Previous Story
Corbin Police make switch to new digital radio system
Posted On 05 Jan 2011
Those accustomed to listening to Corbin Police Department radio traffic may have noticed things were a little bit quieter on their scanners this past weekend.
Thanks to a $224,000 grant from the federal Department of Homeland Security, the Corbin Police Department has essentially ditched its 17-year-old analog radio system in favor of a narrowband digital.
Corbin Chief of Police, David Campbell, said this week that the transition has been about as smooth as can be expected and has been a big improvement over what was used in the past.
"For a police officer, their radio is their lifeline. The best friend they’ve got is a dispatcher," Campbell said. "We are going to find some things we have to work on, but it is night and day better. The difference is amazing."
Campbell said federal mandates require all emergency agencies like fire departments and police agencies to switch over to digital communication systems by 2013. Corbin, in essence, is an early adopter and could lead the way for the types of systems other local departments choose when they upgrade.
Corbin chose Kenwood Nexedge radios that use what is called NXDN technical protocol for mobile communications. Campbell said the Nexedge system was chosen for several reasons: clarity, ability to communicate in analog format, and durability.
Corbin police conducted a three-week test over the summer with the radios and were impressed with the results.
"We talked to different people and everyone talks about the Kenwood. Everyone is high on them," Campbell said. "When we tested them, they were great. We had no issues with them. That sold us right there. It’s the best system out there, I think."
David Alsip, who serves as Chief of Corbin’s 911 Communications Center, said the new system has worked well so far. Corbin has technically challenging terrain for radio communications, especially typical line-of-site equipment.
"The city kind of sits in a hole and it makes it hard. There were a lot of dead spots," Alsip said. "I can tell a big difference with the new radios. I’ve been here a long time and to see a new radio system like this … it’s just amazing. It’s ten times better than it was."
The new system has capabilities that the department is only starting to scratch the surface of. For instance, Alsip said security of all entryways and exits can be controlled through it. Also, the location of officers can be know any time they transmit through a built in Global Positioning System.
"That’s really important," Campbell said. "If an officers is in trouble or real busy and can’t tell you exactly where he is, we can just look and see where they are and send assistance. It’s a great feature."
But for some, the new system has its downsides.
Campbell admits that anyone wanting to monitor Corbin Police radio traffic won’t be able to do so, for at least awhile. There are no scanners yet on the market that decodes NXDN transmissions. That’s because NXDN radios have been mostly marketed to, and used by private businesses and really weren’t initially intended for use by emergency agencies. On top of that, Corbin Police use encryption for their communications to thwart casual listening anyway. Even with a compatible Nexedge system, listeners listening in to Corbin Police frequencies won’t hear anything intelligible.
Alsip said the privacy is generally good, though he admits authorities often get very good tips and information from those who listen to scanners. Campbell said he doesn’t necessarily mind people eavesdropping.
"To me, the scanners are more of an asset than a liability. I don’t mind it at all," Campbell said. "I know some bad people use them too, but not to the extent that it really bothers us. We will get calls from people saying they know where a guy is we are looking for or they know the location of a certain vehicle we are looking for and they are very helpful. At some point, somebody will come along with a scanner that can listen in."
Initially, officials planned to have the new digital radio system up and running this time last year. Campbell said the process got mired in bureaucratic red tape and was a little more involved than first envisioned.
But that wait has been worth it, both Campbell and Alsip contend.
Not only is the new radio system functionally superior – with the exception of a two or three second delay required to begin communicating – it has been a morale booster for the department.
"It’s just amazing to see everything starting to get up to date," Alsip said. "I think everyone feels good about it."
"Anything you do for police officers like this is a morale booster," Campbell said. "It just makes you feel good to get better equipment. If you are coming into work in a car that’s falling apart and you got a weapon that’s 17-year-old, and old [bulletproof] vest, old radio system … it has an effect. I think our officers appreciate this."
Campbell said the Corbin Fire Department would soon be on the digital system. He hopes that local Sheriff’s Departments, surrounding city police agencies and Kentucky State Police will soon follow with upgrades.
"The end product of all of this is to get where we can work together on something. Homeland Security is wanting everybody to be compatible where everyone can hear everyone else," Campbell said.
That "interoperability" is vitally important, Alsip contends, when multiple agencies end up responding to large disasters like the CTA Acoustics explosion or the anhydrous ammonia spill on Cumberland Falls Hwy. in 2009.
"For me, that’s important," Campbell said. "I want to leave this department a lot better than when I got here. There are great officers here and I think they deserve the best we can give them."
One Comment
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Planning for a wedding event might take a big timeframe, vitality and energy. From picking wedding invitations to locating an ideal dress, this main life occasion is available just once in a life for many people. The details on this page was created to direct you towards ensuring that every detail is cared for in the most economical and productive possible way, whether your invitee checklist involves 10 or 1,000.
Keep your toasts brief and to the point. Lengthy, rambling testimonies about that time you have been in college or university and went on a long highway vacation jointly begin adorable but land in yawns once they get a long time. For those who have an interesting narrative to share with you, make sure that it is lower than about three moments long.
Utilize a friend or relatives home for your wedding party. When you know someone who has a huge farm, and even only a massive back garden, you are able to get rid of one of many bigger fees of your respective wedding party. Supply to spend someone to can be found in ahead of time and following the event to do the washing to them, but that needs to be your only price.
To lower anxiety, usually do not be scared to delegate obligations to those near you. Enabling your bridesmaids, groomsmen, family and friends to manage some of the jobs associated with organizing and setting up the large working day, will help to minimize pressure. This contributes to making the entire process a great deal more fun for anyone.
Try and set a very particular time for that starting and conclusion of your own wedding ceremony. A lot of churches book a number of wedding parties in within 24 hours, and it could be awful to possess another wedding party waiting for your team to end taking their images while providing you with a filthy appearance.
In terms of wedding parties, make sure that you research prices for the very best prices when it comes to your food. This will be significant since cake rates can differ broadly and bakeries know that individuals will spend anything in order to make certain their wedding event can be a party.
Be sure that the wedding party has a great deal on low-alcoholic refreshment options and plenty of food items. Although it’s completely suitable on your wedding day to have a somewhat more liquor than you typically do, you don’t want every visitor you asked driving a car residence drunk. It’s dangerous and not something you need to cope with on your wedding day.
The better that goes into preparation some thing, the more your chances are of forgetting one thing. The large amount of detail necessary for a marriage is among the various factors the function can be incredibly stressful. Make certain to use suggestions just like the types you’ve just go through in this post to easily simplify the process.
If you’re getting married in the near future, you certainly have lots of questions about organizing the wedding. Preparing the wedding should certainly be entertaining, and the last thing you need at this time may be the anxiety of the uncertainty concerning the special day. For this reason assistance is offered below by means of a lot of ideas that may help you steer clear of that needless stress.
When you are having trouble deciding the best time to marry, think of tying the knot through the winter season. Attempt to program your wedding about October or Jan to help you steer clear of the high prices throughout the holidays. This helps to offer you a cheap wedding that may be stunning too.
If you want to have party beside a pond or at night, consider pests. Placed bug repelling candle lights around the desks. Protect the drinks and food from little bugs with towels or nets. You can also provide bug squirt to the company and inform them to wear properly.
Skip the Disc-jockey if you want to reduce wedding ceremony costs. In nowadays most people have mp3 gamers. Just have a invitee hook up ideal loudspeakers to several playlists that you’ve produced in move forward and you’ve acquired your beloved tunes readily available. Furthermore you will stay away from hundreds of dollars.
Make an effort to set up a really distinct time to the beginning and finish of your wedding party. A lot of churches reserve numerous marriage ceremonies in within 24 hours, and it would be terrible to have one more wedding party waiting for your class to end getting their photos although offering you a messy appear.
An excellent piece of advice to be aware of for marriage ceremonies is to be sure that you pay attention to tips that your particular digital photographer gives. They may only inform you whatever they believe is best for you, and if you disregard them you may then stay in for some hostility and very poor picture quality.
Tend not to encourage every person which you have at any time fulfilled for your wedding. If you go out of your respective way to invite people who wouldn’t have even acknowledged you have been marrying each other, you will just be squandering your money and time. They really don’t care if they rarely know you, why then spend additional money for them to appear?
As you have seen, the wedding could be a joy to organize. When you entail the people you cherish and maintain your anticipations reasonable, your personal time will likely be great. Even better, make no mistake you’re presently getting a step in the best course by seeking noise suggestions!