STARS has (encrypted) talkgroups on AFRRCS which seem to be linked to their 400 MHz analog channels. I generally see only one RID on the talkgroup (on PRO96COM etc) when hearing 400 MHz activity, so I am presuming the channel is just patched and everybody is doing most of their comms on the analog aircraft radios for now.
When they do go onto the MA channels, they do seem to use either portables or mobiles directly in the helicopter (different IDs than the above channel). I'm presuming they're mostly portables but I have no evidence to back that up.
I think there might be mobiles in the new Airbus machines as a few new IDs have popped up affiliating on PRO96COM while those machines have been on training flights in my area.
As for landing zones, they continue to be able to talk on Provincial Ambulance (VHF) for those who still have access to it - aircraft radios are rather agile frequency-wise in the analog realm of course. My understanding is that AFRRCS Simplex 01 is the default LZ channel for AFRRCS users. That's what I've been instructed to teach my fire crews. And I'm 99% sure that SIM01 is not the same freq as AHS SATCOM.
