FC Central repeater bug?

[D1cko]

I have been listing to the radio both in the trucks and on my scanners an have noticed that when listening to Firecom I can hear appliances calling from up and down the coast but I can't hear the crews out west. I was thinking that perhaps FC was using a different frequency. I can hear Firecom talking to them but don't hear the response. Anyone know what might be happening?

[Stretch]

Possibly what they have done down here for FC South East. Split the Western and the Eastern Sector (think the border is roughly about Ipswich) and have a different console for the other sector. Thus the Eastern sector can't hear the Western Sector and vice versa. Only speculating though.

Mitch

[D1cko]

But I shouldn't be able to hear the fc operator. Plus other appliances in other areas cut over them to since they can't hear them. It seams to be only appliances in area 7, so that's places like barcaldine.

[Stretch]

But I shouldn't be able to hear the fc operator. Plus other appliances in other areas cut over them to since they can't hear them. It seams to be only appliances in area 7, so that's places like barcaldine.

No you shouldn't be hearing the FC operator for the other sector (if there is one). It is the same as say listening to FC Brisbane and FC South East. They can't hear each other.

[bodyguard]

you dont happen to have a CTCSS set ?
Might only be allowing some through

[Comint]

I have been listing to the radio both in the trucks and on my scanners an have noticed that when listening to Firecom I can hear appliances calling from up and down the coast but I can't hear the crews out west. I was thinking that perhaps FC was using a different frequency. I can hear Firecom talking to them but don't hear the response. Anyone know what might be happening?

The radio system needs to be specifically set-up to allow in-coming calls to FireCom to be rebroadcast so that other appliances can hear each individual call, so there is probably a failure in the "switching" somewhere. FireCom usually transmits on multiple frequencies all the time.

Some businesses, such as Taxi Companies, don't allow the incoming calls to be rebroadcast, so as to keep the drivers from "pinching" each others jobs, although that wouldn't be the situation in your case.

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Comint

[firescan]

Comint is right, Central have been very Busy and have split the radio network. You will here Firecom on all Frequencies because they broadcast to all, what it means is that the repeater near Barcaldine has been taken out of the network, so that Firecom will here them but noone else will. It's done when radio traffic and big jobs are on and allows radio traffic to flow more freely. The only down fall is when trucks that don't hear them come in over the top and block them out. Its just a juggling act.

[D1cko]

Ok thanks. It's been like it for a while now. I've been thinking about it all day and I remembered another apliance ask about it and Firecom said the uplink was down. At that time,over a couple of days something was going on with the radio network because Firecom said they would be out for 15 mins and Firecom northern would be sending out pages and station turnout messages. Ever since then it's been different.

[FireyPete]

I'm currently part of a deployment from SER and BR. we are based at Barcaldine (doing the night shift) and we are hearing the same thing.
We can hear all of firecom's transmissions but only transmissions from appliances in this area.

And with that, i'm gooing back to bed!

[D1cko]

Well thats interesting. How are the fires going. I was supposed to go out in the Rocky strike team last sunday but work got in the way of that.

[Comint]

I'm currently part of a deployment from SER and BR. we are based at Barcaldine (doing the night shift) and we are hearing the same thing.
We can hear all of firecom's transmissions but only transmissions from appliances in this area.

And with that, i'm gooing back to bed!

I think you will find that Barcaldine is one of those areas that DON'T have a Repeater. It is actually a SIMPLEX frequency (455.9000 MHz - Ch 255), which is connected to FireCom by T1 Landline, and the Link is only UP when needed. You are probably hearing the appliances in your area, Direct.

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Comint

[firescan]

At that time,over a couple of days something was going on with the radio network because Firecom said they would be out for 15 mins and Firecom northern would be sending out pages and station turnout messages.

Wasn't just the radio Network, but I can't say what it was... But yes Northern was helping run the region for a short period of time, as was North Coast. I'm not familiar with the network for Central, but am with Firecoms equipment, the system can link, unlink an area as I stated before, so areas become "isolated". Barcaldine is being run by an ICC now, so firecom takes their radios out to lower the radio traffic.

[D1cko]

Not sure what happened to the IIC the other day but all coms were going though firecom.

[D1cko]

for about a 24 hr period from 12 friday I could hear all coms from that way then it went back to only hearing firecom. I got pretty excited about that.