[Dispatch] Alert West Tower going down TONIGHT 12am-4am

[Patterson, Brian]

All... please read email below.


Work is being done to the Lakeway tower (alert west) which will hopefully correct the problems with it. The tower will be shut-down on 11/25/2014  from 12:01AM to 4am.

This means all stations that are Radio only (no PC locution) will not get a Station Alert. The Stations that have Locution PC will not have a radio back-up. MDC's will still work but any radio traffic that does not find another tower will not go through.

Affected Stations need to monitor the radio and /or MDC's  until told otherwise by Dispatch

We would like to have a cell # of the Officer in charge of each unit during this period if possible as a last resort back-up.

Please call Fire Dispatch to pass along these cell #'s

Also call Fire Dispatch as needed tonight if you are unable to use the radio (512-974-0400)

I have attached a spreadsheet of a list that should show your ESD (& station) and what tower it is on... Remember the WEST tower is what is going down.

Fire Dispatch still does not have updated contact list for ESD 1, ESD 2, ESD 6, ESD 8, ESD 11..



Please call me if any more info is needed


Brian (cell# 512-731-9045)

[http://fire/forms/images/AFDpatch75.jpg]
Capt. Brian Patterson
Austin Fire Department Communications
5010 Old Manor Rd, Austin Tx 78723

512-974-0409



_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


From: Brotherton, Charles
Sent: Friday, November 21, 2014 9:42 AM
To: Brotherton, Charles
Cc: Pena, Mike; Allen, Gary; Farries, David; Langley, Joe; Joe.Vitone at motorolasolutions.com<mailto:Joe.Vitone at motorolasolutions.com>; Bill.Fowler at motorolasolutions.com<mailto:Bill.Fowler at motorolasolutions.com>; B.Eldred at motorolasolutions.com<mailto:B.Eldred at motorolasolutions.com>; carlbeckerson at motorolasolutions.com<mailto:carlbeckerson at motorolasolutions.com>; Matthew.Cleveland at motorolasolutions.com<mailto:Matthew.Cleveland at motorolasolutions.com>; Clay.Cassard at motorolasolutions.com<mailto:Clay.Cassard at motorolasolutions.com>; Hernandez, Hector; Wilks, Gary; Richard Seiff; Joseph Mancino; Niederhofer, Chet
Subject: *NOTICE* GATRRS Scheduled Maintenance, TUESDAY, 11/25/14, 12:01 a.m. to 4:00 a.m., backup site link and channel bank repair
Importance: High

NOTICE OF SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE: GREATER AUSTIN-TRAVIS COUNTY REGIONAL RADIO SYSTEM (GATRRS), AUSTIN-TRAVIS AND WILCO LAYERS

WHAT'S HAPPENING - TUESDAY 11/25/2014, 12:01 A.M. TO 4:00 A.M.: TWO (2) MAINTENANCE ACTIVITIES

1.       Activity 1: Repair/replace VHF channel bank at Lakeway tower site (Austin-Travis GATRRS layer) for Fire alerting.

2.       Activity 2: Replace Master Site core relay panel 2.

IMPACT:

3.       Activity 1: Work at the Lakeway tower requires that tower site to be turned off, which will reduce radio coverage in the area around Lakeway in western Travis County, especially for Lakeway PD, Bee Cave PD, and Travis County ESD 6.

a.       Impact is mitigated by allowing Lakeway PD dispatch channels (also used by Bee Cave PD) to access nearby towers at Bell Springs (southwest) and Singleton Bend (northwest). Fire dispatch channels also have this site access. These supplemental towers should provide satisfactory coverage, especially for mobile radios.

b.      Impact is further mitigated by using mobile (vehicle-mounted) radios, which have greater power and range than handy-talkies, during this maintenance period.


4.       Activity 2: While there is some risk of impact to Austin-Travis and WilCo dispatch centers during this maintenance, it is expected to be transparent for all GATRRS customers.

a.       Austin-Travis and WilCo dispatch centers will be contacted prior to start of maintenance and advised to be prepared to use backup resources.

WHAT IS REQUIRED OF YOU?

5.       Lakeway PD, Bee Cave PD, and Travis County ESD 6 should rely more on vehicle-mounted mobile radios, which will perform better while the Lakeway radio tower is powered off during this maintenance.

6.       All GATRRS customers should be aware that this maintenance is taking place and be prepared to use backup radio resources, cell phones, pagers, and mobile data computers in the event of unexpected radio system problems.

PRIOR TO THE START OF MAINTENANCE:

7.       Dispatch centers will be contacted and advised of maintenance and reduced coverage by the City of Austin Wireless Communication Services technician assigned to oversee the work. He will determine if there is a major reason to postpone or suspend the scheduled maintenance.

a.       EXAMPLES of justification for calling off scheduled maintenance: Major inclement weather moving into the affected area, a multi-alarm fire in progress, or a law enforcement agency vehicle pursuit in progress. If the scheduled maintenance procedure is called off, all affected dispatch centers (if available) will be notified of the cancellation.

CONTACTS:

8.       City of Austin Wireless Communication Services Division Master Site Engineer: Mike Pena, cell (512) 698-6575, desk (512) 974-0976, e-mail mike.pena at austintexas.gov<mailto:mike.pena at austintexas.gov>.

9.       City of Austin Wireless Main # (512) 927-3200, answered 24/7/365.

If you have questions about the planned maintenance or problems during the maintenance, please use the contact listed above. If you need further assistance, please contact Gary Wilks or Chuck Brotherton at the telephone numbers below, or by email.

10.   Gary Wilks, desk (512) 927-3229, cell (512) 848-4421, pager (512) 802-9330, email gary.wilks at austintexas.gov<mailto:gary.wilks at austintexas.gov>.

11.   Chuck Brotherton, desk (512) 927-3209, cell (512) 636-6825, pager (512) 802-9328, email charles.brotherton at austintexas.gov<mailto:charles.brotherton at austintexas.gov>.

Thank you.

Chuck Brotherton
Manager, Wireless Communication Services Division
Communications and Technology Management
City of Austin
1006 Smith Road
Austin, TX 78721
desk: (512) 927-3209
cell: (512) 636-6825
pager: (512) 802-9328
charles.brotherton at austintexas.gov<mailto:charles.brotherton at austintexas.gov>

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