Chilliwack Fire, BCAS Upper Fraser Valley encryption.

[NedSem]

Wondering if anyone has an update on Chilliwack Fire moving to encryption?

Apparently Abbotsford Fire already has, and I heard from a Chilliwack POC firefighter that Chilliwack had new radios installed over a year ago and that they were switching over to a new system once a few glitches were ironed out (they weren't too radio savvy and their eyes glazed over when I started talking about digital/encrypted systems).
I also noted in the last FVRD quarterly update "fire dispatch management" that their testing of ROIP for Chilliwack radio coverage was 80% complete.

Same question for BCAS - I believe they are already encrypted out as far out as Abbotsford - spoke to one of their managers in Abbotsford and was told the goal was encryption through Chilliwack and as far as Boston Bar, but they did not know what the time frame was.

 

[BC_Scan]

DMR if anything. Not in GVRD as you know they are in FVRD, might impact decision. I'm guessing because the city is already DMR they have that relationship with radio shop. All you have to do is look at radio, I believe they have the XPR series so that would be DMR if anything not trunk or P25.
So as they recently upgraded links to E-Comm you might be safe. AFAIK, the 700 MHz reach of E-Comm might go into the wack but not reliably enough to give coverage a whole muni would require. The other issue is all the Mutual Aid and the fact they have common tac channels.

PM for more if you need

 

[dwc]

Chilliwack Fire's radio contractor has been performing a lot of upgrades to their system to improve coverage over the past year or two. As per the TAFL you can see they have a handful of new licenses and simulcasting repeaters throughout the valley. All of this is still analog, so I doubt they will be moving to encryption or even digital anytime soon, given these upgrades to their analog system.

There is no sufficient ECOMM 700/VHF coverage out in the East Valley. As far as I know there ECOMM has no immediate/concrete plans to adding any new infrastructure up that way so I am guessing BCAS and others will remain as is for now. With that said, ECOMM does have longer term plans to extend their network up the sea to sky, and East Valley. Of course, given the funding situation at all levels of government now, I doubt this will happen even in the next 5 years.