More VKR questions

[erikn]

Hi there
Thought I'd ask a few more questions
Broadcasts - what's the 'Broadcast refer #' mean at the end of one? I can understand all the rest of it, just not sure about that part.
Other units coming onto channels - today I heard a Tango 617 unit on VKR Logan goin to Beenleigh rail station. (and Golf 911 on the highway booking on and then intercepting a motorbike.) I'm assuming they do this to stay in contact with VKR when going out of range of one repeater to another.
Booking on/terminating callsign (heard one unit booking on with one callsign, told by VKR that callsign was already allocated and to pick another. I am assuming they could have picked any available callsign within the 4xx range (GD units) that was available?
Diverting jobs - have heard this happen several times to a few crews. Does this mean another crew will handle the job on another channel or is that specific job the crew were attending before diversion will be written off?
Welfare checks - how long would it take for a unit not to call in to VKR to get a welfare check?

Also, on a related note, watched one of QPS 'From the Vault' videos - more specifically 'Safer by bus.' Noticed the old job card system used in that video, and noted the VKR operator gave out jobs far differently to today, more specifically, a unit was called out to a specific address, told to take up with an informant, given the job code and that was it. Probably cause it was a public telephone box. No alphanumeric callsigns were used, just 'VKR to 630. Location please?'
If any of you worked with the old jobcard system, I would love to hear your experiences.

Thanks,

Erik

(also, on another related note, I am a bit of a newbie to this whole scanning hobby

[rochedalescan]

Hi Erik,

The broadcast refer # is a number that is allocated in the computer system when a broadcast is generated.

Whenever a unit from outside logan district eg special units from brisbane for example the rail squad, drugs, traffic or whichever it may be they will log in to the logan district basically so that the operator knows what units are in which area etc

You are right with the callsigns for example in Springwood a GD crew is allocated 490 however if there is another GD unit logging on they will just keep going up the ladder for example 491-499

If a unit is diverted to another job - if the job they were going to was also a code 2 generally they will have another unit pick up the other code 2 otherwise if the job they were going to was a code 3 it is generally put back in the pile to be completed later.

Re- welfare checks I am not sure, I don't think there is a set time it may be at the operators discretion, I have heard them checking when a unit has been booked off for over an hour.

I'm pretty sure most of that is correct however someone may be able to correct/expand on what I have said.

Thanks Shane

[Vkfour]

Welfare checks seem to be related to the job they have been dispatched to. I have heard the local Gympie police wait for a long time when the job is a routine job, but if there is a hint of violence, of if someone at the address has too many flags, it can be as little as 5 or 10 minutes. I have also heard a shift supervisor call for a welfare check before the crew had even booked off, but that was tongue in cheek as the job didn't involve the public and the crew were due to collect some Subway for him! You can still hear humour if you listen.

[erikn]

Welfare checks seem to be related to the job they have been dispatched to. I have heard the local Gympie police wait for a long time when the job is a routine job, but if there is a hint of violence, of if someone at the address has too many flags, it can be as little as 5 or 10 minutes. I have also heard a shift supervisor call for a welfare check before the crew had even booked off, but that was tongue in cheek as the job didn't involve the public and the crew were due to collect some Subway for him! You can still hear humour if you listen.

Ah the wonders of analogue radio. Humour on air will soon be gone when everything's managed out of one comms centre

Wish I could pass the required tests for bein a VKR Logan radio operator, but I'd probably fail the typing test (and I have a few medical issues - drop me a PM if you want to know what they are)

[rapps_101]

They aren't amalgamating everything to one centre. there are major centres in Brisbane, Logan, Toowoomba, Sunny Coast, Rocky, Townsville and Cairns, and about 10 other smaller centres.

The only required skill is 40WPM at 98% acc and pass a basic hearing test. See here: https://smartjobs.qld.gov.au/jobtools/j ... _summary=S
there are vacancies

Welfare checks are automatically generated when off at a job for 30 minutes - its at the operators discretion to call for one - if its an urgent or important job they would be called sooner or if they're at a dead body job for a couple of hours the operator wouldnt bother.

Diverting is when a car is told to stop going to one job to go to a more important job. Usually cars will be diverted from code 3 jobs they are on for c1 or c2 jobs.

A broadcast number is like a job number, its a sequential number generated for each record in the CAD system, and broadcasts get them too.

As for using job cards - well lets just say we're all glad that era is over

[nat965]

The only required skill is 40WPM at 98% acc and pass a basic hearing test. See here: https://smartjobs.qld.gov.au/jobtools/j ... _summary=S
there are vacancies

I can do 40wpm, but 98% accuracy.. don't think so.

[rapps_101]

98% isnt hard to obtain.. in saying that, given how many mistakes are on job cards I don't think many are really that accurate anyway