Transcript NARROWBANDING BELOW 512 MHz

FCC Narrow Band Mandate:
It’s Closer Than You Think
What is Narrow Banding?
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A Federal Communications Commission
unfunded mandate to make additional
spectrum available in the 150 MHz / 450-470
MHz spectrum by reducing the amount of
space that a frequency occupies
Also Refereed to as “REFARMING”
Both Public Safety & Business-Industrial
What does Narrow Banding effect?
Narrow banding will effect all radio systems:
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Voice – Dispatch
Data – MDT & AVL
Telemetry – Water pumps & Tanks, Waste Water,
Gas, Electric, etc
Users on 700 or 800 MHz may be effected
because many still have old V/U system
Timeline
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1992 - Refarming Introduced by FCC
1995 - Report and Order and Further Notice
of Rulemaking, 92-235 establishes the
timeline
1997 – FCC begins accepting applications for
Narrow Band licenses
Timeline
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2004 - 04-292, Third Memorandum Opinion
and Order (3rd MO&O), Third Further Notice
of Rule Making and Order (3rd FNPRM),
December 2004 (WT Docket 99-87)
Sets specific dates to phase in narrow
banding with deadlines in 2005, 2011 and
2013.
Timeline / Deadlines
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2005 - VHF/UHF narrow band interoperability channels
(see table below) become primary usage and adjacent
channels are now secondary usage if they are still wide
band emission such as 20K0F3E, or as the Commission
states, "utilizing emissions wider than 11K per voice path on
these channels." Existing users on interoperability channels
are now secondary to interoperability usage.
 VCALL, VTACs & UCALL UTACs
Benefit for Narrow-banding
Adj. Ch.
151.13000
154.44500
155.74500
158.73000
159.46500
453.20000
453.45000
453.70000
453.85000
Interop Ch.
151.13750 VTAC 11
154.45250 VTAC 12
155.75250 VCALL 10
158.73750 VTAC 13
159.47250 VTAC 14
453.21250 UCALL40
453.46250 UTAC 41
453.71250 UTAC 42
458.86250 UTAC 43
Adj. Ch.
151.14500
Not PS
155.76000
158.74500
Not PS
453.22500
453.47500
453.72500
453.87500
Benefit for Narrow-banding
Add the National VHF & UHF
Interoperability frequencies to your
radio when rebanding using APCO
Standard:
Common Frequencies
Common Channel Names
Common CTCSS Tones
Timeline / Deadline
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After December 31, 2010, end of this year,
no new applications for wideband (20K) licenses accepted;
modifications only if existing coverage area is not increased
Many frequency coordinators are not accepting any new
wideband apps due to the time takes to process and get to
the FCC no later than December 31, 2010.
Timeline / Deadline
 January 1, 2013 (December 31, 2012)
All VHF 150 MHz / UHF 450 – 470 MHz radio
systems operating under FCC CFR Part 90
MUST be narrow band compliant.
How does the NB Mandate effect
Public Safety?
What does narrow band compliant mean?
 All hand held, portables, mobiles, control
stations, base stations and repeaters must
be FCC certified to operate narrow band
 All radio equipment must be programmed to
operate in the narrow band mode
 All equipment must operate in the narrow
band mode.
Narrow Banding
 FCC reaffirms date in 4TH MO&O released on
5/14/2008
 FCC has gone on record stating that they will
further reduce the band width of a frequency to
6.25KHz. No deadline yet. To accomplish this the
technology will be digital.
 APCO P25 digital radio standard is the only accepted
digital radio that is recognized in Federal Grants.
Not Kenwood / ICOM NXDN nor MotoTRBO
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Narrow banding is going to happen, be ready.
Steps to Prepare
 Verify that your Department or Agency has a
valid FCC Part 90 license
 Conduct a full inventory of all your radios in
the VHF / UHF band
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Determine which radios can be reprogrammed
and which radios must be replaced
Develop a Budget for reprogramming &
replacement
Steps to Prepare
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Educate your elected officials
Secure your funding for cost of
reprogramming and replacement radios
Develop a “wideband to narrow band” plan
and timeline that addresses:
Procurement, replacement & installation of any
narrow band-capable base stations, control
stations, repeaters, hand held and mobile radios.
 Installation & reprogramming of all radios in your
radio system without interruption
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Steps to Prepare
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Develop a “wideband to narrow band” plan for:
Your agency
Other agencies that have your frequencies
County agencies & systems
Regional mutual aid systems
Statewide mutual aid systems
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Set a deadline prior to December 31, 2012
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Remember the ripple effect: what I do affects others
and what other do affects me.
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Steps to Prepare
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Work closely with your agency or contract radio
communications personnel
Schedule and coordinate the system conversion
(Vendors have many customers)
Modify your FCC radio license for narrow band
emission designators
Tailor the conversion plan to your agency
Check your infrastructure before and after rebanding
to make sure it is optimized; i.e. receiver, transmitter,
antenna system
Keep your neighbor informed
Community Effects
Narrow banding effects all FCC Part 90
users, not just public safety
Voice, Data & Telemetry
Business, Industry, Agriculture, Schools,
Colleges, Universities, Private & Public
Utilities, State & Local Governments,
Hospitals, Private Ambulance Services,
Volunteer Rescue Squads, Fire Departments,
Media, etc. all use business frequencies that
will need to be narrow banded.
Community Effects
 Be proactive with the community
 Newspaper articles, local radio shows, Civic
Clubs, Chamber of Commerce, Local
Emergency Planning Councils, etc.
Part 90 Business / Industry will need to take
the same steps as Public Safety
COMMONLY ASKED QUESTIONS
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Are we forced to move to another band or
frequencies?
NO! You will continue to use your existing
frequencies
We will have to buy new radios?
Depends. Many radios purchased since 1997
are already narrow band capable, but may need
to be reprogrammed
COMMONLY ASKED QUESTIONS
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Will we have to convert to digital? Not yet.
However, many agencies are taking advantage
of this opportunity to upgrade to P25 digital.
FCC has published that we are not stopping @
12.5 KHz, but going to 6.25 KHz, no date set.
Will narrow banding reduce our coverage?
Maybe.
Only a through analysis of your coverage
requirements and testing can tell for sure
COMMONLY ASKED QUESTIONS
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Will more VHF / UHF radio spectrum be
available after January 1, 2013?
Depends, maybe / maybe not
 Narrow band frequencies have been
coordinate & licensed since 1997. In
many areas usable VHF / UHF radio
spectrum is very hard to find if any at all
COMMONLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Can I use Federal Homeland Security /
FEMA grants to purchase narrowband
radio equipment?
Yes as long as it is allowable under the
grant.
COMMONLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What about my MDT or AVL system?
Data minimum:
4.8 Kbps @ 6.25KHz (one voice path)
9.6 @ 12.5 KHz (two voice paths)
19.2 @ 25 KHz (four voice paths)
If you meet this, you do not need to narrow band
What Narrow Banding is Not
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You do not need to change frequency, your
frequency goes on a diet.
Does not affect Low band, 700 MHZ, 800
MHz or Microwave links, HAM, or Marine
Channels
Do not have to go digital, but may be a good
time to consider P25
P25 is the only digital standard for grant
reimbursement
Narrow Banding Resources Info
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http://www.imsasafety.org/PDFs/Narrowbanding%20V2%20R2.pdf
Narrow Banding Resources Info
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http://www.npstc.org/documents/NavigatingTheNarrowband100630.pdf
Narrow Banding Resources Info
http://www.apcointl.com/new/commcenter911/documents/APCO-NPSTC-ANS1-104-1web.pdf
Other Narrow Banding Resources Info
www.apcointl.org/frequency/narrowband.php
http://www.fcc.gov/pshs/public-safety-spectrum/narrowbanding.html
http://wirelessradio.net/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fr9quAXC8Uc
Virginia SIEC video
http://www.npstc.org/narrowbanding.jsp
Questions / Comments
John Johnson
Tennessee Emergency Management Agency
615 741 3826
[email protected]