OK, way to pile on guys.
I was referring to the radio template. From a user's standpoint, all I want to know is what Med channel I need to be on - all the other extraneous info is superfluous to me. I know that in operation, it's pretty simple. So do current radios actually use the three digit channel number? What equipment is used currently?
Which leads to another question: How often to ground providers need to change tone codes / med channels during transport? Are inter-regional transports that common?
Per the MIEMSS communication standard, UHF radio sets should show the three-digit channel number and some abbreviated version of the alphanumeric description. So basically everything listed under the "Mobile Channel Name" column of the channel plan. I would think by now, the word "NEW" could be omitted since we're a few years post NFM transition.
Generally speaking, there should be very little need for medical control calls during inter-regional, inter-facility transports, and if they are needed, it wouldn't be a long and continuous thing (if this were necessary, it would likely be done by phone). Most long-distance transfers are in one of two categories: extremely sub-acute patient where almost no provider intervention is needed, or critical-care/specialty-care, where the providers are going to be consulting with their agency's own medical control physician by phone. And if a radio call were begun in one region, and were to pass into another region, a mobile radio would have no trouble staying connected to the region's tower where the call originated. Providers who do work on units that COULD need to access UHF in various part of the state should be familiar with, or have access to the communications plan map, and be familiar with what call channel to originate on. From their, the EMRC operator will be able to direct them to the appropriate channel/PL for the region. Same applies to 911 providers who may end up, for example, running someone by ground to Baltimore from the Eastern Shore.
No simple answer unfortunately.
MIEMSS UHF radios are programmed for MEDCALL, MED-A, MED-B, etc.
Current 800 Mhz trunking are programmed with the same nomenclature as MIEMSS.
Upcoming 700 Mhz trunking are to be programmed with the new naming convention 7R4-CALL, 7R4-MED1, 7R4-MED2. (7 = 700Mhz, R4 = region 4, "-" then Channel Name)
MEDCALL, MED-A, and MED-B are UMESC system talk group names. Every trunked system with EMRC talk groups has some variation of nomenclature for them, but are typically similar. If your UHF radio is programmed this way, it does not coincide with MIEMSS' standard channel naming plan.
The "7R4-XXX" nomenclature is how MDFIRST is being set up, and is only being created because UMESC counties are adopting MDFIRST as their primary radio system, and will, therefore, need TRS access to EMRC. Whether this same naming plan will carry on state-wide if EMRC talk groups are created for all regions is really an unknown.