Advantages v Disadvantages of tagging Unit IDs

[NS9710]

I was wondering if there was any advantages or disadvantages to using Radio ID names on the display?

 

[jtwalker]

Advantages:
You can see text for responding unit.

Disadvantages:
The effort to collect and enter the data;
I find the medic units seem to change or the radios float between units in my county;
No tool to detect and apply changes.

 

[werinshades]

Pen, paper and patience is the key. Many times, you'll see a pattern. Most fire departments don't change apparatus numbers has been my experience. Some police departments use badge/star numbers and they might use the same radio call signature with the portables, and might not have in car radios. Only you'll know all this if you document.

 

[Ace9133uwu]

I made a fun past-time out of it. I started with the dispatchers. Console ID’s never change. Then PD/Sheriff. A good way to start logging is at shift change if units in your area call out on & off duty on the air. Typically for fire/EMS you have to wait for the call to go out to catch the units responding.

 

[engine183]

I believe that this is a personal preference. I enjoy both the search for the radio ID’s and then using them during my monitoring. It can be helpful in understanding a radio conversation when you know “who” is doing the talking!

Also, I set up alerts on specific ID’s so that I be sure to pay attention when they are on the radio.

 

[Nasby]

I tried doing this for awhile but I found it to be way too time consuming due to the constant changing of IDs. Personnel and equipment retire, are reassigned, etc. The IDs are constantly changing. To me it’s just not worth my time. I can gain the info needed simply by listening.

 

[NS9710]

I tried doing this for awhile but I found it to be way too time consuming due to the constant changing of IDs. Personnel and equipment retire, are reassigned, etc. The IDs are constantly changing. To me it’s just not worth my time. I can gain the info needed simply by listening.

That's what I thought.

 

[werinshades]

I tried doing this for awhile but I found it to be way too time consuming due to the constant changing of IDs. Personnel and equipment retire, are reassigned, etc. The IDs are constantly changing. To me it’s just not worth my time. I can gain the info needed simply by listening.

Each department is different, so what might be too cumbersome for you, others like the challenge and the look on the display. Some departments assign a portable radio with extra batteries and a charger to take home and when they sign on, they use the same radio signature. If the mobile has a radio, but changes daily, I've assigned a text tag to that radio if it's used. Illinois State Police assign take home cars and radios to troopers, and until they're promoted or transferred, utilize the same radio signatures for both, but can be followed too from probationary to retirement.

On the fire side, Chicago Fire Department apparatus and portables correspond and do not change since no one is assigned a radio to take home, so very easy to track. Radios also have a "programming pattern" and once I figured that out, I created text tags before I saw the radio key up.

While your situation might be different or didn't have the patience to do it, it's not the norm. Once someone learns and is comfortable on how to self-program favorite lists, then this can be tackled. Too many times I've read here people punch in the zip codes and want the extras to work. I can't say it enough...patience, patience, patience....and a good pen, legal pad and a good ear.

 

[RaleighGuy]

I was wondering if there was any advantages or disadvantages to using Radio ID names on the display?

One way around the changing of names/units is not to identify the unit, but just the agency, for example instead of Eng 5 Driver just call it Acme Fire. Radios are usually reassigned to the same department and this allows you to see the department if it is a new or encrypted TG.

 

[Minus1]

Depends entirely on whether the organization assigns the unit ID to a vehicle, individual, or pool of users.
Unit IDs in a vehicle are less likely to change often.
Handheld radios used by a pool of users may change every day.
One company I know has every User ID on every handheld unit set to "1", presumably because reading the manual was too much like hard work.

 

[Eng74]

It can be fun to get the ID’s. If a fire department gets new apparatus, it can change everything. Some will get new radio ID’s for the new unit and then the old one might go to a different station or into the reserve fleet.

 

[a417]

I put in the console IDs, really unique unit IDs, and friends of mine who have issued radios - that's it.