Edmonton Fire

[Intelliforce]

I've noticed that Edmonton Fire working channels seem to be kind of quiet. Are they using some kind of simplex channels or is it just the simulcast messing me up ? If they are using simplex how would one pick those up? Is their frequencies for that? Thanks.

 

[harryshute]

Were you regularly getting Fire Dispatch and Working channels well in Lac La Biche? I've noticed no difference in Edmonton when grass fires were going W1 to 13 were often busy. They very rarely use Simplex, more as a last resort. I know they have AFRRCS Simplex 1 to 5 in their radio and one of their own. You would never hear Simplex unless you were close to them. If you're monitoring in Edmonton most likely the Simulcast is messing you up if you don't have SDS series radio or a Unication.

 

[Intelliforce]

Ok. Awesome. No, I don’t pick them up in Lac La Biche. I come to Edmonton every night.
You’re mentioning a Unication scanner that has true IQ. I thought you Uniden was the only one. Which model of Unication scanner is a good one? And is it better than the Uniden model?

 

[harryshute]

Ok. Awesome. No, I don’t pick them up in Lac La Biche. I come to Edmonton every night.
You’re mentioning a Unication scanner that has IQ. I thought you Uniden was the only one. Which model of Unication scanner is a good one? And is it better than the Uniden model?

Unication is more of a pager than a scanner but they are working at making it operate more like a scanner. I bought the G4 model (700/800 Mhz) before the SDS 100 came out in May 2018 to handle the Edmonton Simulcast.

There are other Unication models that also include DMR, UHF and VHF. I really prefer the the SDS100 over the G4 because it can do so much more. The G4 can only scan 8 talk groups at a time so Edmonton fire would use about 3 different zones. It doesn't mute a mixed clear and encrypted group like Fire info. Also you can't hold on a talk group. Some of the newer models deal with some of these issues.

Programming with Sentinel is much easier than PPS. I found PPS easier because I have a history of programming commercial trunking radios.

The Unication is also much smaller than the SDS 100.

 

[Intelliforce]

Does the G5 address those issues ?

 

[harryshute]

The newer G5's have a number of firmware upgrades that deal with some issues and you can order DMR but must choose between UHF or VHF. The newer models G2 single band or 3 allow both UHF and VHF and added DMR.

 

[Intelliforce]

Not being able to hold on to a talk group is a deal breaker for me. With the G5 can you hold on to talk group ?

 

[harryshute]

I believe the holding on a talk group was resolved by a firmware upgrade but I'm not exactly sure so you may want to go to the Unication forum and have a look at their web page.