LifeEvac II comm problems

[richrowl]

Today 6/6 around 1500 hrs. LifeEvac II was complaining to LifeCom that they were having trouble hitting the Fredericksburg repeater. They exchanged coordinates and some other info.

I gather they were heading to Westmoreland County, the LZ was a baseball field near a school. They were to contact ground coordination command on 458.4625 with no PL, that did not work. Then they were advised to use Fire Ch-2 but did not five a freq, that did not work. Then 453.725, it did not work, then statewide EMS , nobody on the ground had a radio with statewide (155.205) in it. Next was 155.295, that never worked either. LifeCom advised that the LZ was clear and they could land. The next thing I heard was when they called MCV with the patient aboard.

I don't recall hearing any MedFlight dispatches today, could have had other priorities
or just busy.

 

[W4UVV]

Any city/county F/R request for Medflight or LifeEvac should require one on scene responder to have the capability to T/R simplex on 155.205 mhz. even if it is an HT. Medflight and LifeEvac prefer to use 155.205 mhz. simplex when on scene. Absent that you have the comm. mess you described.

LifeEvac2 uses a LTR business trunked repeater system designed for local coverage in the Fredericksburg area and not configured for wide area coverage. Also I think part of the problem is LifeEvac2 is using low power maybe 5 or 10 watts which doesn't help matters.