​Public Safety Radio FAQs

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The Palm Beach County System covers all medium density buildings in the County with 97.3% coverage when a portable radio and shoulder mounted antenna (SMA) microphone is utilized. Light building portable, outdoor portable, and mobile and coverage exceeds 98% coverage County-Wide.

The County's system is designed for over 20,000 subscribers.

The County requires an Interlocal Agreement be signed that depicts the responsibilities of the user and the responsibilities of the County. The County produces the Interlocal by request. Contact Ken Denker for further information. 

The County requires an Interlocal Agreement be signed that depicts the responsibilities of the user and the responsibilities of the County. The County produces the Interlocal by request. Contact Ken Denker for further information. 

You need to contact your local radio dealer to purchase them. The County can arrange programming for a minimal charge for Motorola and EF Johnson brand radios. Expenditures incurred by Law Enforcement agencies to access the County system may be reimbursable with $12.50 ticket funds as long as there is enough in the account to cover the expense and the items purchased are used to be interoperable with the County's PSRS..

Simulcast is a technology where two (2) or more transmitters operating on the same frequency on different towers transmit the same information simultaneously. This technology allows for reception of the signals from multiple directions reducing the possibility of the user missing a call. The tower sites also utilize GPS systems for exact timing and a voting receiver system for reliable talk-back from the portable radios.

Trunking is the technology where a pool of frequency channels is available to a large number of different user groups. The trunking system transmits a continuous data channel that steers radios assigned to the same talk-group to one of the system frequencies when there is a request by one of the units to transmit. The technology is very efficient and has been in use by telephone companies for a very long time.

Currently the system supports PBSO, PBCFR, County Government and Emergency Management, agencies dispatched by PBSO and PBCFR, and the police departments of Palm Springs, Lake Clark Shores, Riviera Beach, Palm Beach Shores, Ocean Ridge, Lantana, and South Palm Beach. In addition, over 40 (40) local, State, and Federal entities have completed programming the County system for mutual agency use of the system in addition to all hospitals in the County. The County also has completed cross programming with Broward Sheriff's Office, Martin County, Coral Springs/Margate, and the City of Miami radio systems for Mutual Aid and Interoperability.

The County has mandated that any radio on the system be programmed with the sixteen (16) Common Talk Groups designated for interoperability. The Talk-Groups are assigned by discipline with 4 designated for Emergency Mgt., 6 for Law Enforcement, and 6 for Fire Rescue. One of each of these Talk-Groups is a "Calling Talk-Group" for that particular discipline. The County also implemented the NPSPAC Mutual Aid Conventional Repeater Systems for communication capabilities with agencies not able to access the Palm Beach County System under normal situations.

The County's Statement of Work was a 250+ page document that defined standards that included but not limited to:

FCC Rules and Regulations

Electronic Industry Standards (EIA/TIA)

Military Specification 810 D,E, and F

Palm Beach County Building Code

APCO 16 and APCO Project 25 Guidelines and

NPSPAC Region 9 Plan

Each tower site has a generator system with 3 days of fuel on premises and a UPS system that provides consistent power during transitions from commercial to generator back-up power.

The County in its design and implementation upgraded all of the tower facilities to withstand 140 MPH winds. While no system could possibly survive a full force hurricane without some failures, the County feels that the site design and layout will allow for the system to remain somewhat functional after the storm has passed.

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