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9C Page 18 � Some local police departments have purchased analog radios that are capable of either wide ar narrawband opeza.�ion,and those agencies have stafied that they glan to convert their radios to nazrowband channels when necessary,i.e.,before 2013. • Loca1 police depar4ments have condncted some experiments with narrowband channel�, and the results show thax they can expect to successfully convert their existing analog neiworks to conform to the FCG mandate.. • TherP is a si�ficant difference in the r,QSt of the i�vo types of radi�: a mobile radia suitable for use on the county digital network casts ronghly three times as much($3500 vs. �1200�as an analog radio used by local police departments:A digi#at receiving/transmitting station costs more than au anaiog sta.tion.The station recently added atop the Hall of 3ustice cost approximately $500,000. • When officers from different Iocal police departments communicate by radio, their conversa�ions must travel ovez the County digital networiZ.Tbe caIl origirtates&om a handheld or mobile radio and is transznitted as an analog sigczal to a base station.There the signal is digitized and transmitted over the County digital netwoxk to a base station in the second jurisdiction.Tb.e signal is then converted back to analog and iransmitted to an officer in the field. • The typical life of base station radios is l.2 to 15 years.Mobile radios typically last seven to ten yeazs and handheid radios five to seven years.Analog radio technology is mature and will be less commonly uset3 in 20 yeazs.Digital radio technology is much newer and is still evolving.It is expected to become less - expensive in the future and it may eventually replace analog technology. Conctusions • It is essential that the acknowledged performance shortcomings of the County's digital radio network be conected so that the safety of of8cers in tbe field is not compromised. � • Local po�ZCe departments are correct to insist that any radio technology they employ must provide excetlent gerfornnauce with both mobile and handheld radios. • The analog radio users that plan to convert their radias tfl narrowband operarion need to ia►ow with certai.nty that narrowband analog equipment will perform satisfactorily and meet future requirements. 31