Fcc takes action on fire repeater

[brey1234]

http://transition.fcc.gov/Daily_Releases/Daily_Business/2014/db0502/DA-14-604A1.pdf

 

[productionguy85]

WOW

The surrounding communities, use every channel in the 150-160mhz range. WOW. That's incredible and extremely inflated. I find it VERY VERY VERY hard to believe that they couldn't squeeze in 1 single 6.25 freq anywhere between 150-160mhz.
BTW the title should NOT be "The FCC takes action...", all they simply did was deny a request. Happens everyday.

 

[mmckenna]

They were trying to get the frequency to use for their in vehicle mobile repeaters (extenders). The issue with doing mobile repeaters in-band is that you want as much separation as you can between the normal working channel, and the mobile extender channel to prevent de-sense or having to use some really expensive filtering.

Would be better to use another band, but then you use interoperability with the hand held.

 

[Kirk]

Given the quantity of personnel and apparatus, it looks to be a small department. They don't mention their response area on their website, but perhaps dollars would be better spent on improving their communications infrastructure (voting receivers, higher transmit site, etc) rather than using mobile repeaters.

 

[ko6jw_2]

According to the database there is only one national forest in Ohio - the Wayne National Forest. It uses 3 frequencies in the 164Mhz range, yet they are adamantly opposed to the use by a small fire district of a single frequency well outside their normal range. Here in California with many national forests and dozens of federal frequencies in use, I could see their point, but in Ohio it's a non-issue. Ironically, the frequency they wanted to use might have been approved west of the Mississippi! Some federal spectrum, notably 406-420Mhz, is the most underutilized in the country. Yet, they will fight not to give up any of it.

 

[wa8pyr]

They were trying to get the frequency to use for their in vehicle mobile repeaters (extenders). The issue with doing mobile repeaters in-band is that you want as much separation as you can between the normal working channel, and the mobile extender channel to prevent de-sense or having to use some really expensive filtering.

Would be better to use another band, but then you use interoperability with the hand held.

There are available public safety frequencies as much as 5 MHz away from their regular licensed frequencies which could be used quite readily without a waiver; yes, it would take some filtering but the cost would not be especially onerous.