2024 FIRESCOPE Radio Communications Guide

[mcjones2013]

I don't think I've seen it posted this year, but here's the 2024 FIRESCOPE Radio Communications Guide.

Some changes include OES 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B being renamed to OES V1-V4, and the individual USFS service nets appear to be consolidated/shared between different forests. Some local channels added in including some P25 stuff (note the guide says the P25 entries are only required in P25-capable radios, meaning if the agency has analog-only radio the channels are not required).

2024 FIRESCOPE Radio Communications Guide

 

[officer_415]

the individual USFS service nets appear to be consolidated/shared between different forests.

This was already the case, they're just relabeling them Service Nets A thru E. The frequencies are the same.

 

[KK6ZTE]

Mandatory 400 channels? Looks like all of the volly departments with TK-790s are out of providing mutual aid....

Also defining P25 channels without defining modulation (C4FM vs CQPSK)... lovely.

 

[officer_415]

Mandatory 400 channels? Looks like all of the volly departments with TK-790s are out of providing mutual aid....

I don't think the TK-790 has been approved for interagency use for some time now...

Also defining P25 channels without defining modulation (C4FM vs CQPSK)... lovely.

Isn't CQPSK only used for P25 trunked simulcast systems? C4FM is the standard for conventional.

 

[KK6ZTE]

I don't think the TK-790 has been approved for interagency use for some time now...

That doesn't mean there aren't plenty of apparatus out there with them still.

Isn't CQPSK only used for P25 trunked simulcast systems? C4FM is the standard for conventional.

Not at all. CQPSK (LSM) can be used for conventional as well and it helps solve some of the delay spread issues in simulcasting C4FM. Motorola APX radios and Harris XL radios need to be accurately defined or they won't receive properly. Kenwood seems to be fine either way. I have even configured a single site LSM repeater on UHF to help with multipath due to the delay spread resistance.

This is a conventional UHF system in APX CPS R32:

A P25 conventional frequency set in Harris RPM2. I can confirm both radios will not work on my LSM system if modulation is set to C4FM, even though it's supposed to be "compatible".


Here's some info:

What is the difference between C4FM and LSM Modulation for P25? | Tait Communications Blog

Simulcast networks are used by a third of US Public Safety Agencies. Read more about the two most common types of simulcast modulation.

blog.taitcommunications.com

https://www.efjohnson.com/resources/dyn/files/972772z218319c9/_fn/Simulcasting+Project+25.pdf

Of course, I did get some comments via text after my first post that the standard is C4FM unless otherwise specified (you never know who's watching this board!). However, being that some radios will not receive if the modulation type isn't set right, we need explicit direction somewhere in the document.

 

[norcalscan]

Mandatory 400 channels? Looks like all of the volly departments with TK-790s are out of providing mutual aid....

Also defining P25 channels without defining modulation (C4FM vs CQPSK)... lovely.

I think at that point the dept might just have their type 6 or type 3 be the MA resource and then they just get the one KNG instead of outfitting the entire dept.

 

[officer_415]

Not at all. CQPSK (LSM) can be used for conventional as well and it helps solve some of the delay spread issues in simulcasting C4FM.

I meant to say P25 simulcast (not necessarily trunked). But I don't think there are many conventional P25 simulcast systems in CA, at least not that would be used for fire mutual aid.

 

[ke6gcv]

I saw this last year and again this year. What is the reason for the channels to be alphabetized?

To me, it would make a lot more sense to put the command channels at the top of the list, then break them down from there.

I do know that at an actual incident, the radios are "field" programmed by the ICP.

 

[norcalscan]

What is the reason for the channels to be alphabetized?

There's no set standard for sorting resources on an IC-217, but I think in this particular case with California/Firescope, it's become a necessity to assist with visually finding the referenced channel. This is also starting to become the new "statewide" group/zone in everyone's radios outside of CalFire. They'll have a Group or Zone programmed with the entire MACS-441 in it, and when responding mutual aid, they'll build their command group/dynamic zone pulling channels out of this list. I've seen some loads where it's more the old-school CalFire sorting by unit number (placing MEU first past the command nets), and recently starting to see it alphabetized instead, which makes more sense in quickly navigating to the right channels instead of guessing somebody's idea of organizing by function or agency etc.

 

[ke6gcv]

There's no set standard for sorting resources on an IC-217, but I think in this particular case with California/Firescope, it's become a necessity to assist with visually finding the referenced channel. This is also starting to become the new "statewide" group/zone in everyone's radios outside of CalFire. They'll have a Group or Zone programmed with the entire MACS-441 in it, and when responding mutual aid, they'll build their command group/dynamic zone pulling channels out of this list. I've seen some loads where it's more the old-school CalFire sorting by unit number (placing MEU first past the command nets), and recently starting to see it alphabetized instead, which makes more sense in quickly navigating to the right channels instead of guessing somebody's idea of organizing by function or agency etc.

Thank you for the explanation @norcalscan ! That does make total sense when you're building the command group.

 

[mikepdx]

I don't think I've seen it posted this year, but here's the 2024 FIRESCOPE Radio Communications Guide.

The 2024 guide seems to have vanished.

Can anyone created a new post and attach it in this thread,
or zip it and upload it to a free cloud host and post a link
to it here?

Many thanks.

 

[EnchantedWizard]

https://firescope.caloes.ca.gov/ICS%20Documents/MACS-441%202024.pdf

 

[AM909]

The "new" one: 35 pages, dated May 11, changed May 15, 1034051 bytes
The "old" one: 33 pages, dated April 4, changed April 13, 618958 bytes

Comparison is left as an exercise for the reader

 

[mikepdx]

https://firescope.caloes.ca.gov/ICS%20Documents/MACS-441%202024.pdf

Much gratitude, EW.
I am a frequent visitor to No. Cal.
I love monitoring our firefighter heroes
wherever I find myself.

Wishing all of my California brothers and sisters
a very quiet Fire Season.

- Mike in NW Oregon

 

[es93546]

The "new" one: 35 pages, dated May 11, changed May 15, 1034051 bytes
The "old" one: 33 pages, dated April 4, changed April 13, 618958 bytes

Comparison is left as an exercise for the reader

The difference between the two versions is pretty easy to find. All the pages in the new version are printed in landscape, as opposed to the portrait orientation of the first version. That makes a difference of about a page additional. I did not examine line for line, but I believe both versions are the same, but the landscape version has larger type, which makes it easier to read. The biggest difference is the April 4th version did not include 700 & 800 MHz information, which is included in the May 11th version. This adds 4 pages to the document. Nothing really earth shattering here!