Central Coast Communications Upgrade, June 12

The Lincoln Co. Sheriff’s Office at Newport has announced the completion of a $2.7 million countywide public safety radio communications project.  “With changes in federal rules involving the availability of radio communications frequencies and the concerns for public safety agency inter-operability, it was necessary to seek funding to rebuild our system,” stated Sheriff Dennis Dotson.  The communications system in Lincoln County was rebuilt from the ground up.  Old tower sites were upgraded to meet higher standards, new tower sites were constructed, a robust microwave system linking all of the tower sites together with a high speed connection was added, narrowband repeaters were purchased to meet Federal guidelines, and a five channel simulcast system was installed.  Deputies are now able to communicate with their radios in areas they previously could not.  The simulcast system provides true inter-operability countywide.  Every user, all three dispatch centers (Willamette Valley Communications Center (WVCC), Toledo Police, and Lincoln City Police), and the new back-up center at the jail can communicate with each other during a disaster or large scale event.