"The Latest Communications Equipment for the Fireground and Beyond"

[Tank67]

BridgeCom Systems is selling fire departments AnyTones because it is a more "cost-effective" option than the "4,000 and up radios" state systems require. Just lol.

Here is a snippet, the full article, and a release from BridgeCom themselves.

You'll have to scroll a little further down in the article to get to this part because it begins with discussing in vehicle headsets.

The Latest Communications Equipment for the Fireground and Beyond

Officers, driver/operators, firefighters and special operations technicians are aided in multiple ways by the sophistication and affordability of systems that let them talk to...

www.firehouse.com

Letcher Volunteer Fire Department Enhances Emergency Communication wit

Letcher Volunteer Fire Department Enhances Emergency Communication with BridgeCom Systems Letcher, South Dakota – The Letcher Volunteer Fire Department has upgraded its communication tools by purchasing the Commercial AnyTone AT-D878UVII Plus radios from BridgeCom Systems. This upgrade helps...

www.bridgecomsystems.com

 

[prcguy]

I have an Anythone AT-D878UVII Plus and would never consider it for public service use. The menus are complicated to navigate and its not rugged enough for your life to depend on it. I hope nobody dies because an Anytone radio or repeater fails at a critical moment and if it happens its on the idiots who are selling these radios for public service. What's next, are they going to start selling Home Depot plastic garden hoses for firetruck use?

 

[mmckenna]

Based on the attitude I've seen that some volunteer agencies have about radio equipment, and members buying ham gear and modifying it, this isn't surprising. I suspect Bridgecom doesn't understand the public safety world very well and assume they can break into it with CCR's.

This should be interesting to watch.

 

[kc2asb]

They would be better off buying surplus commercial radios. If Bridgecom is worth their salt, they should be able to advise them on the purchase and programming of such radios.

 

[nd5y]

What's next, are they going to start selling Home Depot plastic garden hoses for firetruck use?

https://forums.radioreference.com/t...dations-for-fire-members.461082/#post-3878016

 

[MTS2000des]

Wait until BrideCom gets sued after an LODD or even injury. They'll be bankrupt.

This isn't a fools game. Play toy radios are fine for hams, enthusiasts, the GMRS 8 channel army, the molle carrier whackers and everything in between.

They have ZERO place on a fireground or any IDLH setting.

As I always say, it's all good, until it isn't.

BridgeCom will learn about the "fitness for a particular purpose" clause in commercial liability. Marketing devices that aren't certified nor intended for IDLH use is how you get sued out of business.

Do $4000 and up radios cost? Yes. They are DESIGNED for IDLH, rated for such by UL and other accredited testing labs, and the companies that make them also know when it goes bad they'll be in a courtroom and budget for that too.

 

[WB5UOM]

I think this is worse than those "911 inet" radios

 

[ladn]

BridgeCom Systems is selling fire departments AnyTones because it is a more "cost-effective" option than the "4,000 and up radios" state systems require. Just lol.

Here is a snippet, the full article, and a release from BridgeCom themselves.

You'll have to scroll a little further down in the article to get to this part because it begins with discussing in vehicle headsets.
View attachment 186796

The Latest Communications Equipment for the Fireground and Beyond

Officers, driver/operators, firefighters and special operations technicians are aided in multiple ways by the sophistication and affordability of systems that let them talk to...

www.firehouse.com

Letcher Volunteer Fire Department Enhances Emergency Communication wit

Letcher Volunteer Fire Department Enhances Emergency Communication with BridgeCom Systems Letcher, South Dakota – The Letcher Volunteer Fire Department has upgraded its communication tools by purchasing the Commercial AnyTone AT-D878UVII Plus radios from BridgeCom Systems. This upgrade helps...

www.bridgecomsystems.com

 

[kc2asb]

View attachment 186806

 

[12dbsinad]

They should buy the Baofeng UV-32.

They look cooler!

 

[rescuecomm]

They should be able to afford the APX8000 or the like. Letcher Township has a census of less than 200. The surrounding towns are similar in population. So about 1000 homes to tax. The pics of the department show old engines and trucks.

Go ahead and sneer.

 

[DeoVindice]

They should be able to afford the APX8000 or the like. Letcher Township has a census of less than 200. The surrounding towns are similar in population. So about 1000 homes to tax. The pics of the department show old engines and trucks.

Go ahead and sneer.

I'm perfectly happy to sneer at someone selling non-IP67+ radios for fire service. That's a false economy at best and negligence at worst. There are options beyond Motorola and multiband may not be necessary for the application.

 

[rescuecomm]

I just checked the area and what their department is. You should too as it is in Sanborn County in South Dakota. It's mostly empty farmlands.

I didn't say I liked the choice of radio gear. It's just that unlike most urban areas, the tooth fairy doesn't deliver property tax proceeds in golden dump trucks. In other words, they don't have any money.

 

[mmckenna]

they don't have any money.

That's understandable, and common in some areas.

But buying a $350 CCR radio that does dual band and DMR as well as APRS is kind of pointless when they likely only need a single band analog radio. For less than $350 you can get some really nice new single band Kenwood or Icom gear and have the support of a local dealer.

This is just clever marketing by Bridgecom.

 

[12dbsinad]

That's understandable, and common in some areas.

But buying a $350 CCR radio that does dual band and DMR as well as APRS is kind of pointless when they likely only need a single band analog radio. For less than $350 you can get some really nice new single band Kenwood or Icom gear and have the support of a local dealer.

This is just clever marketing by Bridgecom.

I agree. On the other end, I think 10K plus is absolutely F'ing insane for what many spend on a radio, and I profit from it. But I'm also a taxpayer and so are my kids, and this "fad" crap especially in the fire service really needs to END. Just because a big City dept 2 hours away with an unlimited budget and a naive governing body doesn't mean it's right for you. Financial responsibility is a thing of the past it seems.

 

[mmckenna]

Financial responsibility is a thing of the past it seems.

Bring back the HT1000.

Seriously. Model 1 radios. Or something from Kenwood/EFJ, Tait, Harris, etc. NFPA rated single band, no display, sub $500. APCO owes us the steep discount that we were supposed to get from the P25CAI that was going to keep prices low.

 

[KE4ZNR]

View attachment 186809

Reeeeealll tomato ketchup Eddie?

 

[MTS2000des]

I'm perfectly happy to sneer at someone selling non-IP67+ radios for fire service. That's a false economy at best and negligence at worst. There are options beyond Motorola and multiband may not be necessary for the application.

It's beyond just an IP67 rating. I'm baffled that the CEO, who as far as I can tell, has ZERO public safety experience let alone firefighting, would suggest that firefighters "just put our cheap toy radio under your turnout coat and you'll be fine". This is akin to saying "well since we don't have a fire hose just pee on the fire".

This human life we are talking about. No one says one has to have an APX NEXT XN or XL400. But there are a plethora of radios sub $1000 made by actual vetted public safety subscriber manufacturers that are offered with not just IP67 ratings, but Intrinsic Safety ratings by UL. Not that this matters to Mickey Mouse agencies who don't care about that...until they have to.

Spend time reading OSHA Chemical Safety Board, NIOSH and other agencies after action reports and you'll see why using consumer grade HOBBY equipment is a bad idea. Or don't. Can't say one doesn't know.

 

[cavmedic]

I agree. On the other end, I think 10K plus is absolutely F'ing insane for what many spend on a radio, and I profit from it. But I'm also a taxpayer and so are my kids, and this "fad" crap especially in the fire service really needs to END. Just because a big City dept 2 hours away with an unlimited budget and a naive governing body doesn't mean it's right for you. Financial responsibility is a thing of the past it seems.

Some of this falls on the local Government as well with their unfunded mandates. County purchases a multi million dollar system, restricts usage to one type of radio and says the subscribers ( police departments, fire departments, municipalities etc) are responsible for purchasing the "approved radio model" and must be from vendor XYZ.......

 

[rescuecomm]

According to their FB page, they are being dispatched using a cellphone app. They probably didn't pay full price on the radios since they can't even afford pagers.

Just a guess.