Waterville FD

[lost_in_maine]

Seems that if they are running simplex, I wouldn't hear them 40 miles away..
Although, I have heard their PD on simplex before..I do have some elevation here

I have noticed they don't seem as active as they were...maybe this is just a part time thing, because Dick heard them 60 miles away too...

Waterville usually id's itself as " Waterville Comms" when dispatching, so it is the right department we are hearing..

 

[zerg901]

I think the bottom line is -

Waterville FD portables and mobiles transmit on 150.79, and receive on 154.205

The Waterville FD dispatcher transmits and receives on 154.205

The Waterville FD repeater transmits on 154.205 and receives on 150.79

Essentially, the dispatcher is apparently operating independently of the repeater system. This is an unusual radio system configuration. With this radio system configuration, the dispatcher might not be able to transmit and receive at the same time. Unless they have a really unusual system where the dispatcher transmits on 154.205, and receives on 150.79. This could lead to a situation where the field units are chatting away on the repeater, and the dispatcher might not hear a thing they are saying. It would depend where the dispatchers receiver is located.

Peter Sz

 

[tac9c819]

Talked to the radio shop that does Waterville's radios. He said that at the comm center, Waterville Fire's channel is simplex (154.205 tx + rx) at 100 watts when they are dispatched. Waterville PD's channel was the same until Clinton PD came on, they complained they couldn't always here comm, so the comm center runs the repeater channel now(155.700 rx 154.875 tx). I guess it easier for them if the repeater looses power was the original thought of running simplex channels.