Volusia County (P25) System News

Second Site Active

July 2021
A second site is active on the Volusia P25 system now that appears to be utilizing some/all? of the frequencies that were formerly used for the Daytona Beach EDACS site located on Carswell Ave in Holly Hill.
The county has been purchasing P25 capable radios for at least a year whenever new or replacement radios were needed.

Site 1 is located down in Sanford and has been providing coverage for the deep SouthWest corner of the county.

Site 2 was recently identified via over the air monitoring of both control and voice traffic. The location is assumed to be at the Carswell Ave site in Holly Hill.

Volusia County System News

FIN-IT-01 FY 20/21 Q2 Update Revised 021521
Project: Countywide - 800 MHz Radio System Backbone and Radios
Scope: Planning, design, and implementation of modern P25 Phase II 800 MHz public safety radio system. The existing 800 MHz radio system, which includes the microwave system, was implemented in 1993. The equipment and technology has reached end-of-life and will be upgraded/replaced as part of this project. The system supports over 9,000 radios used countywide by county and city agencies. In Phase I, a radio system consultant will assist the county in assessing existing assets, evaluating microwave and radio system technology, performing high level needs assessments, and providing financial and technical options analysis. In Phase II, the consultant will assist with radio system design and specifications, procurement, and implementation.
Acquisition: 800 MHz Public Safety Radio System was implemented in 1993
Design: Phase I – Radio System Modernization Assessment and Planning
Start: 1st Qtr. – FY 16/17
Finish: 3rd Qtr. – FY 17/18
Phase II – Radio System Modernization Design and Procurement
Start: 3rd Qtr. – FY 17/18
Finish: 3rd Qtr. – FY 20/21
Construction: Phase II
Start: 3rd Qtr. – FY 20/21 (Begin implementation)
Finish: 3rd Qtr. – FY 22/23
Project Cost:
$ 21,655,432 (estimated) County of Volusia
$ 7,000,000 (estimated) City Budgets
$ 28,655,432 (estimated) Total

Funding Sources:
$ 14,725,690 305-930-4605 800 MHz Capital Backbone Replacement
$ 6,929,742 305-930-4606 800 MHz Capital Radio Replacement
$ 7,000,000 City Budgets
$ 28,655,432 Total

Status: Phase I - Complete
Phase II Update 12/2018: Direction changed to combine microwave and radio system procurement into one RFP solicitation; requirement for two new towers added into the radio system backbone design and work effort; separated procurement process timeline from implementation schedule for tracking clarity.
Completed Milestones RFP development and evaluation of proposals; selection of vendor (Ci/L3Harris)
Tower sharing cooperative agreement with Flagler County
RFP development for structural analysis vendors
Soil analysis and FAA studies for new Lake Harney tower site
Antenna/microwave design
Boundary/environmental survey for Lake Harney site
In Progress
Structural analysis on 13 towers.
Currently preparing application to the PLDRC for a special exception for the Lake Harney site.
Site design for the Lake Harney site.
Developing wetland mitigation plan for the St. John’s Water Management District.
Lease agreement with the landowner of the Lake Harney site.
Contract negotiations with Communications International.
Co-location agreement with Flagler County for the Cody’s Corner site.
Project Adjustment:
Updated project timeline, council actions, and status

FY 20/21 Q2 Update Revised 021521

Source: CPS Q2 Update Executive Summary 4/2021

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The contractor selected to supply and install a new 15 site 800 MHz linear simulcast radio system for Volusia County is Communications International (CI).

Per a press release in June 2020 they will be building out the system using L3Harris Communications P25 Phase 2 technology, First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet)-certified XL series radios. The BeOn PTT platform for cell phones and smart devices as well as L3Harris Symphony consoles will be utilized.

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County Wide 800 MHz System BS-IT-1 Site: Countywide - 800 MHz Radio System Backbone and Radios

Acquisition: 800 MHz Public Safety Radio System was implemented in 1993

Project Scope: Planning, design, and implementation of modern P25 Phase II 800 MHz public safety radio system. The existing 800 MHz radio system, which includes the microwave system, was implemented in 1993. The equipment and technology has reached end-of-life and will be upgraded/replaced as part of this project.
The system supports over 9,000 radios used countywide by county and city agencies. In Phase I, a radio system consultant will assist the county in assessing existing assets, evaluating microwave and radio system technology, performing high levels needs assessments, and providing financial and technical options analysis.
In Phase II, the consultant will assist with radio system design and specifications, procurement, and implementation.

Design Timeline: Phase I – Radio System Modernization Assessment and Planning

Start: 1st Qtr. - FY 16/17

Finish: 3rd Qtr. - FY 17/18

Phase II – Radio System Modernization Design and Procurement

Start: 3rd Qtr. - FY 17/18

Finish: 1st Qtr. - FY 19/20

Project Cost: $ 19,000,000 (estimated) County of Volusia
$ 7,000,000 (estimated) City Budgets

$ 26,000,000 (estimated) Total

Funding Sources: $ 11,700,000 305-930-4605 General Fund

$ 7,300,000 305-930-4606 800 MHz Capital Radio Replacement

$ 7,000,000 City Budgets

$ 26,000,000 Total

Council Actions:
1. Mini-Budget Workshop July 7, 2016

2. Radio System Consultant Award January 18, 2018

3. Approval of Direction to Issue RFP December 4, 2018

Construction Timeline: Phase I – N/A

Phase II

Start: 1st Qtr. - FY 19/20 (Begin implementation)

Finish: 4th Qtr. - FY 20/21

Project Status: Phase I

Completed Needs Assessment and Recommendation Reports for 800 MHz Radio System and the Long-term Planning Report for Fire Alerting System.
Task order issued to consultant to assist in RFP development; development of microwave and radio system RFP scope of work beginning; identification of land for additional tower in southeast Volusia underway; development of cooperative agreement with Flagler County to share tower space underway.

Project Adjustment Direction changed to combine microwave and radio system procurement into one RFP solicitation; requirement for two new towers added into the radio system backbone design and work effort; separated procurement process timeline from implementation schedule for tracking clarity.

• Note that 4Q of the county fiscal year is July-September
  

Source: January 2019 public posting Capital Project Schedule for Volusia County

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Upgrade or replacement of the County’s current Enhanced Digital Access Communication System (EDACS) 800 MHz Public Safety radio system with an APCO-compliant P25 Phase 2 radio system

On November 18, 1993, the Volusia County Council approved a competitively solicited contract with Ericsson Inc., now Harris Corporation (Harris), for the purchase and implementation of an 800 MHz Public Safety Radio System. System reliability and performance has been achieved over the years through a continuous system maintenance program, addition of tower sites to improve coverage, and periodic system component and technology updates.

The County of Volusia’s (County) legacy radio system is approaching its “end of life” with factory equipment support ending in December of 2017. The local maintenance provider will continue to support the system for two to three additional years, parts availability permitting. The County recognizes that although radio system components can, and often do, continue to operate beyond published “end of life” dates, there are a number of associated risks. The County believes the technology upgrade has been pushed out as long as safely possible to gain the full life of the existing technology and investment, and to provide agencies time to plan and budget for associated costs. With this in mind, the County has initiated planning and budgeting for radio system upgrades, which will incorporate standards based P25 radio system technology, to ensure that the radio system has the ability to meet the changing requirements of public safety first responders in the future. The P25 radio system implementation is expected to take two to three years, with first responders migrating within the first 12 to 18 months, followed by non-public safety system users. The P25 system implementation will include integration of key system features between the legacy EDACS system and the P25 system during the migration.

The goal is to implement a P25 Phase 2 radio system to support public safety in Volusia County and to significantly simplify and improve communications during mutual aid emergencies. Within the Department of Homeland Security’s Florida Region 5, Lake, Orange, Seminole, Osceola, and Martin counties have implemented or are implementing P25 systems. Flagler and Brevard counties are currently planning to migrate to a P25 radio system technology.

Source: February 2017 public posting for a 800 MHz Radio System Consultant by the county

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