[ScanIndiana] Strong Signals - Radio System News

[Todd E Trimble]

On Thursday 27 November 2003 13:10, scanman1@webtv.net wrote:
> http://www.strongsignals.net/access/news/news.cgi?type=single&section=rad

It's interesting that every article or propaganda session about SAFE-T 
leaves out the fact that VHF radios can be pretty "interoperable" they way 
they've been used for years.  FD on scene of something and need to talk to 
the deputy re-routing traffic?  He's probably monitoring the FD frequency 
anyway, try that first.  No answer?  Turn the knob to 4 (or whatever 
channel the radio guy programmed the Shf dept repeater into on the FD 
radios) and try there...  Need to talk to the highway truck?  That's 
channel 10.  The hospital?  IHERN is 12.  Want to know weather outlook?  16 
is NOAA weather.  Need to know when the mutual aid tanker's gonna arrive?  
Statewide MA is 7.  On the scene of a wreck in Decatur Co and need to talk 
to a wrecker service from South Bend?...I didn't think so.  (But I bet 
dispatch can relay if you _really_ find a need.)

Yes, 16 channel VHF radios cost more than 4ch...but not nearly as much as 
the proscribed trunking gear.  Have a _real_ need to talk across the state?  
Cell phones...or what ever happened to the "VHF-Low" gear ISP used to 
use...or know how to contact your local ARES/RACES teams?

On a lighter note, I recently had to fill out a survey about department 
equipment and supplies.  One section of the survey was about "interoperable 
communications" gear.  Item #1 on the list was "bullhorn".  Gee...we've 
been "interoperable" for years...can't get the mutual aid department to 
answer on the radio?  Yell louder in the bullhorn...

(Sorry...done preaching to the choir...for now...)
-- 
Todd Trimble