Upper Darby Fire Dept Dispatch Changes

Status
Not open for further replies.

Septa3371CSX1

Member
Joined
Jan 8, 2008
Messages
1,083
Location
Drexel Hill, PA
Effective this past Monday all Upper Darby Fire Companies (20,26, 36, 37, 74) are being toned out and dispatched on the county low band dispatch frequency 46.48. Dispatch voice is still being simulcasted over Fire 10 (506.6625). Apparently the reason for this is issues with the Upper Darby VHF repeater. I'll have to check 154.415 and 154.325 out when I get a chance to see if these channels are still active in any way.
 

CommJunkie

Member
Joined
Feb 22, 2008
Messages
914
Location
FM19gt
I've been trying to sit on 46.480 with my QC2 decoder to see if the tones are the same as the VHF channels but I never seem to hear them catch a call when I'm listening.
 

Septa3371CSX1

Member
Joined
Jan 8, 2008
Messages
1,083
Location
Drexel Hill, PA
They seem to be the same tones (at least for 20, 26, 36, and 37 - 74 may be slightly different thanks to the similarity to Medic 04's tones). I monitored last night and saw 154.415 is still in use simulcasting the dispatch (at least the voice) from 46.48. 154.325, however, was not in use as I was not hearing anything on it while listening to Fire 10.
 

Septa3371CSX1

Member
Joined
Jan 8, 2008
Messages
1,083
Location
Drexel Hill, PA
Monitored the last call and I can confirm the tones are the same for all companies. 154.415 is simply simulcasting 46.48 on Upper Darby calls. Even 103's tones came across 154.415 on that call. Monitoring it for a bit to see if it is simulcasting anything else on 46.48.

Edit: Just heard a call for 83-7 go across 154.415. Looks like it is simulcasting 46.48. I'll submit my observations to the database.
 
Last edited:

phillydjdan

Member
Joined
Jan 27, 2011
Messages
2,075
Upper Darby does not rebroadcast the tones over Fire 10. Never have. The voice portion of a dispatch is, but not the tones
 

Jason4525

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Jul 9, 2011
Messages
14
Location
Delco PA
I love this!!!!! County dispatch is now using 154.4150 Now I can hear all the calls go out at 5bars when on 508.2375 I could never get a solid signal to hear calls on my handheld. Once again I am so happy about this move
 

Septa3371CSX1

Member
Joined
Jan 8, 2008
Messages
1,083
Location
Drexel Hill, PA
I love this!!!!! County dispatch is now using 154.4150 Now I can hear all the calls go out at 5bars when on 508.2375 I could never get a solid signal to hear calls on my handheld. Once again I am so happy about this move

I'm liking it myself - just gotta see how long it lasts.
 

CommJunkie

Member
Joined
Feb 22, 2008
Messages
914
Location
FM19gt
I'm assuming 154.415 is still only really good for listening to in that area. I'll unlock it in my scanner and see if I can pick it up while I'm mobile. I would actually like to have dispatch move to VHF rather than low band, but that's just me.

Also, wasn't 26's tones the same as 06-7? How are they the same now if they're on 46.48?
 

6655321

Member
Joined
Feb 28, 2004
Messages
19
My guess is that DelCom has done this to permit the continued use of analog pagers. Just did a quick search and noticed that the Motorola Minitor VI does not currently have a 30-50MHZ tone/voice version (from Motorola website)...By utilizing VHF High a source of new QCII pagers is available.

GZ
 

Septa3371CSX1

Member
Joined
Jan 8, 2008
Messages
1,083
Location
Drexel Hill, PA
I'm assuming 154.415 is still only really good for listening to in that area. I'll unlock it in my scanner and see if I can pick it up while I'm mobile. I would actually like to have dispatch move to VHF rather than low band, but that's just me.

Also, wasn't 26's tones the same as 06-7? How are they the same now if they're on 46.48?

Yes 26-FIRE and 06-ALS used to utilize the same tones. However since Medic 06-7 has gone the way of the dodo bird they no longer use those tones. Thus there should be no issues.

The only reason I can see Delco simulcasting 46.48 over 154.415 is to allow Upper Darby volunteers to keep the same pagers instead of having to find low band pagers that aren't really available anymore. I'll try to keep tabs on 154.325 to see if that ever comes back to life.
 

phillydjdan

Member
Joined
Jan 27, 2011
Messages
2,075
It makes sense to do it this way. Setup a simple crossband repeater and the dispatcher no longer has to worry about selecting the wrong channel when dispatching a run. It allngoes over lownband and the crossband repeater takes over.

The Fire10 repeater was basically the same, just from UHF to VHF, so I see no reason why it shouldnt return.
Now that Im thinking about it, I wonder if they didnt have to borrow some equipment from the Fire10 machine to make this new dispatch configuration work.

Sent using Android ForumReader app
 

CommJunkie

Member
Joined
Feb 22, 2008
Messages
914
Location
FM19gt
It makes sense to do it this way. Setup a simple crossband repeater and the dispatcher no longer has to worry about selecting the wrong channel when dispatching a run. It allngoes over lownband and the crossband repeater takes over.

The Fire10 repeater was basically the same, just from UHF to VHF, so I see no reason why it shouldnt return.
Now that Im thinking about it, I wonder if they didnt have to borrow some equipment from the Fire10 machine to make this new dispatch configuration work.

Sent using Android ForumReader app

The dispatchers don't have to select a channel. They input the run, the CAD brings up the response, and the system automatically knows where to send the tones (East tower, west tower, north tower, etc) because it's preprogrammed that way.

Fire 10 is the ops channel. They simulcast voice but no tones. It simulcast VHF so you could buy a 2 channel pager and monitor the ops frequency. 46.22 from Haverford is now the same way. It rebroadcasts Fire 4 from Station 56.
 

CommJunkie

Member
Joined
Feb 22, 2008
Messages
914
Location
FM19gt
My guess is that DelCom has done this to permit the continued use of analog pagers. Just did a quick search and noticed that the Motorola Minitor VI does not currently have a 30-50MHZ tone/voice version (from Motorola website)...By utilizing VHF High a source of new QCII pagers is available.

GZ

The county would be smart to do one of two things.

1. Add transmit sites for 508.2375 so companies can utilize that frequency on Minitor pagers and also allow for a second channel in the pager to monitor the company ops channel. [Preferred]

2. Add transmit sites for 154.415 so it's not just in Upper Darby. They also need to add a PL to it because I get interference like crazy on this freq in CSQ.
 

Septa3371CSX1

Member
Joined
Jan 8, 2008
Messages
1,083
Location
Drexel Hill, PA
FYI-Some of that interference comes from the Cecil Co,MD when that system chooses 154.415 as its control channel (rotates between other VHF freqs in their EDACS system).

Still no x band repeat on 154.325 as of 9/23.

The interference actually comes from 154.4075 - the primary Cecil County CC. Cecil County broadcasts at a high output and their control channel can easily be heard in parts of Delco - especially down by the river. Often times the signal bleeds over to 154.400 and 154.415. Normally where I am I don't get interference from them but occasionally when conditions are right it does come booming in.
 

captaincab

Member
Joined
Sep 11, 2010
Messages
628
Location
monitoring delco pa with gre psr300 pro2053 and b
Have you heard yet what unit numbers the new haverford ems will be using when they take over in november?


The dispatchers don't have to select a channel. They input the run, the CAD brings up the response, and the system automatically knows where to send the tones (East tower, west tower, north tower, etc) because it's preprogrammed that way.

Fire 10 is the ops channel. They simulcast voice but no tones. It simulcast VHF so you could buy a 2 channel pager and monitor the ops frequency. 46.22 from Haverford is now the same way. It rebroadcasts Fire 4 from Station 56.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top