Yankee ingenuity

Back in 1990 when Grumpy and I attended the AT&T PBX school in Atlanta, all the locals found out we lived in Kansas and accused us of being “Yankees” and “probably even voting Republican.” Later, at the Orbacom console factory school in Cinnaminson, NJ, the locals thought that, living in Kansas, we were southerners (and rubes at that.) Locals in New York plainly asked “What part of New York is Kansas in?” Clearly the lines of geographic origin are blurring.

But I still believe that the correct term for this month’s opinions is “Yankee Ingenuity” — the trait that permits Radioman to both promise and deliver the customized, odd, offbeat, crazy, screwball, zany and unusual applications for radio communications and related systems that are so needed by public safety agencies and private users alike.

As the contemporary needs of public safety users continue to evolve and expand, we are more frequently met with a rebuttal barrage from the “factory man” from the Major Firm that we don’t really know what we need, and a new digital system from the Major Firm will solve our problems.

I’m discouraged by this blanket response but cognizant of several of the contributing factors. First, the product focus of most Major Firms is constantly following (or chasing) market forces, which, themselves, are driven by mass merchandising and commoditized wireless communications. Translation: conventional public safety products aren’t a Major play. (It’s only by selling expensive public safety products that this is even a viable market.)

Second, the direct sales force of many Major Firms is being re-re-reshuffled in light of two-way radio product sector profitability. Translation: See your local shop for sales and support — we’re only working on really B-I-G systems for important customers.

So, again, the irrestible force of evolving needs and growing service demands meets the immovable object of mass-merchandising mindset. What, indeed, is a fellow to do? Simple — put on your thinking cap and roll out the Yankee ingenuity. Don’t fall victim to the implied philosophy that “If we don’t make it, your agency doesn’t need it.” No, single-product systems aren’t a good idea, but, yes, simple-concept systems work great.

The solution is back to the problem: communication. It’s time for shop managers and Radioman to stick their noses into the collective public safety communications business — again. Check out current operations. Ride along in the comms center. Buy a cup of coffee (I suggest decaf) for the center manager. In short, stay in touch, or the Major Firms will short-circuit your local contacts and good judgment.

Two good places that pique my interest and offer perspective-broadening experiences are the IWCE show and the APCO conference. Not only is there a select crop of technical peers at each gathering, but vendors from small to Major Firms have comprehensive product displays and demonstrations. Given increasingly specialized product lines, talking one-on-one with the maker’s technical staff is the hot setup.

Which brings us to the “build it” phase of project work. I was visiting with Ted “Lefty” Bleiman, my good friend who co-owns MDM Radio in Chicago, and I related to him a delightful conversation I had just concluded with MRT reader Richard Neier, a technical investigator with the IRS. Richard was working on a cross-channel repeater project. Being a technical sort, he knew what he wanted to do and wasn’t afraid to go shopping for an answer.

Ted, having the world’s largest commercial collection of radios, radio artifact, and general radio hardware, parts, and junk, is an eminent authority on finding things with which to construct about any wireless-related project.

Ted and I agreed that the willingness to experiment, build and develop custom (formerly called “ho-made”) solutions was waning. Then we spent a few golden moments strolling down memory lane past earlier technology systems and hands-on gadgeteering. We concluded that two-way shop staffs and Radioman are an inventive and ingenious lot.

I recommend taking one of these curious creatures along on your next visit to the public safety comms center. He may well spark the conversation with a good idea and the Yankee ingenuity to get it built.

Dunford, MRT’s public safety consultant, is technical services consultant for the Lenexa, KS, police department. He is a member of the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials-International. [You can email Dunford at [email protected]]