AFRRCS - Alberta First Responders' Radio Communication System - INFO HERE

harryshute

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Callsigns are changed at detachments just before they migrate to AFRRCS. Cochrane and Airdrie are switching in the next couple weeks. Callsigns are the two letter detachment identifier followed by a three digit number. 100's for rural, 200's for municipal, 300's for traffic, 400's for freeway, 500's and 600's for specialized units and support services. Sheriff callsigns are switching to begin with the T. ie T204 etc.

Apparently there's been some issues converting Edmonton area detachments due to the Simulcast being used by EPS causing issues with the RCMP being able to send an RTT message. It has now been switched to the end of the AFRRCS migration (Fall 2019) so they can figure out a solution.

Thank goodness for Simulcast. I may get to hear Edmonton area RCMP till fall. Also thanks for the SDS 100 and 200 so I can understand Simulcast.

Are the 400 series not the old Delta units? Hear some in Red Deer City but I guess they could be Innisfail Freeway.
 

redtalon

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Thank goodness for Simulcast. I may get to hear Edmonton area RCMP till fall. Also thanks for the SDS 100 and 200 so I can understand Simulcast.

Are the 400 series not the old Delta units? Hear some in Red Deer City but I guess they could be Innisfail Freeway.
Former Gulf units. Yes likely Innisfail or Ponoka Freeway.
 

Mudary

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Camrose County RCMP, Bashaw RCMP Detachment has a callsign of AB100, I haven't seen the other units yet. There are 3 units at least at Bashaw.
 

Mudary

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You are right, I reversed the 2 letters, I'll pay more attention in the future. Thanks
 

Jay911

Silent Key (April 15th, 2023)
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A little bit on the late side for them to be discussing this now, but you're going to see a lot of this in the next while...

New radio system to keep Devon CPOs and RCMP in Communication

Council discussed at length the costs of purchasing the required radios and the suitability of purchasing portable versus in-car radios. The cost of the radios includes accessories, installation, support and would allow Devon CPOs to remain in communication with the local RCMP.

Council also directed the town CAO to post a request for proposal on Alberta Purchasing Connection for a dispatch centre service, to keep with implemented policy that all CPO agencies must be in radio contact with a dispatch station.

The last bit is a requirement from the investigation into the murder of CPO Lazenby of Foothills County CPO a few years back, if you haven't read that.
 

harryshute

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Thanks Jay interesting story. Devon is still on PACS so I disagree that RCMP have fully implemented AFRRCS. Fort Saskatchewan did make the conversion this week. I guess part of the $34,000 dollars will go to having PRCC or someone else provide the dispatch service.
 

redtalon

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RCMP have converted around 40-50% of detachments at this point. CPO's in many communities relied on having access to the PACS channels and having direct contact with them that way. They no longer have that now as they are not being given access to the RCMP’s operational talkgroups on AFRRCS. Many are now trying to find a solution.
 

harryshute

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It was great to see the Ft. Mac talk groups posted to the database. I have Agency 40 for Wood Buffalo Emergency Services. Does anyone have the Agency number for Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo?
 

Jay911

Silent Key (April 15th, 2023)
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I had 2852 as Olds RCMP as opposed to Didsbury. I know they were all on the same PACS repeater, but is that still true on AFRRCS?

It appears that ranges of RCMP talkgroups are alphabetical in nature (show all talkgroups in one table to see what I mean). That may help a lot in determining groups for them going forward.
 

omrail

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Leduc Alberta
I had 2852 as Olds RCMP as opposed to Didsbury. I know they were all on the same PACS repeater, but is that still true on AFRRCS?

It appears that ranges of RCMP talkgroups are alphabetical in nature (show all talkgroups in one table to see what I mean). That may help a lot in determining groups for them going forward.
Jay it very well could also include Olds. I picked up telecoms dispatching a call to Didsbury on 2852 when I was travelling home on Sunday.

When I was on Unitrunker today I noticed a bit of a pattern but didn’t look into it so I think you maybe right
 

redtalon

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I had 2852 as Olds RCMP as opposed to Didsbury. I know they were all on the same PACS repeater, but is that still true on AFRRCS?

It appears that ranges of RCMP talkgroups are alphabetical in nature (show all talkgroups in one table to see what I mean). That may help a lot in determining groups for them going forward.
Olds and Didsbury share the same AFRRCS talkgroup.
 

Jay911

Silent Key (April 15th, 2023)
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Olds and Didsbury share the same AFRRCS talkgroup.

Is that going to be the case with all detachments that currently share the same PACS channel? Example, Beiseker and Airdrie (I think they're together), Okotoks/High River/Turner Valley, Strathmore/Chestermere?
 

redtalon

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Is that going to be the case with all detachments that currently share the same PACS channel? Example, Beiseker and Airdrie (I think they're together), Okotoks/High River/Turner Valley, Strathmore/Chestermere?
Not sure if it’s been determined yet for those that haven’t switched. In most cases so far, even detachments that previously shared have each gotten their own (Innisfail and Blackfalds shared a channel on PACS - now each have their own talkgroup). Didsbury and Olds frequently back each other up, as do Airdrie Rural and Beiseker so made some sense to keep them together. The radios can only monitor one talkgroup at a time (no scan), one has to manually switch to communicate with another detachment. OCC can link them if required as well.
 
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Sorry all. I'm new to this. Has Fort Sask RCMP switched over solely to the AFRRCS. I don't hear anything on the frequency anymore. And considering RCMP are running around in the path behind me, the scanner should be active
 

redtalon

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Sorry all. I'm new to this. Has Fort Sask RCMP switched over solely to the AFRRCS. I don't hear anything on the frequency anymore. And considering RCMP are running around in the path behind me, the scanner should be active
Yes they have switched. However, the rest of the capital region detachments are still on PACS and not expected to switch over until about October.
 

Intelliforce

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While listening to AFRRCS in Edmonton with a BCD436HP, I noticed that the communications are choppy and hard to understand. What is going on there ?


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kayn1n32008

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While listening to AFRRCS in Edmonton with a BCD436HP, I noticed that the communications are choppy and hard to understand. What is going on there ?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

The Edmonton simulcast cell uses WCQPSK modulation. Discriminator tap based scanners do not properly decode this modulation type. Laymen call it ‘simulcast distortion’

Read here for more info on this issue with discriminator tap based scanners:

https://wiki.radioreference.com/index.php/Simulcast_Distortion



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