RVC Fire 1

[MEDIC135]

So I have been continuing to hear units telling Perris ECC that they will be switching over to RVC Fire 1 recently with today being E19 at approx 1700 or so. My worst fear and assumption is that this is a channel on PSEC and encrypted. Can anyone confirm that this is what CalFire is moving towards and if so, what’s the timeline?

 

[ScanFanEd]

I cannot say for sure that what you heard was related to PSEC, however I can tell you with certainty that Perris does have some fire talkgroups on the PSEC system and they are encrypted. I am just not sure specially what they are used for and what groups of mobiles and portables have the system and talkgroups.

I cannot imagine it would be anytime soon that they would fully switch, or at least pray that it isn't anytime soon.

 

[Markb]

Yes. That is an encrypted PSEC talkgroup.
From what I have heard, they do have plans to migrate over within the next couple of years.

 

[MEDIC135]

Yes. That is an encrypted PSEC talkgroup.
From what I have heard, they do have plans to migrate over within the next couple of years.

Thank you for the unfortunate news lol
No clue why the FD needs to be encrypted but that’s just my own opinion 🤷🏼‍♂️

 

[tkenny53]

1143 477 T ICS Fire 1 ICS Fire/EMS 1 Interop
1144 478 T ICS Fire 2 ICS Fire/EMS 2 Interop

Not shown as encrypted

 

[MEDIC135]

1143 477 T ICS Fire 1 ICS Fire/EMS 1 Interop
1144 478 T ICS Fire 2 ICS Fire/EMS 2 Interop

Not shown as encrypted

It wasn’t those frequencies, they specifically said RVC Fire 1 on the radio at various different times

 

[AM909]

Thank you for the unfortunate news lol
No clue why the FD needs to be encrypted but that’s just my own opinion 🤷🏼‍♂️

I'd guess arson/pyro investigations?

 

[Kingscup]

I reached out to a friend that works at the dept and he has not heard any rumors on migrating over to the PSEC system but that doesn't mean they will or won't be doing that since he is not in the loop on that sort of thing.

I know at one time, there were 4 RVC Fire talkgroups. I don't know if that has changed. At least some apparatus have the radios. I remember Blythe units had them because radio techs took down the repeater to work on it. Recently, I heard Temecula units switch over to PSEC on a fire in the Deluz area due to bad reception of the analog radio. This makes me think that all apparatus may have access to the PSEC system whether it is a mobile or portable radio.

 

[MEDIC135]

I reached out to a friend that works at the dept and he has not heard any rumors on migrating over to the PSEC system but that doesn't mean they will or won't be doing that since he is not in the loop on that sort of thing.

I know at one time, there were 4 RVC Fire talkgroups. I don't know if that has changed. At least some apparatus have the radios. I remember Blythe units had them because radio techs took down the repeater to work on it. Recently, I heard Temecula units switch over to PSEC on a fire in the Deluz area due to bad reception of the analog radio. This makes me think that all apparatus may have access to the PSEC system whether it is a mobile or portable radio.

Thank you for the update and reaching out to your sources

 

[Z_DEO5]

RVC FIRE 1
Is a talkgroup on PSEC there is 5 Talkgroups for RVC but there hardly even used. They are all encrypted.

 

[Kingscup]

I am reminded from another thread that we have to take into consideration about RVC moving to PSEC. I know that they want to remain on their current system but what happens when they can no longer get parts for their current system? Do companies make current analog radio systems with current parts? They may be forced to go PSEC due to not being able to obtain parts for a radio that is broken. At the very least, I can see where daily radio traffic would be on PSEC while vegetation fires would be on analog. Just a thought.

 

[f40ph]

what happens when they can no longer get parts for their current system? Do companies make current analog radio systems with current parts? They may be forced to go PSEC due to not being able to obtain parts for a radio that is broken.

The newest radios and repeaters you can purchase today are both P25 digital and analog capable. Not sure you'll see a situation where an analog system can't be maintained. They can purchase replacement components from several manufacturers. There may likely be a desire to move to P25 conventional as some cities have done already but I disagree that anyone would be "forced" to move to PSEC due to lack of parts.

 

[es93546]

So I have been continuing to hear units telling Perris ECC that they will be switching over to RVC Fire 1 recently with today being E19 at approx 1700 or so. My worst fear and assumption is that this is a channel on PSEC and encrypted. Can anyone confirm that this is what CalFire is moving towards and if so, what’s the timeline?

I don't think CalFire is going to move and will stay on analog VHF. This is the band all wildland fire will stay for foreseeable future. This is for many reasons the two primary reasons the main one being coverage in wildland terrain and the availability of interoperable frequencies and systems on VHF High.

 

[es93546]

I don't think CalFire is going to move and will stay on analog VHF. This is the band all wildland fire will stay for foreseeable future. This is for many reasons the two primary reasons the main one being coverage in wildland terrain and the availability of interoperable frequencies and systems on VHF High.

The federal government's wildland frequency assignments as well as the local unit (National Forests, National Parks, BLM Districts, National Wildlife Refuges and Indian Reservations (fire management) are all on VHF-High. They may use UHF for links as well as microwave for some linking. The National Interagency incident communication systems is based on VHF-High, with UHF for linking purposes and camp communications (mostly simplex). The feds don't have a frequency allocation other than VHF High and 406-420 MHz.

State forestry agencies stay mostly on VHF High for interoperability purposes. Even many counties who run their structural and EMS functions on UHF and 700/800 systems have VHF High mobiles or handhelds in most of its apparatus. Either that or multiband radios that are now showing up. This is due to VHF High being the band for wildland fire. L.os Angeles County Fire even has VHF High permanent repeaters throughout the county for wildland command and VHF High frequencies for tacticals. The CalFire VHF incident communications system has grown significantly over the last 5 years using VHF High frequencies with far more frequencies for tactical, air to ground and air to air command. They are increasingly faced with multiple very large fire incidents in the same areas where competition for more frequencies so that adjacent incidents don't interfere with each other.

Many isolated and rural counties are staying on VHF High to to terrain and coverage issues. Having VHF High radios for wildland fire enables easy interoperability with county and town agencies. 700/800 and UHF system don't work as well as VHF High in rural areas and mountainous terrain.

 

[MEDIC135]

Well Bat3C requested a PSEC channel on a veg incident in De Luz area today
So, doesn’t seem like it always has to be on VHF and furthers my suspicion of them going encrypted eventually
Reason the BC requested a PSEC channel for the De Luz incident was due to Perris ECC putting two working veg fires on RRU2

 

[MEDIC135]

Update to my last post, Perris ECC was patching the RVC FIRE PSEC channel to RRU2
Seems as though they’re using the PSEC channels for coverage when VHF is weak in certain areas

 

[kc0cat]

I have not heard Blythe Fire in about a month. Have they moved onto a trunked system? Also, I live in Quartzsite and can't seem to hear CHP. Have they gone encrypted as well in Riverside County?

 

[OrangePelican]

I have not heard Blythe Fire in about a month. Have they moved onto a trunked system? Also, I live in Quartzsite and can't seem to hear CHP. Have they gone encrypted as well in Riverside County?

Blythe Fire moved to PSEC when Blythe PD switched over. Last time I was around one of the volunteers their minitor was actually putting out their traffic though so they either have PSEC patched with VHF or are using VHF for direct/tac stuff still.

Any CHP you might be in range of in Quartzsite are all still low band VHF.

Seems as though they’re using the PSEC channels for coverage when VHF is weak in certain areas

Yup. That's how and why I've heard them request a PSEC channel in our area. A fulltime switch to PSEC gets asked about a lot in meetings but nobody from county fire has ever said yes or mentioned it as a plan. Every piece of equipment has at least one PSEC radio and it sounds like they're happy with that for now.