San Diego Fire Rescue 700MHz transition

[Anderegg]

SDFD engines and medic rigs are beginning to switch over to the 700MHz system. It's a mix and match at this time, but it is important you scan BOTH 700 and 800 until the transition is almost complete, to ensure you don't miss any transmissions. When SDPD made the transition, there was a time when Dispatch 2 traffic was either on 700 only or 800 only, dependant on radio affiliation, and that is the same thing we will see on SDFD tac channels.

Paul

 

[Anderegg]

Sounds like it's safe to delete your 800 SDFD stuff, almost all SDFD units are now transmitting on the 700 system.

Also, note to the SD City radio shops...YOU MESSED UP THE MIC GAIN SETTINGS ON THE APX PORTABLE RADIOS. If you were going for "I want my APX portables to sound like AMR DIspatch on the RCS only louder, then you nailed it...

Paul

 

[sparker1962]

I thought I read that all the SD 700MHz systems were being transitioned to the 800MHz systems. From the above threads, I guess this is not true.

 

[kearthfan101]

I thought I read that all the SD 700MHz systems were being transitioned to the 800MHz systems. From the above threads, I guess this is not true.

Other way around. The 800 stuff is the previous system, and the 700 system is "new".

 

[SDBud]

It SEEMS that the medics/hosp. have gone fully 700, but all other PD and FD stuff is still on both, as far as I can tell.

 

[Anderegg]

EVERYONE is 95% 700MHz, with only a handful of radios still transmitting on 800MHz. This goes for PD and Fire, School and College PD, but seems Lifeguards is 100% 700MHz. Hospital base radios have been 700MHz for at least a year (when RCS switched to Nextgen, all the county fire radios ditched 800 programming for 700 only for SD zones), and were the only reason the medcoms have been up on 700 system for the past year.

Hopefully they fix the APX portable radio audio levels when they program the 800MHZ system out next "touch", assuming this wasnt the last touch.

Paul

 

[SDBud]

EVERYONE is 95% 700MHz, with only a handful of radios still transmitting on 800MHz. This goes for PD and Fire, School and College PD, but seems Lifeguards is 100% 700MHz. Hospital base radios have been 700MHz for at least a year (when RCS switched to Nextgen, all the county fire radios ditched 800 programming for 700 only for SD zones), and were the only reason the medcoms have been up on 700 system for the past year.

Hopefully they fix the APX portable radio audio levels when they program the 800MHZ system out next "touch", assuming this wasnt the last touch.

Paul

Had a major rescue crash just 2 blocks from me, so HAD to listen to medics.

Heard ALL medic traffic, all hospitals, on BOTH 800 and 700 systems.

 

[Anderegg]

It's less now of WHERE you can hear the traffic as opposed to what system the radios are actually transmitting on. If you are listening to an 800MHz radio on the 700 system, it sounds bad, and if you listen to a 700MHz radio on the 800 system, sounds bad. If you want clarity and voice quality, and your scanner can handle it, just listen to the 700MHz system, you won't miss any transmissions at this point.

Paul

 

[ErikVanR]

Is SDFD fully converted over to the 700 system?

 

[Anderegg]

All SDFD communications can be monitored on the 700MHz system. The same cannot be said for the 800MHz system. There are a handful of radios, mostly EMS, that have not got the updated programming and are broadcasting static onto the net. That being said, I heard a southbay medic giving a broken report from the border on 700MHz, and had to switch to an 800MHz walkie talkie to continue his report because the range and footprint (coverage) on the 700MHz system SUCKS.

Paul

 

[SDBud]

Is SDFD fully converted over to the 700 system?

I still hear everything on 800, though it's been really crappy audio recently. MAYBE that's a sign, maybe not.

 

[Anderegg]

The 700 radios on 800, or 800 on 700, sounds pretty crappy. I only listen to 700 because the majority of radios are native 700 and sound clean and clear.

Paul

 

[ErikVanR]

I still hear everything on 800, though it's been really crappy audio recently. MAYBE that's a sign, maybe not.

Ok. I'm making a trip down there next week, and was going to program my radio for SDFD before I head down.

 

[SDBud]

Ok. I'm making a trip down there next week, and was going to program my radio for SDFD before I head down.

I'd suggest both 700 and 800, so you can be sure you'll hear everything. And be able to compare them for yourself.

 

[Anderegg]

People are complaining to me that they are not hearing SDFD on 800MHz any longer.

Paul

 

[SDBud]

People are complaining to me that they are not hearing SDFD on 800MHz any longer.

Paul

I am not hearing anything BUT dispatch on 800 OR 700, even in search mode. On ANY radio. PD is working fine, so is FD Dispatch.

 

[Anderegg]

Wow, itterally listenning to a structure working 8A/8B rght now on 700.

Paul

 

[SDBud]

Wow, itterally listenning to a structure working 8A/8B rght now on 700.

Paul

Odd, I have the latest from the database in all my radios, and STILL only hearing Dispatch, and now medics on 7E.
Didn't get a PEEP on that fire on Island.

 

[Elpablo]

Around 4-4:30 pm today on the 800 system, I am hearing 7A, 7B and 7F only.

I noticed 7E came up on the 700 system, but not on the 800 system multiple times.

Also, heard 8D and 8E on the 700 system but they never came up on the 800 system.

Lifeguards D1 came up on both systems.

Seems like SDFD's transition is almost complete.

 

[SDBud]

Around 4-4:30 pm today on the 800 system, I am hearing 7A, 7B and 7F only.

I noticed 7E came up on the 700 system, but not on the 800 system multiple times.

Also, heard 8D and 8E on the 700 system but they never came up on the 800 system.

Lifeguards D1 came up on both systems.

Seems like SDFD's transition is almost complete.

I have just confirmed that. AND latest info is that total system changeover (PD and FD) is now set for sometime in August.

Turns out, some radios I have that I THOUGHT did 700 don't, so I'll be kind of screwed.