
0–4 hours downtime
MODERATE
8–12 hours downtime
SLIGHT
0–4 hours downtime
Primary Reason
Lack of alarms
Not actively monitoring critical
alarms
Single AC unit, not alarmed
No redundancy
Few grounding issues
Time to repair or replace
equipment
Limited DC power solution
Lack of site/shelter alarming
2. ALARMS
The Main Dispatch site is currently rated RED (critical). Currently no critical alarms are
monitored by the County or maintenance provider. To upgrade this issue to GREEN (slight), the
County should take the following actions when deploying the new radio system:
 Install appropriate shelter, power, and system condition sensors for all alarms listed
above
 Utilize an alarm system that stays active until the condition clears or an operator
acknowledges the alarm
 Utilize an alarm system that transmits a clear alarm when condition restores
 Route alarms to display in real-time at the dispatch center and the page/alert
maintenance provider
Mission Critical Partners | 36
3. CLIMATE CONTROL
The Main Dispatch tower site utilizes a wall-mounted air-conditioner with a capacity of 8,000
BTU for primary site cooling. The current cooling capacity is sufficient for the existing thermal
load. There is currently no heating available at the site. Although the current radio gear is
tolerant of both hot and cold conditions, a more controlled environment would provide for best
operation and longest life. A split-mount heating and cooling system would provide more
reliable temperature control year round.
High- and low-temperature conditions are not currently monitored.
The climate control issue is currently rated YELLOW (cautionary). To upgrade this site to
GREEN (slight), the County should take the following actions when deploying the new radio
system:
 Actively monitor low- and high-temperature alarms
 Install air-conditioning and heat; anticipate a single 1-ton unit for this space, which may
change with equipment design
4. CONNECTIVITY
The Main Dispatch tower site serves as a hub for connectivity to Central Communications.
Connectivity to the Fire Tower, Esclip, and Durants Neck tower sites is provided by a UHF radio
link provided by Motorola GR 1225 radios. Connectivity to the 9-1-1 Center, Shiloh, South Mills,
and Wades Point tower sites is provided by Motorola PTP 49600 links.
The current connectivity is sufficient to provide the required receive capacity to all sites. A
system with multiple channels, however, will require a more robust connectivity solution.
Best practices recommend two means of connectivity for radio traffic. Redundancy at the Main
Dispatch tower site is more critical than other sites, because it serves as a hub to all other sites.
A power failure at Main Dispatch would sever connections to the radio sites and the 9-1-1
Center.
A leased circuit to the 9-1-1 Center serves as backup to the Motorola microwave link.
The radio links are not currently monitored. The receive audio voter at Main Dispatch will show
a failure if connectivity is lost. The equipment at Main Dispatch is not presently alarmed or
monitored from the 9-1-1 Center.
A lost-contact notification should be part of the alarm system—not necessarily for the site to
send out the lost-contact alarm, as there will be no path to send it on, but the equipment in the
9-1-1 Center should issue an alert when contact with any node is lost.
Mission Critical Partners | 37
The connectivity issue is currently rated Yellow (cautionary). The County should take the
following actions if deploying a new radio system:
 Upgrade connectivity to a more robust solution, such as licensed microwave
 Monitor site for lost contact
 Complete a redundant path with hot-standby or reverse-loop protection
5. ELECTRICAL SURGE
A. Exterior Grounding
Exterior grounding inspection included the antenna cables, tower steel, ice bridges, fences,
gates, ground bus bars, building entry ports and ancillary metallic objects, as noted in Table 19
below.
Table 19 – Exterior Grounding Detail
Item
Note
Tower Legs
Not properly grounded, improper gauge wire
Ice Bridges
Exterior Cable Entry Port
Fence Posts
Gates
Generators
Not grounded
Not installed on transmission lines at base of
tower
Shelter bus bar grounded; tower bus bar not
present
Properly grounded
Not properly grounded
Not properly grounded
N/A
Other Exterior Metallic Objects
N/A
Coaxial Ground Kits
Shelter Exterior Ground Bus Bar
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Mission Critical Partners | 38
Photo 23 – Tower base grounding
Photo 24 – Exterior Ground Bus Bar
Exterior grounding issues include the following:
 Fence and gates not grounded
 Lack of tower grounding bus bar
 Transmission lines not grounded to a ground bus bar at the tower base
B. Interior Grounding
The interior grounding inspection included the cable entry port, polyphaser installation, ladder
racks, equipment cabinets, equipment, ancillary metallic objects, ground bus bar, halo, power
surge protection and phone surge protection, as noted in Table 20 below.
Table 20 – Interior Grounding Detail
Item
Note
Interior Cable Entry Port
Polyphaser Surge Arrestors
Master Ground Bus Bar (MGB)
Interior Perimeter Ground Bus (IPGB)
Ok
Not properly grounded and supported
4 AWG copper wire used
Modifications recommended
Ladder Racks Bonded
Cable Run from IPGB to Equipment Racks
Cabinet Grounds
Ancillary Metallic Objects
Not properly grounded
Ok
Ok – 2 AWG insulated copper wire used
Some electrical panels not grounded
Interior grounding issues include the following:
 Ancillary metallic objects are not all grounded. All non-equipment metallic objects should
be strapped as part of effective grounding. These objects should be strapped to the
IPGB
 Polyphaser surge arrestors are grounded in a daisy-chain fashion and not properly
supported
Mission Critical Partners | 39



Rack equipment is grounded in a daisy-chain fashion rather than having a separate
connection to the IPGB
The IPGB is installed along the lower portion of the room wall, six inches from the ceiling
Cable-support ladder racks are not grounded to the IPGB
The electrical surge issue is currently rated YELLOW (cautionary). To upgrade this site to
GREEN (slight), the County should take the following actions:
 Modify equipment and polyphaser grounds so that each has a separate run to the IPGB
or MGB
 Bond all ancillary metallic objects to the ground halo in the equipment rooms
 Modify the IPGB to run around the interior of the shelter, approximately six inches from
the ceiling; it should have a 12-inch break opposite the cable entry ports
 Ground ladder racks to the IPGB
 Install a ground bus bar at the tower base; install transmission line grounding kits to the
bus bar
6. EQUIPMENT FAILURE
The equipment currently installed at the Main Dispatch tower site appears to be well maintained.
However, the GR 1225 and SpectraTac radios are no longer supported by Motorola and the
Quantar has an end-of-support date of 2020. Table 21 below provides a list of radio equipment
at the Main Dispatch tower site.
Table 21 – Main Dispatch Tower Radio Equipment
Make
Model
Operation Mode
Motorola
Motorola
Quantar
Quantar
Tx/Rx
Tx/Rx
EMS Channel
Fire and EMS Dispatch
Usage
Motorola
Motorola
Motorola
Motorola
Motorola
Motorola
Quantar
Quantar
Quantar
Quantar
Quantar
Quantar
Tx/Rx
Tx/Rx
Tx/Rx
Tx/Rx
Tx/Rx
Tx/Rx
TAC2
TAC3
TAC5
TAC6
Pasquotank County Sheriff’s Office
Elizabeth City PD
Motorola
Motorola
Motorola
Motorola
Motorola
Motorola
MTR 2000
MTR 2000
GR 1225
GR 1225
RKR 1225
RKR 1225
Tx/Rx
Tx/Rx
Rx
Rx
Rx
Rx
Mutual Aid
Public Works
TAC5 link – Fire Tower
Sheriff link – Esclip
Sheriff link – Durants Neck
Sheriff link – Fire Tower
Raytheon
Raytheon
SNV-12
SNV-12
Voter
Voter
TAC2
TAC3
Mission Critical Partners | 40
Make
Model
Operation Mode
Raytheon
Raytheon
Raytheon
Raytheon
Motorola
SNV-12
SNV-12
SNV-12
SNV-12
SpectraTac
Voter
Voter
Voter
Voter
Voter
Motorola
Motorola
Motorola
Motorola
PTP 49600
PTP 49600
PTP 49600
PTP 49600
MW
MW
MW
MW
Link
Link
Link
Link
Usage
TAC4
TAC5
TAC6
EMS
Fire and EMS dispatch
Link to Wades Point
Link to 9-1-1 Center
Link to Shiloh
Link to South Mills
The equipment failure issue is currently rated GREEN (slight).
7. PHYSICAL DAMAGE
The Main Dispatch tower site is located directly off a main road. No issues are predicted that
are specific to the site location or site access in the event of physical site damage.
The physical damage issue is currently rated GREEN (slight).
8. POWER
Pasquotank County does not monitor critical power alarms. Survivability greatly increases with
active alarming, as problems can be detected with commercial, battery, and generator power
systems as soon as they occur. This allows maintenance personnel to better manage
resources, prioritize issues, and deliver the appropriate response to incidents.
A. Primary Power
Primary power is commercially provided by a 10 kVA, pole-mounted transformer via a single
overhead feed from City of Elizabeth City Electric.
B. Generator Power
This site is connected to the Cities Generator located at the yard where you turn into the
compound..
C. Uninterruptible Power Supply
A rack-mounted Tripp Lite SmartPro UPS system provides surge protection and backup power
for the Main Dispatch radio equipment. The UPS system provides four minutes of runtime at a
Mission Critical Partners | 41
full load of 800 W. This is sufficient to prevent damage to equipment due to brownouts, but
does not provide adequate backup power in the event of a power outage lasting more than a
few minutes.
The power issue is currently rated ORANGE (moderate). The County should take the following
actions:
 Actively monitor all power alarms
 Upgrade or replace the UPS system (if a new radio system is pursued)
 Provide a backup generator (if a new radio system is pursued)
9. SITE SECURITY
A. Exterior Security
Exterior security features at the Main Dispatch site are normal for a transmitter site. Perimeter
security consists of a fenced property but no fence around the radio shelter and tower. The
property gate is secured with a padlock.
B. Interior Security
The shelter is a cinder-block building in good condition with a deadbolt lock. The shelter lock,
coupled with the exterior protection, provides reliable protection against unauthorized intruders.
However, the interior security system lacks an intrusion alarm system.
The site security issue is currently rated GREEN (slight). However, the County should take the
following action:
 Install and actively monitor an intrusion alarm system
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Mission Critical Partners | 42
NAVY TOWER
The Navy Tower site is a guyed 500-foot tower owned by the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft
Division. The tower is located at 36o 18’ 26.97” N and 76o 16’ 08.67” W in Elizabeth City, North
Carolina. This tower has an ASR number of 1211521. Commercial power is provided by
Albemarle EMC.
The site houses base stations, in a 10-foot by 12-foot wood-frame shelter, for the Camden
County Sheriff’s Office channel, Perquimans County Fire dispatch channel, a UHF public safety
channel, and a VHF public safety channel.
A 20 kW Generac propane generator with a 500-gallon propane tank provides backup to
commercial power at the Navy Tower site.
Photo 25 – County Shelter at Navy Tower
Photo 26 – Navy Tower
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Mission Critical Partners | 43
1. SITE SURVIVABILITY
Table 22 below provides an overview of the risk exposure at the Navy Tower site.
Table 22 – Navy Tower Survivability Chart
Category
Overall Site
Alarms
Climate
Connectivity
Electrical Surge
Equipment Failure
Physical Damage
Power Failure
Security
Survivability
Rating
Risk
MODERATE
8–12 hours downtime
CRITICAL
More than 12 hours
downtime
CAUTIONARY
4–8 hours downtime
SLIGHT
0–4 hours downtime
SLIGHT
0–4 hours downtime
SLIGHT
0-4 hours downtime
SLIGHT
0–4 hours downtime
CAUTIONARY
4–8 hours downtime
SLIGHT
0–4 hours downtime
Primary Reason
Lack of alarms
Not actively monitoring critical
alarms
Single AC unit, not alarmed
No redundancy
Few grounding issues
Time to repair or replace
equipment
Lack of site/shelter alarming
2. ALARMS
The Navy Tower site is currently rated RED (critical). Currently no critical alarms are monitored
by the County or maintenance provider. To upgrade this issue to GREEN (slight), the County
should take the following actions when deploying the new radio system:
 Install appropriate shelter, power, and system condition sensors for all alarms listed
above
 Utilize an alarm system that stays active until the condition clears or an operator
acknowledges the alarm
 Utilize an alarm system that transmits a clear alarm when condition restores
 Route alarms to display in real-time at the dispatch center and the page/alert
maintenance provider
Mission Critical Partners | 44
3. CLIMATE CONTROL
The Navy Tower site utilizes two wall-mounted ComPac1 two-ton heating, ventilating, and airconditioning (HVAC) units in a lead-lag configuration. The current cooling capacity is sufficient
for the existing thermal load.
High- and low-temperature conditions currently are not monitored.
The climate control issue is currently rated YELLOW (cautionary). To upgrade this site to
GREEN (slight), the County should take the following actions when deploying the new radio
system:
 Actively monitor low- and high-temperature alarms
4. CONNECTIVITY
Connectivity at the Navy Tower site is provided by a leased circuit provided by CenturyLink that
terminates at the 9-1-1 Center. The current connectivity is sufficient to provide the required
receive audio from the Fire Tower site. A system with multiple channels, however, will require a
more robust connectivity solution.
Best practices recommend two means of connectivity for radio traffic. The impact of loss of
connectivity at the Navy Tower site is limited to the single site, making this lack of redundancy
less critical.
A lost-contact notification should be part of the alarm system—not necessarily for the site to
send out the lost-contact alarm, as there will be no path to send it on, but the equipment in the
9-1-1 Center should issue an alert when contact with any node is lost.
The connectivity issue is currently rated GREEN (slight). However, the County should take the
following actions if deploying a new radio system:
 Upgrade connectivity to a more robust solution, such as licensed microwave
 Monitor site for lost contact
 Complete a redundant path with hot-standby or reverse-loop protection
5. ELECTRICAL SURGE
A. Exterior Grounding
Exterior grounding inspection included the antenna cables, tower steel, ice bridges, fences,
gates, ground bus bars, building entry ports and ancillary metallic objects, as noted in Table 23
below.
Mission Critical Partners | 45
Table 23 – Exterior Grounding Detail
Item
Note
Tower Legs
Ice Bridges
Coaxial Ground Kits
Shelter Exterior Ground Bus Bar
Properly grounded
Properly grounded
Properly grounded
Properly grounded
Exterior Cable Entry Port
Fence Posts
Gates
Generators
Other Exterior Metallic Objects
Properly grounded
Properly grounded
Properly grounded
Properly grounded
Properly grounded
B. Interior Grounding
The interior grounding inspection included the cable entry port, polyphaser installation, ladder
racks, equipment cabinets, equipment, ancillary metallic objects, ground bus bar, halo, power
surge protection and phone surge protection, as noted in Table 24 below.
Table 24 – Interior Grounding Detail
Item
Note
Interior Cable Entry Port
Polyphaser Surge Arrestors
Master Ground Bus Bar (MGB)
Interior Perimeter Ground Bus (IPGB)
Ladder Racks Bonded
Cable Run from IPGB to Equipment Racks
Properly grounded
Properly grounded and supported
Properly grounded
Properly grounded
Yes
Ok
Cabinet Grounds
Ancillary Metallic Objects
Ok – 2 AWG insulated copper wire used
Ok
The electrical surge issue is currently rated GREEN (slight).
6. EQUIPMENT FAILURE
The equipment currently installed at the Navy Tower site appears to be well maintained.
However, the GR 1225 radios are no longer supported by Motorola and the Astro-Tac receiver
has an end-of-support date of March 2018. Table 25 provides a list of radio equipment at the
Navy Tower site.
Mission Critical Partners | 46
Table 25 – Navy Tower Radio Equipment
Make
Model
Operation Mode
Usage
Motorola
Motorola
Motorola
Motorola
MTR 2000
MTR 2000
MTR 2000
Quantar
Tx/Rx
Tx/Rx
Tx/Rx
Tx/Rx
Camden Public Works
Public Safety VHF
Public Safety UHF
Camden County Sheriff’s Office UHF
Motorola
GTR 8000
Tx/Rx
Perquimans Fire paging
The equipment failure issue is currently rated GREEN (slight).
7. PHYSICAL DAMAGE
The Navy Tower site is located directly off a main road. No issues are predicted that are
specific to the site location or to site access in the event of physical site damage.
The physical damage issue is currently rated GREEN (slight).
8. POWER
Pasquotank County does not monitor critical power alarms. Survivability greatly increases with
active alarming, as problems can be detected with commercial, battery, and generator power
systems as soon as they occur. This allows maintenance personnel to better manage
resources, prioritize issues, and deliver the appropriate response to incidents.
A. Primary Power
Primary power is commercially provided by a 10 kVA, pole-mounted transformer via a single
overhead feed from City of Elizabeth City Electric.
B. Generator Power
A 20 kW Generac propane generator with a 500-gallon propane tank provides backup to
commercial power at the Navy Tower site.
C. Uninterruptible Power Supply
There is no UPS system present at the Navy Tower site. In the event of a power outage, there
is a period of time before the backup generator will support the electric load at the site. Without
a UPS system, equipment will lose power while the cutover to the generator occurs.
Mission Critical Partners | 47
The power issue is currently rated YELLOW (cautionary). The County should take the following
actions:
 Actively monitor all power alarms
 Install a UPS system to support equipment
9. SITE SECURITY
A. Exterior Security
Exterior security features at the Navy Tower site are normal for a transmitter site. Perimeter
security consists of a fenced property but no fence around the radio shelter and tower. The
property gate is secured with a padlock.
B. Interior Security
The shelter is a wood building in good condition with a deadbolt lock. The shelter lock, coupled
with the exterior protection, provides reliable protection against unauthorized intruders.
However, the interior security system lacks an intrusion alarm system.
The site security issue is currently rated GREEN (slight). However, the County should take the
following action:
 Install and actively monitor an intrusion alarm system
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Mission Critical Partners | 48
SHILOH
The Shiloh site is located at a water tower owned by Camden County. The water tower is
located at 36o 18’ 03.53” N and 76o 06’ 56.85” W in Camden, North Carolina. This site does not
display an ASR number. Commercial power is provided by Albemarle EMC.
The site houses a base station for the TAC4 channel, as well as microwave radio link
equipment, in a 6-foot by 8-foot wooden shelter.
A Generac 14 kW propane generator and a Tripp Lite SmartPro UPS system provides backup
power and surge protection.
Photo 27 – Shiloh Water Tower Top
Photo 28 – Shiloh Water Tower Compound
Photo 29 – Shiloh Equipment Shelter
Mission Critical Partners | 49
1. SITE SURVIVABILITY
Table 26 below provides an overview of the risk exposure at the Shiloh site.
Table 26 – Shiloh Survivability Chart
Category
Overall Site
Alarms
Climate
Connectivity
Electrical Surge
Equipment Failure
Physical Damage
Power Failure
Security
Survivability
Rating
Risk
MODERATE
8–12 hours downtime
CRITICAL
More than 12 hours
downtime
CAUTIONARY
4–8 hours downtime
SLIGHT
0–4 hours downtime
MODERATE
8–12 hours downtime
SLIGHT
0-4 hours downtime
SLIGHT
0–4 hours downtime
MODERATE
8–12 hours downtime
SLIGHT
0–4 hours downtime
Primary Reason
Lack of alarms
Not actively monitoring critical
alarms
Single AC unit, not alarmed
No redundancy
Lack of interior and exterior
grounding
Time to repair or replace
equipment
Limited DC power solution, lack of
generator
Lack of site/shelter alarming
2. ALARMS
The Shiloh site is currently rated RED (critical). Currently no critical alarms are monitored by
the County or the maintenance provider. To upgrade this issue to GREEN (slight), the County
should take the following actions when deploying the new radio system:
 Install appropriate shelter, power, and system condition sensors for all alarms listed
above
 Utilize an alarm system that stays active until the condition clears or an operator
acknowledges the alarm
 Utilize an alarm system that transmits a clear alarm when condition restores
 Route alarms to display in real-time at the dispatch center and the page/alert
maintenance provider
Mission Critical Partners | 50
3. CLIMATE CONTROL
The Shiloh site utilizes an indoor Idylis air-conditioner with a capacity of 12,000 BTU for primary
site cooling. The Idylis unit vents to the outside via a single-hose exhaust system. The current
cooling capacity is sufficient for the existing thermal load. There is currently no heating
available at the site. Although the current radio equipment is tolerant of both hot and cold
conditions, a more controlled environment would provide for best operation and longest life. A
split-mount heating and cooling system would provide more reliable temperature control year
round.
Louvered vents also are used as a secondary means to mitigate high shelter temperatures in
the event of a main AC failure.
High- and low-temperature conditions currently are not monitored.
The climate control issue is currently rated YELLOW (cautionary). To upgrade this site to
GREEN (slight), the County should take the following actions when deploying the new radio
system:
 Actively monitor low- and high-temperature alarms
 Install air-conditioning and heat; anticipate a single 1-ton unit for this space, which may
change with equipment design
4. CONNECTIVITY
Connectivity at the Shiloh tower site is provided by a 4.9 GHz microwave link provided by
Motorola PTP 49600 radios. The current connectivity is sufficient to provide the required
receive audio from the Shiloh tower site. A system with multiple channels, however, will require
a more robust connectivity solution.
Best practices recommend two means of connectivity for radio traffic. The impact of loss of
connectivity at the Shiloh tower site is limited to the single site, making this lack of redundancy
less critical.
The radio link is not currently monitored. The receive audio voter at Tower “A” will show a
failure if connectivity is lost. The equipment at Tower “A” is not presently alarmed or monitored
from the 9-1-1 Center.
A lost-contact notification should be part of the alarm system—not necessarily for the site to
send out the lost-contact alarm, as there will be no path to send it on, but the equipment in the
9-1-1 Center should issue an alert when contact with any node is lost.
Mission Critical Partners | 51
The connectivity issue is currently rated GREEN (slight). However, the County should take the
following actions if deploying a new radio system:
 Upgrade connectivity to a more robust solution, such as licensed microwave
 Monitor site for lost contact
 Complete a redundant path with hot-standby or reverse-loop protection
5. ELECTRICAL SURGE
A. Exterior Grounding
Exterior grounding inspection included the antenna cables, tower steel, ice bridges, fences,
gates, ground bus bars, building entry ports and ancillary metallic objects, as noted in Table 27
below.
A tower MGB or transmission line grounding kits were not observed at the Shiloh site.
Table 27 – Exterior Grounding Detail
Item
Note
Water Tank Legs
Ice Bridges
Coaxial Ground Kits
Shelter Exterior Ground Bus Bar
Not properly grounded
Not present
Not present
Not present
Exterior Cable Entry Port
Fence Posts
Gates
Generators
Other Exterior Metallic Objects
Not grounded at all
Not properly grounded
Not properly grounded
Not properly grounded
N/A
Remainder of page intentionally left blank.
Mission Critical Partners | 52
Photo 30 – Transmission line ground kits and
grounding bus bar not present
Photo 31 – Tank legs not grounded
Exterior grounding issues include the following:
 Lack of transmission line grounding bus bar
 Lack of grounding bus bars at the shelter entry point and at the water tank base
 Generator and propane tank are not grounded
 Transmission lines are not properly grounded
 Fence and gates are not properly grounded
B. Interior Grounding
The interior grounding inspection included the cable entry port, polyphaser installation, ladder
racks, equipment cabinets, equipment, ancillary metallic objects, ground bus bar, halo, power
surge protection and phone surge protection, as noted in Table 28 below.
Table 28 – Interior Grounding Detail
Item
Note
Interior Cable Entry Port
Polyphaser Surge Arrestors
Master Ground Bus Bar (MGB)
Interior Perimeter Ground Bus (IPGB)
Ladder Racks Bonded
N/A
Support recommended
Properly grounded
Not present
N/A
Cable Run from IPGB to Equipment Racks
Cabinet Grounds
Ancillary Metallic Objects
Not present
Grounded
Not properly grounded
Mission Critical Partners | 53
Interior grounding issues include the following:
 Polyphaser surge arrestors should be separately grounded to the MGB. Also, the surge
arrestors should be supported or mounted to a fixed structure
 Ancillary metal objects such as the electric panel and air-conditioner are not grounded
The electrical surge issue is currently rated ORANGE (moderate). To upgrade this site to
GREEN (slight), the County should take the following actions:
 Bond all ancillary metallic objects to the ground halo in the equipment room
 Provide mounting support for the surge arrestors
 Install exterior MGB and ground it with 2 AWG wire
 Install transmission line grounding kits
 Ground fence and gates using 2 AWG copper wire
 Ground water tank legs using 2 AWG copper wire
6. EQUIPMENT FAILURE
The equipment currently installed at the Shiloh tower site appears to be well maintained.
However, the GR 1225 radio is no longer supported by Motorola. Table 29 below summarizes
the equipment at the Shiloh tower site.
Table 29 – Shiloh Radio Equipment
Make
Model
Operation Mode
Motorola
Quantar
Transmit/Receive
Motorola
PTP 49600
Transmit/Receive
Usage
TAC4
Microwave link to Main
Dispatch tower
The equipment failure issue is currently rated GREEN (slight).
7. PHYSICAL DAMAGE
The Shiloh site is located directly off a main road. No issues are predicted that are specific to
the site location or to site access in the event of physical site damage.
The physical damage issue is currently rated GREEN (slight).
8. POWER
Pasquotank County does not monitor critical power alarms. Survivability greatly increases with
active alarming, as problems can be detected with commercial, battery, and generator power
systems as soon as they occur. This allows maintenance personnel to better manage
resources, prioritize issues, and deliver the appropriate response to incidents.
Mission Critical Partners | 54
A. Primary Power
Primary power is commercially provided by a 10 kVA, pole-mounted transformer via a single
overhead feed from Albemarle EMC.
B. Generator Power
A 14 kW Generac propane generator with a 200-pound propane tank provides backup to
commercial power at the Shiloh tower site.
C. Uninterruptible Power Supply
A rack-mounted Tripp Lite SmartPro UPS system provides surge protection and backup power
for the Shiloh radio equipment while the generator is brought under load in the event of a
commercial power failure. The UPS system provides four minutes of runtime at a full load of
800 W. This is sufficient time for the generator to start and take the electrical load at the site.
The current power needs are much lower than what would be required by a possible new radio
system. Consequently, the existing UPS system would need to be upgraded or replaced to
support the increased power load of a new system.
The power issue is currently rated YELLOW (cautionary). The County should take the following
actions:
 Actively monitor all power alarms
 Upgrade or replace the UPS system (if a new radio system is pursued)
9. SITE SECURITY
A. Exterior Security
Exterior security features at the Shiloh site are normal for a transmitter site. Perimeter security
consists of a fenced property but no fence around the radio shelter and tower. The property
gate is secured with a padlock.
B. Interior Security
The shelter is a wood building in good condition with a deadbolt lock. The shelter lock, coupled
with the exterior protection, provides reliable protection against unauthorized intruders.
However, the interior security system lacks an intrusion alarm system.
Mission Critical Partners | 55
The site security issue is currently rated GREEN (slight). However, the County should take the
following action:
 Install and actively monitor an intrusion alarm system
Remainder of page intentionally left blank.
Mission Critical Partners | 56
SOUTH MILLS
The South Mills site is a 480-foot, lattice self-support tower owned by the North Carolina State
Highway Patrol. The tower is located at 36o 31’ 02.38” N and 76o 21’ 01.95” W in South Mills,
North Carolina. This site has an ASR number of 1262754. Commercial power is provided by
Albemarle EMC.
The site houses receivers for the TAC2 through TAC6 channels, as well as microwave radio link
equipment, in a 6-foot by 8-foot wooden shelter.
A Generac diesel generator with a belly tank and a Tripp Lite SmartPro UPS system provide
backup power and surge protection.
Photo 32 – South Mills Tower
Photo 33 – South Mills Generator
Photo 34 – South Mills Equipment Shelter and Generator
Mission Critical Partners | 57
1. SITE SURVIVABILITY
Table 30 below provides an overview of the risk exposure at the South Mills tower site.
Table 30 – South Mills Survivability Chart
Category
Survivability
Rating
Overall Site
Alarms
Climate
Connectivity
Electrical Surge
Equipment Failure
Physical Damage
Power Failure
Security
Risk
CAUTIONARY
4–8 hours downtime
CAUTIONARY
4-8 hours downtime
SLIGHT
0–4 hours downtime
SLIGHT
0–4 hours downtime
SLIGHT
0–4 hours downtime
SLIGHT
0-4 hours downtime
SLIGHT
0–4 hours downtime
CAUTIONARY
4–8 hours downtime
SLIGHT
0–4 hours downtime
Primary Reason
Lack of alarms
Not actively monitoring County
equipment
No redundancy
Time to repair or replace
equipment
2. ALARMS
The South Mills site is currently rated Yellow (cautionary). Currently, critical environmental and
shelter alarms are monitored by the North Carolina State Highway Patrol. However, County
equipment is not monitored. To upgrade this issue to GREEN (slight), the County should take
the following actions when deploying the new radio system:
 Utilize an alarm system that stays active until the condition clears or an operator
acknowledges the alarm
 Utilize an alarm system that transmits a clear alarm when condition restores
 Route alarms to display in real-time at the dispatch center and the page/alert
maintenance provider
3. CLIMATE CONTROL
The South Mills site has two Bard HVAC units in a lead-lag configuration.
Mission Critical Partners | 58
High- and low-temperature conditions are monitored by the North Carolina State Highway
Patrol.
The climate control issue is currently rated GREEN (slight).
4. CONNECTIVITY
Connectivity at the South Mills tower site is provided by a 4.9 GHz microwave link provided by
Motorola PTP 49600 radios. The current connectivity is sufficient to provide the required
receive audio from South Mills. A system with multiple channels, however, will require a more
robust connectivity solution.
Best practices recommend two means of connectivity for radio traffic. The impact of loss of
connectivity at South Mills is limited to the single site, making this lack of redundancy less
critical.
The radio link is not currently monitored. The receive audio voter at Tower “A” will show a
failure if connectivity is lost. The equipment at Tower “A” is not presently alarmed or monitored
from the 9-1-1 Center.
A lost-contact notification should be part of the alarm system—not necessarily for the site to
send out the lost-contact alarm, as there will be no path to send it on, but the equipment in the
9-1-1 Center should issue an alert when contact with any node is lost.
The connectivity issue is currently rated GREEN (slight). However, the County should take the
following actions if deploying a new radio system:
 Upgrade connectivity to a more robust solution, such as licensed microwave
 Monitor site for lost contact
 Complete a redundant path with hot-standby or reverse-loop protection
5. ELECTRICAL SURGE
A. Exterior Grounding
Exterior grounding inspection included the antenna cables, tower steel, ice bridges, fences,
gates, ground bus bars, building entry ports and ancillary metallic objects, as noted in Table 31
below.
Table 31 – Exterior Grounding Detail
Item
Tower Legs
Ice Bridges
Note
Grounded
Grounded
Mission Critical Partners | 59
Item
Note
Coaxial Ground Kits
Shelter Exterior Ground Bus Bar
Exterior Cable Entry Port
Fence Posts
Gates
Grounded
Grounded
Grounded
Grounded
Grounded
Generators
Other Exterior Metallic Objects
Grounded
Grounded
Photo 35 – Transmission Line Ground Kits and
Grounding Bus Bar
Photo 36 – Tower Leg Grounded
B. Interior Grounding
The interior grounding inspection included the cable entry port, polyphaser installation, ladder
racks, equipment cabinets, equipment, ancillary metallic objects, ground bus bar, halo, power
surge protection and phone surge protection, as noted in Table 32 below.
Table 32 – Interior Grounding Detail
Item
Note
Interior Cable Entry Port
Polyphaser Surge Arrestors
Master Ground Bus Bar (MGB)
Grounded
Grounded and supported
Grounded
Interior Perimeter Ground Bus (IPGB)
Ladder Racks Bonded
Home Run to Equipment Racks
Cabinet Grounds
Ancillary Metallic Objects
Present and grounded
Yes
Ok
Ok
Grounded
Mission Critical Partners | 60
The electrical surge issue is currently rated GREEN (slight).
6. EQUIPMENT FAILURE
The equipment currently installed at the South Mills tower site appears to be well maintained.
However, the Quantar radio has an end-of-support date in 2020. Table 33 below summarizes
the equipment at the South Mills tower site.
.
Table 33 – South Mills Radio Equipment
Make
Model
Operation Mode
Usage
Motorola
Motorola
Motorola
Motorola
Motorola
Motorola
Quantar
Quantar
Quantar
Quantar
Quantar
PTP 49600
Receive
Receive
Receive
Receive
Receive
Transmit/Receive
TAC2
TAC3
TAC4
TAC5
TAC6
Microwave link to Main Dispatch tower
The equipment failure issue is currently rated GREEN (slight).
7. PHYSICAL DAMAGE
The South Mills site is located directly off a main road. No issues are predicted that are specific
to the site location or to site access in the event of physical site damage.
The physical damage issue is currently rated GREEN (slight).
8. POWER
Pasquotank County does not monitor critical power alarms. Survivability greatly increases with
active alarming, as problems can be detected with commercial, battery, and generator power
systems as soon as they occur. This allows maintenance personnel to better manage
resources, prioritize issues, and deliver the appropriate response to incidents.
A. Primary Power
Primary power is commercially provided by a 10 kVA, pole-mounted transformer via an
underground feed from Albemarle EMC.
Mission Critical Partners | 61
B. Generator Power
A Generac diesel generator with a belly tank is provided by the North Caroline State Highway
Patrol as backup to commercial power at the South Mills tower site.
C. Uninterruptible Power Supply
A rack-mounted Tripp Lite SmartPro UPS system provides surge protection and backup power
for the Shiloh radio equipment while the generator is brought under load in the event of a
commercial power failure. The UPS provides four minutes of runtime at a full load of 800 W.
This is sufficient time for the generator to start and take the electrical load at the site.
The current power needs are much lower than what would be required by a possible new radio
system. Consequently, the existing UPS system would need to be upgraded or replaced to
support the increased power load of a new system.
The power issue is currently rated YELLOW (cautionary). The County should take the following
actions:
 Actively monitor all power alarms
 Upgrade or replace the UPS system (if a new radio system is pursued)
9. SITE SECURITY
A. Exterior Security
Exterior security features at the Shiloh site are normal for a transmitter site. Perimeter security
consists of a fenced property but no fence around the radio shelter and tower. The property
gate is secured with a padlock.
B. Interior Security
The shelter is a wood building in good condition with a deadbolt lock. The shelter lock, coupled
with the exterior protection, provides reliable protection against unauthorized intruders.
The interior security system has an intrusion alarm system that is monitored by the North
Carolina State Highway Patrol.
The site security issue is currently rated GREEN (slight). However, the County should take the
following action:
 Install and actively monitor alarms for Pasquotank County radio equipment
Mission Critical Partners | 62
WADES POINT
The Wades Point site is a 260-foot guyed tower owned by Pasquotank County. The tower is
located at 36o 09’ 35.20” N and 76o 04’ 26.69” W in Elizabeth City, North Carolina. This site has
an ASR number of 1002813. Commercial power is provided by Albemarle EMC.
The site houses receivers for the main dispatch channel, TAC channels, and microwave radio
link equipment in an 8-foot by 12-foot fiberglass shelter.
A Generac 14 kW propane generator and a Tripp Lite SmartPro UPS system provides backup
power and surge protection.
Photo 38 – Wades Point Shelter
Photo 37 – Wades Point Tower
Photo 39 – Wades Point Equipment Shelter and Generator
Mission Critical Partners | 63
1. SITE SURVIVABILITY
The table below illustrates an overview of the risk exposure at the Wades Point site.
Table 34 – Wades Point Survivability Chart
Category
Overall Site
Alarms
Climate
Connectivity
Electrical Surge
Equipment Failure
Physical Damage
Power Failure
Security
Survivability
Rating
Risk
MODERATE
8–12 hours downtime
CRITICAL
More than 12 hours
downtime
CAUTIONARY
4–8 hours downtime
SLIGHT
0–4 hours downtime
MODERATE
8–12 hours downtime
SLIGHT
0-4 hours downtime
SLIGHT
0–4 hours downtime
MODERATE
8–12 hours downtime
SLIGHT
0–4 hours downtime
Primary Reason
Lack of alarms
Not actively monitoring critical
alarms
Single AC unit, not alarmed
No redundancy
Lack of interior and exterior
grounding
Time to repair or replace
equipment
Limited DC power solution, lack of
generator
Lack of site/shelter alarming
2. ALARMS
The Wades Point tower site is currently rated RED (critical). Currently no critical alarms are
monitored by the County or the maintenance provider. To upgrade this issue to GREEN (slight),
the County should take the following actions when deploying the new radio system:
 Install appropriate shelter, power, and system condition sensors for all alarms listed
above
 Utilize an alarm system that stays active until the condition clears or an operator
acknowledges the alarm
 Utilize an alarm system that transmits a clear alarm when condition restores
 Route alarms to display in real-time at the dispatch center and the page/alert
maintenance provider
Mission Critical Partners | 64
3. CLIMATE CONTROL
The Wades Point site utilizes an indoor Idylis air-conditioner with a capacity of 12,000 BTU for
primary site cooling. The Idylis unit vents to the outside via a single-hose exhaust system. The
current cooling capacity is sufficient for the existing thermal load. There is currently no heating
available at the site. Although the current radio equipment is tolerant of both hot and cold
conditions, a more controlled environment would provide for best operation and longest life. A
split-mount heating and cooling system would provide more reliable temperature control year
round.
Louvered vents also are used a secondary means to mitigate high shelter temperatures in the
event of a main AC failure.
High- and low-temperature conditions currently are not monitored.
The climate control issue is currently rated YELLOW (cautionary). To upgrade this site to
GREEN (slight), the County should take the following actions when deploying the new radio
system:
 Actively monitor low- and high-temperature alarms
 Install air-conditioning and heat; anticipate a single 1-ton unit for this space, which may
change with equipment design
4. CONNECTIVITY
Connectivity at the Wades Point tower site is provided by a 4.9 GHz microwave link provided by
Motorola PTP 49600 radios. The current connectivity is sufficient to provide the required
receive audio. A system with multiple channels, however, will require a more robust
connectivity solution.
Best practices recommend two means of connectivity for radio traffic. The impact of loss of
connectivity at Wades Point is limited to the single site, making this lack of redundancy less
critical.
The radio link is not currently monitored. The receive audio voter at Tower “A” will show a
failure if connectivity is lost. The equipment at Tower “A” is not presently alarmed or monitored
from the 9-1-1 Center.
A lost-contact notification should be part of the alarm system—not necessarily for the site to
send out the lost-contact alarm, as there will be no path to send it on, but the equipment in the
9-1-1 Center should issue an alert when contact with any node is lost.
Mission Critical Partners | 65
The connectivity issue is currently rated GREEN (slight). The County should take the following
actions if deploying a new radio system:
 Upgrade connectivity to a more robust solution, such as licensed microwave
 Monitor site for lost contact
 Complete a redundant path with hot-standby or reverse-loop protection
5. ELECTRICAL SURGE
A. Exterior Grounding
Exterior grounding inspection included the antenna cables, tower steel, ice bridges, fences,
gates, ground bus bars, building entry ports and ancillary metallic objects, as noted in Table 35
below.
A tower MGB or transmission line grounding kits were not observed at the Wades Point tower
site.
Table 35 – Exterior Grounding Detail
Item
Note
Tower Legs
Ice Bridges
Coaxial Ground Kits
Grounded
Not grounded
Not properly grounded
Shelter Exterior Ground Bus Bar
Exterior Cable Entry Port
Fence Posts
Gates
Generators
Other Exterior Metallic Objects
Not present
Not grounded
Not properly grounded
Not properly grounded
Not properly grounded
N/A
Remainder of page intentionally left blank.
Mission Critical Partners | 66
Photo 40 – Tower Grounded
Photo 41 – Transmission Lines Entering
Shelter
Photo 42 – Transmission Lines Grounded to a Single Point on the Tower
Exterior grounding issues include the following:
 Lack of transmission line grounding bus bar
 Lack of grounding bus bars at the shelter entry point and at the tower base
 Generator and propane tank are not grounded
 Transmission lines are not properly grounded
 Ice bridge is not grounded
 Fence and gates are not properly grounded
B. Interior Grounding
The interior grounding inspection included the cable entry port, Polyphaser surge arrestor
installation, ladder racks, equipment cabinets, equipment, ancillary metallic objects, ground bus
bar, halo, power surge protection and phone surge protection, as noted in Table 36 below.
Mission Critical Partners | 67
Table 36
Interior Grounding Detail
Interior Cable Entry Port
Polyphaser Surge Arrestors
Master Ground Bus Bar (MGB)
Interior Perimeter Ground Bus (IPGB)
N/A
Support recommended
Properly grounded
Not present
Ladder Racks Bonded
Cable Run from IPGB to Equipment Racks
Cabinet Grounds
Ancillary Metallic Objects
No
Not present
Not properly grounded
Not properly grounded
Interior grounding issues include the following:
 Polyphaser surge arrestors should be separately grounded to the MGB. Also, the surge
arrestors should be supported or mounted to a fixed structure
 Ancillary metal objects, such as the electric panel and air-conditioner, are not grounded
 An IPGB should be installed around the room at an approximate height six inches below
the ceiling. A 12-inch break in the IPGB should be opposite the cable entry location
 Rack equipment should be grounded to the IPGB using 2 AWG copper wire
The electrical surge issue is currently rated ORANGE (moderate). To upgrade this site to
GREEN (slight), the County should take the following actions:
 Bond all ancillary metallic objects to the ground halo in the equipment room
 Provide mounting support for the surge arrestors
 Install an exterior MGB and ground it with 2 AWG wire
 Install an interior IPGB and ground it to the MGB with 2 AWG copper wire
 Install transmission line grounding kits
 Ground fence and gates using 2 AWG copper wire
 Ground tower legs using 2 AWG copper wire
6. EQUIPMENT FAILURE
The equipment currently installed at the Wades Point tower site appears to be well maintained.
However, the MTR 2000 radios the Astro-Tac receiver have an end-of-support date in 2018. A
replacement of this equipment should be planned before these dates, if the County elects to
keep the current radio system. Table 37 below provides a summary of the equipment at the
Wades Point site.
Mission Critical Partners | 68
Table 37 – Wades Point Radio Equipment
Make
Model
Operation Mode
Motorola
Motorola
Motorola
Motorola
Astro-Tac
MTR 2000
MTR 2000
MTR 2000
Receive
Receive
Receive
Receive
Main Dispatch Channel
TAC2
TAC3
TAC4
Usage
Motorola
Motorola
MTR 2000
MTR 2000
Receive
Receive
TAC5
TAC6
The equipment failure issue is currently rated GREEN (slight).
7. PHYSICAL DAMAGE
The Wades Point site is located directly off a main road. No issues are predicted that are
specific to the site location or to site access in the event of physical site damage.
The guy anchors at the Wades Point tower were observed to be overgrown with underbrush. It
is recommended to have the underbrush cut back to clear the anchor points.
The physical damage issue is currently rated GREEN (slight).
8. POWER
Pasquotank County does not monitor critical power alarms. Survivability greatly increases with
active alarming, as problems can be detected with commercial, battery, and generator power
systems as soon as they occur. This allows maintenance personnel to better manage
resources, prioritize issues, and deliver the appropriate response to incidents.
A. Primary Power
Primary power is commercially provided by a 10 kVA, pole-mounted transformer via an
underground feed from Dominion Power.
B. Generator Power
A 14 kW Generac propane generator with a 200-pound propane tank provides backup to
commercial power at the Wades Point tower site.
Mission Critical Partners | 69
C. Uninterruptible Power Supply
There is no UPS system present at the Wades Point tower site. In the event of a power outage,
there is a period of time before the backup generator will support the electric load at the site.
Without a UPS system, equipment will lose power while the cutover to the generator occurs.
The power issue is currently rated YELLOW (cautionary). The County should take the following
actions:
 Actively monitor all power alarms
 Install a UPS system to support the equipment
9. SITE SECURITY
A. Exterior Security
Exterior security features at the Wades Point site are normal for a transmitter site. Perimeter
security consists of a fenced property but no fence around the radio shelter and tower. The
property gate is secured with a padlock.
B. Interior Security
The shelter is a fiberglass building in good condition with a deadbolt lock. The shelter lock,
coupled with the exterior protection, provides reliable protection against unauthorized intruders.
However, the interior security system lacks an intrusion alarm system.
The site security issue is currently rated GREEN (slight). However, the County should take the
following action:
 Install and actively monitor an intrusion alarm system
Mission Critical Partners | 70
Appendix B – Pasquotank – Camden Existing Coverage Maps
Mission Critical Partners | 154
EDX® SignalPro®: Pasquotank NC
Prop. model 2: Longley-Rice v1.2.2
Time: 50.0% Loc.: 50.0%
Prediction Confidence Margin: 10.2dB
Climate: Continental Temperate
Land use (clutter): USGS-EDX format (.151 files)
Atmospheric Abs.: none
K Factor: 1.333
Sites
Received Power at remote
>=
-95.2 dBmW
Better than DAQ3.4
-114.2 to
-95.2 dBmW DAQ2.0 - DAQ3.4
< -114.2 dBmW
Worse than DAQ2.0
Display threshold level: -250.0 dBmW
RX Antenna - Type: ISOTROPIC
Height: 5.0 ft AGL Gain: 0.00 dBd
MILES
-5
0
5
Pasquotank County, NC
Main VHF Dispatch from Tower "A"
Trunk-mounted Mobile Talk-Out
EDX® SignalPro®: Pasquotank NC
Prop. model 2: Longley-Rice v1.2.2
Time: 50.0% Loc.: 50.0%
Prediction Confidence Margin: 10.2dB
Climate: Continental Temperate
Land use (clutter): USGS-EDX format (.151 files)
Atmospheric Abs.: none
K Factor: 1.333
Sites
Received power at best base from remote
>=
-95.2 dBmW
Better than DAQ3.4
-114.2 to
-95.2 dBmW DAQ2.0 - DAQ3.4
< -114.2 dBmW
Worse than DAQ2.0
Display threshold level: -250.0 dBmW
RX Antenna - Type: ISOTROPIC
Height: 5.0 ft AGL Gain: 0.00 dBd
MILES
-5
0
5
Pasquotank County, NC
Main VHF Dispatch from Tower "A"
Trunk-mounted Mobile Talk-In
EDX® SignalPro®: Pasquotank NC
Prop. model 2: Longley-Rice v1.2.2
Time: 50.0% Loc.: 50.0%
Prediction Confidence Margin: 10.2dB
Climate: Continental Temperate
Land use (clutter): USGS-EDX format (.151 files)
Atmospheric Abs.: none
K Factor: 1.333
Sites
Received Power at remote
>=
-79.6 dBmW
Better than DAQ3.4 (Reliable)
-98.6 to
-79.6 dBmW DAQ2.0 - DAQ3.4
<
-98.6 dBmW
Worse than DAQ2.0 (Unusable
Display threshold level: -250.0 dBmW
RX Antenna - Type: ISOTROPIC
Height: 3.0 ft AGL Gain: 0.00 dBd
MILES
-5
0
5
Pasquotank County, NC
Main VHF Dispatch from Tower "A"
Portable Talk-Out Street Level Coverage
EDX® SignalPro®: Pasquotank NC
Prop. model 2: Longley-Rice v1.2.2
Time: 50.0% Loc.: 50.0%
Prediction Confidence Margin: 10.2dB
Climate: Continental Temperate
Land use (clutter): USGS-EDX format (.151 files)
Atmospheric Abs.: none
K Factor: 1.333
Sites
Received power at best base from remote
>=
-85.9 dBmW
Better than DAQ3.4 (Reliable)
-104.9 to
-85.9 dBmW DAQ2.0 - DAQ3.4
< -104.9 dBmW
Worse than DAQ2.0 (Unusable)
Display threshold level: -250.0 dBmW
RX Antenna - Type: ISOTROPIC
Height: 5.0 ft AGL Gain: 0.00 dBd
MILES
-5
0
5
Pasquotank County, NC
Main VHF Dispatch from Tower "A"
Portable Talk-In Street Level Coverage
EDX® SignalPro®: Pasquotank NC
Prop. model 2: Longley-Rice v1.2.2
Time: 50.0% Loc.: 50.0%
Prediction Confidence Margin: 10.2dB
Climate: Continental Temperate
Land use (clutter): USGS-EDX format (.151 files)
Atmospheric Abs.: none
K Factor: 1.333
Sites
Received Power at remote
>=
-73.6 dBmW
Better than DAQ3.4 (Reliable)
-92.6 to
-73.6 dBmW DAQ2.0 - DAQ3.4
<
-92.6 dBmW
Worse than DAQ2.0 (Unusable
Display threshold level: -250.0 dBmW
RX Antenna - Type: ISOTROPIC
Height: 3.0 ft AGL Gain: 0.00 dBd
MILES
-5
0
5
Pasquotank County, NC
Main VHF Dispatch from Tower "A"
Portable Talk-Out w/6dB Building Loss
EDX® SignalPro®: Pasquotank NC
Prop. model 2: Longley-Rice v1.2.2
Time: 50.0% Loc.: 50.0%
Prediction Confidence Margin: 10.2dB
Climate: Continental Temperate
Land use (clutter): USGS-EDX format (.151 files)
Atmospheric Abs.: none
K Factor: 1.333
Sites
Received power at best base from remote
>=
-79.9 dBmW
Better than DAQ3.4 (Reliable)
-98.9 to
-79.9 dBmW DAQ2.0 - DAQ3.4
<
-98.9 dBmW
Worse than DAQ2.0 (Unusable)
Display threshold level: -250.0 dBmW
RX Antenna - Type: ISOTROPIC
Height: 5.0 ft AGL Gain: 0.00 dBd
MILES
-5
0
5
Pasquotank County, NC
Main VHF Dispatch from Tower "A"
Portable Talk-In w/6dB Building Loss
EDX® SignalPro®: Pasquotank NC
Prop. model 2: Longley-Rice v1.2.2
Time: 50.0% Loc.: 50.0%
Prediction Confidence Margin: 10.2dB
Climate: Continental Temperate
Land use (clutter): USGS-EDX format (.151 files)
Atmospheric Abs.: none
K Factor: 1.333
Sites
Received Power at remote
>=
-98.0 dBmW
Better than DAQ3.4
-117.0 to
-98.0 dBmW DAQ2.0 - DAQ3.4
< -117.0 dBmW
Worse than DAQ2.0
Display threshold level: -250.0 dBmW
RX Antenna - Type: ISOTROPIC
Height: 3.0 ft AGL Gain: 0.00 dBd
MILES
-5
0
5
Pasquotank County, NC
Pasquotank County Sherriff UHF Coverage
Trunk-mounted Mobile Talk-Out
EDX® SignalPro®: Pasquotank NC
Prop. model 2: Longley-Rice v1.2.2
Time: 50.0% Loc.: 50.0%
Prediction Confidence Margin: 10.2dB
Climate: Continental Temperate
Land use (clutter): USGS-EDX format (.151 files)
Atmospheric Abs.: none
K Factor: 1.333
Sites
Received power at best base from remote
>=
-98.0 dBmW
Better than DAQ3.4
-117.0 to
-98.0 dBmW DAQ2.0 - DAQ3.4
< -117.0 dBmW
Worse than DAQ2.0
Display threshold level: -250.0 dBmW
RX Antenna - Type: ISOTROPIC
Height: 3.0 ft AGL Gain: 0.00 dBd
MILES
-5
0
5
Pasquotank County, NC
Pasquotank County Sherriff UHF Coverage
Trunk-mounted Mobile Talk-In
EDX® SignalPro®: Pasquotank NC
Prop. model 2: Longley-Rice v1.2.2
Time: 50.0% Loc.: 50.0%
Prediction Confidence Margin: 10.2dB
Climate: Continental Temperate
Land use (clutter): USGS-EDX format (.151 files)
Atmospheric Abs.: none
K Factor: 1.333
Sites
Received Power at remote
>=
-87.4 dBmW
Better than DAQ3.4
-106.4 to
-87.4 dBmW DAQ2.0 - DAQ3.4
< -106.4 dBmW
Worse than DAQ2.0
Display threshold level: -250.0 dBmW
RX Antenna - Type: ISOTROPIC
Height: 3.0 ft AGL Gain: 0.00 dBd
MILES
-5
0
5
Pasquotank County, NC
Pasquotank County Sherriff UHF Coverage
Portable Talk-Out Street Level Coverage
EDX® SignalPro®: Pasquotank NC
Prop. model 2: Longley-Rice v1.2.2
Time: 50.0% Loc.: 50.0%
Prediction Confidence Margin: 10.2dB
Climate: Continental Temperate
Land use (clutter): USGS-EDX format (.151 files)
Atmospheric Abs.: none
K Factor: 1.333
Sites
Received power at best base from remote
>=
-93.9 dBmW
Better than DAQ3.4
-112.9 to
-93.9 dBmW DAQ2.0 - DAQ3.4
< -112.9 dBmW
Worse than DAQ2.0
Display threshold level: -250.0 dBmW
RX Antenna - Type: ISOTROPIC
Height: 5.0 ft AGL Gain: 0.00 dBd
MILES
-5
0
5
Pasquotank County, NC
Pasquotank County Sherriff UHF Coverage
Portable Talk-In Street Level Coverage
EDX® SignalPro®: Pasquotank NC
Prop. model 2: Longley-Rice v1.2.2
Time: 50.0% Loc.: 50.0%
Prediction Confidence Margin: 10.2dB
Climate: Continental Temperate
Land use (clutter): USGS-EDX format (.151 files)
Atmospheric Abs.: none
K Factor: 1.333
Sites
Received Power at remote
>=
-81.4 dBmW
Better than DAQ3.4
-100.4 to
-81.4 dBmW DAQ2.0 - DAQ3.4
< -100.4 dBmW
Worse than DAQ2.0
Display threshold level: -250.0 dBmW
RX Antenna - Type: ISOTROPIC
Height: 3.0 ft AGL Gain: 0.00 dBd
MILES
-5
0
5
Pasquotank County, NC
Pasquotank County Sherriff UHF Coverage
Portable Talk-Out w/6dB Building Loss
EDX® SignalPro®: Pasquotank NC
Prop. model 2: Longley-Rice v1.2.2
Time: 50.0% Loc.: 50.0%
Prediction Confidence Margin: 10.2dB
Climate: Continental Temperate
Land use (clutter): USGS-EDX format (.151 files)
Atmospheric Abs.: none
K Factor: 1.333
Sites
Received power at best base from remote
>=
-87.9 dBmW
Better than DAQ3.4
-106.9 to
-87.9 dBmW DAQ2.0 - DAQ3.4
< -106.9 dBmW
Worse than DAQ2.0
Display threshold level: -250.0 dBmW
RX Antenna - Type: ISOTROPIC
Height: 5.0 ft AGL Gain: 0.00 dBd
MILES
-5
0
5
Pasquotank County, NC
Pasquotank County Sherriff UHF Coverage
Portable Talk-In w/6dB Building Loss
EDX® SignalPro®: Pasquotank NC
Prop. model 2: Longley-Rice v1.2.2
Time: 50.0% Loc.: 50.0%
Prediction Confidence Margin: 10.2dB
Climate: Continental Temperate
Land use (clutter): USGS-EDX format (.151 files)
Atmospheric Abs.: none
K Factor: 1.333
Sites
Received Power at remote
>=
-98.0 dBmW
Better than DAQ3.4
-117.0 to
-98.0 dBmW DAQ2.0 - DAQ3.4
< -117.0 dBmW
Worse than DAQ2.0
Display threshold level: -250.0 dBmW
RX Antenna - Type: ISOTROPIC
Height: 3.0 ft AGL Gain: 0.00 dBd
MILES
-5
0
5
Pasquotank County, NC
Elizabeth City PD UHF Coverage
Trunk-mounted Mobile Talk-Out
EDX® SignalPro®: Pasquotank NC
Prop. model 2: Longley-Rice v1.2.2
Time: 50.0% Loc.: 50.0%
Prediction Confidence Margin: 10.2dB
Climate: Continental Temperate
Land use (clutter): USGS-EDX format (.151 files)
Atmospheric Abs.: none
K Factor: 1.333
Sites
Received power at best base from remote
>=
-98.0 dBmW
Better than DAQ3.4
-117.0 to
-98.0 dBmW DAQ2.0 - DAQ3.4
< -117.0 dBmW
Worse than DAQ2.0
Display threshold level: -250.0 dBmW
RX Antenna - Type: ISOTROPIC
Height: 3.0 ft AGL Gain: 0.00 dBd
MILES
-5
0
5
Pasquotank County, NC
Elizabeth City PD UHF Coverage
Trunk-mounted Mobile Talk-In
EDX® SignalPro®: Pasquotank NC
Prop. model 2: Longley-Rice v1.2.2
Time: 50.0% Loc.: 50.0%
Prediction Confidence Margin: 10.2dB
Climate: Continental Temperate
Land use (clutter): USGS-EDX format (.151 files)
Atmospheric Abs.: none
K Factor: 1.333
Sites
Received Power at remote
>=
-87.4 dBmW
Better than DAQ3.4
-106.4 to
-87.4 dBmW DAQ2.0 - DAQ3.4
< -106.4 dBmW
Worse than DAQ2.0
Display threshold level: -250.0 dBmW
RX Antenna - Type: ISOTROPIC
Height: 3.0 ft AGL Gain: 0.00 dBd
MILES
-5
0
5
Pasquotank County, NC
Elizabeth City PD UHF Coverage
Portable Talk-Out Street Level Coverage
EDX® SignalPro®: Pasquotank NC
Prop. model 2: Longley-Rice v1.2.2
Time: 50.0% Loc.: 50.0%
Prediction Confidence Margin: 10.2dB
Climate: Continental Temperate
Land use (clutter): USGS-EDX format (.151 files)
Atmospheric Abs.: none
K Factor: 1.333
Sites
Received power at best base from remote
>=
-93.9 dBmW
Better than DAQ3.4
-112.9 to
-93.9 dBmW DAQ2.0 - DAQ3.4
< -112.9 dBmW
Worse than DAQ2.0
Display threshold level: -250.0 dBmW
RX Antenna - Type: ISOTROPIC
Height: 5.0 ft AGL Gain: 0.00 dBd
MILES
-5
0
5
Pasquotank County, NC
Elizabeth City PD UHF Coverage
Portable Talk-In w/6dB Building Loss
EDX® SignalPro®: Pasquotank NC
Prop. model 2: Longley-Rice v1.2.2
Time: 50.0% Loc.: 50.0%
Prediction Confidence Margin: 10.2dB
Climate: Continental Temperate
Land use (clutter): USGS-EDX format (.151 files)
Atmospheric Abs.: none
K Factor: 1.333
Sites
Received Power at remote
>=
-81.4 dBmW
Better than DAQ3.4
-100.4 to
-81.4 dBmW DAQ2.0 - DAQ3.4
< -100.4 dBmW
Worse than DAQ2.0
Display threshold level: -250.0 dBmW
RX Antenna - Type: ISOTROPIC
Height: 3.0 ft AGL Gain: 0.00 dBd
MILES
-5
0
5
Pasquotank County, NC
Elizabeth City PD UHF Coverage
Portable Talk-Out w/6dB Building Loss
EDX® SignalPro®: Pasquotank NC
Prop. model 2: Longley-Rice v1.2.2
Time: 50.0% Loc.: 50.0%
Prediction Confidence Margin: 10.2dB
Climate: Continental Temperate
Land use (clutter): USGS-EDX format (.151 files)
Atmospheric Abs.: none
K Factor: 1.333
Sites
Received power at best base from remote
>=
-93.9 dBmW
Better than DAQ3.4
-112.9 to
-93.9 dBmW DAQ2.0 - DAQ3.4
< -112.9 dBmW
Worse than DAQ2.0
Display threshold level: -250.0 dBmW
RX Antenna - Type: ISOTROPIC
Height: 5.0 ft AGL Gain: 0.00 dBd
MILES
-5
0
5
Pasquotank County, NC
Elizabeth City PD UHF Coverage
Portable Talk-In w/6dB Building Loss
EDX® SignalPro®: Pasquotank NC
Prop. model 2: Longley-Rice v1.2.2
Time: 50.0% Loc.: 50.0%
Prediction Confidence Margin: 10.2dB
Climate: Continental Temperate
Land use (clutter): USGS-EDX format (.151 files)
Atmospheric Abs.: none
K Factor: 1.333
Sites
Received Power at remote
>=
-95.2 dBmW
Better than DAQ3.4
-114.2 to
-95.2 dBmW DAQ2.0 - DAQ3.4
< -114.2 dBmW
Worse than DAQ2.0
Display threshold level: -250.0 dBmW
RX Antenna - Type: ISOTROPIC
Height: 5.0 ft AGL Gain: 0.00 dBd
MILES
-5
0
5
Pasquotank County, NC
VHF TAC2 Coverage
Trunk-mounted Mobile Talk-Out
EDX® SignalPro®: Pasquotank NC
Prop. model 2: Longley-Rice v1.2.2
Time: 50.0% Loc.: 50.0%
Prediction Confidence Margin: 10.2dB
Climate: Continental Temperate
Land use (clutter): USGS-EDX format (.151 files)
Atmospheric Abs.: none
K Factor: 1.333
Sites
Received power at best base from remote
>=
-95.2 dBmW
Better than DAQ3.4
-114.2 to
-95.2 dBmW DAQ2.0 - DAQ3.4
< -114.2 dBmW
Worse than DAQ2.0
Display threshold level: -250.0 dBmW
RX Antenna - Type: ISOTROPIC
Height: 5.0 ft AGL Gain: 0.00 dBd
MILES
-5
0
5
Pasquotank County, NC
VHF TAC2 Coverage
Trunk-mounted Mobile Talk-In
EDX® SignalPro®: Pasquotank NC
Prop. model 2: Longley-Rice v1.2.2
Time: 50.0% Loc.: 50.0%
Prediction Confidence Margin: 10.2dB
Climate: Continental Temperate
Land use (clutter): USGS-EDX format (.151 files)
Atmospheric Abs.: none
K Factor: 1.333
Sites
Received Power at remote
>=
-79.6 dBmW
Better than DAQ3.4 (Reliable)
-98.6 to
-79.6 dBmW DAQ2.0 - DAQ3.4
<
-98.6 dBmW
Worse than DAQ2.0 (Unusable
Display threshold level: -250.0 dBmW
RX Antenna - Type: ISOTROPIC
Height: 3.0 ft AGL Gain: 0.00 dBd
MILES
-5
0
5
Pasquotank County, NC
VHF TAC2 Coverage
Portable Talk-Out Street Level Coverage
EDX® SignalPro®: Pasquotank NC
Prop. model 2: Longley-Rice v1.2.2
Time: 50.0% Loc.: 50.0%
Prediction Confidence Margin: 10.2dB
Climate: Continental Temperate
Land use (clutter): USGS-EDX format (.151 files)
Atmospheric Abs.: none
K Factor: 1.333
Sites
Received power at best base from remote
>=
-85.9 dBmW
Better than DAQ3.4 (Reliable)
-104.9 to
-85.9 dBmW DAQ2.0 - DAQ3.4
< -104.9 dBmW
Worse than DAQ2.0 (Unusable)
Display threshold level: -250.0 dBmW
RX Antenna - Type: ISOTROPIC
Height: 5.0 ft AGL Gain: 0.00 dBd
MILES
-5
0
5
Pasquotank County, NC
VHF TAC2 Coverage
Portable Talk-In Street Level Coverage
EDX® SignalPro®: Pasquotank NC
Prop. model 2: Longley-Rice v1.2.2
Time: 50.0% Loc.: 50.0%
Prediction Confidence Margin: 10.2dB
Climate: Continental Temperate
Land use (clutter): USGS-EDX format (.151 files)
Atmospheric Abs.: none
K Factor: 1.333
Sites
Received Power at remote
>=
-73.6 dBmW
Better than DAQ3.4 (Reliable)
-92.6 to
-73.6 dBmW DAQ2.0 - DAQ3.4
<
-92.6 dBmW
Worse than DAQ2.0 (Unusable
Display threshold level: -250.0 dBmW
RX Antenna - Type: ISOTROPIC
Height: 3.0 ft AGL Gain: 0.00 dBd
MILES
-5
0
5
Pasquotank County, NC
VHF TAC2 Coverage
Portable Talk-Out w/6dB Building Loss
EDX® SignalPro®: Pasquotank NC
Prop. model 2: Longley-Rice v1.2.2
Time: 50.0% Loc.: 50.0%
Prediction Confidence Margin: 10.2dB
Climate: Continental Temperate
Land use (clutter): USGS-EDX format (.151 files)
Atmospheric Abs.: none
K Factor: 1.333
Sites
Received power at best base from remote
>=
-79.9 dBmW
Better than DAQ3.4 (Reliable)
-98.9 to
-79.9 dBmW DAQ2.0 - DAQ3.4
<
-98.9 dBmW
Worse than DAQ2.0 (Unusable)
Display threshold level: -250.0 dBmW
RX Antenna - Type: ISOTROPIC
Height: 5.0 ft AGL Gain: 0.00 dBd
MILES
-5
0
5
Pasquotank County, NC
VHF TAC2 Coverage
Portable Talk-In w/6dB Building Loss
EDX® SignalPro®: Pasquotank NC
Prop. model 2: Longley-Rice v1.2.2
Time: 50.0% Loc.: 50.0%
Prediction Confidence Margin: 10.2dB
Climate: Continental Temperate
Land use (clutter): USGS-EDX format (.151 files)
Atmospheric Abs.: none
K Factor: 1.333
Sites
Received Power at remote
>=
-95.2 dBmW
Better than DAQ3.4
-114.2 to
-95.2 dBmW DAQ2.0 - DAQ3.4
< -114.2 dBmW
Worse than DAQ2.0
Display threshold level: -250.0 dBmW
RX Antenna - Type: ISOTROPIC
Height: 5.0 ft AGL Gain: 0.00 dBd
MILES
-5
0
5
Pasquotank County, NC
VHF TAC3 Coverage
Trunk-mounted Mobile Talk-Out
EDX® SignalPro®: Pasquotank NC
Prop. model 2: Longley-Rice v1.2.2
Time: 50.0% Loc.: 50.0%
Prediction Confidence Margin: 10.2dB
Climate: Continental Temperate
Land use (clutter): USGS-EDX format (.151 files)
Atmospheric Abs.: none
K Factor: 1.333
Sites
Received power at best base from remote
>=
-95.2 dBmW
Better than DAQ3.4
-114.2 to
-95.2 dBmW DAQ2.0 - DAQ3.4
< -114.2 dBmW
Worse than DAQ2.0
Display threshold level: -250.0 dBmW
RX Antenna - Type: ISOTROPIC
Height: 5.0 ft AGL Gain: 0.00 dBd
MILES
-5
0
5
Pasquotank County, NC
VHF TAC6 Coverage
Trunk-mounted Mobile Talk-In
EDX® SignalPro®: Pasquotank NC
Prop. model 2: Longley-Rice v1.2.2
Time: 50.0% Loc.: 50.0%
Prediction Confidence Margin: 10.2dB
Climate: Continental Temperate
Land use (clutter): USGS-EDX format (.151 files)
Atmospheric Abs.: none
K Factor: 1.333
Sites
Received Power at remote
>=
-79.6 dBmW
Better than DAQ3.4 (Reliable)
-98.6 to
-79.6 dBmW DAQ2.0 - DAQ3.4
<
-98.6 dBmW
Worse than DAQ2.0 (Unusable
Display threshold level: -250.0 dBmW
RX Antenna - Type: ISOTROPIC
Height: 3.0 ft AGL Gain: 0.00 dBd
MILES
-5
0
5
Pasquotank County, NC
VHF TAC3 Coverage
Portable Talk-Out Street Level Coverage
EDX® SignalPro®: Pasquotank NC
Prop. model 2: Longley-Rice v1.2.2
Time: 50.0% Loc.: 50.0%
Prediction Confidence Margin: 10.2dB
Climate: Continental Temperate
Land use (clutter): USGS-EDX format (.151 files)
Atmospheric Abs.: none
K Factor: 1.333
Sites
Received power at best base from remote
>=
-85.9 dBmW
Better than DAQ3.4 (Reliable)
-104.9 to
-85.9 dBmW DAQ2.0 - DAQ3.4
< -104.9 dBmW
Worse than DAQ2.0 (Unusable)
Display threshold level: -250.0 dBmW
RX Antenna - Type: ISOTROPIC
Height: 5.0 ft AGL Gain: 0.00 dBd
MILES
-5
0
5
Pasquotank County, NC
VHF TAC3 Coverage
Portable Talk-In Street Level Coverage
EDX® SignalPro®: Pasquotank NC
Prop. model 2: Longley-Rice v1.2.2
Time: 50.0% Loc.: 50.0%
Prediction Confidence Margin: 10.2dB
Climate: Continental Temperate
Land use (clutter): USGS-EDX format (.151 files)
Atmospheric Abs.: none
K Factor: 1.333
Sites
Received Power at remote
>=
-73.6 dBmW
Better than DAQ3.4 (Reliable)
-92.6 to
-73.6 dBmW DAQ2.0 - DAQ3.4
<
-92.6 dBmW
Worse than DAQ2.0 (Unusable
Display threshold level: -250.0 dBmW
RX Antenna - Type: ISOTROPIC
Height: 3.0 ft AGL Gain: 0.00 dBd
MILES
-5
0
5
Pasquotank County, NC
VHF TAC3 Coverage
Portable Talk-Out w/6dB Building Loss
EDX® SignalPro®: Pasquotank NC
Prop. model 2: Longley-Rice v1.2.2
Time: 50.0% Loc.: 50.0%
Prediction Confidence Margin: 10.2dB
Climate: Continental Temperate
Land use (clutter): USGS-EDX format (.151 files)
Atmospheric Abs.: none
K Factor: 1.333
Sites
Received power at best base from remote
>=
-79.9 dBmW
Better than DAQ3.4 (Reliable)
-98.9 to
-79.9 dBmW DAQ2.0 - DAQ3.4
<
-98.9 dBmW
Worse than DAQ2.0 (Unusable)
Display threshold level: -250.0 dBmW
RX Antenna - Type: ISOTROPIC
Height: 5.0 ft AGL Gain: 0.00 dBd
MILES
-5
0
5
Pasquotank County, NC
VHF TAC3 Coverage
Portable Talk-In w/6dB Building Loss
EDX® SignalPro®: Pasquotank NC
Prop. model 2: Longley-Rice v1.2.2
Time: 50.0% Loc.: 50.0%
Prediction Confidence Margin: 10.2dB
Climate: Continental Temperate
Land use (clutter): USGS-EDX format (.151 files)
Atmospheric Abs.: none
K Factor: 1.333
Sites
Received Power at remote
>=
-95.2 dBmW
Better than DAQ3.4
-114.2 to
-95.2 dBmW DAQ2.0 - DAQ3.4
< -114.2 dBmW
Worse than DAQ2.0
Display threshold level: -250.0 dBmW
RX Antenna - Type: ISOTROPIC
Height: 5.0 ft AGL Gain: 0.00 dBd
MILES
-5
0
5
Pasquotank County, NC
VHF TAC4 Coverage
Trunk-mounted Mobile Talk-Out
EDX® SignalPro®: Pasquotank NC
Prop. model 2: Longley-Rice v1.2.2
Time: 50.0% Loc.: 50.0%
Prediction Confidence Margin: 10.2dB
Climate: Continental Temperate
Land use (clutter): USGS-EDX format (.151 files)
Atmospheric Abs.: none
K Factor: 1.333
Sites
Received power at best base from remote
>=
-95.2 dBmW
Better than DAQ3.4
-114.2 to
-95.2 dBmW DAQ2.0 - DAQ3.4
< -114.2 dBmW
Worse than DAQ2.0
Display threshold level: -250.0 dBmW
RX Antenna - Type: ISOTROPIC
Height: 5.0 ft AGL Gain: 0.00 dBd
MILES
-5
0
5
Pasquotank County, NC
VHF TAC4 Coverage
Trunk-mounted Mobile Talk-In
EDX® SignalPro®: Pasquotank NC
Prop. model 2: Longley-Rice v1.2.2
Time: 50.0% Loc.: 50.0%
Prediction Confidence Margin: 10.2dB
Climate: Continental Temperate
Land use (clutter): USGS-EDX format (.151 files)
Atmospheric Abs.: none
K Factor: 1.333
Sites
Received Power at remote
>=
-79.6 dBmW
Better than DAQ3.4 (Reliable)
-98.6 to
-79.6 dBmW DAQ2.0 - DAQ3.4
<
-98.6 dBmW
Worse than DAQ2.0 (Unusable
Display threshold level: -250.0 dBmW
RX Antenna - Type: ISOTROPIC
Height: 3.0 ft AGL Gain: 0.00 dBd
MILES
-5
0
5
Pasquotank County, NC
VHF TAC4 Coverage
Portable Talk-Out Street Level Coverage
EDX® SignalPro®: Pasquotank NC
Prop. model 2: Longley-Rice v1.2.2
Time: 50.0% Loc.: 50.0%
Prediction Confidence Margin: 10.2dB
Climate: Continental Temperate
Land use (clutter): USGS-EDX format (.151 files)
Atmospheric Abs.: none
K Factor: 1.333
Sites
Received power at best base from remote
>=
-85.9 dBmW
Better than DAQ3.4 (Reliable)
-104.9 to
-85.9 dBmW DAQ2.0 - DAQ3.4
< -104.9 dBmW
Worse than DAQ2.0 (Unusable)
Display threshold level: -250.0 dBmW
RX Antenna - Type: ISOTROPIC
Height: 5.0 ft AGL Gain: 0.00 dBd
MILES
-5
0
5
Pasquotank County, NC
VHF TAC4 Coverage
Portable Talk-In Street Level Coverage
EDX® SignalPro®: Pasquotank NC
Prop. model 2: Longley-Rice v1.2.2
Time: 50.0% Loc.: 50.0%
Prediction Confidence Margin: 10.2dB
Climate: Continental Temperate
Land use (clutter): USGS-EDX format (.151 files)
Atmospheric Abs.: none
K Factor: 1.333
Sites
Received Power at remote
>=
-73.6 dBmW
Better than DAQ3.4 (Reliable)
-92.6 to
-73.6 dBmW DAQ2.0 - DAQ3.4
<
-92.6 dBmW
Worse than DAQ2.0 (Unusable
Display threshold level: -250.0 dBmW
RX Antenna - Type: ISOTROPIC
Height: 3.0 ft AGL Gain: 0.00 dBd
MILES
-5
0
5
Pasquotank County, NC
VHF TAC4 Coverage
Portable Talk-Out w/6dB Building Loss
EDX® SignalPro®: Pasquotank NC
Prop. model 2: Longley-Rice v1.2.2
Time: 50.0% Loc.: 50.0%
Prediction Confidence Margin: 10.2dB
Climate: Continental Temperate
Land use (clutter): USGS-EDX format (.151 files)
Atmospheric Abs.: none
K Factor: 1.333
Sites
Received power at best base from remote
>=
-79.9 dBmW
Better than DAQ3.4 (Reliable)
-98.9 to
-79.9 dBmW DAQ2.0 - DAQ3.4
<
-98.9 dBmW
Worse than DAQ2.0 (Unusable)
Display threshold level: -250.0 dBmW
RX Antenna - Type: ISOTROPIC
Height: 5.0 ft AGL Gain: 0.00 dBd
MILES
-5
0
5
Pasquotank County, NC
VHF TAC4 Coverage
Portable Talk-In w/6dB Building Loss
EDX® SignalPro®: Pasquotank NC
Prop. model 2: Longley-Rice v1.2.2
Time: 50.0% Loc.: 50.0%
Prediction Confidence Margin: 10.2dB
Climate: Continental Temperate
Land use (clutter): USGS-EDX format (.151 files)
Atmospheric Abs.: none
K Factor: 1.333
Sites
Received Power at remote
>=
-95.2 dBmW
Better than DAQ3.4
-114.2 to
-95.2 dBmW DAQ2.0 - DAQ3.4
< -114.2 dBmW
Worse than DAQ2.0
Display threshold level: -250.0 dBmW
RX Antenna - Type: ISOTROPIC
Height: 5.0 ft AGL Gain: 0.00 dBd
MILES
-5
0
5
Pasquotank County, NC
VHF TAC5 Coverage
Trunk-mounted Mobile Talk-Out
EDX® SignalPro®: Pasquotank NC
Prop. model 2: Longley-Rice v1.2.2
Time: 50.0% Loc.: 50.0%
Prediction Confidence Margin: 10.2dB
Climate: Continental Temperate
Land use (clutter): USGS-EDX format (.151 files)
Atmospheric Abs.: none
K Factor: 1.333
Sites
Received power at best base from remote
>=
-95.2 dBmW
Better than DAQ3.4
-114.2 to
-95.2 dBmW DAQ2.0 - DAQ3.4
< -114.2 dBmW
Worse than DAQ2.0
Display threshold level: -250.0 dBmW
RX Antenna - Type: ISOTROPIC
Height: 5.0 ft AGL Gain: 0.00 dBd
MILES
-5
0
5
Pasquotank County, NC
VHF TAC5 Coverage
Trunk-mounted Mobile Talk-In
EDX® SignalPro®: Pasquotank NC
Prop. model 2: Longley-Rice v1.2.2
Time: 50.0% Loc.: 50.0%
Prediction Confidence Margin: 10.2dB
Climate: Continental Temperate
Land use (clutter): USGS-EDX format (.151 files)
Atmospheric Abs.: none
K Factor: 1.333
Sites
Received Power at remote
>=
-79.6 dBmW
Better than DAQ3.4 (Reliable)
-98.6 to
-79.6 dBmW DAQ2.0 - DAQ3.4
<
-98.6 dBmW
Worse than DAQ2.0 (Unusable
Display threshold level: -250.0 dBmW
RX Antenna - Type: ISOTROPIC
Height: 3.0 ft AGL Gain: 0.00 dBd
MILES
-5
0
5
Pasquotank County, NC
VHF TAC5 Coverage
Portable Talk-Out Street Level Coverage
EDX® SignalPro®: Pasquotank NC
Prop. model 2: Longley-Rice v1.2.2
Time: 50.0% Loc.: 50.0%
Prediction Confidence Margin: 10.2dB
Climate: Continental Temperate
Land use (clutter): USGS-EDX format (.151 files)
Atmospheric Abs.: none
K Factor: 1.333
Sites
Received power at best base from remote
>=
-85.9 dBmW
Better than DAQ3.4 (Reliable)
-104.9 to
-85.9 dBmW DAQ2.0 - DAQ3.4
< -104.9 dBmW
Worse than DAQ2.0 (Unusable)
Display threshold level: -250.0 dBmW
RX Antenna - Type: ISOTROPIC
Height: 5.0 ft AGL Gain: 0.00 dBd
MILES
-5
0
5
Pasquotank County, NC
VHF TAC5 Coverage
Portable Talk-In Street Level Coverage
EDX® SignalPro®: Pasquotank NC
Prop. model 2: Longley-Rice v1.2.2
Time: 50.0% Loc.: 50.0%
Prediction Confidence Margin: 10.2dB
Climate: Continental Temperate
Land use (clutter): USGS-EDX format (.151 files)
Atmospheric Abs.: none
K Factor: 1.333
Sites
Received Power at remote
>=
-73.6 dBmW
Better than DAQ3.4 (Reliable)
-92.6 to
-73.6 dBmW DAQ2.0 - DAQ3.4
<
-92.6 dBmW
Worse than DAQ2.0 (Unusable
Display threshold level: -250.0 dBmW
RX Antenna - Type: ISOTROPIC
Height: 3.0 ft AGL Gain: 0.00 dBd
MILES
-5
0
5
Pasquotank County, NC
VHF TAC5 Coverage
Portable Talk-Out w/6dB Building Loss
EDX® SignalPro®: Pasquotank NC
Prop. model 2: Longley-Rice v1.2.2
Time: 50.0% Loc.: 50.0%
Prediction Confidence Margin: 10.2dB
Climate: Continental Temperate
Land use (clutter): USGS-EDX format (.151 files)
Atmospheric Abs.: none
K Factor: 1.333
Sites
Received power at best base from remote
>=
-79.9 dBmW
Better than DAQ3.4 (Reliable)
-98.9 to
-79.9 dBmW DAQ2.0 - DAQ3.4
<
-98.9 dBmW
Worse than DAQ2.0 (Unusable)
Display threshold level: -250.0 dBmW
RX Antenna - Type: ISOTROPIC
Height: 5.0 ft AGL Gain: 0.00 dBd
MILES
-5
0
5
Pasquotank County, NC
VHF TAC5 Coverage
Portable Talk-In w/6dB Building Loss
EDX® SignalPro®: Pasquotank NC
Prop. model 2: Longley-Rice v1.2.2
Time: 50.0% Loc.: 50.0%
Prediction Confidence Margin: 10.2dB
Climate: Continental Temperate
Land use (clutter): USGS-EDX format (.151 files)
Atmospheric Abs.: none
K Factor: 1.333
Sites
Received Power at remote
>=
-95.2 dBmW
Better than DAQ3.4
-114.2 to
-95.2 dBmW DAQ2.0 - DAQ3.4
< -114.2 dBmW
Worse than DAQ2.0
Display threshold level: -250.0 dBmW
RX Antenna - Type: ISOTROPIC
Height: 5.0 ft AGL Gain: 0.00 dBd
MILES
-5
0
5
Pasquotank County, NC
VHF TAC6 Coverage
Trunk-mounted Mobile Talk-Out
EDX® SignalPro®: Pasquotank NC
Prop. model 2: Longley-Rice v1.2.2
Time: 50.0% Loc.: 50.0%
Prediction Confidence Margin: 10.2dB
Climate: Continental Temperate
Land use (clutter): USGS-EDX format (.151 files)
Atmospheric Abs.: none
K Factor: 1.333
Sites
Received power at best base from remote
>=
-95.2 dBmW
Better than DAQ3.4
-114.2 to
-95.2 dBmW DAQ2.0 - DAQ3.4
< -114.2 dBmW
Worse than DAQ2.0
Display threshold level: -250.0 dBmW
RX Antenna - Type: ISOTROPIC
Height: 5.0 ft AGL Gain: 0.00 dBd
MILES
-5
0
5
Pasquotank County, NC
VHF TAC6 Coverage
Trunk-mounted Mobile Talk-In
EDX® SignalPro®: Pasquotank NC
Prop. model 2: Longley-Rice v1.2.2
Time: 50.0% Loc.: 50.0%
Prediction Confidence Margin: 10.2dB
Climate: Continental Temperate
Land use (clutter): USGS-EDX format (.151 files)
Atmospheric Abs.: none
K Factor: 1.333
Sites
Received Power at remote
>=
-79.6 dBmW
Better than DAQ3.4 (Reliable)
-98.6 to
-79.6 dBmW DAQ2.0 - DAQ3.4
<
-98.6 dBmW
Worse than DAQ2.0 (Unusable
Display threshold level: -250.0 dBmW
RX Antenna - Type: ISOTROPIC
Height: 3.0 ft AGL Gain: 0.00 dBd
MILES
-5
0
5
Pasquotank County, NC
VHF TAC6 Coverage
Portable Talk-Out Street Level Coverage
EDX® SignalPro®: Pasquotank NC
Prop. model 2: Longley-Rice v1.2.2
Time: 50.0% Loc.: 50.0%
Prediction Confidence Margin: 10.2dB
Climate: Continental Temperate
Land use (clutter): USGS-EDX format (.151 files)
Atmospheric Abs.: none
K Factor: 1.333
Sites
Received power at best base from remote
>=
-85.9 dBmW
Better than DAQ3.4 (Reliable)
-104.9 to
-85.9 dBmW DAQ2.0 - DAQ3.4
< -104.9 dBmW
Worse than DAQ2.0 (Unusable)
Display threshold level: -250.0 dBmW
RX Antenna - Type: ISOTROPIC
Height: 5.0 ft AGL Gain: 0.00 dBd
MILES
-5
0
5
Pasquotank County, NC
VHF TAC6 Coverage
Portable Talk-In Street Level Coverage
EDX® SignalPro®: Pasquotank NC
Prop. model 2: Longley-Rice v1.2.2
Time: 50.0% Loc.: 50.0%
Prediction Confidence Margin: 10.2dB
Climate: Continental Temperate
Land use (clutter): USGS-EDX format (.151 files)
Atmospheric Abs.: none
K Factor: 1.333
Sites
Received Power at remote
>=
-73.6 dBmW
Better than DAQ3.4 (Reliable)
-92.6 to
-73.6 dBmW DAQ2.0 - DAQ3.4
<
-92.6 dBmW
Worse than DAQ2.0 (Unusable
Display threshold level: -250.0 dBmW
RX Antenna - Type: ISOTROPIC
Height: 3.0 ft AGL Gain: 0.00 dBd
MILES
-5
0
5
Pasquotank County, NC
VHF TAC6 Coverage
Portable Talk-Out w/6dB Building Loss
EDX® SignalPro®: Pasquotank NC
Prop. model 2: Longley-Rice v1.2.2
Time: 50.0% Loc.: 50.0%
Prediction Confidence Margin: 10.2dB
Climate: Continental Temperate
Land use (clutter): USGS-EDX format (.151 files)
Atmospheric Abs.: none
K Factor: 1.333
Sites
Received power at best base from remote
>=
-79.9 dBmW
Better than DAQ3.4 (Reliable)
-98.9 to
-79.9 dBmW DAQ2.0 - DAQ3.4
<
-98.9 dBmW
Worse than DAQ2.0 (Unusable)
Display threshold level: -250.0 dBmW
RX Antenna - Type: ISOTROPIC
Height: 5.0 ft AGL Gain: 0.00 dBd
MILES
-5
0
5
Pasquotank County, NC
VHF TAC6 Coverage
Portable Talk-In w/6dB Building Loss
Appendix C – VIPER System Coverage Maps
Mission Critical Partners | 203
EDX® SignalPro®: Pasquotank NC
Prop. model 2: Longley-Rice v1.2.2
Time: 50.0% Loc.: 50.0%
Prediction Confidence Margin: 10.2dB
Climate: Continental Temperate
Land use (clutter): USGS-EDX format (.151 files)
Atmospheric Abs.: none
K Factor: 1.333
Sites
Received Power at remote
>=
-95.2 dBmW
Better than DAQ3.4
-106.0 to
-95.2 dBmW DAQ2.0 - DAQ3.4
< -106.0 dBmW
Worse than DAQ2.0
Display threshold level: -250.0 dBmW
RX Antenna - Type: ISOTROPIC
Height: 3.0 ft AGL Gain: 0.00 dBd
MILES
-5
0
5
Pasquotank County, NC
NC VIPER 800 MHz P25
Portable Talk-Out Street Level
EDX® SignalPro®: Pasquotank NC
Prop. model 2: Longley-Rice v1.2.2
Time: 50.0% Loc.: 50.0%
Prediction Confidence Margin: 10.2dB
Climate: Continental Temperate
Land use (clutter): USGS-EDX format (.151 files)
Atmospheric Abs.: none
K Factor: 1.333
Sites
Received power at best base from remote
>=
-99.6 dBmW
Better than DAQ3.4
-110.4 to
-99.6 dBmW DAQ2.0 - DAQ3.4
< -110.4 dBmW
Worse than DAQ2.0
Display threshold level: -250.0 dBmW
RX Antenna - Type: ISOTROPIC
Height: 5.0 ft AGL Gain: 0.00 dBd
MILES
-5
0
5
Pasquotank County, NC
NC VIPER 800 MHz P25
Portable Talk-Back Street Level
EDX® SignalPro®: Pasquotank NC
Prop. model 2: Longley-Rice v1.2.2
Time: 50.0% Loc.: 50.0%
Prediction Confidence Margin: 10.2dB
Climate: Continental Temperate
Land use (clutter): USGS-EDX format (.151 files)
Atmospheric Abs.: none
K Factor: 1.333
Sites
Received Power at remote
>=
-89.2 dBmW
Better than DAQ3.4
-100.0 to
-89.2 dBmW DAQ2.0 - DAQ3.4
< -100.0 dBmW
Worse than DAQ2.0
Display threshold level: -250.0 dBmW
RX Antenna - Type: ISOTROPIC
Height: 3.0 ft AGL Gain: 0.00 dBd
MILES
-5
0
5
Pasquotank County, NC
NC VIPER 800 MHz P25
Portable Talk-Out w/6dB building loss
EDX® SignalPro®: Pasquotank NC
Prop. model 2: Longley-Rice v1.2.2
Time: 50.0% Loc.: 50.0%
Prediction Confidence Margin: 10.2dB
Climate: Continental Temperate
Land use (clutter): USGS-EDX format (.151 files)
Atmospheric Abs.: none
K Factor: 1.333
Sites
Received power at best base from remote
>=
-93.6 dBmW
Better than DAQ3.4
-104.4 to
-93.6 dBmW DAQ2.0 - DAQ3.4
< -104.4 dBmW
Worse than DAQ2.0
Display threshold level: -250.0 dBmW
RX Antenna - Type: ISOTROPIC
Height: 5.0 ft AGL Gain: 0.00 dBd
MILES
-5
0
5
Pasquotank County, NC
NC VIPER 800 MHz P25
Portable Talk-Back w/6dB building loss
Appendix D – Conceptual 700 MHz System Coverage Maps
Mission Critical Partners | 208
EDX® SignalPro®: Pasquotank NC
Prop. model 2: Longley-Rice v1.2.2
Time: 50.0% Loc.: 50.0%
Prediction Confidence Margin: 10.2dB
Climate: Continental Temperate
Land use (clutter): USGS-EDX format (.151 files)
Atmospheric Abs.: none
K Factor: 1.333
Sites
Received Power at remote
>=
-95.2 dBmW
Better than DAQ3.4
-106.0 to
-95.2 dBmW DAQ2.0 - DAQ3.4
< -106.0 dBmW
Worse than DAQ2.0
Display threshold level: -250.0 dBmW
RX Antenna - Type: ISOTROPIC
Height: 5.0 ft AGL Gain: 0.00 dBd
MILES
-5
0
5
Pasquotank County, NC
Conceptual 700 MHz P25 Coverage
Portable Talk-Out Street Level
EDX® SignalPro®: Pasquotank NC
Prop. model 2: Longley-Rice v1.2.2
Time: 50.0% Loc.: 50.0%
Prediction Confidence Margin: 10.2dB
Climate: Continental Temperate
Land use (clutter): USGS-EDX format (.151 files)
Atmospheric Abs.: none
K Factor: 1.333
Sites
Received power at best base from remote
>=
-99.6 dBmW
Better than DAQ3.4
-110.4 to
-99.6 dBmW DAQ2.0 - DAQ3.4
< -110.4 dBmW
Worse than DAQ2.0
Display threshold level: -250.0 dBmW
RX Antenna - Type: ISOTROPIC
Height: 5.0 ft AGL Gain: 0.00 dBd
MILES
-5
0
5
Pasquotank County, NC
Conceptual 700 MHz P25 Coverage
Portable Talk-Back Street Level
EDX® SignalPro®: Pasquotank NC
Prop. model 2: Longley-Rice v1.2.2
Time: 50.0% Loc.: 50.0%
Prediction Confidence Margin: 10.2dB
Climate: Continental Temperate
Land use (clutter): USGS-EDX format (.151 files)
Atmospheric Abs.: none
K Factor: 1.333
Sites
Received Power at remote
>=
-89.2 dBmW
Better than DAQ3.4
-100.0 to
-89.2 dBmW DAQ2.0 - DAQ3.4
< -100.0 dBmW
Worse than DAQ2.0
Display threshold level: -250.0 dBmW
RX Antenna - Type: ISOTROPIC
Height: 5.0 ft AGL Gain: 0.00 dBd
MILES
-5
0
5
Pasquotank County, NC
Conceptual 700 MHz P25 Coverage
Portable Talk-Out w/6dB building loss
EDX® SignalPro®: Pasquotank NC
Prop. model 2: Longley-Rice v1.2.2
Time: 50.0% Loc.: 50.0%
Prediction Confidence Margin: 10.2dB
Climate: Continental Temperate
Land use (clutter): USGS-EDX format (.151 files)
Atmospheric Abs.: none
K Factor: 1.333
Sites
Received power at best base from remote
>=
-93.6 dBmW
Better than DAQ3.4
-104.4 to
-93.6 dBmW DAQ2.0 - DAQ3.4
< -104.4 dBmW
Worse than DAQ2.0
Display threshold level: -250.0 dBmW
RX Antenna - Type: ISOTROPIC
Height: 5.0 ft AGL Gain: 0.00 dBd
MILES
-5
0
5
Pasquotank County, NC
Conceptual 700 MHz P25 Coverage
Portable Talk-Back w/6dB building loss
Appendix E – Conceptual UHF System Coverage Maps
Mission Critical Partners | 213
EDX® SignalPro®: Pasquotank NC
Prop. model 2: Longley-Rice v1.2.2
Time: 50.0% Loc.: 50.0%
Prediction Confidence Margin: 10.2dB
Climate: Continental Temperate
Land use (clutter): USGS-EDX format (.151 files)
Atmospheric Abs.: none
K Factor: 1.333
Sites
Received Power at remote
>=
-95.6 dBmW
Better than DAQ3.4
-106.4 to
-95.6 dBmW DAQ2.0 - DAQ3.4
< -106.4 dBmW
Worse than DAQ2.0
Display threshold level: -250.0 dBmW
RX Antenna - Type: ISOTROPIC
Height: 3.0 ft AGL Gain: 0.00 dBd
MILES
-5
0
5
Pasquotank County, NC
Conceptual UHF Simulcast Coverage
Portable Talk-Out Street Level
EDX® SignalPro®: Pasquotank NC
Prop. model 2: Longley-Rice v1.2.2
Time: 50.0% Loc.: 50.0%
Prediction Confidence Margin: 10.2dB
Climate: Continental Temperate
Land use (clutter): USGS-EDX format (.151 files)
Atmospheric Abs.: none
K Factor: 1.333
Sites
Received power at best base from remote
>= -102.1 dBmW
Better than DAQ3.4
-112.9 to -102.1 dBmW DAQ2.0 - DAQ3.4
< -112.9 dBmW
Worse than DAQ2.0
Display threshold level: -250.0 dBmW
RX Antenna - Type: ISOTROPIC
Height: 5.0 ft AGL Gain: 0.00 dBd
MILES
-5
0
5
Pasquotank County, NC
Conceptual UHF Simulcast Coverage
Portable Talk-Back Street Level
EDX® SignalPro®: Pasquotank NC
Prop. model 2: Longley-Rice v1.2.2
Time: 50.0% Loc.: 50.0%
Prediction Confidence Margin: 10.2dB
Climate: Continental Temperate
Land use (clutter): USGS-EDX format (.151 files)
Atmospheric Abs.: none
K Factor: 1.333
Sites
Received Power at remote
>=
-89.6 dBmW
Better than DAQ3.4
-100.4 to
-89.6 dBmW DAQ2.0 - DAQ3.4
< -100.4 dBmW
Worse than DAQ2.0
Display threshold level: -250.0 dBmW
RX Antenna - Type: ISOTROPIC
Height: 3.0 ft AGL Gain: 0.00 dBd
MILES
-5
0
5
Pasquotank County, NC
Conceptual UHF Simulcast Coverage
Portable Talk-Out w/6dB building loss
EDX® SignalPro®: Pasquotank NC
Prop. model 2: Longley-Rice v1.2.2
Time: 50.0% Loc.: 50.0%
Prediction Confidence Margin: 10.2dB
Climate: Continental Temperate
Land use (clutter): USGS-EDX format (.151 files)
Atmospheric Abs.: none
K Factor: 1.333
Sites
Received power at best base from remote
>=
-96.1 dBmW
Better than DAQ3.4
-106.9 to
-96.1 dBmW DAQ2.0 - DAQ3.4
< -106.9 dBmW
Worse than DAQ2.0
Display threshold level: -250.0 dBmW
RX Antenna - Type: ISOTROPIC
Height: 5.0 ft AGL Gain: 0.00 dBd
MILES
-5
0
5
Pasquotank County, NC
Conceptual UHF Simulcast Coverage
Portable Talk-Back w/6dB buildinloss
Appendix F – Conceptual Simulcast Paging System Coverage Maps
Mission Critical Partners | 218
EDX® SignalPro®: Pasquotank NC
Prop. model 2: Longley-Rice v1.2.2
Time: 50.0% Loc.: 50.0%
Prediction Confidence Margin: 10.2dB
Climate: Continental Temperate
Land use (clutter): USGS-EDX format (.151 files)
Atmospheric Abs.: none
K Factor: 1.333
Sites
Received Power at remote
>= -88.0 dBmW
Reliable Digital Capture
<
-88.0 dBmW
Not reliable
Display threshold level: -250.0 dBmW
RX Antenna - Type: ISOTROPIC
Height: 3.0 ft AGL Gain: 0.00 dBd
MILES
-5
0
5
Pasquotank County, NC
Conceptual Alphanumeric Paging
Pager on-hip Street Level
EDX® SignalPro®: Pasquotank NC
Prop. model 2: Longley-Rice v1.2.2
Time: 50.0% Loc.: 50.0%
Prediction Confidence Margin: 10.2dB
Climate: Continental Temperate
Land use (clutter): USGS-EDX format (.151 files)
Atmospheric Abs.: none
K Factor: 1.333
Sites
Received Power at remote
>= -82.0 dBmW
Reliable Digital Capture
<
-82.0 dBmW
Not reliable
Display threshold level: -250.0 dBmW
RX Antenna - Type: ISOTROPIC
Height: 3.0 ft AGL Gain: 0.00 dBd
MILES
-5
0
5
Pasquotank County, NC
Conceptual Alphanumeric Paging
Pager on-hip w/6dB Building Loss
Appendix G – Microwave Path Studies
Mission Critical Partners | 221
FEASIBLE - PRELIMINARY - NOT FIELD VERIFIED
Path Distance: 6.053 mi.
Tx LOS Path Inclination: 0.062 deg.
Tx LOS Path Inclination: -0.062 deg.
200
200
150
150
100
100
50
50
F
e
e
t
0
0
Fire Tower
Elevation
Ant. AGL - Tx/Rx/Div
Frequency - Tx
Azimuth
KEY:
1
2
36° 25' 54.81" N
076° 22' 31.78" W
13.1 ft.
100.0/100.0/0.0 ft.
6175.00000 MHz
013.265 deg T
Miles
K = 4/3, F = 1
4
5
South Mills
Elevation
Ant. AGL - Tx/Rx/Div
Frequency - Tx
Azimuth
Profile
K = 4/3
3
K = 2/3, F = 0.3*F1
6
36° 31' 02.38" N
076° 21' 01.95" W
19.7 ft.
128.2/128.2/0.0 ft.
6175.00000 MHz
193.280 deg T
0
FEASIBLE - PRELIMINARY - NOT FIELD VERIFIED
Path Distance: 10.438 mi.
Tx LOS Path Inclination: 0.0946 deg.
Tx LOS Path Inclination: -0.0946 deg.
200
200
150
150
100
100
50
50
F
e
e
t
0
0
Fire Tower
Elevation
Ant. AGL - Tx/Rx/Div
Frequency - Tx
Azimuth
KEY:
1
2
3
36° 25' 54.81" N
076° 22' 31.78" W
13.1 ft.
100.0/100.0/0.0 ft.
6175.00000 MHz
145.686 deg T
K = 4/3, F = 1
5
6
Miles
7
8
9
Main Dispatch Tower
Elevation
Ant. AGL - Tx/Rx/Div
Frequency - Tx
Azimuth
Profile
K = 4/3
4
K = 2/3, F = 0.3*F1
10
36° 18' 24.52" N
076° 16' 12.23" W
13.1 ft.
191.3/191.3/0.0 ft.
6175.00000 MHz
325.749 deg T
0
FEASIBLE - PRELIMINARY - NOT FIELD VERIFIED
Path Distance: 14.921 mi.
Tx LOS Path Inclination: -0.1453 deg.
Tx LOS Path Inclination: 0.1453 deg.
300
300
250
250
200
200
150
150
100
100
50
50
F
e
e
t
0
0
1
Main Dispatch Tower
Elevation
Ant. AGL - Tx/Rx/Div
Frequency - Tx
Azimuth
KEY:
2
3
4
36° 18' 24.52" N
076° 16' 12.23" W
13.1 ft.
290.0/290.0/0.0 ft.
6175.00000 MHz
132.742 deg T
K = 4/3, F = 1
6
7
8
Miles
9
10
11
12
13
Wades Point
Elevation
Ant. AGL - Tx/Rx/Div
Frequency - Tx
Azimuth
Profile
K = 4/3
5
K = 2/3, F = 0.3*F1
14
36° 09' 35.20" N
076° 04' 26.69" W
3.3 ft.
100.0/100.0/0.0 ft.
6175.00000 MHz
312.857 deg T
0
FEASIBLE - PRELIMINARY - NOT FIELD VERIFIED
Path Distance: 10.011 mi.
Tx LOS Path Inclination: 0.0079 deg.
Tx LOS Path Inclination: -0.0079 deg.
200
200
150
150
100
100
50
50
F
e
e
t
0
0
Wades Point
Elevation
Ant. AGL - Tx/Rx/Div
Frequency - Tx
Azimuth
KEY:
1
2
36° 09' 35.20" N
076° 04' 26.69" W
3.3 ft.
100.0/100.0/0.0 ft.
6175.00000 MHz
346.552 deg T
K = 4/3, F = 1
4
5
Miles
6
7
8
9
Shiloh
Elevation
Ant. AGL - Tx/Rx/Div
Frequency - Tx
Azimuth
Profile
K = 4/3
3
K = 2/3, F = 0.3*F1
10
36° 18' 03.53" N
076° 06' 56.85" W
6.6 ft.
104.1/104.1/0.0 ft.
6175.00000 MHz
166.528 deg T
0
FEASIBLE - PRELIMINARY - NOT FIELD VERIFIED
Path Distance: 19.843 mi.
Tx LOS Path Inclination: -0.1384 deg.
Tx LOS Path Inclination: 0.1384 deg.
400
400
350
350
300
300
250
250
200
200
150
150
100
100
50
50
F
e
e
t
0
0
1
South Mills
Elevation
Ant. AGL - Tx/Rx/Div
Frequency - Tx
Azimuth
KEY:
2
3
4
5
36° 31' 02.38" N
076° 21' 01.95" W
19.7 ft.
340.0/340.0/0.0 ft.
6175.00000 MHz
138.676 deg T
K = 4/3, F = 1
7
8
9
10
Miles
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
Shiloh
Elevation
Ant. AGL - Tx/Rx/Div
Frequency - Tx
Azimuth
Profile
K = 4/3
6
K = 2/3, F = 0.3*F1
19
36° 18' 03.53" N
076° 06' 56.85" W
6.6 ft.
100.0/100.0/0.0 ft.
6175.00000 MHz
318.815 deg T
0
FEASIBLE - PRELIMINARY - NOT FIELD VERIFIED
Path Distance: 10.97 mi.
Tx LOS Path Inclination: -0.1284 deg.
F
Tx LOS Path Inclination: 0.1284 deg.
300
300
250
250
200
200
150
150
100
100
50
50
e
e
t
0
0
Main Dispatch Tower
Elevation
Ant. AGL - Tx/Rx/Div
Frequency - Tx
Azimuth
KEY:
1
2
3
36° 18' 24.52" N
076° 16' 12.23" W
13.1 ft.
220.0/220.0/0.0 ft.
6175.00000 MHz
146.001 deg T
K = 4/3, F = 1
5
6
Miles
7
8
9
K = 2/3, F = 0.3*F1
0
10
Esclip
Elevation
Ant. AGL - Tx/Rx/Div
Frequency - Tx
Azimuth
Profile
K = 4/3
4
36° 10' 29.50" N
076° 09' 37.22" W
3.3 ft.
100.0/100.0/0.0 ft.
6175.00000 MHz
326.066 deg T
FEASIBLE - PRELIMINARY - NOT FIELD VERIFIED
Path Distance: 4.934 mi.
Tx LOS Path Inclination: 0.0836 deg.
F
Tx LOS Path Inclination: -0.0836 deg.
200
200
150
150
100
100
50
50
e
e
t
0
0
Esclip
Elevation
Ant. AGL - Tx/Rx/Div
Frequency - Tx
Azimuth
KEY:
.5
1.0
36° 10' 29.50" N
076° 09' 37.22" W
3.3 ft.
100.0/100.0/0.0 ft.
6175.00000 MHz
102.144 deg T
K = 4/3, F = 1
2.0
2.5
Miles
3.0
3.5
4.0
K = 2/3, F = 0.3*F1
0
4.5
Wades Point
Elevation
Ant. AGL - Tx/Rx/Div
Frequency - Tx
Azimuth
Profile
K = 4/3
1.5
36° 09' 35.20" N
076° 04' 26.69" W
3.3 ft.
137.8/137.8/0.0 ft.
6175.00000 MHz
282.195 deg T
FEASIBLE - PRELIMINARY - NOT FIELD VERIFIED
Path Distance: 9.446 mi.
Tx LOS Path Inclination: 0.0896 deg.
Tx LOS Path Inclination: -0.0896 deg.
200
200
150
150
100
100
50
50
F
e
e
t
0
0
1
Shiloh
36° 18' 03.53" N
076° 06' 56.85" W
6.6 ft.
110.0/110.0/0.0 ft.
6175.00000 MHz
327.977 deg T
Elevation
Ant. AGL - Tx/Rx/Div
Frequency - Tx
Azimuth
KEY:
2
K = 4/3, F = 1
4
5
Miles
6
7
8
Greenfield Site
Elevation
Ant. AGL - Tx/Rx/Div
Frequency - Tx
Azimuth
Profile
K = 4/3
3
K = 2/3, F = 0.3*F1
9
36° 25' 01.56" N
076° 12' 20.41" W
6.6 ft.
188.0/188.0/0.0 ft.
6175.00000 MHz
147.924 deg T
0
FEASIBLE - PRELIMINARY - NOT FIELD VERIFIED
Path Distance: 10.624 mi.
Tx LOS Path Inclination: 0.0839 deg.
F
Tx LOS Path Inclination: -0.0839 deg.
300
300
250
250
200
200
150
150
100
100
50
50
e
e
t
0
0
Greenfield Site
Elevation
Ant. AGL - Tx/Rx/Div
Frequency - Tx
Azimuth
KEY:
1
2
3
36° 25' 01.56" N
076° 12' 20.41" W
6.6 ft.
100.0/100.0/0.0 ft.
6175.00000 MHz
310.623 deg T
K = 4/3, F = 1
5
6
Miles
7
8
9
South Mills
Elevation
Ant. AGL - Tx/Rx/Div
Frequency - Tx
Azimuth
Profile
K = 4/3
4
K = 2/3, F = 0.3*F1
10
36° 31' 02.38" N
076° 21' 01.95" W
19.7 ft.
169.2/169.2/0.0 ft.
6175.00000 MHz
130.537 deg T
0
Appendix H – Unabridged Survey Results
Mission Critical Partners | 231
Agency Details
ID
6
7
8
20
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
21
22
23
Agency Type
Fire
Fire
Law Enforcement
Fire
Law Enforcement
Fire
Emergency Management (EOC)
Fire
Emergency Management
EMS
Fire
Fire
Fire
Law Enforcement
Agency Name
Responses
Elizabeth City Fire
Camden County Sheriff's Office
South Mills Vol. Fire Dept
Elizabeth City Police Department
South Camden Fire Department
Emergency Operations Center
Pasquotank Providence Fire Department
Pasquotank-Camden Emergency Management Agency
Pasquotank-Camden EMS
Weeksville Volunteer Fire Department
Pasquotank-Nixonton VFD
Pasquotank Newland VFD
Pasquotank County Sheriff's Office
Name
Robert Swayne
Christopher J. Carver
Brandon L. Blount
Tommy Banks
Latoya K Flanigan
Kirk A Jennings
Ronnie D. Barefoot
Samuel "Buddy" D Mickey Jr
Christy C. Saunders
Jerry Newell
Jerry Newell
Roger Ferrell
Robbie Whitehead
H. Travis Jackson
Email
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
Phone
Number
(252) 339-3513
252-338-3913
252-340-1328
252-202-1027
(252) 335-4321
252-339-2440
252-338-3772
(252) 333-8680
252-335-4444
252-338-4650
252-338-4650
252-339-3182
252312-5202
252-338-2191
Position
Chief
Deputy Chief
Resource Specialist
Fire Chief
Police Officer
Chief
Technical Operations Manager
Chief
EM Coordinator
EMS Director
Lieutenant/Comms Coordinator
Fire Chief
Fire Chief
Captain
Agency Information
ID
6
7
8
20
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
21
22
23
Individuals
Full Time Part Time
Assigned a Radio
Agency Name
Personnel Personnel Volunteers
to Perform Duties
Inter- County VFD
Responses
0
24
8
Elizabeth City Fire
45
0
0
20
Camden County Sheriff's Office
20
6
0
23
South Mills Vol. Fire Dept
0
0
48
12
Elizabeth City Police Department
61
0
0
62
South Camden Fire Department
0
0
55
17
Emergency Management (Emergency Operations Center)
1
0
0
0
Pasquotank Providence Fire Department
0
0
32
28
Pasquotank-Camden Emergency Management Agency
1
0
10
1
Pasquotank-Camden EMS
58
36
30
52
Weeksville Volunteer Fire Department
0
0
28
5
Pasquotank-Nixonton VFD
0
0
28
10
Pasquotank Newland VFD
0
0
26
9
Pasquotank County Sheriff's Office
48
10
0
58
Totals
234
52
281
305
Portable Inventory
ID
Agency Name
6 Inter- County VFD
7 Elizabeth City Fire
8 Camden County Sheriff's Office
20 *South Mills Vol. Fire Dept
12 Elizabeth City Police Department
13 South Camden Fire Department
14 Emergency Management (Emergency Operations Center)
15 Pasquotank Providence Fire Department
16 Pasquotank-Camden Emergency Management Agency
17 Pasquotank-Camden EMS
18 Weeksville Volunteer Fire Department
Make
Responses
Motorola
Motorola
Motorola
Motorola
Motorola
Motorola
Motorola
Motorola
Kenwood
Motorola
Motorola
Motorola
Motorola
Motorola
Motorola
Kenwood
Motorola
Motorola
Motorola
Motorola
Motorola
Motorola
No Information
Motorola
Motorola
Motorola
Motorola
Motorola
Motorola
Motorola
Motorola
Motorola
Motorola
Motorola
Motorola
Motorola
Motorola
Model
Quantity
1250
12
APX 6000XE
3
HT 1250
7
XTS 5000R
6
PR 1500
3
HT 1000
2
PR 400
6
XTS2500
6
XTS2500
14
TK-3160
4
xts1500
4
cp200
2
ht750
2
ht1250
1
apx7000xe
2
PR400
70
NX-300S
6
APX-7000XE
9
HT-1250
12
PR-1500
3
P-1225
2
CP-150
1
XTS-2500
4
HT1250
PR400
CP200
XTS2500
XTS2500
EX600 XLS
HT1000
HT1250
PR400
TK-270
XPR3500
HT750
HT1000
XTS 2500
10
4
20
4
13
2
1
24
40
1
6
12
4
2
Age (Years)
6
3
5
6
12
14
UKN
16
6
25
5
10
10
8
1
10
1
1
8
10
14
8
10
5
5
1-5
3-5
6
5
UKN
5
5
UKN
1
1
Frequency Band
VHF
764-870 MHz
764-870 MHz
450-470 MHz
UHF
UHF
150
150
150
800
ID
Agency Name
21 Pasquotank-Nixonton VFD
22 Pasquotank Newland VFD
23 Pasquotank County Sheriff's Office
*Note
South Mills Vol. Fire Dept
Make
Motorola
Motorola
Motorola
Motorola
Motorola
Motorola
Motorola
Motorola
Motorola
Motorola
Motorola
Motorola
Model
HT1000
HT 1250
PR1500
XTS2500
HT1000
HT1250
PR400
XTS2500
PR-400
HT-750
EX-500
EX-560
Quantity
8
4
2
2
6
13
2
6
6
3
Total
376
Age (Years) Frequency Band
5
10
10
10
Average
8
460
460
460
460
We are in the process of switching all of our portables to the Motorola
Mobile Inventory
ID
Agency Name
6 Inter- County VFD
7 Elizabeth City Fire
8 Camden County Sheriff's Office
20 South Mills Vol. Fire Dept
12 Elizabeth City Police Department
13 South Camden Fire Department
14 Emergency Management (Emergency Operations Center)
15 Pasquotank Providence Fire Department
16 Pasquotank-Camden Emergency Management Agency
17 Pasquotank-Camden EMS
18 Weeksville Volunteer Fire Department
21 Pasquotank-Nixonton VFD
22 Pasquotank Newland VFD
23 Pasquotank County Sheriff's Office
Make
Model
Response PM 1500
Motorola PM 1500
Motorola MCS 2000
Motorola M1225
Motorola CDM 300
Motorola CDM 1250
Motorola CDM 200
Motorala XTL2500
Motorola pm400
Motorola PM 1500
Motorola CDM1550-LS
Kenwood NX-800
Motorola APX-6500
Motorola CDM-1250
Motorola CDM1250
Motorola PM1500
Motorola CDM1250 used as a base station
Motorola UKN
Motorola APX-6500
Motorola CDM 1250
Motorola MCS2000
Motorola PM1500
Motorola Radius CM300
Kenwood TK 790H
Motorola PM400
Motorola Radius M1125
Motorola M1225
Motorola PM 1500
Motorola PM 400
Motorola PM 1500
Motorola CDM-1250
Motorola MCS-2000
Motorola XTL-2500
Quantity
3
6
8
1
2
1
1
20
1
5
54
6
1
8
4
7
1
5
18
13
4
7
3
1
4
2
2
1
2
5
43
10
4
Total
253
Age (Years)
10
5
5
UKN
UKN
UKN
UKN
6
3
7
8
1
1
8
8
1-5
8
3
UKN
UKN
UKN
UKN
UKN
UKN
UKN
UKN
UKN
UKN
UKN
UKN
7
10
10
Average
6
Frequency Band
VHF
764-870 MHz
UHF
UHF
VHF/UHF
150
150
460
460
460
Control Station Inventory
ID
6
7
8
20
12
Agency Name
Inter- County VFD
Elizabeth City Fire
Camden County Sheriff's Office
South Mills Vol. Fire Dept
Elizabeth City Police Department
13
14
15
16
17
18
21
22
23
South Camden Fire Department
Emergency Management (Emergency Operations Center)
Pasquotank Providence Fire Department
Pasquotank-Camden Emergency Management Agency
Pasquotank-Camden EMS
Weeksville Volunteer Fire Department
Pasquotank-Nixonton VFD
Pasquotank Newland VFD
Pasquotank County Sheriff's Office
Make
Responses
Attachment Submitted
Motorola
Motorola
Motorola
Motorola
Motorola
Motorola
Model
Quantity Age (Years) Frequency Band
Radius M 1225
1
10
VHF
XTL2500
cdm1250
CDM1550-LS
PM400
CDM-1250
ASTRO
Motorola
XTL5000
Attachment Submitted
Attachment Submitted
1
1
1
1
1
1
6
1
8
1
8
8
8
9
Total
15
Average
6
764-870 MHz
UHF
UHF
800
Pager Inventory
ID
Agency Name
6 Inter- County VFD
7 Elizabeth City Fire
8 Camden County Sheriff's Office
20 South Mills Vol. Fire Dept
12 Elizabeth City Police Department
13 South Camden Fire Department
14 Emergency Management (Emergency Operations Center)
15 Pasquotank Providence Fire Department
16 Pasquotank-Camden Emergency Management Agency
17 Pasquotank-Camden EMS
18 Weeksville Volunteer Fire Department
21 Pasquotank-Nixonton VFD
22 Pasquotank Newland VFD
23 Pasquotank County Sheriff's Office
Make
Responses
Motorola
US ALERT
Motorola
US Alert
Model
Quantity Age (Years)
Minitor V
20
7
Minitor VI
5
1
Watchdog
5
3
Minitor V
50
10
Watchdog
10
4
Motorola
Motorola
Minitor VI
Minitor V
35
15
4
5
Motorola
Motorola
Minitor V
Minitor VI
8
3
Motorola
Motorola
US Alert
Motorola
Minitor VI
Minitor V
Watchdog
Minitor IV
Motorola
Motorola
Motorola
Motorola
Motorola
Motorola
Motorola
Motorola
Motorola
Minitor IV
Minitor V
Minitor VI
Minitor V
Minitor VI
Minitor V
Minitor VI
Minitor V
Minitor VI
50
20
0
12
19
6
2
0
2
78
6
16
15
33
10
40
10
Total
459
1
8
3
12
4
5
1
UKN
1
Average
5
Frequency Band
VHF
VHF
VHF
VHF
VHF
150
150
150
150
Radio System Feedback
Question: What operational and technological issues do you think should be considered in the planning and implementation of a County wide radio network for
public safety and emergency preparedness-
ID
Agency Name
6 Inter- County VFD
7 Elizabeth City Fire
8 Camden County Sheriff's Office
20 South Mills Vol. Fire Dept
12 Elizabeth City Police Department
13 South Camden Fire Department
14 Emergency Management (Emergency Operations Center)
15 Pasquotank Providence Fire Department
16 Pasquotank-Camden Emergency Management Agency
17
18
21
22
23
Pasquotank-Camden EMS
Weeksville Volunteer Fire Department
Pasquotank-Nixonton VFD
Pasquotank Newland VFD
Pasquotank County Sheriff's Office
Responses
I think that all agencys should be able to communicate within thier agency on ALL
channells
We need multiple channels, that regardless of your location in Pasquotank or Camden
counties, that have the ability to talk and receive clearly. Each TAC channel in our system
should be just as strong and reliable in one area as it is the other.
We should also have a back up plan in place in the event of an issue with the primary radio
system. I would like to see a system that we can expand and build upon as our needs
change over years to come.
Sheriff to be inclusive in all meetings of updates.
We need to cover those areas that as of right now we have weak radio communications
due to lack of towers and repeaters.
Need to be able to communicate clearly regardless of our location, weather it is in remote
locations of our county or inside buildings
Interoperability between all end users
Interoperability among ALL personnel on the scene. Also having the capability of DIRECT
communications if for some reason you can not get on the radio system, Or the need to get
off the radio system.
Interoperability between local and state agencies. Reliable communications.
Areas of dead signal, especially on portables, which occurs on all TAC channels.
Northside fire has a problem with receiving pages at hip level on their pagers. All agencies
should be able to switch to a given channel and be able to communicate clearly from a
portable radio, this currently is not the case.
Interoperability. Ability to transmit/receive on portable radios.
Complete coverage with technical support 24/7
Coverage throughout the county with 24/7 support.
Question: On a scale of 1 to 5 with 1 being the least and 5 being the most; How much would additional radio training help your agency.
ID
6
7
8
20
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
21
22
23
Agency Name
Inter- County VFD
Elizabeth City Fire
Camden County Sheriff's Office
South Mills Vol. Fire Dept
Elizabeth City Police Department
South Camden Fire Department
Emergency Management (Emergency Operations Center)
Pasquotank Providence Fire Department
Pasquotank-Camden Emergency Management Agency
Pasquotank-Camden EMS
Weeksville Volunteer Fire Department
Pasquotank-Nixonton VFD
Pasquotank Newland VFD
Pasquotank County Sheriff's Office
Average Score:
Response
2
3
5
3
3
1
No Response
4
1
2
2
2
2
2
2
Question: Please provide any other information that you feel we should consider during the assessment of the communications radio system.
ID
Agency Name
6 Inter- County VFD
7 Elizabeth City Fire
8 Camden County Sheriff's Office
20
12
13
14
South Mills Vol. Fire Dept
Elizabeth City Police Department
South Camden Fire Department
Emergency Management (Emergency Operations Center)
15 Pasquotank Providence Fire Department
16 Pasquotank-Camden Emergency Management Agency
17 Pasquotank-Camden EMS
18 Weeksville Volunteer Fire Department
Responses
Training for the fire department is not a major issue. If new features are added then
obviously training should take place. An issue may come into play once multiple agencies
such as fire and police are operating on the some channel but that will be an internal issue
that we will have to work out among ourselves.
I feel that we need a system that will work for us over the next 20= years so that we are not
dumping money into upgrading every few years.
I feel that this is going to have to be a phased in approach, so in the transition we will need
some crosspatch capability between the new system and the old system.
Not only the capabilities of the local agencies to be able to communicate with each other
but also to be able to mutual aid with surrounding counties and state agencies.
ID
Agency Name
21 Pasquotank-Nixonton VFD
22 Pasquotank Newland VFD
23 Pasquotank County Sheriff's Office
Responses
Dead spots in the county. This will eventually cause someone to get hurt.
Dead spots
Radio System Feedback
Question: Please use the following table to rate how important the identified features are to your agency:
ID
Agency Name
Responses
Over the Air
Programming
Over-the-air
rekeying (OTAR)
of encryption
keys
3 - Nice to have but
not critical
5 - Absolute
Necessity
1 - Not Important
5 - Absolute
Necessity
3 - Nice to have but not critical
4 - Useful for day to
day operations
4 - Useful for day
to day operations
Lapel
speaker/micro
phones
Mobile radio GPS
4 - Useful for day
to day operations
5 - Absolute
3 - Nice to have
Necessity
but not critical
5 - Absolute
5 - Absolute
Necessity
Necessity
3 - Nice to have 3 - Nice to have
but not critical but not critical
5 - Absolute
4 - Useful for day
Necessity
to day operations
4 - Useful for
day to day
operations
4 - Useful for day
to day operations
1 - Not Important
5 - Absolute
Necessity
1 - Not Important
5 - Absolute
Necessity
1 - Not Important
Encryption
6 Inter- County VFD
5 - Absolute Necessity
7 Elizabeth City Fire
5 - Absolute Necessity
1 - Not Important
8 Camden County Sheriff's Office
5 - Absolute Necessity
5 - Absolute Necessity
12 Elizabeth City Police Department
4 - Useful for day to day operations 2 - Useful in limited circumstances 1 - Not Important
5 - Absolute
Necessity
4 - Useful for day to day operations 5 - Absolute Necessity
13 South Camden Fire Department
4 - Useful for day to day operations
20 South Mills Vol. Fire Dept
14 Emergency Management (Emergency Operations Center)
1 - Not Important
5 - Absolute
Necessity
15 Pasquotank Providence Fire Department
5 - Absolute Necessity
16 Pasquotank-Camden Emergency Management Agency
4 - Useful for day to day operations 1 - Not Important
4 - Useful for day to
day operations
17 Pasquotank-Camden EMS
3 - Nice to have but not critical
2 - Useful in limited
circumstances
3 - Nice to have
but not critical
2 - Useful in
2 - Useful in limited limited
circumstances
circumstances
18 Weeksville Volunteer Fire Department
4 - Useful for day to day operations 1 - Not Important
1 - Not Important
1 - Not Important
21 Pasquotank-Nixonton VFD
2 - Useful in limited circumstances
22 Pasquotank Newland VFD
2 - Useful in limited circumstances
23 Pasquotank County Sheriff's Office
4 - Useful for day to day operations 3 - Nice to have but not critical
3 - Nice to have but
not critical
3 - Nice to have
but not critical
3 - Nice to have but not critical
4 - Useful for day to day
operations
Portable radio
GPS
4 - Useful for day to
day operations
3 - Nice to have but
not critical
5 - Absolute
Necessity
3 - Nice to have but
not critical
4 - Useful for day to
day operations
Bluetooth headset for
portable radio
3 - Nice to have but not
critical
3 - Nice to have but not
critical
5 - Absolute Necessity
2 - Useful in limited
circumstances
4 - Useful for day to day
operations
3 - Nice to have but not
critical
4 - Useful for day to 2 - Useful in limited
day operations
circumstances
3 - Nice to have
but not critical
3 - Nice to have but 2 - Useful in limited
not critical
circumstances
3 - Nice to have
but not critical
4 - Useful for day to 4 - Useful for day to day
day operations
operations
2 - Useful in limited 2 - Useful in limited 2 - Useful in limited
circumstances
circumstances
circumstances
3 - Nice to have 3 - Nice to have
but not critical but not critical
2 - Useful in
limited
circumstances
3 - Nice to have but
not critical
1 - Not Important
3 - Nice to have 2 - Useful in limited 2 - Useful in limited 3 - Nice to have but not
but not critical circumstances
circumstances
critical
Radio System Feedback
Question: Please identify any other radio features not listed above that would be beneficial to your agency.
ID
Agency Name
Response
6 Inter- County VFD
7 Elizabeth City Fire
I would like to have the capability of having each radio assigned to either a person or a job function. This will allow us to utilize the distress feature that is available now as an additional line of defense in
8 Camden County Sheriff's Office
20 South Mills Vol. Fire Dept
12 Elizabeth City Police Department
13 South Camden Fire Department
Emergency Alert Function Capability
14 Emergency Management (Emergency Operations Center)
15 Pasquotank Providence Fire Department
I have some radios that are tied to a FIRECOM headset system, so I will need to have the new Mobile radios with the cables to hook to the FIRECOM systems.
16 Pasquotank-Camden Emergency Management Agency
17 Pasquotank-Camden EMS
Quite honestly, the more simple, the better
18 Weeksville Volunteer Fire Department
21 Pasquotank-Nixonton VFD
Features are nice, but we need to be able to communicate with all personnel all the time.
22 Pasquotank Newland VFD
Features are nice, but coverage is more important.
23 Pasquotank County Sheriff's Office