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"Richard Clark" wrote in message
... On 13 Jun 2005 10:35:40 -0700, " wrote: Richard has covered many of your concerns. In terms of the rate charged, our mechanic gets about $15 per hour, while I get $9. With the proper tools, replacement materials, correct knowledge and a motivated/productive worker(s) (less than your $15/hour mechanic) - you can improve the operation of this system. Did you know that many stereo installation workers (e.g. Best Buy, Fry's stereo shops) and even some LMR shops make about this same wage range? It is usually an apprentice or entry level position for LMR shops ! So, how can you make it happen? Richard gave an excellent FIRST step "Start by using what field medics call triage." My Dad and Elmer's taught me 35 years ago that you need to quickly separate the "wheat from the chaff". Some of your "problem radios" in buses may actually be "bad radios" AND "bad antennas". IF a radio has a shorted coax, the final RF transistors inside the radio may have been damaged (like running an engine with no "oil warning" light -- damage is or has occurred and you don't know it !) There is no easy way that you will know this without diagnostic equipment. While the repairs made to the repeater did get channel 1 working again, it has a high static level with most but not all busses. A couple of busses sound relatively clear, while most others are nearly unintelligible. While a number of problems can cause high static levels -- I would FIRST suspect a broken shield in the antenna coax -- due to rough "installs and reinstalls" from buses -- so that ignition noise from the bus engine is being picked up by the radio. Now, you still need to have a sit down conversation (for research and business relationship purposes) with your local LMR. The purpose of this meeting (about 30 minutes) is to introduce yourself and come away with the following accomplishments. Something like this: 1. Establish a business relationship with the owner or manager of this business. Who is he/she? How long in business? Did they originally install and design this system for the company? You just handed him a check for services -- and he/she should be happy to do this. 2. Outline -- at a high level -- your problem, which is: + Due to regular replacement of buses, your staff has to remove and install 40 radios very 12 to 24 months. + You have recently joined the company and discovered that the knowledge to do this work properly has been lost (due to employee turnover). + The company needs to regain sufficient knowledge to perform this work at "odd hours" or on "short notice". + You would like a proposal from this LMR company: Cost to perform this changeout service per bus (at their facility OR at your facility - likely 2 prices here) - and any discounts for guaranteed volume of work (per bus) for a given time period. (This service should include assurance of both the radio and antenna) 3. Ask the company if they would be willing to have 2 of your staff members "shadow" his install technicians. I know of many LMR that are restricted from doing this by their business insurers (similar restrictions exist for many insurance policies at automotive and truck garages - you may have such a restriction at your own bus garage Your staff likely knows "buses" better than his LMR techs - and joint knowledge may be required for proper power routing to radio and antenna placement on the bus. No one has mentioned this - but the placement of a UHF antenna on a large bus is a KEY DECISION for proper operation. AFTER, you get his written or verbal proposal, I would suggest that you propose to your management to try this out on the 2 bus radio installs - for you suspect that there are several issues at work in those instances. Select the worst 2 bus radios --- preferably to be removed and installed in 2 brand new buses. This is what I refer to as a "BOOT STRAP" upgrade - taking the worst and making it the best. NEW BUS - GOOD RADIO, POSITIVE Driver comments about these NEW BUSES - immediate quality improvement -- easier to continue program -- you get "buy in". You will likely find the following reported to you by the LMR company -- as they have the "UHF bus radios" on the bench. 1. Bad coax that needs replacing 2. New whip required for antenna or "recutting" 3. You may require "noise suppression" on the power lead from the battery due to engine noise (e.g. spark plug, ignition system) 4. Damage or failure of the radio -- if you have no maintenance agreement -- this is break fix at a bench rate -- the alternatives are NO RADIO, FIX RADIO or REPLACE RADIO Lastly, although you are upgrading and changing buses on a regular schedule (and tires) - where is the yearly budget allocation for the communication system? Did you know that if you handle the accounting properly -- you can include these radios in the overall capital depreciation of the buses? IF you did not know this (kick your accountant in the ass for me) - that is pretty basic. Greg w9gb |
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