From: djc@terapin.com (Don Coco)
Newsgroups: alt.radio.scanner
Subject: New Radio System Here!
Date: 21 Dec 92 00:25:07 GMT
Organization: BBS

Greetings and happy holidays to all.
You probably heard about the big Fire we had last year up in the Oakland Hills.
 The Oakland Fire Department only had 3 channels to work with and the radios
jammed up.  After all was out it was decided that a new radio system had to be
installed.  A couple of months ago They began work on installing the new
system.  I wish to share the following letter with you.


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MESSAGE: 42                                     DATE/TIME: 12-10-92 10:40a
FROM   : STEVE FERGUSON                         RECEIVED : YES
TO     : DON COCO                               PRIVATE  : YES
SUBJECT: Oakland Fire Radio's?                  THREAD   : YES
FOLDER : A, "General Mail Folder"

Yes, Don, I'm still here.  The City is installing a new radio system.  
The system utilizes state-of-the-art technology called "trunking" and 
operates in the 800MHz frequency ranges.  Trunking means that a 
computer controls access to each of the 14 new channels, and 
conversations between radio users jump from channel to channel 
depending upon the amount of traffic there is on the system.  Instead 
of allocating specific channels to different departments, all channels 
are available to everyone, and conversations are controlled by grouping 
people (and their radios) into what are called "talk groups".  As the 
system comes on-line, you will find it more and more difficult to 
follow a conversation with a conventional scanner.  We knew that this 
might be a problem for people such as yourself, so the City Council 
adopted a policy that will allow you to purchase an 800MHz radio (at 
City cost) and have that radio programmed to monitor certain approved 
"talk groups".  If you will send me your address, I'll see that you get 
a copy of the Council resolution, and the form you need to request 
authorization to monitor the new system.  If you need further 
information, please give me or Gregg Obuch a call at 238-2272.  


Back to me now.  I first observed this new 800 trunked system around
thanksgiving.  As of this writing the system is not complete.  The old
frequencies were and still are  f1 at  153.790,  f2 at 154.355, and the white
channel (mutual aid) at 154.280.  The 800 mhz freques look like this to give
you an idea and I don't have them all,   866.125-325-400-600-700, 
867.300-575-825,  868.175-4625-5625-825.  Tuning in these frequencies will show
a powerful repeater, however when the repeater drops, slow tones going up in
pitch come on before the carrier drops completely.  As I said before the old
frequencies are still working and the new 800 radios translate back to the vhf
through repeaters on channels 1 and 2.  I will keep you informed.  I don't know
when this new system will be completed but my guess is at least a few months
yet.  I believe they are waiting for the new radios.  I will buy the new
equipment for sure as I am a blind person and my wife has cp so naturally this
is a vital link for me.  Plus its my biggest hobby.  I have a pro 34 at
present.  If you know about what I have described here please contact me here. 
Thank you for reading this and please take a moment during your holiday to say
a prayer for world peace.