WA Radio Scanner Users' Group

vk6hgr wrote:

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...

Trial in Esperance still hasn't started I believe.. way behind schedule.

They have had problems organising infrustructure and with the radio's new displays on the radio's now so they still display above 29 degrees. We had a photo display of the masts etc being installed in the Esperence region at the SW SES leaders forum june 30. Its coming .slowly.......... I think a lot of the hold up has been that they want to get it right the first time not spend years trying to sort out anything missed. My opinion only.....

Nick wrote:They have had problems organising infrustructure and with the radio's new displays on the radio's now so they still display above 29 degrees. We had a photo display of the masts etc being installed in the Esperence region at the SW SES leaders forum june 30. Its coming .slowly.......... I think a lot of the hold up has been that they want to get it right the first time not spend years trying to sort out anything missed. My opinion only.....

Apparently the problem with the LCD displays has been fixed.. be interesting to know if all the other 8250's that have been installed in new appliances since earlier this year, have the same problem..

fesa wont be going uhf for at least 2 to 3 years. DM Perth SE told me and everyone else at the Incident Control Vehicle Seminar on sat that fesa are looking to take over some of the wapol towers to compensate the lack of range that uhf has, and that they are delayed in going uhf, and wont be for 2 to 3 maybe more years till it happens.

Did he mention anything about VHF-High band?

Craig wrote:Did he mention anything about VHF-High band?

From what I've heard (would love for someone in the know to clear this up - I know you guys read us )

Currently:

VHF mid band (79Mhz)

Soon:

VHF mid band + VHF high band

Later: (?)

VHF high band + UHF

The vehicles are eventually being fitted with the dual Tait VHF mid/UHF radios, and I think UHF side will initially be used to help on-site portables get back into the VHF repeaters.

UHF has been chosen so that the local farmers and bushies who don't have VHF can still communicate in large scale incidents. UHF hand held transceivers are also being purchased to supplement communications. (A push has been made for two per VFRS Brigade plus one per fully encapsulated gas suit.)

Current VHF mid-band is 76-77 MHz, new VHF high-band should be 150-160 MHz or so. UHF is yet to be decided from what I understand. As JG said, it will be a little while yet.

Something this big cannot happen instantly, as seen by the WAPOL change from VHF Mid band to UHF, then UHF to the new digital system. Remember that WA has one of the biggest fire services (if not THE biggest) to deal with.

vk6hgr wrote:

WPXZBP wrote:UHF for metro, VHF-Hi for country

They have allocated a number of VHF-Hi frequencies but as yet no UHF ones. It remains to be seen if they will:

* Use the 420-430Mhz ex-amateur band

* Use the 468Mhz police band after they move to digital

* Use an allocation somewhere else

Ive been told because the digital network is still very much a work in progress and somewhat unreliable , the police will keep their analouge network for when they need to communicate with country vehicles or the digital network goes down.
So my guess is they will take the Ex-Amature frequncies...

420-430mhz is still an amateur frequency. Parts of it can't be used around some capital cities and most of NSW.
Page 27 of the amateur LCD.
http://www.acma.gov.au/webwr/aca_home/l ... _1of97.pdf

VK6MJS wrote:420-430mhz is still an amateur frequency.

Not in Perth and the south-west it isn't...

The southwest is fine the radius is about 200ks from the Perth GPO.


EDIT: It is 250ks from the GPO in Forest Place.