Illinois Radio Cache; Photo Carl Guse

A countdown clock on the FCC’s Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau website is ticking away the days, hours and minutes left to comply with a federal mandate designed to ensure more efficient use of the radio spectrum used by public safety organizations. The mandate calls for narrowbanding, meaning existing licensees operating on a 25 kHz channel (wideband) operating at VHF (150–174 MHz) and UHF (421–512 MHz) using Part 90 frequencies must reduce their emissions to 12.5 kHz. All Industrial/Business and Public Safety Radio Pool licensees must comply by Jan. 1, 2013.

Narrowbanding is not mandated in 800 or 900 MHz, or low-band 30–50 MHz and 220 MHz. The regulation applies to voice, data and telemetry, such as water pumps and tanks, waste water, gas and electric.

According to Gary David Gray, part-time consultant and APCO International local frequency coordination advisor, this isn’t the first time radio systems have been required to narrowband, although it is the first in 40–50 years. Gray has lived through it before, in his previous job as radio engineer for the County of Orange, Calif.—a job he retired from “after 40.58374 years.”

“There are just many more radios today,” he says. “Without the conversion, those channels that were half-way in between will cause bleed over. It’s particularly dangerous for emergency responders.”

The problem: Overlapping bands create interference, compromising critical communications. The overlapping frequencies can also affect repeaters. In a mixed-band environment, repeaters could shut down, eliminating all transmissions for up to three minutes while they reset.

Efforts by the FCC in the early 1990s to promote more efficient spectrum use, then referred to as “refarming,” met with mixed results. In 2003, the Commission added an incentive to the Order by establishing a date by which all licensees must be in compliance. Those that don’t complete the migration by that date face termination of their licenses or penalties for illegal operation.

Here are suggestions from fellow professionals for ensuring your organization is in compliance by Jan. 1, 2013.

Step 1: Verify Licenses
The first step is to verify that your organization has a current and valid FCC Part 90 radio station license. It’s possible that your organization pays a third-party repeater service provider. If that’s the case, you’ll need to work through them. If you’re unable to verify your license, contact your APCO AFC local frequency advisor for assistance.

Migrating from wideband to narrowband doesn’t mean your organization will end up with twice as many channels. Nor will it have to change frequency.

This may, however, be a good time to consider expanding your licenses, if needed, or making other necessary changes. Remember, any new filing; major modification and amendments that change or add frequencies, emissions, effective radiated power (ERP), output power, antenna height, ground elevation, change of location of a base, fixed, mobile or control station, the number of mobile units; and any change to station class must go through an FCC frequency coordinator.

Step 2: Inventory & Inspection
This may involve a scavenger hunt, but it’s important to locate and replace or reprogram all the radios in your system, including portable, mobile, dispatcher-used, wireless data or SCADA and on- or off-site base stations or repeaters. Be sure to document the make, model, serial number and date of purchase. (See “Where’s That Radio?” March 2011, PSC.)

Adding to the cost of narrowbanding, radios manufactured prior to 1997 will, most likely, need to be replaced. Newer radios should have a narrowband mode and will only need to be reprogrammed.

“If there’s any good news, it’s that many agencies regularly upgrade their equipment,” Gray says.

Regardless, some technical issues must be addressed when narrowbanding. A few parameters may round up when programming radios. Make sure to look for the 2.5 kHz offset.

“There is the potential, that if you have a marginal system to start with, you could end up with less coverage at a public safety grade,” Gray says. Some organizations may need to redesign or adjust the alignment of base stations. To ensure a strong voice signal, you may need additional sites and more receivers in the field. Note: Many changes require frequency coordination and FCC licensing.

Step 3: Develop a Conversion Plan
Your conversion plan should include a schedule and budget. Your organization must be in compliance no later than Jan. 1, 2013, so the work must be completed in the 2012–2013 budget cycle.

Some organizations, such as the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA), are taking the opportunity to switch from analog to P25 digital radios, although the FCC does not require it.

“You can’t put your head in the sand on this one,” says TEMA Radio System Analyst John Johnson. “Look at it as a chance to upgrade operability and implement interoperability.” Johnson says TEMA was able to offset a majority of the cost, using money from Homeland Security grants.

Going all digital has the added advantage of eliminating any low-signal issues or reduction in coverage that can occur.

Johnson also recommends adding the National VHF and UHF interoperability frequencies when rebanding, using the APCO standard for common frequencies, channel names and continuous tone-coded squelch systems.

The state of Wyoming took the upgrade even further by installing a new, statewide digital trunk system. Wyoming Department of Transportation (WDOT) Telecommunications System Supervisor Larry Sheridan says his state started implementing a public safety and mobile communications plan statewide in 2004. Subscriber equipment was also replaced at that time, with the entire project slated for completion in 2012. As a result, WDOT is well-placed for the narrowbanding transition. “We’re nicely ahead of the curve,” he says.

WDOT is now working with local agencies to schedule narrowbanding on the separate statewide analog mutual aid repeater system. Wyoming agencies can use the state’s trunking system with no subscription cost.

Working with neighbors often means working across state lines. “We are working very well with neighboring states,” Sheridan says. To improve mutual aid coverage, WDOT built an omni-directional coverage site on its Colorado state line and offered to allow its neighbor to place equipment on the site.

Mark Grubb, division director for the state of Delaware Division of Communications, says that for many entities, the primary obstacle is money. “For some states, it’s a multi-million dollar dilemma,” he says. As the statewide interoperability coordinator and chair of the National Committee of Statewide Interoperability Coordinators, Grubb hears from those who haven’t been as fortunate as his state in making the transition.

“It can be a very significant financial problem for some systems,” he says.

Smaller agencies that have not been able to keep up with technology may be especially hard hit. “It’s almost insurmountable,” he says.

Some grant money is available. In some cases, money from a Homeland Security grant can be used to purchase equipment (see below).

Step 4: Logistics
According to Johnson, logistics is a huge challenge, especially on statewide mutual aid channels. Careful planning is required for all the equipment to make the move within the same time frame to avoid potential mismatches between wideband and narrowband. He suggests working with a radio service vendor and testing, testing, testing.

“It just takes time,” Johnson says. “Until you get out there, you really don’t know what will happen.”

Another key issue: Work with neighbors in- and outside the public safety arena. Many agencies have programmed neighboring jurisdiction’s frequencies in their radios for mutual aid purposes. Other government and business entities, from the city water department to farmers and schools, may also operate within the affected bandwidth. They will also need to comply.

“Sometimes, we become so narrow[ly] focused we forget that other local, state and federal agencies will be impacted,” Johnson says. “We must work together and communicate with our neighbors.”

Considering others is critical. If your agency migrates to narrowband, but nearby agencies on whom you rely for mutual aid don’t, communications can be compromised. Coordination will be necessary to make the change without affecting critical radio traffic. The logistics, especially statewide, can be daunting.

Johnson says his agency searched the FCC database and found a number of licenses for governmental agencies using spectrum outside the public safety band that would be affected. Many local school systems, utilities, universities, hospitals and volunteer fire and rescue organizations use the Business/Industrial spectrum, not just public safety.

TEMA recommends that agencies help educate other public safety agencies and businesses. “We have found that working through associations and groups such as the chamber of commerce helps get the word out [to] the user community,” Johnson says. TEMA has been addressing groups, making presentations and writing educational articles to alert both Public Safety and Business/Industrial users for several years.

According to Carl Guse, frequency specialist at the Wisconsin State Patrol Bureau of Communications, funding wasn’t a big issue for his agency because most of its equipment is relatively new. The challenge he faces: the logistics to make the switch with minimum downtime. The plan is to transition by area, starting at the north end of the state and working southward. Fortunately, he has the support to execute the plan. “People who need to get this done understand and are on board,” he says.

Step 5: Modify Licenses
The last step is to modify your FCC radio license to replace any wideband emission designators with the correct narrowband ones. APCO AFC (www.apcointl.org/frequency) is offering special pricing to modify Part 90 public safety licenses to add narrowband emission, in the same configuration as currently licensed, at $25 per call sign.

Do They Mean It?
Some agencies scoff at the FCC’s warning that non-compliance will mean admonishment, monetary fines or even loss of license. “They aren’t going to shut down the police,” they say. So far, the FCC is holding firm.

“It will be interesting to see how they enforce it,” Johnson says.

Sheridan says he has no doubts. “An FCC telegram ordered a Wyoming county sheriff off the air a while back, until an interference problem could be cleared up. I would not discount FCC action if a licensee fails to narrowband,” he says.

About the Author
Teresa McCallion EMT-B, is a public safety writer in Bonney Lake, Wash. Contact her via e-mail at [email protected].

Helpful Resources

• APCO AFC: www.apcointl.org/spectrum-management
• FCC: www.fcc.gov/pshs/public-safety-spectrum/narrowbanding.html, http://wireless.fcc.gov/services/index.htm?job=licensing_3&id=industrial_business
• FCC Narrowbanding Mandate: A Public Safety Guide for Compliance: www.imsasafety.org/PDFs/Narrowbanding%20V2%20R2.pdf
• A list of radios that are narrowband compliant: https://psc.apcointl.org/2010/01/01/narrowbanding
• *National Public Safety Telecommunications Council: www.npstc.org/narrowbanding.jsp
• *National Public Safety Telecommunications Council: www.npstc.org/documents/NavigatingTheNarrowband100630.pdf
• *Public Safety Interoperability Timelines: www.dipity.com/timeline/Public-Safety-Interoperability-Timeline
• *Wirelessradio.net: http://wirelessradio.net

Grant Information
According to the FCC, some grants are available to help defray the cost of narrowbanding:

• National Telecommunications & Information Administration: Funds awarded under the Public Safety Interoperable Communications (PSIC) Grant Program may be used for narrowbanding projects. Funds may be used to purchase equipment that meets narrowbanding requirements or to educate users about the requirements. Direct questions about allowable PSIC expenditures to [email protected].
• Federal Emergency Management Agency Preparedness Grants: Many FEMA Preparedness Grants fund narrowband activities, including planning, assessments, training, exercises and equipment. Current grantees should ask program analysts or grant program offices whether unused FEMA funds can be reallocated to narrowband activities. For more information, visit www.fema.gov/government/grant/index.shtm.
• U.S. Department of Justice: www.justice.gov/10grants.
• Department of Homeland Security Office of Emergency Communications: For FY 2011, SAFECOM Guidance on Emergency Communications Grants  information can be found at www.safecomprogram.gov/NR/rdonlyres/7C73CFA8-DC8B-487C-82A0-42BD7C06F3BA/0/FY_2011_SAFECOM_Guidance_121510.pdf.
• State funding: Several states used federal funding to establish a central fund to assist localities in purchasing narrow­band compliant equipment, and to ensure compliance with the narrowband mandate. See your Statewide Inter­operability Coordinator (SWIC) for more information on statewide compliance efforts, and funding opportunities.

Originally published in Public Safety Communications magazine, 77(04):38-41, April 2011.