Thought Dallas FD was on UHF not 800 mHz.

[n5ims]

WFAA ran a story about Nextel interference with public service radios (link -> http://www.wfaa.com/sharedcontent/d...faa060930_jfh_cellphoneinterfer.3131b4e9.html <-). They interview Capt. Todd Gillam of Dallas Fire and Rescue about the important need for reliable communication.

They then go on to say "But their radios operate on 800 Mega Hertz, the same as Sprint/Nextel Phones, causing interception problems." I believe that DFD is on UHF, not 800 mHz as stated. Am I wrong here?

Wouldn't it have been better for WFAA to have gone to another agency for the interview that actually used 800 mHz? While the story is a valid one, it appears a bit tainted using this source.

 

[hiegtx]

WFAA ran a story about Nextel interference with public service radios (link -> http://www.wfaa.com/sharedcontent/dws/wfaa/latestnews/stories/wfaa060930_jfh_cellphoneinterfer.3131b4e9.html <-). They interview Capt. Todd Gillam of Dallas Fire and Rescue about the important need for reliable communication.

They then go on to say "But their radios operate on 800 Mega Hertz, the same as Sprint/Nextel Phones, causing interception problems." I believe that DFD is on UHF, not 800 mHz as stated. Am I wrong here?

Wouldn't it have been better for WFAA to have gone to another agency for the interview that actually used 800 mHz? While the story is a valid one, it appears a bit tainted using this source.

You are correct (I saw the same story package). The only Dallas Fire Rescue talkgroup, 9968, on the Dallas City 800Mhz is a rebroadcast of a simplex Uhf fireground frequency, Ch 12, 465.6375. But that only works if an on site chief activates the link. I very rarely hear activity on that group. All other Dallas Fire Rescue communications are on Uhf. Dallas PD does have a few "deployment" talkgroups on the 800 system, but by far the bullk of DPD activity is also on Uhf, and has been for many years.

A much better agency choice for the story would have been any of the larger suburbs that are trunked: Carrolton, Garland, Mesquite, Plano, etc, or use Ft Worth as the largest metro city that is trunked.

Anybody but Dallas.

 

[RESCUE4NFD]

Dallas Fire

I saw the same story,that was a bad call to interview Dallas Fire/Rescue about something they never have to deal with,and WFAA for going to that source,when there are so many cities that have that problem in the DFW area.