VicFire Ballarat

[rossmutz]

Hi all.

I'm hearing VicFire Ballarat (in Ballarat) on 161.0375 instead of 162.525 that I received it on last time I was here. Can't find that frequency allocated near here in ACMA. Anyone know of when the change happened and if there have been other chnages?

Thanks,

Ross

[rossmutz]

Once upon a time (12 months ago) I discovered this, and worked out that 161.0375 was being used locally for talk between the trucks and the Sturt St station.

You would often hear the trucks refer to the station "VicFire" when in actual fact the "VicFire" communications channel was 162.525, which was still being used for the primary means of communications.

I will assume that this is no longer the case and they have switched primarily over to 161.0375???

I've just done a bit of a dig around in the ACMA database (both now and 12 months ago) and cannot find 161.0375 at all for the area, since however the CFA have the frequency registered in most other regions in Victoria they have used it in Ballarat anyway.

I did the same search with the same results.

I am now receiving traffic from all over western Victoria on 161.0375 communicating with VicFire and nothing on 162.525.

[rossmutz]

In Ballarat for a quick visit. VicFire currently on Ch 106 163.4375.

[madmarto]

Hi guys,

The CFA use their IMC (VicFire) channel as the primary channel in all vehicles, but each district also has between one and three simplex "goto" channels for simplex communications for operations and training. If you hear the truck referring to the station as VicFire, best bet is that they're doing training. We are encouraged to call the control station VicFire during training for the purpose of maintaining radio discipline.

The IMC channels for VicFire are pretty much linked, so on the eastern side (where I am) I can listen to Gippsland and North/North East Victorian Bridages turning out via my local (D24) IMC channel. Once a vehicle has become the "control point" for the fire ground, they will request and use a simplex goto or fireground channel for the duration of the job.

Hope this helps sort out any confusion.

[Geek Cohen]

I am in Ballarat for uni. I will certainly take a listen to 163.4375 and let you all know if I hear anything.

Anyway, in saying that. I had a fire evac for uni on Saturday night and the CFA attended and had orange radios... which I think are the tait radios. Digital?

[Phil]

Cohen,

the Orange Tait Radios are in fact P25 Capable however i dont think they are using digital just yet i could be wrong but i dont think so.

[Geek Cohen]

Cohen,

the Orange Tait Radios are in fact P25 Capable however i dont think they are using digital just yet i could be wrong but i dont think so.

I was thinking the same thing as even VIC POL in Ballarat are not digital yet! I'll listen around on the Frequencies listed above and see what is going on.

[Geek Cohen]

I have had a listen around and 163.4375 seems to be the Ballarat area