Ridgefield FD (Bergen) on 154.355

[GTR8000]

The DB shows Ridgefield FD with a PL of 156.7 on 154.355, but I'm picking up dispatches from FireCom on that frequency with a PL of 186.2.

 

[jaymatt1978]

The correct PL is 186.2,somehow someone changed it in the database

 

[SCPD]

154.355 PL 186.2 has been corrected in RR DB thanks for picking up the error!

 

[GTR8000]

Thanks for the confirmation, Justin...and thanks for processing the correction, Ken!

 

[902]

The DB shows Ridgefield FD with a PL of 156.7 on 154.355, but I'm picking up dispatches from FireCom on that frequency with a PL of 186.2.

156.7 was a very old CTCSS tone. Back in the day, each of the 8 original municipalities had their own CTCSS tones (partially 127.3 for Ft. Lee, 118.8 for Cliffside Park, 192.8 for Fairview, 141.3 for Edgewater, 156.7 for Ridgefield... and so on...). The plan was for the base, which was usually dispatched by a desk cop, to be in CTCSS and only hear borough units, but the actual mobiles and portables be in carrier squelch to communicate with everyone on the fireground. I spent many days removing PL switches in MT500 radios. I also had a Maxtrac programmed with one channel for each department, as well as 154.280 in carrier squelch and 153.830 in 127.3 (Fort Lee's old tone) and 155.205 with 114.8 (EBAA).

Some time after I moved, the boroughs hired or contracted professional telecommunicators, the mutual aid got together and changed to common CTCSS tones. Everyone should be changed over by now.

• 146.2 for 154.445 (formerly Englewood's exclusive tone)
• 186.2 for 154.355

There was also a common tone agreed to for 153.830, too, but I don't remember it. I also think they came up with a tone for 154.280 that was exclusive to East Bergen Mutual Aid.