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Saturday, January 05, 2002
UNIDEN DEBUTS NEW APCO 25 DIGITAL SCANNER MODELS  Electronics Giant to Sell Software to Customize MonitoringExperience Uniden lifts the curtain on its long-anticipated APCO 25 digital scanner models. LAS VEGAS (January 8) - Uniden America Corporation http://www.uniden.com today unveiled its new digital scanner line for 2002, including the consumer electronics leader's much-anticipated base and handheld APCO 25 digital scanning models. Speaking at CES, product manager Scott Carpenter will showcase the new scanner products, underscoring the company's commitment to keeping its customers at the forefront of scanning technology. "Our retailers have been pushing us for a Uniden APCO 25 product for months, and our new BC250D handheld and our BC785D base/mobile scanning unit represent the fulfillment of our promise...With the ability to monitor conventional, trunked and APCO 25 conventional and trunked systems these models are state-of-the-art radio scanners. According to Uniden representatives, the Bearcat BC250D and the Bearcat BC785D models, which are slated to hit shelves in late 2002, offer 1,100 channels, 10 banks and a frequency range of 25MHz - 1300MHz. The BC250D comprises all of the features of Uniden's market-leading BC780 XLT in a handheld model, plus adds APCO 25 capability and an additional 600 channels. Users of both models must purchase an APCO 25 card, the BCi25D, separately. "We're pleased to be bringing these great Bearcat APCO 25 units to market," Carpenter said. "We expect more big cities to migrate to the APCO 25 digital technology, like Los Angeles did this past year, to ensure agency interoperability among police, fire, EMTs and the like - and we know news organizations, businesses and consumers will want to monitor their signals." Uniden officials stressed that APCO 25 digital scanning technology simply gives users the ability to monitor the day-to-day activities and signals of standard city and government service departments - but in no way allows users to monitor encrypted signals from national and local security organizations. In a separate announcement Uniden also announced its plans to market its own easy-to-use scanner programming software, which it is demonstrating in its booth at this winter's annual Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. The software will allow the users of all Uniden scanners with data ports to easily program frequencies into the channels and banks of their scanner.
FCC Set to OK New Wireless System [Source: Los Angeles Times] By Jube Shiver Jr. WASHINGTON -- Federal regulators are on the verge of approving a breakthrough wireless technology backed by Intel Corp., Sony Corp. and other big names that could revolutionize the consumer electronics industry. The technology, known as ultra-wideband, could provide very high-speed wireless Internet access and facilitate other wireless capabilities such as allowing consumers to track intruders with home radar, helping rescuers find earthquake victims and greatly improving collision-avoidance systems. More than a decade in the making, the versatile technology has been bitterly opposed by airlines and cell phone companies, which say it can cause interference with their communications systems. The Federal Communications Commission still is negotiating with opponents, but Bruce A. Franca, acting chief of the FCC's office of engineering, said he is hopeful that an accord can be reached and that the FCC will approve the technology next month. Last year, the FCC granted temporary permission to use ultra-wideband devices to locate victims of the World Trade Center collapse. The agency is considering permanent approval under the same FCC rules that govern such unlicensed wireless devices as cordless phones and baby monitors. New consumer products using ultra-wideband could be on the market as early as this year. "Ultra-wideband companies are ready to go," said Jeff Ross, a vice president at TimeDomain, a Huntsville, Ala., company that has been developing the technology. He said his company is already selling ultra-wideband tracking devices to the military and some police departments. But the company and other ultra-wideband developers will mostly leave the consumer device manufacturing to others and concentrate on making the key ultra-wideband receiving transmission microchips. Ross said such chips should be ready for use in consumer equipment "in the next couple of months." Ultra-wideband's sprint to market has been aided by its flexible technology, comparatively low cost and fortuitous timing, experts say. Unlike most other wireless systems, which transmit signals on specific airwaves, ultra-wideband devices communicate through short pulses of low power radio energy. And they use a swath of frequencies spanning cell phones to satellite signals. FCC officials, dismissing critics' claims that the pulses cause interference, say the technology uses small amounts of power--only fractions of a watt--and that it doesn't require the same lengthy licensing scrutiny given to broadcasters, cell phone companies and other wireless devices. However, the agency is considering initially limiting ultra-wideband to small areas before allowing more broadly disbursed networks covering, say, airports or shopping malls. Ultra-wideband is a digitally enhanced radar technology that enables users to transmit encrypted voice and radar signals simultaneously, using short bursts of radio waves. Its signals are difficult to intercept and can be digitally encrypted for additional security. This combination could eliminate much of the eavesdropping hackers can now do on many wireless networks because an ultra-band network can be configured to communicate only with users at a specific location. Similarly, military commanders and firefighters could use ultra-wideband to track their personnel in the field while also talking to them securely. By contrast, radios emit such a strong signal that they can be identified by an enemy or eavesdropper. These traits have helped win ultra-wideband greater government acceptance amid the nation's increasing focus on security after the Sept. 11 attacks on the Pentagon and World Trade Center, industry executives say. Executives at TimeDomain said that in recent years they could barely get a foot in the door in Washington to peddle their technology. But after the terrorist attacks, everyone from the Office of Naval Research to Congress began seeking them out to use ultra-wideband in military and search-and-rescue operations. Besides TimeDomain, half a dozen other start-ups are developing ultra-wideband technology, including Aether Wire & Location Inc. of Nicasio, Calif., Pulse-Link Inc. of San Diego, Multispectral Solutions Inc. of Germantown, Md., and Xtreme Spectrum of Vienna, Va. The technology also is being backed by chip maker Intel, which held a big industry forum on the subject in October. Meanwhile, consumer electronics giant Sony is hoping to utilize the technology for high-speed wireless video transmission and home-video networks linked to TV set-top boxes. Despite its promise, ultra-wideband faces some hurdles. Other unregulated wireless services, such as the short-range radio technology Bluetooth and the wireless ethernet standard 802.11b, have a year or more head start and already are in many laptops, cell phones and hand-held devices. However, these technologies are slower and more costly than ultra-wideband and are unsuited for transmitting video and other bandwidth-hogging applications. Copyright 2001 Los Angeles Times Thursday, January 03, 2002
Dispatchers may spend every shift tucked away in a dim underground chamber, but they don't miss a thing. [Source: Fauquier Times-Democrat] They are the link between Fauquier's residents and the people who protect and rescue them. And when dispatchers are at the microphone, they send more than their voices across the miles they send their hearts, as well. "Worrying about the guys in the field is the most stressful," said Joell Gouldthorpe, a shift supervisor at the Warrenton-Fauquier Joint Communications Center. It seems, on the face of it, an exacting occupation filled with nothing but stress. In a 12-hour shift they go from "park" to "drive" over and over, constantly poised, even when idle, to spring into action at the ring of the phone or the transmission from the field. Crises erupt the house afire, the cardiac arrest, the speeder on U.S. 17 and the tempo in the room quickens. Even though only one dispatcher handles a call at a time, when something major happens the other two are aware. So while they're keeping one eye on the five computer monitors arrayed before them, they've also got one ear on the phones, the other ear on the radio, and a third ear tuned to one-sided conversations swirling all around them spoken in a language so specialized that it just might qualify them as bilingual. Somewhere in there, they manage to eat. Sometimes they even get to step outside for a breath of air and a look at the world that sends them those panicky voices on the other end of the phone. A dispatcher's ability to multi-task is crucial. Gouldthorpe says it's like being a mother, in a way. Except that, thank goodness, a mother usually doesn't have to hear the traumas and emergencies that are a dispatcher's daily diet. "Sometimes it's disheartening and sad, and you can let yourself get involved in it," Gouldthorpe said. "We have a big sense of humor around here, because that's a big stress reliever. We try to laugh a lot." So stress, yes. Exhaustion, sometimes. Pressure, you bet. Then ... why do it? "I gave a mother CPR instructions over the phone when her baby stopped breathing," Gouldthorpe said. "We saved her." High-tech tools Fauquier's communications center just got a face lift with new carpeting and high-tech work stations with ergonomic chairs and consoles that can be elevated, so dispatchers can relieve their backs by standing up to work every now and then. Dispatchers manage an impressive set of high-tech tools. The Computer Aided Dispatch system, which is Windows-based, displays what units are on duty and how many calls a dispatcher has open. Maps of the county are available at a click of the mouse or a tap on the screen. At least three dispatchers plus a supervisor work every shift. That's one dispatcher per radio, and they split up the duty: one will handle fire and rescue, the other will work with the Warrenton Police Department, and the third will handle calls for the Fauquier County Sheriff's Office. Dispatchers are shift workers, staying on days for two weeks then switching to night duty for two weeks. This schedule can be tough on single parents, who have to arrange baby-sitting, but every other weekend they get a three-day weekend. The volume of calls varies day by day, and can be affected by the weather, the time of year and the phases of the moon. "On the first warm snap, you'll have a lot of people getting into mischief," said Gouldthorpe. "And when it hasn't rained for a while and then it rains, there are a few accidents. And I'm not superstitious, but full moons, and Friday the 13th ..." she laughed. In training Gouldthorpe explained that a dispatcher receives about three weeks of training. Fauquier's dispatchers attend the Rappahannock Regional Criminal Justice Academy. That's where they memorize the 10- codes, practice talking someone through delivering a baby, and through role-playing, learn how to be the first contact with people in distress. It's not surprising to hear that there are certain basic qualities a dispatcher needs to have even before she (most are women) steps into an academy classroom. Of course, they have to be articulate. They also have to be good listeners. "You have to be patient, and have a sense of caring," Gouldthorpe added. Some dispatchers, like Gouldthorpe herself, are already familiar with the nuances of the work because they are volunteer EMTs or fire fighters, or cops, like part-time dispatcher T.J. Marchu. Their scanners are always on the ones they have at home and the portables they have in their cars. Being a volunteer "gives you a better understanding of what they're doing out there, a mental picture of what it looks like," Gouldthorpe said. Plus, when Gouldthorpe is out on a call with the Lois Volunteer Fire Department, she sees the emergency through from beginning to end. There's a sense of closure in rescue work that is often denied her as a dispatcher. "There's not always an ending for a dispatcher," she reflected. "We get the adrenalin rush in here, but then there's nothing to do with it. "So I try to talk to the deputy and find out what happened. As a supervisor, I try to encourage people to find out what the end of things are." Gouldthorpe estimates that most dispatchers reach an overload point after about five years. She's at the four-year point, but she wants to make it a career. So she handles the stress with laughter, with the satisfaction of her rescue work, and by running a farm with her husband John, who also runs with the Lois Volunteer Fire Department. It also helps that dispatchers say, "this is our family away from our family." Gouldthorpe said the other folks call her "Mama Jo" because she watches over the dispatchers, the officers, the deputies and the volunteers like a mother hen with scattered chicks. "One of the things I keep close to me is, at the end of the shift when I go home, everybody on my shift has gone home, too." ©Arcom Publishing Inc. - Fauquier Times-Democrat 2002 Wednesday, January 02, 2002
People listening to the police scanners Christmas day came to the aid of a mother and her son. [Source: The Herald Chronicle] By Wayne Thomas Tuesday afternoon Winchester Police Officer Clint Shrum was overheard on the scanner saying that "a woman and her 3-year-old son had not eaten in a couple of days, nor do they have any Christmas presents and they need help." A short time later, people started showing up at the Winchester Police Department with gifts, money and food. "One individual, who wants to remain anonymous, donated $100 to help the people out," Shrum stated Wednesday afternoon. It all started Tuesday when Monteagle Police Officer Virgil McNeese learned that Elizabeth Revere and her 3-year-old son, Ramiro Revere, Jr. had gotten off the bus in Monteagle instead of Winchester. They were on their way to see her husband who lives in Elora. "Mrs. Revere did not have the money to get back on another bus and continue to Winchester," Shrum explained. McNeese then notified Franklin County Sheriff's Department and asked for someone to meet him to transport the woman and child to Winchester. Franklin County Deputy Dean Binkley then met the Monteagle officer in the Sewanee area and transported the mother and son to Winchester. "Meanwhile, we were looking for Mrs. Revere's husband," Shrum stated. "Officer Richard Tucker located him at the EZ Stop Store, which is the local bus station, looking for his family." Binkley transported the pair to the bus stop to meet Mr. Revere. "He has been working here for about three months and he and his family had not seen each other since. Ramiro Revere left Corpus Christi, Texas. The Revere's were then transported to the Winchester Police Department and were given food, toys, presents and money. "The presents came from Winchester police officers, Winchester firemen, Decherd officers and private citizens. All heard about the Revere's plight through the police scanners," Shrum stated. Winchester Public Safety Director Dennis Young stated he was proud of the way his officers, the Decherd officers and the general public responded. "This is one time I am glad that people were listening to their scanners," Young stated. The very happy Reveres left Winchester Police Department and traveled to their new home in the Elora area. "This made Christmas a good one for us all," Shrum stated. ©The Herald Chronicle 2002
LAPD's 911 System Under Scrutiny at City Hall [Source: KFWB Los Angeles] The Los Angeles Police Department's latest 911 failure is now being investigated at City Hall. KFWB's Steve Kindred reports the outage in the LAPD's new digital radio system hit at 3 a.m. New Year's morning. The police department blames the glitch on too many calls on New Years Eve. Sgt. Kurt Miles tells KFWB the system's main computer was overloaded with heavy traffic and had to be completely shut down and rebooted. It was only down for about one minute. The department says no calls were missed, but admits there was some confusion when officers stepped on each other on the new digital radios. Eight frequencies were assigned to special units, like the gunfire suppression task force, but some officers did not know about it. Officials say "frequency crowding" created the chaos that in part caused the brief shutdown. An upgrade to the emergency system is years behind schedule. The upgrade is funded in part by a $235 million bond measure. Even city officials admit that thousands of 911 calls go unanswered every year, Kindred says. Sunday, December 30, 2001
Pasadena Rose Parade Frequencies 452.7750 R DPL 074 Norton Simon Museum of Art Security 456.8000 PL 151.4 Goodyear Blimp at the Rose Bowl (air to ground) 461.7750 R DPL 662 Old Town Pasadena Security 462.1875 R DPL 152 One Colorado Boulevard Security 467.2000 R DPL 627 Pasadena City College Security 463.7375 R PL 225.7 Floats at Rosemont Pavilion in Pasadena 463.7875 R PL 250.3 Floats at Buena Vista Pavilion in Duarte 464.1125 R PL 162.2 Pasadena Plaza Security 464.5000 PL 127.3 NBC TV camera setup at Colorado & Pasadena Ave 464.5000 DPL 152 News Media Security (TV cameras and trailers) 464.5500 DPL 031 Pasadena Plaza Parking 464.5500 DPL 411 TV camera setup on Colorado at Norton Simon 464.8250 R PL 100.0 Floats at The Rose Palace in Pasadena 464.9375 R PL 167.9 Pasadena Towers Security 464.9750 R PL 100.0 Fuller Theological Seminary Security 467.6625 NO TONE Floats at The Rose Palace in Pasadena (FRS 12) 467.8375 PL 250.3 Parking attendants at The Rose Palace Pasadena Police 482.3375 R PL 118.8 Pasadena PD Ch. 1 482.4375 R PL 94.8 Pasadena PD Ch. 2 482.5375 R PL 151.4 Pasadena PD Ch. 3 482.6375 R PL 82.5 Pasadena PD Ch. 4 CHP (WPTU713 Mirador Reservoir) 45.02 42.26 155.475 159.225 American Red Cross (WPTP545) Medical Command Post, intersection. Dispatching and coordinating two-way radio service for parade medical operations. Requester provides emergency medical services for the Hollywood Christmas Parade. 453.7125/458.7125 KTLA Inc (WPTU219) STAGE PRODUCTION OF TOURNAMENT OF ROSES. PARADE AND RELATED HOLIDAY EVENTS. 151.6250 M 151.9250 M 151.9550 M 153.3650 M 153.3800 M 158.4000 M 173.3000 M 173.3250 M 173.3500 M 173.3750 M
Simi Valley family invites area police, firefighters to party [Source: Ventura County Star] Party includes Santa, tons of ice for snowball fights, donated food By S.L. Salamone The holiday party of Russell and Julia Lee of Simi Valley isn't your typical gathering. Sure, they invited their family and friends, but they also invited the entire Simi Valley Police Department, the Simi Valley members of the Ventura County Fire Department, and members of the Ventura County Sheriff's Department and all their families, too. The Lees, who are members of the Church at Rocky Peak, opened their home Friday for the second year in a row to the families of local police and firefighters in appreciation for services rendered. "A lot of people think we did this because of 9/11," Russell Lee said. "But we did this last year. And this year's party was already in the planning long before 9/11. "I think 9/11 really got all people to appreciate the service these people perform in our community. They put their own lives on the line as a regular part of their jobs. You can't be paid enough to do that." The house was decorated inside and out. So many holiday lights were used that the fuse box threatened temporary blackouts throughout the night. Church members were invited to the party and were asked to bring a dish to eat. Local merchants were tapped and most donated boxes of food. The front-yard display included a red velvet and gold chair for Santa. Directly across from Santa were 15 tons of ice, donated by the Easy Street Ice Arena. The first party-goers arrived at about 7 p.m. They were dressed in yellow, fire-retardant pants, blue shirts and red suspenders, and came in a Ventura County Fire Department ladder truck. Ten firefighters got out of the truck representing Squad 4, Truck 41 and Engine 46, all from Simi Valley. "It's very kind of Russell to do this," said Ralph Lucas, 50. "We feel privileged." As the food was consumed and more families arrived, children gravitated toward the "snow." Ashleigh Kissane, 12, daughter of firefighter Kevin Kissane, came rushing into the house after a snowball fight with her father. "I know people look at my dad as a super-hero," Ashleigh said, "and it makes me feel a little weird. I think, since 9/11, I really worry about him more. I guess I realize just how dangerous his job really is, but I know the men he works with and they all look after each other. They're good guys and that helps." 2001 © The E.W. Scripps Co. |