Cityscape recommends single-site UHF repeater after finding large wireless coverage gaps in Franklin Park

Cityscape Consultants and Federal Engineering presented the second phase of a wireless master plan to Franklin Park borough council members during a January pre-meeting, saying large portions of the borough lack reliable cellular and radio coverage and recommending a single-site UHF repeater to improve public-works interoperability and reduce channel congestion.

The presenters said the Allegheny Public Safety Radio System remains the primary public-safety network for the borough’s police and volunteer fire departments and for the McCandless-Franklin Park Ambulance Authority. “The Allegheny Public Safety Radio System provides emergency communications for, the public safety agencies within the borough, namely the police department and the volunteer fire departments,” said Travis LePage, director with Federal Engineering, one of the firms on the project.

Cityscape’s inventory and mapping found 17 wireless infrastructure sites in and around the borough — seven facilities inside the borough and 10 in a one-mile perimeter — including five existing towers, four small wireless facilities and one base station. Consultants said one local table in their packet showed about 58% of Franklin Park address points had “spotty or no coverage” under the…