Project Lifesaver International-Virginia

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W4UVV

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:)FYI Project Lifesaver International, in part, is designed to provide a faster SAR recovery time for individuals at risk from various medical or other valid reasons. Impacted individuals can be fitted as appropriate with 1 of 20 selected 218 mhz. frequencies on a low powered digital tracking device such as a wrist worn transmitter. Where project member supported, the appropriate Police Dept./Sheriff Officer would review the application, which most likely would involve an at risk family member.

If approved the PD/SO would issue a low power tracking device on 1 of 20 Project Lifesaver International licensed selected frequencies in the 218 mhz. range. The equipment is not cheap. Extracted from a post from the Newport News Sheriff Office on Google 2017(not word for word);.....for a SAR unit the cost of a receiver is $1,800; car and handheld antenna $264 each and headphones $49 each. For a client(user?) the total initial cost is approximately $650-700 plus an annual cost of $33.20. Prices listed may not reflect the most current costs.

There may be more PD/SO current Virginia project members but Google searches returned only the PDs or SOs for Chesapeake, Newport News, Portsmouth, Loudoun County and Bedford County. This SAR project appears to be a growing trend of standardizing SAR protocols and equipment which eventually could result in nationwide standardized SAR efforts.

Since Chesapeake is the first VA project member to be FCC licensed, it would seem each project member SAR unit also would have to apply for a separate FCC license. But there may be exceptions. But since the FCC would be losing money by doing that, I doubt it.

Here is the FCC link for the twenty 218 mhz. conventional low power digital frequencies licensed to Chesapeake which is listed as the control:

ULS License - Industrial/Business Pool, Conventional License - WRAM536 - PROJECT LIFESAVER INTERNATIONAL

Here is the Google link for more info on Project Lifesaver International:

Project Lifesaver (Home Safe)

John
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BoxAlarm187

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After doing a little more looking, Prince William, Hanover, Virginia Beach, Orange County, Louisa, Albemarle, Amherst, Dinwiddie, Loudoun, Town of Warrenton, Williamsburg, Spotsylvania, James City County, and Montgomery County (and more) are also PLS users.
 

freqhopping

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Sometimes on a tac channel you hear Loudoun training on it. A few units will be trying to track down a target with a transmitter. They also have a drone setup with a receiver.

Fairfax is also in the program.
 

jeepsandradios

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Many states in NY also use PLI and I know no one is licensed to a specfic frequency. Our SAR team assists multiple counties as we have 3 receivers for this system. This is something not new either as we have been involved for at least 5 years...
 

W4UVV

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Non-standardization of interop frequenices/incompatable equipment

Many states in NY also use PLI and I know no one is licensed to a specfic frequency. Our SAR team assists multiple counties as we have 3 receivers for this system. This is something not new either as we have been involved for at least 5 years...
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Your post documents a classic example of every SAR unit doing its' "own thing" using whatever frequencies and incompatible inter-op equipment.

One of the project's goals is for each SAR unit to have the interop capability of using 1 of 20 selectable 218 mhz. frequencies and compatible related equipment specifically licensed for SAR low power tracking devices.

John
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jeepsandradios

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Your post documents a classic example of every SAR unit doing its' "own thing" using whatever frequencies and incompatible inter-op equipment.

One of the project's goals is for each SAR unit to have the interop capability of using 1 of 20 selectable 218 mhz. frequencies and compatible related equipment specifically licensed for SAR low power tracking devices.

John
W4UVV

Incorrect. First off PLI is the administrator of the system used all over the US. We have no control over what frequencies the "clients" get. When i order a PLI transmitter for the client I login to a site and order. I don't specify a channel. We have units in the 216 and 218 mhz. On top of that there is more than 20 channels in use as we have over 300 clients in one county. Granted some are duplicates but there are many more than 20 individual frequencies.

Additionally PLI equipment is purchased from PLI and members are trained per PLI for the use of all of this. This doesn't change per state or region as its the way LI works.

So I am not quite sure where the " do their own thing and no interop" comes from. For voice communications the majority of SAR Teams are interoperable, including being parts of regional and state radio systems.

PLI is only for the bracelets that the subject where.
 
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