ARC Lowband channels - used?

[PJH]

Has only heard in their area the American Red Cross lowband channels used? They keep the nationwide licenses active, but cannot remember a time that anyone anywhere has used them.

 

[ecps92]

Same comments last year at SNE
Red Cross Frequencies

Has only heard in their area the American Red Cross lowband channels used? They keep the nationwide licenses active, but cannot remember a time that anyone anywhere has used them.

 

[haleve]

ARC 47.42 MHz

Has only heard in their area the American Red Cross lowband channels used? They keep the nationwide licenses active, but cannot remember a time that anyone anywhere has used them.

I never heard peep from them when I lived in Central Florida or even when I am home in Noo Yawk & still don't hear them down here even though I see them constantly at fire scenes preparing burned out residents for relocation, my best guess is they're notified by telephone even though they have a talkgroup on the Broward County trunked system, go figure.

www.wikipedia.org/wiki/ECRV

 

[W8RMH]

They are mostly used for disasters when out of state units are deployed which do not have the local frequencies. There are a few chapters that use them for ops, if it is all they have.

 

[petnrdx]

I have been scanning their freq for probably 15 years in my POV, NEVER heard anyone on it. Including driving across the US 5 times, and driving thru all the lower 48 states. It is always on in my Syntor x9000 when driving my vehicle.
In talking about it with a few Chapter Directors over the last couple years, there are some people that think they should do away with the nationwide freq.
I think that would be foolish.
If you have a nationwide allocation keep it.
I would bet that the freq gets used as mentioned above when assets come in to a large disaster area from other chapters.
The local chapter here threw out a pretty good pile of perfectly good P200' and MT1000 handhelds, and some MAXTRACS.
That was a mistake.
Just me, but I think they should use it more.

 

[INDY72]

In my years monitoring, I have never heard a peep on them in MS, AR, TN, LA, NC, SC, NY, or IN. I have heard them on a couple of TRS's, where they have assigned TG's, but never on Low Band. I have heard one of the ARC volunteer HAMS on 2 Meters, but again, never VHF Low. The only relative I have that is an regional ARC Coordinator has said primary comms are usually cell phones, or e-mails etc....

 

[joen7xxx]

The most common time to hear activity on 47.42 is when ARC ERVS and other resources are on the move to a hurricane or earthquake. They use the frequency to keep tabs on each other, find restaurants hotels, gas stations etc.

 

[RohnsRadio]

ARC Channel

47.42 is used, but not very often. as someone else said it is used on the ERV's mostly. I heard quite a bit on it back during Hurr. Fran and Floyd but it was all mobile. I was working for Social Services at that time and had to travel as the contact person. I had a scanner in my car and had that channel in it.

If you are asking if they will leave it or not. My money is no. It is a Nation Wide Channel and Red Cross is the only one on it. That frequency is not going anywhere.

 

[ecps92]

First time in a Long time

Two folks chatting , Only hearing One Side., might be Radio Techs

47.4200 100.0 - Boston
Two TX Sites - John Hancock and Federal Reserve

 

[SCPD]

Like others have said, I've never heard a peep.
But shiny new vehicles seem to always have a shiny new whip, so I don't know.

 

[wtp]

last time for me

was during hurricane charley.
they have a talk group on the county and are active there.

 

[haleve]

ARC Nationwide

Maybe we community spirited RR members (Especially us Lowfers & DX'ers) should start joining ARC nationwide, they have communications units comprising amateur radio operators & others with basic communications interest & skills, maybe we could get things up & running on 47.42 MHz with net check-ins like the hams do on their respective Races & Ares program, ya think?

American Red Cross | Disaster Relief, CPR Certification, Donate Blood

 

[haleve]

ARC On Charlotte County Trunked System

was during hurricane charley.
they have a talk group on the county and are active there.

I see CC ARC has 3 talkgroups, what are the nature of their comms? Seems like everywhere else they dispatch the local chapters to displaced fire victims by cellphone, BC ARC has a talkgroup & I don't ever hear anything, Long Island has an ARC chapter in Mineola & I never hear anything from them either.

 

[FireRadioSignals]

ARC Low Band Frequency 47.42 MHz

In all my years of dispatching I never heard one peep from the Red Cross radio on our console, all their local fire displacement response teams use cellphones, wonder what they'd do if that ever went south.

 

[WG3K]

The chapter in Newport News (VA) used 42.47 and another low band frequency but I can't seem to find it in my notes, now. The local communications team used to test the radios on a regular basis but I don't recall ever hearing it active.

 

[jaymatt1978]

Think you mean 47.42 not 42.47

 

[WG3K]

Think you mean 47.42 not 42.47

Yes.