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Communications Training for Amateur Radio Operators Introduction to the San Diego County 800 MHz RCS System & Local

Communications Training for Amateur Radio Operators Introduction to the San Diego County 800 MHz RCS System & Local Government VHF Systems. Craig Williams W6CAW Support 46. We will Cover Today:. A general introduction to 2-way radio communications systems.

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Communications Training for Amateur Radio Operators Introduction to the San Diego County 800 MHz RCS System & Local

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  1. Communications Training for Amateur Radio OperatorsIntroduction to the San Diego County 800 MHz RCS System& Local Government VHF Systems Craig Williams W6CAW Support 46

  2. We will Cover Today: • A general introduction to 2-way radio communications systems. • Specifics of the San Diego County 800 MHz, Regional Communications Systems (RCS) & why it works like your cell phone. • Specifics on Very High Frequency (VHF) Communications Systems, Cal Fire, USFS, OES & why they work like your Ham Radios.

  3. What is Radio Spectrum?... RADIO SPECTRUM REFERS TO THE ARRAY OF CHANNELS or FREQUENCIES AVAILABLE FOR COMMUNICATIONS

  4. Topology of 2-way Communications • Simplex, AKA direct or talk-around. – Your transmit and receive frequencies are the same. You do not go through a repeater. • Example on VHF, Cal Fire TAC 5 on RCS, CNV CAR1. Ham simplex 146.52 • Repeater. - Your transmit and receive frequencies are different and are routed through a mountain top radio system. The norm for all RCS 800 and most VHF Command and Dispatch frequencies. • Example on RCS, CFMVD10A on VHF Monta Vista Dispatch, Tone 5. Ham repeaters.

  5. Tower Overview, County RCS • A typical RCS “tower” in the back country has 13 channels. • 1-Control Channel • 11-Voice Channels • Here F1 is the Control Channel and F2 is the Voice Channel

  6. RCS Voice Channel Assignment • When an 800 radio is keyed up the Central Controller, through the Control Channel, assigns you a voice channel. • All other radios using the same Talkgroup, ie. CMD 10A, in the area of the same tower, will then use the same voice channel.

  7. Typical East Loop 800 Site • This slide represents four Agencies using a four channel 800 Site.

  8. 800 Radios

  9. RCS 800 Upgrades • ALL San Diego County 800 users, over 30,000 of them, can use the same tower. That’s Local Fire, SDSO, Cal Fire, USFS, Rural Bus, Public Works, and AMR (Medical), just to name some of the normal local users in a rural area. • With only 11 discrete voice channels not everyone may be able talk at the same time. ( Know your 800 Beep Codes like the Busy Beep.) • Since the October 2003 fires the East (county) Loop has been upgraded. This gave us additional voice channels and the capability to fully integrate with the North, South and North East loops. A few Intelli-Repeaters in the North East county area are still limited to 3 or 4 voice channels

  10. 800 Talkgroup Types • Dispatch - Talkgroup designated for the routine and emergency dispatch communications for the designated agency. • Hailing ( County Call ) - Talkgroup designated for a person from one agency to contact any person from the same or another agency or Dispatch Center. Once contact is made, the conversation should be switched to an available tactical talkgroup. • Fire Command talkgroups are used by fire agencies for command and control communications while conducting operations. Only the Incident Commander (IC) normally uses the Command Talkgroup. • Tactical - Talkgroup designed to hold conversations, or conduct tactical operations between responders and between responders and their IC.

  11. San Diego County RCS

  12. Typical RCS Fleet Map Every agency has a dedicated Fleet Map of “channels”. In 2009 all fire agencies in San Diego County were re-programmed to the same Fleet Map.

  13. The 800 radio system's central computer is located at the County's Operation Center off of Clairemont Mesa Boulevard and Hwy 15. Typically, the computer processes calls between dispatch and the field units through a network of microwaves and mountain top repeaters. But, occasionally a mountain top repeater and the computer lose contact with one another. When this occurs, individual repeater sites begins to process calls on their own; hence, the name Site Trunking. • Site Trunking is a back up mode that maintains site communications without disrupting the rest of the zone. So, Transmissions at the site are only re-broadcast at that site, and transmissions at other sites are not re-broadcast at the site in Site Trunking. • If this occurs, you may not be able to contact your dispatcher (or other units if they are not affiliated with the same mountain top repeater). To reestablish a connection with the central computer, you may need to do one or both of the following: (1) change locations until your radio affiliates with another mountain top repeater, (2) force your radio to affiliate with another mountain top repeater by pressing and holding the side button on your radio. IMPORTANT – If a 800 site goes completely off the air you will only be able to communicate locally on one of the “conventional” channels. Ie. CARS1

  14. Typical VHF System • Only one frequency per channel/repeater. • Manual control of towers from the Dispatch Center. • May go through Repeater (green signal) or Direct (red signal) • May be “voted”. Many sites receive but only one transmits. • You need to select the proper “Tone” to talk to the dispatcher!

  15. VHF Sites in the Campo Area

  16. VHF Radio Procedures The normal operational channel assignments for the VHF systems generally match the assignments on the RCS 800 System. • Dispatch - Frequency designated for the routine and emergency Dispatch communications for the designated agency. A geographic area is normally associated with a mountain top repeater and a PL tone closest to the agency being dispatched. IE. Monta Vista Dispatch, Tone 5, Tecate Peak, closest mountain top to Campo. • Command - Frequency designated as an Incident Command Channel as described under the Incident Command System (ICS) and or the National Incident Management System (NIMS). Other Incident Command Frequencies may be assigned for use by other ICS elements such as, Air Operations, Logistics, Communications, Finance, ect.. • Fire Command channels are used by fire agencies for incident command and control communications while conducting operations. IE command 2, Tone 3. Normally only the Incident Commander (IC) should be using the Command Channel! • Tactical – Usually a direct, non-repeated frequency. Frequency designed to hold conversations between personnel at an incident site, or to conduct local tactical operations. Examples. All the fire personnel at a vehicle fire. All personnel assigned to a Branch of a major incident. No tones are used on “TAC” channels.

  17. NOTE: Yellow print indicates San Diego County coverage

  18. VHF Radios

  19. Summary • Review the differences between 800 Trunking and VHF repeater systems. • Review your Communications Manual. There is one in each vehicle and one in the Station.

  20. Where to Get MoreInformation www.campofire.org Select the “Bulletins” button

  21. Finally, about modulation • ALL public service radios employ close talk microphones to reduce unwanted background noise. This means, if you don’t hold the radio or microphone close to your mouth no one will hear you! • Ham radio mikes come in all flavors. Get to know yours!

  22. Questions?

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