QFRS Radio blocks a QPS channel

[SteveNSWP]

Hey mate, not really a good idea to programme a Police channel into a Fire radio. I can understand that you may want to listen to a Police frequency for interest sack, then buy a scanner, my understanding is that the Mackay area is not digitally encrypted. There's no reason why you would need a Police radio channel locked into your fire radio. Any transmission made from it would be an un-authorised and therefore illegal transmission. If they need you, they will request you via there comms.

I speak from experience, I am a NSW Copper and in years gone by, agencies such as the SES, VRA, Westpac Lifesaver, Aerial Patrol, Coast Gaurd, Surf Rescue ect have had access to our channels. I can tell you that we had a lot of ilegal transmissions back then, sometimes we had to abondon our channels due to stolen radio's locking on and not allowing us to transmit. For this and many other reasons we went digital encrypted and refused access to these organisations. They have no need to access our channels, the security risk was far too great, and if we needed them our radio requests them or there is the liaison channel were we all switch to which is analogue and cannot access our system.

Fortunately in NSW, Police, Fire and RTA are on CAD, Ambos are joining us very soon. While each system is different and we can't access each others jobs, if we need the fire brigade, from the data terminal in the car I hit the button that requests Fire Brigade and it sends that CAD job to FB, and they can only access limited details like job narrative, location ect. Alternatively I request it via radio and they send the CAD job. We don't even ring anymore. Once Ambos are on CAD it will be the same with them to.

So basically what I am saying is don't do it. Get a scanner if you want to listen. The radio can fall into the wrong hands, or u may leave it on the channel and lock on accidently blocking comms, it happens, even I have done it at work. We don't have fire or ambo channels on our radios because ur work has nothing to do with us and we don't care what you guys are doing. If we need you we will call for you.

I hope that came across the right way, us cops are very defensive about our radio networks, we rely on it for survival (as much as you guys would too) and we don't like it being ineterferred with or for people to have access to it who aren't Police.

Cheers,

Steve.

[qld_fire]

Yeah QAS and QFRS have a similar system called ESCAD if thier is a multi agency job it will show up for ambos and fireies. QPS arnt on the same system

[xdfrightener]

QPS don't like QFRS listening in on there frequency's due to sensitive information being passed over the airwaves at times they have some how encrypted the frequencies but they are still on some of the old QFRS UHF Radio's like the IC-40 it just skips over them.

- Ben.

Maybe you need to talk to the QFRS Radio Techs, and find out exactly what frequencies are programmed into each of the additional 20 channels on the IC-40s (ie, Channels 40 to 60).

I'm sure the normal Fireground Channels 1 to 9 are programmed into IC-40 Channels 41 to 49, but as to whats in Channels 50 to 60 ? ? ?

--
Comint

On the IC-40 Channels 50 to 56 are Firecomm. 51 I'm pretty sure is the Mount Oscar repeater near Mackay.
And thanks for that Steve, I understand where your coming from. I have a scanner Uniden Bearcat Trunk tracker.

[Craig]

Yeah doubt they would change here in southeast.
VHF is good for bush fires and large open spaces.
UHF is better for the urban environment.
By the looks of it mackay runs a totaly different plan to SE and what your area director is meaning is you will change to VHF rural freq just like we have down here.
Looks like fire comm already runs of VHF on your comms plan.
Hope it helps

The change is coming from the Assistant Commissioner each rural brigade will be given 2 VHF radios it will apply to all the State it will roll out after the the south east region fleet tracking system

[Stretch]

The change is coming from the Assistant Commissioner each rural brigade will be given 2 VHF radios it will apply to all the State it will roll out after the the south east region fleet tracking system

Which I believe has already started. Heard 638A a week or so ago saying turning out with AVL fitted to wherever they were going to

[Comint]

The change is coming from the Assistant Commissioner each rural brigade will be given 2 VHF radios it will apply to all the State it will roll out after the the south east region fleet tracking system

The Rural Brigades in South Western Region are already using VHF, and have been for years.

--
Comint

[Rohan]

The change is coming from the Assistant Commissioner each rural brigade will be given 2 VHF radios it will apply to all the State it will roll out after the the south east region fleet tracking system

your not meaning the vhf portables are you?

The Rural Brigades in South Western Region are already using VHF, and have been for years.

quite corect comint we use vhf for all fireground comms and use uhf for tuning out/talking to firecom. we used to use vhf for everything through the picnic point repater and it used to repaet it out on the correct uhf to firecomm but they shut it down and gave everyone uhfs