Posted on: Wednesday, April 3, 2002

Police delay switch to digital radio

By Vicki Viotti
Advertiser Staff Writer

The Honolulu Police Department has put off switching to an all-digital communications system until April 9, making some final tests to ensure clear transmission.

Police have been moving toward the switch since the city acquired the system in 1998, but gaps in the radio coverage and various hardware and software changes forced the postponement of the conversion.

Improvements were made and the switchover had been expected by the end of March, but some police officers had not been able to have their portable radios reprogrammed in time, said Myron Yamaki of the HPD technology division. In addition, he said, the department has been double-checking the transmission system.

"We've been doing some tests, trying to minimize problems, and doing voice checks to see that everything is aligned," Yamaki said.

The new system, already in use by lifeguards, civil defense workers and other city workers, will mean that hobbyists who monitor police radio will not be able to use their analog, or nondigital, scanners to decode transmissions.

The fire department plans to continue on the analog system for another year, officials said.