In November of 2016 during the 2019 migration push the Bald repeater site was incorrectly programmed with the tone of 210.7. The problem was identified and the local unit and the technician came up with the work around having an additional channel programmed to access the repeater. They had been using that up to the week before last.
Early summer 2018 there were external resources that tried using the Bald repeater without knowing of the work around in place. It had been mentioned that the tone difference may be the problem to dispatch at that time. That is when the topic arose and they requested to have the tone reprogrammed to the original to minimize confusion with external resources. Following that request we started experiencing multiple instances of one way communications due to the 4300 series router. The base radio for dispatch to access the Bald repeater was affected on six different occasions, three times in one week. Dispatch assumed the failure was due to the tone being changed. In actuality the tone had not been changed since 2016. The week of August 6th two technicians did coordinate the reprogramming of the tone at the repeater and the local base. As you are aware this would not have created an issue with dispatch being able to transmit due to a tone issue. The actual fault is due to the following.
Shortly after the tone change the Dillion RD experienced a network outage. This affected data, voice and radio. The network team shipped out a new router and when it was installed data and voice came back on-line. They did not realize full radio communications had not at that time. The new router was not correctly provisioned with the E&M work around for the 4300 series router so one way communications was occurring. Unfortunately, The network team could not remotely access the new router and properly configure the work around. They then realized that the UPS was the original fault and installed the original router. At that time two way radio communications were restored. The radio outage lasted between 08/11-08/14.
Situations like this come with a lot of assumptions from misunderstandings and knowledge from the personnel. Training and in-depth communications may have helped to make sure all understood what was occurring and where the fault actually lies. |
