LA County Lifeguards LA-RICS

[batt14firebuff]

Hiya,

Anybody know which site LA County Lifeguards operates on for LA-RICS? Is it Station-B UHF/700?

 

[KG6GTH]

They are on VHF LACFD Tac Channels... Look at the Database... Also LAC BLUE-3

 

[marcotor]

I would think a Lifeguard subscriber on the LA-RICS System would use whatever node is closest to them. They are not on a single tower.

 

[batt14firebuff]

They are on VHF LACFD Tac Channels... Look at the Database... Also LAC BLUE-3

Not anymore, because I never pick anything up on those VHF tacs anymore.

 

[batt14firebuff]

I would think a Lifeguard subscriber on the LA-RICS System would use whatever node is closest to them. They are not on a single tower.

Yeah, it’s odd.

 

[Ravenfalls]

So far the only talkgroup that's ENC is Lifeguard Admin.

All SAR talkgroup are ENC. The SAR portable repeater links to UHF are in the clear.

 

[avascan522]

Keep in mind, it is also a slow time of year. Come summer, starting around Memorial Day, I imagine more LG towers will be staffed and more personnel out using radios. When times are slower, they may not use the VHF side of things nearly as much as summer.

In Avalon, on Catalina Island, the beach guards use low band radios on the old Baywatch frequencies "L1, L2, L3". Once the season is over, the Baywatch guys stow the radios in their station, then bring them back the next year when beach duty resumes (spring/summer). Not sure if the county will be providing $8,000+ handhelds to the Avalon guards, who normally get the scraps anyway.

 

[stfive]

In Avalon, on Catalina Island, the beach guards use low band radios on the old Baywatch frequencies "L1, L2, L3". Once the season is over, the Baywatch guys stow the radios in their station, then bring them back the next year when beach duty resumes (spring/summer). Not sure if the county will be providing $8,000+ handhelds to the Avalon guards, who normally get the scraps anyway.

Hello avascan522,

You mentioned that the Catalina Island beach guards use the low band radios on the old Baywatch frequencies. Have the lifeguard boats migrated to the LA-RICS system? If not, which frequencies are they using?

Additionally, I agree that it seems unlikely that the county will be issuing $8,000+ handhelds to the beach guards. Maybe in the vehicles and boats, but that’s an expensive radio to leave on the beach during a rescue.

 

[avascan522]

Hello avascan522,

You mentioned that the Catalina Island beach guards use the low band radios on the old Baywatch frequencies. Have the lifeguard boats migrated to the LA-RICS system? If not, which frequencies are they using?

Additionally, I agree that it seems unlikely that the county will be issuing $8,000+ handhelds to the beach guards. Maybe in the vehicles and boats, but that’s an expensive radio to leave on the beach during a rescue.

I don't doubt that other lifeguard posts around the county will be issued the new radios, but most likely not Island posts. They might be given one radio in the main tower, but not one for each stand.
The Baywatch boats are only temporarily manned by the baywatch medics in Avalon and Two Harbors. They use them when they need to, otherwise they are attending to shoreside and inland medical calls with their squad trucks. No one has started using LA-RICS on the island.

 

[LAflyer]

From what I gather 5 sites planned to provide Catalia coverage are still in buildout and should be ready by end of Q1, while 3 others await Coastal Commission greenlight.

 

[batt14firebuff]

From what I gather 5 sites planned to provide Catalia coverage are still in buildout and should be ready by end of Q1, while 3 others await Coastal Commission greenlight.

Interesting

 

[batt14firebuff]

Hello avascan522,

You mentioned that the Catalina Island beach guards use the low band radios on the old Baywatch frequencies. Have the lifeguard boats migrated to the LA-RICS system? If not, which frequencies are they using?

Additionally, I agree that it seems unlikely that the county will be issuing $8,000+ handhelds to the beach guards. Maybe in the vehicles and boats, but that’s an expensive radio to leave on the beach during a rescue.

I’ve seen pictures of lifeguards with the 8000HXE

 

[avascan522]

From what I gather 5 sites planned to provide Catalia coverage are still in buildout and should be ready by end of Q1, while 3 others await Coastal Commission greenlight.

BJM, DPK, and TWR new towers have been built, while only BJM has antennas installed. DPK is nearing completion of a new equipment shelter next to the tower. Not sure where other "sites" will be. Maybe there are a few mainland sites they consider as providing coverage for the island.

 

[jrholm]

Baywatch Avalon can also be heard on the city's fire channel as they provide paramedic service to the city of Avalon and the rest of the island as well.

 

[avascan522]

Update: Since the Catalina sites have come online in the last 2 weeks, Island units have been regularly using "LG Catalina" as a tac channel. Both fire and baywatch. Beach guards stationed in Avalon are running "low" on low-band equipment, so they've resorted to using Retevis H-777S handhelds between the beach towers. Not a far distance, so they work.