SPEN 4 being used in south brunswick Fire?

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GM

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Most public service agencies in the State of NJ have access to all 4 SPEN channels, whether it's via base, mobile and/or portable radio and depending on which apparatus is on scene using such frequencies. :)
 

robbinsj2

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Generally, no. The only time they would use SPEN 4 is for landing MedEvacs; they have a talkgroup which can be patched into SPEN 4 by the dispatcher.

Jim
 

scannersnstuff

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gm. i have to disagree. most police agencies in nj probably have access to all 4 spen channel's thru either mobiles,portables or bases. spen-4 is not for transmitting from base units. remcs was using it for their chit-chat channel. that got kaboshed. spens 1,2 and 3 are for use ONLY by pd's. fire/ems unit's do not have the right to use them. spen-4 is a catch-all for police/fire/ems. if i come across as a know it all,i'm not. just trying to clarify.
 

robbinsj2

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My observations around here are different, pdfdems286. Maybe things are different where you are but I see SPEN-1 through -3 (plus -4, of course) programmed in just about every VHF-Hi public safety radio. There aren't as many high-band radios as there used to be, for non-LE radios SPEN-1 through -3 are often buried somewhere deep in the line-up, and I'm not commenting upon what the intended use of any of the SPEN are, but that's what I see.
 

scannersnstuff

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jim, i'm from monmouth county. the fd/ems agencies may have spen 1-3 programmed somewhere in their radio's for monitoring. they are not supposed to be tx.on those frequencies.
 

RadioDitch

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Generally, no. The only time they would use SPEN 4 is for landing MedEvacs; they have a talkgroup which can be patched into SPEN 4 by the dispatcher.

It is not just for Medevac.

SPEN-4 (aka: JEMS 4) is officially the New Jersey State Public Safety Mobile Interoperabilty Channel for PD/OEM/FD/EMS. It is meant for the purpose of providing a means of interoperable communications between agencies, when one may not have access/ability to use a local or county level mutual aid frequency.

An example of this occurred just recently when Union County OEM and EMS Task Force responded to Edison for the bus accident with MCI level injuries. Union County operates on an EDACS system (still for the moment), and our mutual aid frequencies are UHF standard. The radios did not have Middlesex County's mutual aid frequencies or the ability to communicate on Edison's TRS. So SPEN-4 was used.

An example for Fire? Back in December a wearhouse/factory in Elizabeth suffered an 8-alarm blaze that burnt out of control for 5 days. Fire departments were called in from four counties and one out of state company whom I guess was just bored at home. Not all of which had the ability to communicate on Elizabeth's channels, UCFMA UHF standard channels, and especially not the County TRS. There were not enough portables for all companies...SPEN-4 was used.

So it is feasable that SPEN-4 could be used at a fire scene in South Brunswick under the right (or wrong depending how you look at it) circumstances. SPEN-4 is the only frequency in the Statewide Police Emergency Network that FD's and EMS's are allowed to communicate on.

Of course the whole discussion is going to be pointless anyway once the 700MHz systems are fully operational...at least in theory.
 
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cifd64

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Same in Wanaque. We just reprogrammed the FD fleet and have SPEn in them. My understanding is SPEN-4 is the I/O channel. Which is great, but if you roll on UHF I dont know many who have the UHF National channels in them.
 

RadioDitch

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Same in Wanaque. We just reprogrammed the FD fleet and have SPEn in them. My understanding is SPEN-4 is the I/O channel. Which is great, but if you roll on UHF I dont know many who have the UHF National channels in them.

Idk about Fire. But in EMS in New Jersey, it's part of the equipment requirements from the DOH and NJSFAC that in addition to JEMS, your radios be programmed with at least UASI UCALL and UTAC1 thru 3, both simplex and repeat.

Not saying anyone actually enforces it, buuuuut...
 

robbinsj2

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It is not just for Medevac ... So it is feasable that SPEN-4 could be used at a fire scene in South Brunswick under the right (or wrong depending how you look at it) circumstances

As a South Brunswick firefighter, I think I am qualified to answer the original poster's question the way I did. Can you cite any different SPEN-4 use by SBFD since the final switch to the EDACS?

Generally, no. The only time they would use SPEN 4 is for landing MedEvacs; they have a talkgroup which can be patched into SPEN 4 by the dispatcher.
 

jaymatt1978

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SPEN4 is supposed to be used as a catch-all for all the departments, but I've heard fire departments call Northstar on SPEN1.. This was only a couple of times and nobody said anything, at leat over the air. Also when medic units don't have the police department's frequency in their radi-os, I have heard them call the department on SPEN1. I'm not saying whether this is the right or wrong procedure, I'm saying this is what they do.
 

Essexscan

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I've heard Northstar quit alot on SPEN-1 by me in Nutley when they are in Essex-Bergen-Passiac counties. Spen-1 is quite busy by me since 3 counties meet near me and share alot of roads so inter-agency calls are common
 

RadioDitch

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As a South Brunswick firefighter, I think I am qualified to answer the original poster's question the way I did. Can you cite any different SPEN-4 use by SBFD since the final switch to the EDACS?

My reply was general to SPEN-4, not specific to South Brunswick. That's why I said it was feasable, as in somehow possible. In normal operation, I doubt you guys have use for it as much else than Medevac. But SPEN-4's primary intention is for non-normal operation such as MCI's, mass responses, and distant mutual-aid out of area/county. I'm pretty sure if you guys had a major level incident with lots of out of area companies, it would likely be a possible channel for use.

jaymatt1978 said:
SPEN4 is supposed to be used as a catch-all for all the departments, but I've heard fire departments call Northstar on SPEN1.. This was only a couple of times and nobody said anything, at leat over the air. Also when medic units don't have the police department's frequency in their radi-os, I have heard them call the department on SPEN1. I'm not saying whether this is the right or wrong procedure, I'm saying this is what they do.

Northstar being a NJSP unit uses it more often than people notice. I laugh though...SPEN-1...also sometimes known here in North Jersey as the "Sleepy Police Entertainment Network". Never know what might be broadcast on it at 2am.
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scannersnstuff

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even though the state police medevacs have the right to use spen 1, they should be using it as a landing zone coordination frequency only with pd's. i have heard remcs tell northstar to go to spen 1 to communicate with njsp units on the parkway or turnpike. same as if they were on a perp./missing person search with local emergency service's.
 

mikemey

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I know when I was on a Northern Bergen County FD, we found it easier to communicate with Northstar on SPEN-1 instead of trying to get them onto our FD-1 channel. Only our chief vehicles had the ability to communicate on SPEN-1, the trucks could only monitor, through agreement with the NJSP, I believe.

Now, mind you this was several years ago, and things may have changed.
 

helpisontheway

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Hey, I am looking for some information on what radio would be best for me at I am an EMT. The guy's I work with are unfortunately not very helpful. You were talking about SPEN which I can only guess is a higher command user channel.I just don't know whether to get VHF or UHF I'm in Middlessex county N.J.

So I was hoping you could help me out, Generally the radio will be used for standard communication between the county and other agencies IE: Police, Fire, And others if needed. When I was in Manchester things were different. We had the military NAVAL FIRE RESCUE and our own.

Now as I am to understand things have gone to Analog?

Well any help would be great. You can contact me at ripple251@hotmail.com if you get this. OK Thank you. Richy.
 

helpisontheway

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VHF vs UHF

Thank you for returning my question. actually I am looking to buy a two way to use on the job. I'm a part time volunteer EMT.

I am in North Brunswick, NJ area and am trying To figure out what I need as far as a two way 4 watt radio, Maybe several channels or just a few to communicate with county and other EMS personnel.

I think Analog is supposed to be the newest? So I'm just not sure what to get. If VHF or UHF and what the differences are.

So any help you can provide i would be thankful. I know it has to be programed and if I get it from Galls they can do it for me. I just don't want to spend between 200-400 dollars and get the wrong type of radio.

OK, Thank you.
 

robertpearsall

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A few things you need to know about radios.
1st. N Brunswick and County are on different bands and systems N Brunswick is on UHF County is on 800mhz edacs system so one radio for both not happening.
2nd if you are talking about Med Central as county they are on VHF again two radios or about 2 grand for a apx dual band
3rd You need permission from each agency you what to transmitt with ie N Brunswick,Med-Central,County.
IF you just want N BRUNSWICK remember Fire/Ems is analog Police are Digital more then 400.00 for digital radio.
Remember no true radio shop or Galls will program a radio for Public Safety without company letter.
With that in mind you are better off with radios your department uses.
 
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