Saturday, April 22, 2006
Should you choose to remain Silent...
Just a quick update:
The VHF communications end of 911 has been going down left and right, no specific areas as I’ve heard New Kensington VHF go dead as well as the entire Ligonier Valley. Unknown reason and from the sounds of things the dispatchers are totally flumixed. I haven’t heard Staley Communications or 911's Management doing anything about it either. In other words, S.O.P.
Tone dispatching has been affected, it’s been “back to the cavemen days” for a few services like the one you will hear on my next audio clip that should be posted in the next day or two.
The “first responders” were getting so upset that 911 was not able to set off their pagers and sirens that they ORDERED 911 to call them by phone if there was any calls in their areas.
THAT’S PISSPOOR, PERIOD !
Millions and millions of dollars dumped into a communications system and 911 still has to call a first responder by telephone when they have a call ?
NO EXCUSE !
Next we will find out that 911 has to CRANK the telephone and wait for Sarah to answer before the call can be connected !
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On the other hand, the garden type fence leading into the 911 center is now fixed. It only took them about a year to get the damn thing fixed after a lightning strike took out a few electronic boards in JULY of 2005. Oh well, it’s fixed but the radio Cyst-Em isn’t. Go figure.
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Station 14, Rillton is the next guinea pig to have their sirens to be set off by an 800 Meggy Hurts digital signal. Harrison City, Fire Station 87 ( Mark Brammell’s Station ) was the first to have this uniquely flawed feature. Now Rillton can join Harrison City with all their problems ( half the time the sirens don’t work ).
STALEY COMMUNICATIONS will be at the Rillton Fire Station on Monday to install this unique electronic gadget so you can expect some testing to be preformed. Oh boy, Oh boy ! I wonder what that cost us ?
911, can you please email me a copy of the bill for that item. Plus I would like the following;
The price of the unit along with the part number.
The total cost of labor to install the unit.
The number of tests run on that device before putting it in service.
Along with…
The projected date ALL fire stations will have the digital encoder installed along with,
The price of all the encoders once this little project is finished,
and
The price of installing the encoders (labor) at ALL fire stations on the 800 Mhz system,
And Mark and Rich’s favorite meal at Dennys ( I know how much you tip already ).
AS A RESIDENT OF WESTMORELAND COUNTY AND SOMEONE WHO HELPED PAY FOR THIS SYSTEM, I DEMAND TO KNOW. YOU KNOW MY ADDRESS, JUST MAIL ME THE REPORT.... PLEASE (errr).
When will they come up with a digital box that wakes up certain dispatchers… ?
Oh, last comment on the DIGITAL ENCODERS.
Why do we need them ?
The tones are now, and for the last 30 years been set off on low band without a problem. Who is it that thinks that should be changed, the part of the system that isn't broken unless someone tries to fix it ?
Who is it that will pay for another D And M Nifty little project ?
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OH, and WHY ARE WE STILL PAYING STALEY COMMUNICATIONS to maintain the OLD VHF system when everyone is off of it and the frequencies sit idle, equipment unused… but Staley’s still get hundreds of thousands of Rubles a year to maintain it.
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The Westmoreland County Commissioners HAVE YET TO CALL ME BACK ! As I mentioned BOLDLY in my last Blah-g, Senator Bob Regola went to meet with the 3 Stooges in Greensburg and the head Stooge, MOE-TOM and the other two REFUSED to meet with the Senator UNDER ANY CONDTIONS OR CIRCUMSTANCES.
Talk about letting POLITICS get in the way of saving lives, apparently the commissioners don’t give a damn about your life, whether you are a First Responder OR a Citizen of this fine county. At least Senator Regola DOES CARE and he is going to continue with his attempts to get the Stooges to talk. Perhaps 2 fingers to the eyes ?
Lets see now, a little checking shows us that …
SENATOR BOB REGOLA – Republican
Commissioner Tom Balya – Democrat
Commissioner Tom Ceraso – Democrat
Commissioner Phil Light – Republican
Well, as least Commissioner Light and Senator Regola are of the same blood type, so maybe someone can turn the Light On to be an ice breaker, HOWEVER the one and only time I ever spoke to Phil he was under the impression that this system was SO PERFECT that NASA was going to adopt the same system and use Westmoreland County as a Role Model for the space program ! (perhaps a slight over statement)
Phil told me that "NO ONE" had ever complained about the system to him including his relatives who are using this system as first responders. "Everyone loves it" he said, "NO dead spots" and Ligonier Township is completely covered.
I’ll agree that Ligonier Township is covered, but not with good radio reception. It’s covered with cow-do-do if you are going to believe that ONE TOWER is enough to cover that area and FOUR TOWERS are enough to cover the EASTERN HALF of this county ! HELL, the Western Half of this county has TWENTY TWO TOWERS !!!
And residents of the Ligonier area, please don’t take that as a negative comment about your beautiful area as I worked in Oak Grove for over 5 years and loved it ! Just ask Steve at Curry Chrysler Plymouth of all the fun that went on in and around that area… ops, long time ago and most people won’t remember that place !
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OK, LETS GET ON TRACK HERE:
- who would be interested in meeting to discuss this 800 M-Hurts Cyst-Em in, like a town hall type meeting w/ yours truly ? You don’t have to be a first responder or even a resident of Westmoreland County… just have an interest in wanting to know how the system works and what it should do and why it doesn’t ?
Drop me an email and we will attempt to set up a date where we can all meet and talk. news@k3sam.com
- Lets all get a letter out to the commissioners expressing an interest in them meeting with Senator Bob Regola. Tell them it’s time to cut out the politics and start saving lives ! If you don’t want to write them, at least call their office with your concerns. Call them at (724) 830-3100 or (724) 830-3106, their FAX number is (724) 830-3029 but sometimes it doesn’t work.
- Let set a goal for FALL of this year to make sure all the first responders either have this system fixed by October 1st, 2006 OR get a commitment from the WC Department of Emergency Management to replace the whole damn thing with a proposed 400 Mhz system on that date.
- IF you are a first responder, 911 dispatcher or someone in a similar position – MAKE SURE you keep in touch with me so I can keep the COUNTY in touch with what is going on. The County residents and first responders READ THIS BLAH-G, so what better way of getting the message out !
As always, to verify your tips I need to know who you are however to the public you will remain anonymous.
IF YOU REMAIN SILENT YOU ARE ONLY HURTING OTHERS.
Decoded,
K3SAM
http://800.k3sam.com – website for WC info
www.k3sam.com – main website for all other info, amateur radio related and other
news@k3sam.com - email me privately with your tips and comments
www.k3sam.com/800/AudioClips.html - direct link to the system screw ups captured “on-the-air”
