Changes coming to AA Fire

[marksmith]

Before 3pm and now we are on 854.8125

BCD536HP/HP2/996XT/PSR800/396XT/996T

 

[ThePhotoGuy]

Before 3pm and now we are on 854.8125

BCD536HP/HP2/996XT/PSR800/396XT/996T

Any idea what is causing this to do that?

 

[marksmith]

No idea. Back to 854.3375 primary.

BCD536HP/HP2/996XT/PSR800/396XT/996T

 

[maus92]

Question: does AACo Fire actually use VRS? When the radio system was revamped about 10 years ago, part of the process was to integrate vehicle repeaters - or at least that's what Moto had in their press release. I don't think I've ever heard anything mentioned over the air about switching units to a VRS zone, or anything related to VRS in general. I know Montgomery County has VRS zones... Maybe it works differently in AACo?

 

[troymail]

Question: does AACo Fire actually use VRS? When the radio system was revamped about 10 years ago, part of the process was to integrate vehicle repeaters - or at least that's what Moto had in their press release. I don't think I've ever heard anything mentioned over the air about switching units to a VRS zone, or anything related to VRS in general. I know Montgomery County has VRS zones... Maybe it works differently in AACo?

Yes - AA uses VRS...

 

[marksmith]

Mobile units and portables have different radio id. The mobile must actually repeat over a vehicle repeater as opposed to using the vehicle's radio to transmit. ?

BCD536HP/HP2/996XT/PSR800/396XT/996T

 

[maus92]

OK, we've established that AACo uses VRS. How is the process implemented? Certainly vehicle repeaters are not normally enabled. Generally, there is a control head switch in the unit with the VRS (probably a command vehicle of some sort,) but what does the subscriber have to do on their end? Anything? Is there a zone that they switch to? Montgomery County uses 700 channels to connect with VRS.....

 

[ThePhotoGuy]

So basically if they are the scene of a place (mall, hospital, large school) and they know that they have trouble with reception inside they will ask fire alarm for a “repeat channel.” They will switch to the “repeat channel” zone. They might have to turn the VRS on in the vehicle(?). The VRS is located on Engines companies and other apparatus.

 

[maus92]

So basically if they are the scene of a place (mall, hospital, large school) and they know that they have trouble with reception inside they will ask fire alarm for a “repeat channel.” They will switch to the “repeat channel” zone. They might have to turn the VRS on in the vehicle(?). The VRS is located on Engines companies and other apparatus.

OK, thx for the info. I don't think that I've ever heard anyone requesting a repeat channel. I'll have to listen a bit closer... Maybe large establishments have installed BDAs? I think that there's new NFPA code language that speaks to requiring BDAs...

 

[ResQguy]

I think that there's new NFPA code language that speaks to requiring BDAs...

International Fire Code, section 510 and NFPA 1.

 

[troymail]

OK, thx for the info. I don't think that I've ever heard anyone requesting a repeat channel. I'll have to listen a bit closer... Maybe large establishments have installed BDAs? I think that there's new NFPA code language that speaks to requiring BDAs...

Fire alarm will assign a VRS channel upon request. I think there is at least one shift at Station 40 how uses VRS at the Annapolis Mall on a regular basis. I think Riva used it quite a bit in the past also.

If you hear a radio making an odd sound when they key up, they are using VRS.

 

[marksmith]

The AA Police are always walking around with portables but if you listen/watch radio ID's on the system, they don't seem to come through the system as separate ID's from the vehicle.

Generally one id per unit, unlike fire department which might have the vehicle and 3-4 portable radios with different ID's all referring to themselves as a single unit. Sometimes hard to pick out the real vehicle radio.

Are the police automatically using vehicular repeater and get the same id as the vehicle?

Mark
---------
BCD536HP/HP1/HP2/BCD996XT/BCD396XT(2)/BCD996T/PSR-800 and others.

 

[ResQguy]

AAPD usually uses XTVAs, not mobile radios

 

[marksmith]

So the reason I don't see multiple UID' s is because there is no vehicle radio?

Mark
---------
BCD536HP/HP1/HP2/BCD996XT/BCD396XT(2)/BCD996T/PSR-800 and others.

 

[ThePhotoGuy]

So the reason I don't see multiple UID' s is because there is no vehicle radio?

Mark
---------
BCD536HP/HP1/HP2/BCD996XT/BCD396XT(2)/BCD996T/PSR-800 and others.

Correct. They are only issued 1 radio (Portable).

 

[marksmith]

I guess that also explains why the UID that does show up changes as often as the officer on that beat. Thanks. Explains a lot.

Mark
---------
BCD536HP/HP1/HP2/BCD996XT/BCD396XT(2)/BCD996T/PSR-800 and others.

 

[ThePhotoGuy]

I guess that also explains why the UID that does show up changes as often as the officer on that beat. Thanks. Explains a lot.

Mark
---------
BCD536HP/HP1/HP2/BCD996XT/BCD396XT(2)/BCD996T/PSR-800 and others.

Yeah... Officers are issued the one portable and have it 24/7 unless they have an issue with the radio and they need a loner.

The callsigns will change if they are working a different beat, or working over time, or "umbrella cars"

 

[maus92]

AAPD usually uses XTVAs, not mobile radios

Do they also use RF power amplifiers as well?

 

[Grondoline]

No.

 

[maus92]

I noticed that AACo is operating on alternate control channel 854.4125 today. Not sure for how long this has been going on.