National Radio Quiet Zone administrators work toward resolution on EMS calls

Green Bank, W.Va. (WVVA) - With evolving technology comes new challenges for researchers in the National Radio Quiet Zone. First responders in Pendleton County are seeking an exemption to participate in an inter-agency communication service to respond to emergencies.

According the Green Bank Observatory’s Director, Jim Jackson, administrators in the National Radio Quiet Zone are currently working with the county and bordering Virginia counties to work toward a solution. While he said the radio frequencies of the multi-agency system would interfere with the work going on in the quiet zone, he said they were recently able to resolve a similar issue with Pocohontas County emergency services by allowing that county to communicate at a lower frequency.

“An updated agreement has been established between the NRQZ and Pocahontas County Commission identifying a radio band at which emergency services can operate with lower power, increasing public safety, while minimizing the impact of interference with the Observatory, expanding coverage in Bartow and the Snowshoe Ski Resort. Coverage already exists in other parts of the county further away from the Observatory,” read a release sent out by the Green Bank Observatory on Monday.

As for the NSA’s Sugar Grove site in Pendleton County, leaders with the National Radio Quiet Zone are currently working with the National Science Foundation to come up with a solution that could potentially involve the use of directional antennas.

“We’re not the only player here, but we’re working with them to find a solution,” said Jackson. “The National Science Foundation is involved. We’re hoping to have some government funding to develop engineering solutions for them and funding to implement those solutions. So this is not an insoluble problem. It might be an expensive problem but it’s certainly not an insoluble problem.”

While the Green Bank needs limited interference for the operation of the radio telescope, the NSA previously confirmed to WVVA News that the site as Sugar Grove is used for communications research for the Dept. of Defense.

Jackson said all the parties are expected to meet later this month to work towards a resolution.