WA Radio Scanner Users' Group

joss wrote: Any more info on an eventual changeover to either VHF Hi of UHF?

Heard nothing. I'm not planning on pulling the low band receiver out of the car any time soon!

I wouldn't either.........

Brigades in the central wheatbelt will get theirs in 2-2½ years - this from the mouth of the guy in charge of the project.

Tait TM8260s. Two types of radio will be made - green face (VHF "midband" which is the current spectrum, and VHF "high band" - 136-174MHz) and yellow face (VHF high band and UHF). If someone tries to sell you one then you KNOW it's hot as Tait will only make the coloured-face radios for FESA.

Confirmed that the ACMA will allow transmissions on VHF marine - an agreement with FESA has been made and WAPOL will be able to chat on Emergency Channels A and B.

Interface has been made "SES proof" (just kidding!!!)

WPXZBP wrote: Tait TM8260s.

Thanks Wes!

Here's the brochure on the radio if anyone's interested.

http://www.taitworld.com/main/index.cfm ... lowres.pdf

so which will the metro if u wll bu fireies get??

chris

I'm guessing in the city the UHF/VHF version. UHF is designed for the metro area and VHF for the country.

Old VHF radios won't be replaced in the country (too many to replace and hence $$$) as the system will work with them. SES HF won't be replaced either.

As vehicles are replaced the radios will automatically be updated. The Vehicles will be used primarily as crossband repeaters with the local area served be UHF (EITHER CB OR CONVENTIONAL SES/FIRE CHANNELS)and the vehicle providing the link back to HQ/COMCEN.I am talking about country areas.
p.s. The comment about SES proof Radios has been taken on board and we will get a good laugh as it is the SES that spend a minimum of 20 hours learning about all the radio systems and how to etablish comms where BFS/FRS call FESA comms to get a system established.......
SouthWest 30.Senior Trainer /Assessor Communications SES Southwest District

Nick wrote:As vehicles are replaced the radios will automatically be updated. The Vehicles will be used primarily as crossband repeaters with the local area served be UHF (EITHER CB OR CONVENTIONAL SES/FIRE CHANNELS)and the vehicle providing the link back to HQ/COMCEN.I am talking about country areas.
p.s. The comment about SES proof Radios has been taken on board and we will get a good laugh as it is the SES that spend a minimum of 20 hours learning about all the radio systems and how to etablish comms where BFS/FRS call FESA comms to get a system established.......
SouthWest 30.Senior Trainer /Assessor Communications SES Southwest District

Crossband repeater functions will only be used when necessary. For stations such as ours where we don't have large numbers of 2nd/3rd/4th alarm incidents there wouldn't be much need. It's a tool which will be gladly used when we do get a big incident.

Nick wrote:As vehicles are replaced the radios will automatically be updated. The Vehicles will be used primarily as crossband repeaters with the local area served be UHF (EITHER CB OR CONVENTIONAL SES/FIRE CHANNELS)and the vehicle providing the link back to HQ/COMCEN.I am talking about country areas.
p.s. The comment about SES proof Radios has been taken on board and we will get a good laugh as it is the SES that spend a minimum of 20 hours learning about all the radio systems and how to etablish comms where BFS/FRS call FESA comms to get a system established.......
SouthWest 30.Senior Trainer /Assessor Communications SES Southwest District

No point in duplication - no reason for firefighters to learn how to set up portable repeaters and such when the SES is already equipped and quite capable of doing this. Up in the metro area, the Comms unit in Belmont with their OKA get used often now during summer. They even get the privilege of zipping about under lights & sirens

Nick wrote:AThe Vehicles will be used primarily as crossband repeaters with the local area served be UHF (EITHER CB OR CONVENTIONAL SES/FIRE CHANNELS)

Crossband into UHF CB, eh? I wonder if the ACMA knows?

They certainly do.Channel 5/35 is a designated emergency channel. The ability to have farmers/locals on the net will be a big advantage in co-ordination at times. Don't think it will get used much in the city as too many brain dead on the UHF scene that go out of their way to destroy it for all.

Nick wrote:They certainly do.Channel 5/35 is a designated emergency channel. The ability to have farmers/locals on the net will be a big advantage in co-ordination at times. Don't think it will get used much in the city as too many brain dead on the UHF scene that go out of their way to destroy it for all.

Hear hear! We had to coordinate both UHF CB and FESA frequencies when we had a large fire on Merredin Peak. Most of the local VBFS appliances had FESA radios installed and the local farmers worked on UHF CB. Not easy to coordinate but we got the job done in the end. Then the fires in Perth happened but that's another story.

Yes, still waiting for the change!

From the 2004/5 annual report... http://www.fesa.wa.gov.au/internet/uplo ... report.pdf

celestial_insight wrote:Yes, still waiting for the change!

I reckon they're waiting for the cops to move completely to digital so FESA can use the now-vacant 468Mhz band. But that's just a guess...