MD of Foothills question

[MrVelvet]

Just heard station 7, (Blackie), come on the air and tell everyone to switch to Gladys Ridge repeater #2.

A quick google nets me information on the Foothills Amateur Radio Society - Repeaters Home

Can anyone fill me in on how they use this repeater and what it is typically used for. What would I need to put in my scanner to pick it up?

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Another MD related question. What do the Fire Departments around here typically use as a Tac channel? There was a fire in High River a couple days ago and there was only HRF to Dispatch talk on their channel. Do they use the Provincial Fire frequencies?

Thanks for any info on either question.

 

[robertmac]

FERN not Foothills

The FARS Gladys Ridge repeater was set up for amateur radio use in the Okotoks areas. And is part of their amateur radio Emergency Radio Network [FERN] for areas around Okotoks, High River. To see how these amateur radio repeaters are linked, go to Home and look at their repeater lists. MD of Foothills has a repearter 158.805 for Okotoks on Gladys Ridge which I believe is the Fire Department for Okotoks area, or Foothills East Repeater.. When working some floods down in Black Diamond/Turner Valley a few years ago, lot of simplex on 156.855.

 

[Jay911]

When I have responded with FREMS, and with other agencies in the area that use VHF comms, their tactical activities have been on VHF Firetac (156.855) CSQ.

Also take note that someone submitted a second repeater for Okotoks Fire last year. If I recall the submission correctly, the repeater was installed due to poor coverage in certain areas with the main repeater.