From: brian@ucsd.edu (Brian Kantor)
Newsgroups: rec.radio.amateur.misc
Subject: More than you ever wanted to know about trunked radio systems (WAS: Who do repeater coordinators represent?)
Date: 5 Jan 1993 22:34:09 GMT
Organization: The Avant-Garde of the Now, Ltd.
NNTP-Posting-Host: ucsd.edu
Keywords: trunk, trunks, trunking

(A dump of my trunked radio article collection. -BK)

Message-Id: <199206252231.AA18184@mothra.nts.uci.edu>
From: "Jack C. LOCKHART" <LOCKHART@uci.edu>
Subject: 800 MHz TRUNKED RADIO SYSTEMS
Date: Thu, 25 Jun 92 15:31:13 -0700

Warning.  This e-mail is long.  The file is approximately 77,000 bytes.

The original post asked for advantages/disadvantages on public safety
800 MHz radio systems.  The following information was assembled to
help non-technical personnel grasp the concept of 800 MHz radio
technology.  This is an apology you radio systems engineers and radio
technicians who already have this information.  I hope I did not
mislead you.  But then again, all of you except the original poster
and those who posted to usenet asked for this information.

There are those of you who did not ask for this information.  If you
posted to usenet, your name in included to receive this information.
It seemed appropriate to include you since you contributed to my
information base.  If you object to this, please accept my apologies.
If you are happy that you are included, YOU ARE VERY WELCOME.

Why did I gather all this information on 800 MHz Trunked Radio
Systems?

Several years ago I heard rumblings that the University of California
applied for (5) 800 MHz public safety channels and was considering the
procurement of an 800 Mhz Trunked Radio System for its 9 campuses and
4 hospitals.  I had little knowledge of 800 MHz trunked radio systems.
In due time, many of the Telecommunications Associate Vice
Chancellors, Directors, Managers and Radio Technicians were coming to
me for information (read: everyone remembers the loud mouth).  Sales
personnel do not know much about these types of radio systems (except
that they cost a lot of money) and rumors were running amuck.  The
up-front cost of a system is megabucks.

E-GADS, WHAT IS ONE TO DO?

I asked the senior engineer from E. F. Johnson, Ericsson General
Electric and Motorola for information.  The approach was: I am a
trunked radio illiterate.  Do you have a course in 800 MHz Trunk Radio
Technology?  Send me "Trunking 100 and Trunking 101".  Leave no stone
unturned.  They did and they didn't!  I received enough information to
occupy 2 months of steady reading.  No stone was unturned.

It didn't take long to discover that this job was bigger than me.  I
threw in the towel, I cried Uncle.  One of the first things that came
to light was the need for a consulting team to gather information on
the current systems, document current deficiencies, write bid
specifications, help with bid evaluation, bid procurement, write a
contract and monitor construction of the system.  The University of
California 800 MHz Trunked Radio Committee accepted my recommendation
and we choose a consulting team.

Currently we are developing bid specifications for a coordinated
University Wide 800 MHz Trunked Radio System.  Since I undertook the
study to become familiar with these types of systems, the committee
appointed me project coordinator and technical advisor.  The project
manager duties belong with someone in the University of California,
Office of the President, Telecommunications (in Oakland, CA).

We even put on a 1 3/4 hour seminar to help the Telecommunications
Associate Vice Chancellors, Directors, Managers, Radio Technicians and
other radio personnel understand :the good, the bad and the ugly of
800 MHz Trunked radio systems.  The moderator is Mr. Jack Daniels.
(Nice name HUH)?  Mr Daniels is a radio communications consultant and
President of The Jack Daniels Company.  "JD" did a nice job of
describing the disadvantages/advantages of all three radio systems.
The seminar was video taped (VHS) and is available for a cost of $50.
That includes the cost of shipping and handling.  Send your written
request to me via snailmail on your company letter head to the address
in the signature of this e-mail message.  Make your check payable to
"The Regents of The University of California".  Allow 4 weeks for
delivery.

Here is a list of what is included in this e-mail:

1.   The original post and my reply.

2.   A description on trunked radio systems.

3.   Posts copied/saved from Usenet.

4.   Why use a consultant.  Copied with permission.  (No we didn't use this
     particular consultant).

5.   The University of California consultant bid specifications (sorry they do
     not line up well).  The specs were created with WordPerfect 5.1.



                         ORIGINAL POST


>From noiro.acs.uci.edu!network.ucsd.edu!sdd.hp.com!spool.mu.edu!tulane!darwin.sura.net!dtix!mimsy!uchinews!news Sat Jun 13 09:13:15 PDT 1992
Article: 16522 of rec.radio.shortwave