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County tower infrastructure improvements approved
Steve and Dave Keller of Radio One, Inc.
Steve and Dave Keller of Radio One, Inc. (right)

At their Monday, August 1, 2022, meeting of the Tattnall County Commissioners, the county officials approved for further tower infrastructure updates and improvements, this time between Reidsville and Cobbtown.  Essentially, the Collins site will be eliminated, which is a plus, since that equipment is no longer available and is antiquated. This eliminates the need to maintain dishes on the Collins water tank.

The first phase from Reidsville to Glennville is complete, which eliminates the county-owned Speers Tower on John Luther Branch Road. This assists in increasing communication among the various agencies and law enforcement in Tattnall County.

Brothers Steve and Dave Keller of Radio One briefed the commissioners on the scope of service that the upgrades will provide, which include installing larger dishes with improved technology  higher up on the existing tower in Reidsville and larger dishes with improved technology on the water tanks in Glennville and Cobbtown. 

"In essence, you will be replacing the microwave link between Reidsville and Cobbtown that will provide much better communication and will be more reliable as well," said Steve Keller.

"You currently have two dishes from Reidsville to Collins and two dishes from Collins to Cobbtown, and this new equipment will get this down to just two dishes from Reidsville to Cobbtown," he said.

He also added that they would be providing some frequency research to find some additional frequencies, with more than two slots needed if a county emergency occurs.  Keller commented that the height of the towers will now be higher for both towers between Reidsville and Glennville and between Reidsville and Cobbtown, along with larger dishes.  The towers will now be 275 feet  whereas the old ones were 120 feet.

The price approved for the tower install between Reidsville and Cobbtown, along with the tech services, microwave system equipment, and structural analysis on the Reidsville tower is $62,000.50 from Radio One.

The other Radio One bid approved is for $14,025, which if for a frequency research and engineering studies to find possible FB8 pairs at four different sites along with FCC licensing to add five FB8 frequency pairs to Tattnall's existing trunked system license.