Jasper National Park radio system

[rhpnow]

Hello, new to the group. I have purchased a Baofeng UV9RPlus and want to be able to use it in Jasper National Park to monitor weather, and also access the Jasper Park Warden radio system if I ever need to use it for a back country emergency.

I am very new, can someone suggest how I can get started? I have downloaded CHIRP and have tried to program the radio to the frequencies that are in the park, but I don't get anything. Any help getting started would be much appreciated (ie a primer on all of the settings that are in CHIRP) Are there any online courses?

Thanks Everyone in advance.

 

[robertmac]

I would suggest strongly to contact Jasper National Park Services first to see if they will authorize you to access their radio system.

Also check with ISED to see if you can obtain a license to use Jasper National Park frequencies. If you don't know how to operate the Baofeng radio, I would advise not using it. There are many other legal equipment to use for emergencies that does not involve interfering with Jasper Nation Park radios.
Most emergency services in Alberta are on AFRRCS radio system which is not available to citizens. You would be much better purchasing Satellite phone, or a ZOLEO, or SPOT X, or Garmin inReach, etc..

In short, forget the Baofeng for contacting Parks or any other emergency services unless you have written permission from them.

 

[rhpnow]

Thanks for the info, I do have a Garmin Inreach. I have researched the Parks radio system and from what I have read it is completely acceptable to use a radio to communicate in an emergency. It was recommended, which is why I purchased the radio. It is also acceptable to get weather reports and listen to activity around emergencies. Thanks for the help getting me started.

 

[harryshute]

It's been awhile since I've been to Jasper but did monitor all the time when I was there. Then Jasper used HF to communicate with their units in the back country.

 

[mciupa]

Sometimes in an emergency, people in crisis tend to talk over their responders making contact virtually useless. The INReach would allow the responders to ping your co-ordinates and you could text your details so the urgency could not get muddled.

 

[rhpnow]

Thanks for all the background info but can someone answer the initial question? I have purchased a Baofeng UV9RPlus and want to be able to use it in Jasper National Park to monitor weather and also access the Jasper Park Warden radio system if I ever need to use it for a back country emergency.

I have an Inreach, but have been told that a radio could be a good low cost additional option for safety.

There could be instances where I am very close to someone who has activated an Inreach and I could provide first aid until rescue arrives. I am wilderness first aid trained, and spend a lot of time in the backcountry.

 

[harryshute]

I'm not sure who told you it is acceptable to use a non approved radio on a radio system, as it's illegal. Too bad you bought the radio on that advice. Yes, it legal to use a scanner to listen in but not transmit.

Simply put you can't and no one on the list can give you the go ahead.

 

[Jay911]

I have only used CHIRP once and it was ages ago so I can't really comment on that (and I won't get sucked into the other arguments filling up the thread).

With regards to using a radio for weather reports, however, if you're planning to rely on the Environment Canada Weatheradio service, that might be a challenge. There were discussions on here a year or two ago when it became obvious (and I think possibly actually stated outright on some of the WX radio broadcasts) that the system is being gradually wound down.

I did a quick search for EC WX radio broadcast towers last night and found that there are virtually none in the national parks in AB/BC and very few that might reach into those areas. Specific to Jasper NP, the closest ones are a tower north of Edson in Yellowhead, north of Hwy 16; another north of Grande Prairie by a decent distance; one in Prince George BC; and one at Limestone Mountain west of Sundre close to the Banff NP border with Kananaskis. I have my doubts any of those would reach into JNP with any meaningful signal (and even then, would they provide details on weather for the park?).

If you have a source for another weather broadcast that is not carried over EC WX radio, then more power to you. For example Alberta Wildfire runs fire weather reports/forecasts twice daily on their Firenet repeaters throughout the province, at ~1030 and 1530 daily. I don't know if Parks Canada might do something similar. But again, if you plan to rely on 162.x transmitters, I don't think you're going to pick much up in the national parks.

 

[n3obl]

Thanks for all the background info but can someone answer the initial question? I have purchased a Baofeng UV9RPlus and want to be able to use it in Jasper National Park to monitor weather and also access the Jasper Park Warden radio system if I ever need to use it for a back country emergency.

Well, I hope that when they do come after you using your radio that they promptly take it from you and place you in bracelets.

 

[mciupa]

Please no character attacks.

If someone has something relevant and worthy to tell the original poster, please respond, otherwise he may have to search on his own.