Haven't heard a peep out of the Burl Co, Ocean Co towers or any of the trucks in over a week.
Has NJ Forest Fire Service migrated?
- Thread starter howie38
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I'm not sure about what's going on, I'll defer to The Experts, not sure if it's just the normal slowdown after the summer.
Fire danger has been moderate with the division B towers down for most of the week so that’s probably why there’s not much radio communications.
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Thanks, so it would appear to be just the natural slowdown of staffing the towers and overall activity. Been listening for many years every season and it seemed very consistent as does the radio system.
Personally I like the fact they've stayed on Vhf High. With DEP going over to ICS it has appeared to free up some towers and repeaters. I hope Jersey stays with this system.
Its rained over an inch in some places about 4 days ago. Thats enough rain to ground the towers this time of year till it dries up again. No migration in the works to the 700 band. In fact, NJFFS just installed 2 new Ch 8 VHF repeaters in Ocean County. Ch 8 east and Ch 8 south. Things will pick up again in the coming weeks with the arrival of fall fire season.
Class day and staffing is updated daily on the NJFFS B10 web site
Thanks, they got one for Burlington & Ocean Counties?
w2xq
Mentor
I have never found a website for either Burlington or Ocean County.
Ok, my bad, I took that listing as 'B' was just the area listed, I see now that the map that 'B' section covers Burl, Ocean Co.
Must be that 'B10 truck covers that upper B area of the state.
w2xq
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No pro
No problem. B10 website says Middlesex and Monmouth counties. Listening to their audio feed, I have not heard Burlington locations given. There is a piece of western Monmouth that extends far westward toward Bordentown, and (no proof thereof) I assume Burlington FFS helps out in that area.
jaymatt1978
Member
I don't have any inside information but I remember when the state upgraded their 800MHz and then started going to 700MHz they were all kinds of questions about them and the Parks service switching. The think was back then, and I have no reason it has changed, the NJFFS would have ACCESS to the new systems to coordinate with other state agencies, but still would use their VHF system. I've heard them as recently as last week signing on and off their VHF system
I still get radio traffic on the NJFFS VHF Ch.'s (fire towers for sure) here in central/north jersey.
So I was talking with one of my contacts from NJ DEP today and was told that the NJ Forest Fire Service (NJFFS) will be taking over ALL of the DEP VHF channels, except for Ch. 5 Parks. Channels 1 (151.1900) and 3 (151.3250) are now part of the NJ Forest Fire Service frequency line-up, and no longer used by Fish/Wildlife. I'm not sure if the State Park Police (SPP) will have access to Ch. 1 any longer since they have the 700 MHz system to use, but I do know they still have radios to inter-operate. You will hear SPP on Ch. 5 Parks for inter-ops with Park Maintenance and Seasonal employees (lifeguards, etc.) where applicable. The new FFS channel layout is not finalized yet, as some equipment is being moved around and replaced/reprogrammed, but anyone that wants to monitor NJ Forest Fire Service statewide should program in ALL of the NJ DEP VHF frequencies. Once I get confirmation of the new channel/frequency line-up, I will submit an update to the database. The work will take several months to perform I was told. Analog will be used for all of the VHF frequencies as well. Also, look for a new simulcast VHF Channel 8 to cover the entire Central NJ region in the Section B area at some point as well.
jaymatt1978
Member
Actually I kind of did some snooping around and from what I can find most,if not all forest fire services in states on the Eastern Seaboard are still on VHF even though other agencies have migrated to trunked systems, whether it be 800,700,UHF, they still have VHF radios. So I would still program in
Sometimes if it ain't broke - don't fix it!
I still hear A on VHF. I do mean to put the NJICS in a scanner, but have not done it yet
I feel like I have rarely if ever heard NJFFS on the NJICS from the old Berlin and Bordentown simulcasts and Atlantic county as well. I'll check to make sure I have the correct talk groups in each device and try again but I was curious myself. A few weeks ago there was a small brush fire in Burlington County and I didn't hear anything from nearby.
As far as usage on NJICS, yes that will continue. It's mainly used by the section wardens for inter-ops and other coordination. So to hear all the action, you'll need ALL DEP VHF frequencies AND the 700 MHz talkgroups. That should cover everything.
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