Dodge County WI Radio: Motorola 800 MHz Talks Start (2026)

Dodge County, Wisconsin has moved to the contract stage on a new public safety radio system. In an update dated October 5, 2026, the county stated that after reviewing proposals from its radio system RFP, it "has authorized the Public Safety Radio Committee to negotiate a contract with Motorola Solutions," with negotiations now underway. The target is an upgraded 800 MHz trunked system, which would replace the county's current VHF simulcast network and change every frequency local listeners scan.

The RFP opened April 1, 2026 and closed June 30, 2026. The recommendation to proceed with Motorola came from TUSA Consulting, the county's contracted radio consultant. The county's own timeline is long: a minimum of two to three years from planning to full deployment.

What Dodge County Actually Approved

• Agency: Dodge County, Wisconsin public safety radio project.
• Update date: October 5, 2026.
• Action: county authorized the Public Safety Radio Committee to negotiate a contract with Motorola Solutions.
• Consultant: TUSA Consulting recommended the step.
• Target system: upgraded 800 MHz trunked, which the county calls "the standard used by many neighboring counties and agencies."
• Timeline: minimum two to three years from planning to full deployment.
• RFP window: opened April 1, 2026, closed June 30, 2026.
• Next committee meeting: October 19, 2026.

Project page and status updates: Dodge County radio study.

Why the County Is Replacing Its VHF System

The 2024 study behind the project found the existing VHF simulcast system aged and inadequate. The documented problems are specific and unglamorous, which is normal for radio replacement projects:

• Time delay interference in the simulcast network.
• An unusually high VHF noise floor.
• Towers too outdated to accept modern equipment.
• Components over 20 years old that can only be repaired with used parts bought on auction sites.

That last point is the real driver. When a system's spares come from auction sites, a single failed part can put a channel down for weeks. Counties generally do not fund radio rebuilds because the technology is exciting. They fund them because the alternative is a dispatch channel that fails during a storm.

What an 800 MHz Trunked Move Means for Scanner Listeners

Moving from VHF conventional simulcast to an 800 MHz trunked system changes listening in three concrete ways.

1. Frequencies change. The channels listeners have programmed today stop carrying the traffic they carry now. Any scan list built around Dodge County VHF needs rebuilding once the new system is live.
2. Trunking changes the scan method. A trunked system assigns calls to available channels dynamically, so a listener follows a talkgroup and a control channel rather than a fixed frequency.
3. Digital modes matter more. 800 MHz public safety builds on neighboring systems in Wisconsin run P25 digital, which older analog-only scanners cannot decode.

For context on how these county migrations play out in practice, including a neighboring state's move to a statewide P25 system, see our report on Lorain County's move to Ohio MARCS P25.

The Encryption Question Dodge County Has Not Answered

Encryption is not mentioned anywhere on the project page. That is worth stating precisely, because the absence is not a promise either way.

• No contract value has been published.
• No signed agreement has been announced.
• No go-live date has been set.
• No statement has been made about whether dispatch traffic will be encrypted on the new system.

Many agencies that move to modern P25 systems keep dispatch in the clear while encrypting tactical channels, and many others encrypt dispatch outright. Dodge County has said nothing publicly, and nothing should be read into the silence. The next checkpoint is the Public Safety Radio Committee meeting listed for October 19, 2026.

What Listeners Should Do Now

Nothing is changing this month, so the practical advice is calibration rather than panic. Three steps make sense while the project is in negotiation:

• Keep listening to the current VHF traffic while it lasts, and note which talkgroups and agencies you actually care about. That list is what you will program later.
• Track the committee's public meetings rather than waiting for a coverage story. County radio pages update quietly and the October 19, 2026 meeting is the next one.
• Do not buy trunking hardware for a system that does not exist yet. The build is two to three years out at minimum, and analog VHF scanning still works today.

For listeners who want to bring in the current Dodge County VHF and UHF traffic now, a dual-band handheld does the job while the old system stays live. The Baofeng UV-5R Plus covers VHF and UHF and ships pre-programmed to your area. Be clear about the limit: an analog dual-band radio will not decode an 800 MHz trunked P25 system once Dodge County cuts over, so this is a listen-now solution, not a future-proof one. If a trunked migration is coming to your county, our encryption and scanner capability guide explains what hardware class each system needs.

FAQ

Did Dodge County, Wisconsin already buy a new radio system?

No. The county authorized its Public Safety Radio Committee to negotiate a contract with Motorola Solutions, as of an update dated October 5, 2026. Negotiations are underway and no signed agreement has been announced.

What system is Dodge County moving to?

An upgraded 800 MHz trunked system, which the county describes as the standard used by many neighboring counties and agencies. It would replace the current VHF simulcast network.

When will the new Dodge County radio system go live?

The county's stated timeline is a minimum of two to three years from planning to full deployment. No go-live date has been published.

Will Dodge County encrypt police radio traffic?

Unknown. Encryption is not mentioned on the project page, and the county has made no public statement about dispatch encryption on the new system.

Will my scanner stop working in Dodge County?

Not immediately. The current VHF system remains in service during planning and negotiation. Once an 800 MHz trunked P25 system is live, analog-only scanners will not decode it, and listeners would need P25 trunking-capable hardware.

What is the next milestone in the Dodge County radio project?

The Public Safety Radio Committee meeting listed for October 19, 2026, with contract negotiation with Motorola Solutions as the active item.

Bottom line: Dodge County, Wisconsin has authorized contract negotiations with Motorola Solutions for an 800 MHz trunked radio system, recommended by consultant TUSA Consulting, with a two to three year build horizon. Encryption is unaddressed and no contract value is public. Listeners keep VHF traffic for now, and should track the October 19, 2026 committee meeting rather than buying hardware for a system that is years away.