Moon Public Safety Departments Prep for FCC Changes

Moon Township public safety departments will invest more than $200,000 this year to update radio and transmitter systems to comply with new Federal Communications Department regulations. 

Public safety and business land radio systems across the country must reduce their broadcasting bandwidth to comply with new FCC standards by Jan 1.

"It's being done throughout the nation, and it's basically the result of additional people needing [broadcast] frequencies," said Moon Township Manager Jeanne Creese. "The practical purpose of this is that we need to replace and upgrade radios in buildings, portable and in vehicles." 

The FCC initiated the process, known as narrow banding, nearly two decades go to ensure that there is more broadcasting spectrum access for public safety and non-public safety users. 

Moon Township's and departments must reduce their broadcasting bandwidth from the current 25-megahertz to 12-and-a-half megahertz. 

"No, the public won't notice the difference," said Fire Marshall Charlie Belgie. "It's just something we have to do. Some of the radios themselves are already compatible, and others that can't be converted we'll just have to replace." 

Belgie said the township's fire and police departments have been gradually replacing old radios with systems that are compatible with the FCC mandate. Any existing radios and transmitters that do not meet the new standards will be eliminated by the end of 2012. 

The township expects that it will spend more than $200,000 on the project throughout the year, Creese said.  

The township might also have to add additional radio repeater site towers, as radios at 12-and-a-half megahertz will reach a limited distance. The township uses towers on top of the Moon Public Safety Building and at the . 

"With the reduced bandwidth, we might not be able to transmit as well," Belgiesaid. "We'll just have to do a lot of relaying."