Significant Milestones Completed
- SOA PSIC Priorities 1&2 Projects
- AWIN Capacity Increase 12/1/2010
- Network Interconnectivity 12/1/2009
- Microwave Equipment Replacement 6/30/2009
- Satellite (Communications Back-up System) 8/1/2009
- Sites on Wheels Deployment 3/1/2008
- AWIN Continuity of Operations 6/30/2008
- AWIN Rebanding Planning 6/30/2008
- Air Conditioner Replacement (Remote Sites) 6/30/2008
- Tower Lighting 6/30/2008
- UPS Installations 6/30/2008
- System Upgrade Complete August 2008
- Second Smart Zone Controller Operational February 2007
2003 – Present
In November of 2003 Arkansas State Police chose to upgrade their system within the AWIN program structure. A new AWIN leadership structure emerged as a result of the system upgrade.
Today, AWIN stakeholders have been working to create a state wide, interoperable, digital communications system. The Department of Information Systems (D I S) along with the Arkansas Department of Emergency Management (A D E M) and the Arkansas State Police have teamed together to Leverage $100M in assets to create a system worth $175 – $200M.
The AWIN Steering Committee and Local Leadership Council is made up of County Judges, County OEM’s, County Sheriff’s, County Fire Chiefs, and Quorum Court officials. These local officials provide system oversight with input from the system users across the State of Arkansas.
1999 – 2001
The State Police AMSS was upgraded from Type 1 to Type 2 and no longer supported AMSS 1 technology.
The Radio Systems Work Group (RSWG) created by Act 502 of 1999 was tasked to make recommendations to the Governor and General Assembly regarding the feasibility, design, implementation, resource needs, and other requirements for the implementation of a statewide Radio System. The scope of the legislation was focused on voice communications for state agencies. A corresponding appropriation was established by act 320 of 1999.
The RSWG engaged the services of Buford Goff and Associates to assist them with the analysis and investigations of a statewide radio system from August 1999 through September 2000.
1986
Prior to 1986 the Arkansas State Police radio system consisted of low band (LB) channels (44 MHz range). Users were unable to have multiple conversations simultaneously and the system experienced heavy interference from other users.
In 1986 the Automatic Multiple Site Select (AMSS) system became operational. This was the first wide-area, 800 MHz trunked communication system in North America. It provided multiple talk-groups (i.e. Dispatch, TACH1) and a more efficient use of the same frequencies, emergency button capabilities, private call, and paging.