Clifton Testing Automated Dispatching

[665_NJ]

Clifton Fire was testing Automated Dispatching today (Synthetic - Computer Generated Voice) on their Fire 1 Channel 154.415.

There have been technical issues for the last month or so on the Fire 1 Repeater and voter system forcing the to use their Fire 2 Channel on 151.145 for dispatch, response and operations.

The automated dispatch may be in conjunction with general Fire Ch 1 repairs and improvements.

Also since the moratorium on T Band frequencies ended. The Fire Dept is in the process of preparing a switch to UHF T Band in the near future.
Currently working with freq coordinators to obtain UHF repeater pairs.
As of yet no new applications have been filed with FCC ULS.
It's a work in progress.

 

[RocketNJ]

Why would you want to go to T-Band with the prevalence of tropo ducting in northern NJ? Ask any of the counties that are affected.

 

[665_NJ]

Why would you want to go to T-Band with the prevalence of tropo ducting in northern NJ? Ask any of the counties that are affected.

Correct, and I agree, however I am not the one making the decisions here.
Most likely (old school thinking) it is for inter-op/mutual aid reasons. Paterson, Montclair. Wayne FDs are UHF T band.
Yes modern UHF radios can now be program to a wide spectrum.
However, It also could be due to the ongoing problems with their equipment on their VHF channels, sales and or political pressure.
Hey the PD went to a new system (NJICS) with new radios etc. So FD may also want a NEW (non NJICS) UHF system.

Also to address the automated dispatching - It may have been a "one off", just testing it that one day. Have not monitored since then.
Remains to be herd "again". ???

 

[902]

Why would you want to go to T-Band with the prevalence of tropo ducting in northern NJ? Ask any of the counties that are affected.

It depends on which channel they get an assignment in, and what the tropo path is. I mean, if they are on an interstitial channel in 470 that wouldn't be a problem, or if they were given one 476 and one 500 MHz channel pair for diversity, they can pretty much work with any set of conditions.

 

[N2NHL]

It was interesting watching the Clifton City Council meeting several weeks ago, as the mayor was concerned that he was unable to hear any public safety (PD, Fire, EMS) in Realtime over the scanner during the Hurricane Ida vent. Perhaps that event may be a catalyst for getting the necessary changes/upgrades that are needed in order to move forward.

 

[Alarmguy]

It was interesting watching the Clifton City Council meeting several weeks ago, as the mayor was concerned that he was unable to hear any public safety (PD, Fire, EMS) in Realtime over the scanner during the Hurricane Ida vent. Perhaps that event may be a catalyst for getting the necessary changes/upgrades that are needed in order to move forward.

Police are encrypted, he should know he's not gonna hear them.

 

[N2NHL]

Police are encrypted, he should know he's not gonna hear them.

He knows. I believe he was trying to illustrate a point at the meeting.

 

[665_NJ]

It was interesting watching the Clifton City Council meeting several weeks ago, as the mayor was concerned that he was unable to hear any public safety (PD, Fire, EMS) in Realtime over the scanner during the Hurricane Ida vent. Perhaps that event may be a catalyst for getting the necessary changes/upgrades that are needed in order to move forward.

With PD going to the “E” side of things and the FD having problem with their Main Dispatch channel due to voter and general equipment items. If persons in which many are un aware of FD Ch 2 etc public safety was very quiet. During Ida flooding FD was extremely busy on their Ch 2. As for the PD, I wish they would follow Bloomfield, Little Falls and even the Passaic County Sheriff with their general dispatch in the clear to show some transparency to the community. The option to switch to “secure” is still there. Unless the city council and or manager, mayor advise PD to change things will remain as they are. It is what it is,😑

 

[ansky]

It was interesting watching the Clifton City Council meeting several weeks ago, as the mayor was concerned that he was unable to hear any public safety (PD, Fire, EMS) in Realtime over the scanner during the Hurricane Ida vent. Perhaps that event may be a catalyst for getting the necessary changes/upgrades that are needed in order to move forward.

You would think that the mayor would have been involved in conversations *before* the PD made the decision to go encrypted. That's politics for ya.

 

[mondaro]

( E ) doesn't work never has, just ask Kearny Police. end of story -

 

[RadioChief55]

CFD was testing the automated dispatch ALL DAY on Ch 1 today. It was sending out different boxes all over the city.

 

[rr60]

Clifton applied to modify OEM UHF to a 3 site Simulcast recently. Application was returned.

 

[665_NJ]

Clifton applied to modify OEM UHF to a 3 site Simulcast recently. Application was returned.

Again, since the moratorium on T Band frequencies ended. The Fire Dept is in the process of preparing a switch to UHF T Band in the near future.
Currently they are still working with freq coordinators to obtain UHF repeater pairs.
Originally the 453.7375 frequency was assigned to OEM for the emergency communications team and CERT teams.
However, This frequency has seen very little use by OEM/CERT over the last 4 years or so since it was originally licensed. It has been used but very sparingly a few times for various special events. Last major usage during a recent telephone system outage emergency as a “internal intercom“ to coordinate calls between dispatchers inside PD/FD Hq and supplemental dispatchers inside the OEM Mobile Command Truck parked outside HQ. No matter, the frequency was going to remain with OEM even with the additional UHF frequency pairs if and when granted.
Unfortunately, for what ever reason they may be having difficulty finding something.
They changed their minds and going on what they have that is to try and modify the one UHF channel pair they already have licensed to meet this expansion need.
With the modified application being returned. Apparently they need to do their homework with their frequency coordinating company and resubmit. 🙄🤷🏻‍♂️

 

[665_NJ]

CFD was testing the automated dispatch ALL DAY on Ch 1 today. It was sending out different boxes all over the city.

I missed todays testing. It seems like they are testing once every week or two.
Its progressively getting better both audio clarity wise. Less choppiness where statements are not being cut off. IMHO it seems to me they are trying this while they continue to search for additional UHF repeater pairs.
I know for a fact they are keeping their VHF frequencies and it would seem to me if they indeed get it to work on VHF successfully it would be a simple step to add it to their UHF system once licensed and ready to go. 🙄🤷🏻‍♂️

 

[RadioChief55]

This is a short clip of one of many tests they were doing yesterday, the message would go over twice. I cough the end of the first message then the full second repeat.

 

[665_NJ]

This is a short clip of one of many tests they were doing yesterday, the message would go over twice. I cough the end of the first message then the full second repeat.

They are again testing today. However the speech is faster than your clip here. IMHO a little too fast or rapid. It should be slower for better comprehension.
If successful, this will I think supplement or even replace a few live dispatchers. 😑

 

[rr60]

Again, since the moratorium on T Band frequencies ended. The Fire Dept is in the process of preparing a switch to UHF T Band in the near future.
Currently they are still working with freq coordinators to obtain UHF repeater pairs.
Originally the 453.7375 frequency was assigned to OEM for the emergency communications team and CERT teams.
However, This frequency has seen very little use by OEM/CERT over the last 4 years or so since it was originally licensed. It has been used but very sparingly a few times for various special events. Last major usage during a recent telephone system outage emergency as a “internal intercom“ to coordinate calls between dispatchers inside PD/FD Hq and supplemental dispatchers inside the OEM Mobile Command Truck parked outside HQ. No matter, the frequency was going to remain with OEM even with the additional UHF frequency pairs if and when granted.
Unfortunately, for what ever reason they may be having difficulty finding something.
They changed their minds and going on what they have that is to try and modify the one UHF channel pair they already have licensed to meet this expansion need.

UHF-T band has been plagued by DTV television since the FCC sold spectrum and repacked the band. Ocean, Morris, and Somerset are just a few. Tropo can cause issues at times for several day in a row. This is well documented online with various pleadings to FCC and elsewhere. Tband a gamble at best in New Jersey within some frequency ranges.

http://lmcc.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/LMCC-Ltr-and-Matrix-Re-DTV-Interference-11-25-20.

 

[RocketNJ]

I agree with R60 that Clifton is making a mistake going T-Band. They will regret it the warm spring/summer mornings when communications are hampererd for several hours by tropo ducting.

I've measured WFDC-TV from Arlington, VA @ -55 dBm in northern NJ.

Good luck!

 

[rr60]

Tropo runs strong spring through fall, with most days in summer. It is a sneaky occurrence that can ebb and flow, sometimes there and sometimes not. Some folks have no idea. I know of a town that replaced antenna and feed line, not understanding it was DTV signals on both the input and output. Most folks still do not understand. This is from November 1, 2021 courtesy of aprs.mennolink. This is a path of 450 miles. Some stations are running 1 million watts at 1000 feet within UHF T-band. Good luck, indeed.

 

[902]

...IMHO a little too fast or rapid. It should be slower for better comprehension...

Usually these things use CAD data to transmit the voice announcement. The voice dispatch is an NFPA 1221 backup method of dispatch to the CAD and station printers and mobile computers. The voice annunciation isn't the primary, so it doesn't have to sound perfect. If there's confusion, the printer or computer would have the address, if those aren't working, most other departments across the country usually just call in and ask for the location manually.