News packets

The Natchez Democrat in Natchez, Miss., reported that except for the Adams County Sheriff’s office, all local agencies will be able to communicate with each other on a common radio system by the end of the year, thanks to a $1.2 million contract awarded to Kay Radio of Vidalia, Miss., for a new 450 MHz radio system.

Access Spectrum, Bethesda, Md., has concluded a technical services agreement with USMSS, Antioch, Ill., under which more than 150 Motorola Service Stations will provide spectrum monitoring, system compliance consulting, system engineering design and interference resolution services for Access Spectrum customers who lease spectrum for wireless voice and data communications in the 700 and 220 MHz bands.

Pegasus Communications, Bala Cynwyd, Pa., a 700 MHz Guard Band manager, has seen its Moody’s Investment Services downgrade the debt instruments and preferred stock of two of it subsidiaries, and Moody’s questioned the company’s ability to continue operating under its current capital structure.

Denver-based Ricochet Networks has re-launched its Ricochet high-speed wireless Internet service to consumers in Denver in a public-private partnership with the Denver government that gives the city free modems and service for municipal and public safety applications.

The FCC has adopted a plan to require off-air digital TV tuners on almost all new TV sets by 2007. The move could improve prospects for using the 700 MHz band for two-way radio communications in areas now blocked by incumbent TV broadcast stations that must discontinue use of their 700 MHz channels once 85 percent of the TV households in their markets are capable of receiving digital television.

The Voice News, New Baltimore, Mich., reported that Macomb county voters will decide in November whether to take on a temporary $1.50 tax per home telephone to fund an upgrade of the county’s 35-year-old 450 MHz police radio system to an 800 MHz system.

The Fauquier-Times Democrat reported that delays loom in the construction of a $7.2 million 800 MHz public safety radio system in Fauquier County, Va., because of problems in contracting for the necessary antenna tower space.

The Industrial Telecommunications Association, Arlington, Va., has made available, at www.ita-relay.com, summaries of reply comments submitted in the FCC’s WT Docket No. 02-55 proceeding to improve public safety radio communications in the 800 MHz band and mitigate interference to those operations.

The Anoka County Union reported that Anoka County, Minn., will move swiftly to build a new public safety radio system thanks to special legislation passed by the state to give the county authority to bond as much as $12.5 million to upgrade its 1970-era radio system to an 800 MHz system that can be coordinated with Minnesota’s proposed statewide system.

The Radio Club of America’s 93rd anniversary dinner and awards presentation scheduled for Nov. 22 will feature a speech by Vincent Dunn, retired deputy chief of the Fire Department of New York, who will talk about the role that wireless communications played in New York City on Sept. 11, 2001. Information: www.radio-club-of-america.com.