Maryland FIRST 700mhz TRS

[maus92]

Interesting that the AACo units were not using the FIRST Med channels because it seems there is a problem with their 800 consults via MIEMSS (there also seems to be some issues with UHF Med channels....) It's possible that not all AACo units have their radios programmed for FIRST Med channels yet. I'm going to assume that once AACo moves to its new system, they will have OTAP / Wifi capabilities, and reprogramming a fleet will be easier. For now, at least some radios need to be touched. This discussion should move to its own thread.

 

[boatbod]

I overheard a curious consult yesterday afternoon between a QA Medic and AAMC. The ED nurse was questioning the medic why the consult call was coming in via "this phone". Not quite sure what she was getting at, but the medic was patched in via FiRST 7R4 MED1. Hospital audio quality was horrible and both sides were having difficulties communicating effectively.

 

[maus92]

I overheard a curious consult yesterday afternoon between a QA Medic and AAMC. The ED nurse was questioning the medic why the consult call was coming in via "this phone". Not quite sure what she was getting at, but the medic was patched in via FiRST 7R4 MED1. Hospital audio quality was horrible and both sides were having difficulties communicating effectively.

Seems like multiple modes of MED "channel" consults are having issues. Certainly sounds like a MIEMSS infrastructure issue.

 

[firebal]

I overheard a curious consult yesterday afternoon between a QA Medic and AAMC. The ED nurse was questioning the medic why the consult call was coming in via "this phone". Not quite sure what she was getting at, but the medic was patched in via FiRST 7R4 MED1. Hospital audio quality was horrible and both sides were having difficulties communicating effectively.

Could be unrelated but perhaps the nurse was not aware of the phone patch that can be used if radio issues are prevalent.
https://www.miemss.org/home/Portals...ations_Map_2012.pdf?ver=2012-12-06-101832-147 see the second page.

 

[maus92]

Could be unrelated but perhaps the nurse was not aware of the phone patch that can be used if radio issues are prevalent.
https://www.miemss.org/home/Portals...ations_Map_2012.pdf?ver=2012-12-06-101832-147 see the second page.

Part of the problem with communications systems and procedures is that they are often complex. They need to be made as simple as possible for the end user who's main job function is something else. I'm still getting the feeling that there are infrastructure issues involved. I talk regularly with colleagues across the country (and in Europe and Asia) using VOIP technology that is almost always flawless. Surely a private network could be made more reliable (I have limited patience for tech that doesn't function properly, lol.)

 

[firebal]

Part of the problem with communications systems and procedures is that they are often complex. They need to be made as simple as possible for the end user who's main job function is something else. I'm still getting the feeling that there are infrastructure issues involved. I talk regularly with colleagues across the country (and in Europe and Asia) using VOIP technology that is almost always flawless. Surely a private network could be made more reliable (I have limited patience for tech that doesn't function properly, lol.)

FiRST Net?? hahah that was the hope for it in part. However I have lots of friends who use it and do not speak highly of it.

 

[maus92]

FiRST Net?? hahah that was the hope for it in part. However I have lots of friends who use it and do not speak highly of it.

I am not referencing FirstNet. I don't think FirstNet is a viable replacement for land mobile PPT voice, btw. Data and voice should not be on the same network for public safety, IMO, even with preemption.

 

[firebal]

I am not referencing FirstNet. I don't think FirstNet is a viable replacement for land mobile PPT voice, btw. Data and voice should not be on the same network for public safety, IMO, even with preemption.

Did not think so. I just know that the powers above typically point to that and say, 'you have what you need'. When in reality, as you said, it is no where near a viable replacement.

As you also mentioned earlier seems to be issues with MIEMSS infrastructure. Should be interesting if the upgrades being made will make any difference. Or are simply a band-aid meant to temporally fix the problem.

 

[maus92]

Did not think so. I just know that the powers above typically point to that and say, 'you have what you need'. When in reality, as you said, it is no where near a viable replacement.

As you also mentioned earlier seems to be issues with MIEMSS infrastructure. Should be interesting if the upgrades being made will make any difference. Or are simply a band-aid meant to temporally fix the problem.

It will be a major upgrade to the microwave backhaul network. I think the UHF radios are in good condition, and won't be touched.

 

[firebal]

While not about the FiRST, I have always noticed fine transmissions from BCoFD units and difficult to understand hospitals and for hospital to understand BCoFD units.

 

[boatbod]

While not about the FiRST, I have always noticed fine transmissions from BCoFD units and difficult to understand hospitals and for hospital to understand BCoFD units.

I suspect some sort of trans-coding issue between the digital fire/ems radios and whatever system they are using at the hospitals. Patches are uniformly horrible everywhere from what I've heard.

 

[LordDonkey]

Garrett County told their Sheriff units to switch their radios back to GCSO VHF LAW. Garrett Central said they were getting work done on this "frequency." GC also told the Fire/EMS units to switch back to VHF because they were having radio problems.

 

[maus92]

Garrett County told their Sheriff units to switch their radios back to GCSO VHF LAW. Garrett Central said they were getting work done on this "frequency." GC also told the Fire/EMS units to switch back to VHF because they were having radio problems.

Does anybody provide a feed for the Garrett Simulcast site? I used to subscribe to a Zello feed for Allegany when it first went on the air.

 

[LordDonkey]

There's one on Zello that has Garrett's Fire Tac channels and analog. Pretty sure it's the same source as Broadcastify. Here it is: Garrett Co. MD. Fire-EMS. I'm not aware of any LEO streams. I do have a password protected Zello feed that I use when I'm out and don't want to lug my mobile SDR setup.

It seems to be just the GC Sheriffs Office and Fire/EMS that's having issues. MSP McHenry (W) and DNR Area 8 are fine. I did log a GCSO radio key up on Spec Ops Tac 5 and GC Sheriff Tac 5 channels at 11:55 AM. Both are secure channels so I don't know what was said, it was only a ~2.7 second transmission on each talkgroup.

 

[maus92]

There's one on Zello that has Garrett's Fire Tac channels and analog. Pretty sure it's the same source as Broadcastify. Here it is: Garrett Co. MD. Fire-EMS. I'm not aware of any LEO streams. I do have a password protected Zello feed that I use when I'm out and don't want to lug my mobile SDR setup.

It seems to be just the GC Sheriffs Office and Fire/EMS that's having issues. MSP McHenry (W) and DNR Area 8 are fine. I did log a GCSO radio key up on Spec Ops Tac 5 and GC Sheriff Tac 5 channels at 11:55 AM. Both are secure channels so I don't know what was said, it was only a ~2.7 second transmission on each talkgroup.

Got it - sounds like something going on with their EOC / consoles. Did they install full dispatch consoles yet, or are they still using loaner consolettes?

 

[LordDonkey]

I don't think they have full consoles. The RIDs of dispatch are in the MSP range, so I think they are the loaners. I would think that the dispatch RIDs would be in the 242xxxx range if they had their own consoles. There used to be 2 RIDs that Garrett used for Fire Main and GCSO Main, 2135505 and 2135506. I never see those anymore. Happened the same time that traffic on Fire/EMS Main stopped.

RIDs Garrett Central uses currently:
12621 GCSO Main: 2127479 (Previously used on just Sheriff Tac 1)
12602 Fire/EMS Tac 1: 2124748
8310 (AV TAC 23 a.k.a Aviation Tac Garrett): 2127444
7373 MSP: 2127020

 

[maus92]

For some reason I thought they got a grant for EOC consoles at some point in addition to subscribers - maybe this is part of that installation process, IDK.

 

[LordDonkey]

As of 1:39 there is traffic back on GCSO Main. AS for EOC Consoles, I have no idea when it comes to installing consoles. The county did set aside some money for FY2020 for communications.

Elder Hill Tower: $24,070 (There used to be a tower on top of Elder Hill around 2007, around the 5700 block on RT. 42. I don't know if it was taken down by the tornado in 2008 or if something happened before that. I can't find any information about it.)
911 console radio upgrade: $823,150

 

[maus92]

As of 1:39 there is traffic back on GCSO Main. AS for EOC Consoles, I have no idea when it comes to installing consoles. The county did set aside some money for FY2020 for communications.

Elder Hill Tower: $24,070 (There used to be a tower on top of Elder Hill around 2007, around the 5700 block on RT. 42. I don't know if it was taken down by the tornado in 2008 or if something happened before that. I can't find any information about it.)
911 console radio upgrade: $823,150

I thought I remembered something about new consoles - hopefully a grant will pay for most of that. $24K for a ps grade comm tower is not much; new towers at an existing site are minimum $500K. Could be for some auxiliary purpose, a relay link, etc.

 

[BM82557]

Site 1.28 also shows up as a neighbor of Washington Simulcast site 1.20 , Lambs Knoll site 1.17 and Gambrills Mountain site 1.16. Nothing showing up on 772.36875 yet.

Site 1.28 is online late this morning -
Updated with 3rd freq after BSI @ 11:38 -

Site: 1.28 NAC=4A1 BSI=WREX873

Neighbor: BEE00.4A2-1.14 ; Mount Airy ASR
Neighbor: BEE00.4A2-1.15 ; Bridgeport SHA ASR
Neighbor: BEE00.4A2-1.16 ; Gambrills Mountain ASR
Neighbor: BEE00.4A2-1.17 ; Lambs Knoll ASR
Neighbor: BEE00.4A2-1.18 ; Mount Quirauk ASR
Neighbor: BEE00.4A2-1.20 ; Washington County Simulcast

Channel 1-1214: 769.59375 BSI
Channel 1-1658: 772.36875 CC
Channel 1-1954: 774.21875 SCC