All true. However, I daresay that most of the non-convertible equipment has already been taken out of service, long ago. At least in my area, most users of high-tier equipment like Spectra, TK-990, and CDM radios are replacing them because they are getting long in the tooth- and these radios are already narrow-band compliant. Dual-bandwidth equipment first came on the market more than a decade ago.
My gut feeling is that operators of large radio fleets will use the narrow-banding deadline as a convenient time to replace the entire fleet at once, not because of the narrow-banding requirement per se, but because they must re-program every radio, base station, and repeater they own and do it with minimum disruption. When you have 2,000 radios, it can take a week or more to reprogram the fleet. If you use the deadline as an opportunity to put new radios into service, you buy your 2,000 new radios a month in advance and program and bench-test all of them on the narrow-band channels. Just before the day you pick to make the changeover, you deliver new radios and chargers to all users, with instructions to start using the new radios on Monday morning. The radio techs will ensure that the base stations and/or repeaters are either reprogrammed or replaced just prior to that day. If well-planned, this will work. Obviously, users with many mobile radios will need to allow extra time for replacing them. 73, Eric Lemmon WB6FLY -----Original Message----- From: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com [mailto:repeater-buil...@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of N9WYS Sent: Saturday, August 08, 2009 3:36 PM To: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com Subject: RE: [Repeater-Builder] Re: Narrow banding question Albert, This depends on the service. Public Safety and Business Radio services are affected. Amateur Radio and GMRS are not - at this time. (IIRC) I would certainly expect to see a glut of non-narrowband compatible equipment enter the surplus market soon... Mark - N9WYS -----Original Message----- From: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com <mailto:Repeater-Builder%40yahoogroups.com> On Behalf Of Albert Yes, I realize it effects only UHF and VHF users. Maybe I was unclear with my question. Is is ALL VHF and UHF users? I was under the impression it was only the upper UHF trunked systems and the like. But maybe I was confused. Will many users have to dump their older radios and have to upgrade? I was wondering what surplus equipment might be coming onto the market due to the changes. If you have seen posts from me before, I am interested in Motorola Genesis related radio gear. I was curious if there might be a flood of it on the market in the near future. Thanks
