Oct 1, 2000 12:00 PM, MOBILE RADIO TECHNOLOGY STAFF

The Kentucky State Police (KSP) has completed the installation and testing of its pilot radio communications system, paving the way for system installation statewide. The digital communications systems will serve the agency's 16 command posts, and the KSP projects the new digital communications system will be installed statewide by late 2001.

Originally contracted with Motorola in December, the $22.8 million Astro 25 digital conventional two-way system will replace the agency's UHF analog conventional system purchased in the 1970s.

The KSP and Motorola selected the agency's Richmond Command Post as the site for the pilot system because of the mixture of mountains and flatlands in the area the post serves. The Richmond Command Post covers 22 counties in central Kentucky.

"We are proud of the work performed by the state police, Motorola and so many others on the pilot system to ensure that we will have the communications capability necessary statewide to respond to increasing public safety needs of Kentucky citizens," said Capt. Kenneth Hardin, KSP communications commander.

The KSP's communications system will allow transmission on two new digital channels and one existing analog channel at each of more than 90 sites. It will also use multicast technology to provide improved wide-area coverage. With multicast technology, the signal is broadcast from a number of transmitters, with each transmitter on a different frequency. A software program, Conventional Vote Scan, enables the system's mobile and portable radios to automatically select the site with the strongest signal and transmit back on a common frequency. The new system will also operate on 12.5kHz radio channels.

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