1

Communications Training for Communications Training for Amateur Radio OperatorsAmateur Radio Operators

Introduction to the San Diego County 800 Introduction to the San Diego County 800 MHz RCS SystemMHz RCS System

& Local Government VHF Systems& Local Government VHF Systems

Craig Williams W6CAWSupport 46

2

We will Cover Today: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

RADIO SPECTRUM REFERS TO THE ARRAY OF CHANNELS or RADIO SPECTRUM REFERS TO THE ARRAY OF CHANNELS or FREQUENCIES AVAILABLE FOR COMMUNICATIONSFREQUENCIES AVAILABLE FOR COMMUNICATIONS

What is Radio Spectrum?...

4

Topology of 2-way CommunicationsTopology 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 RCSTower 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 AssignmentRCS 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 SiteTypical East Loop 800 Site This slide

represents four Agencies using a four channel 800 Site.

8

800 Radios

9

RCS 800 UpgradesRCS 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 Types800 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 DiegoCounty RCS

12

Typical RCS Fleet MapTypical RCS Fleet Map

INLAND FIRE FLEETMAP6/5/2000

MCS 2000 & MTS 2000 MOBILES/PORTABLES

ZONE MODE 1 MODE 2 MODE 3 MODE 4 MODE 5 MODE 6 MODE 7 MODE 8 MODE 9 MODE 10MODE 11MODE 12MODE 13MODE 14MODE 15MODE 16NMA 1A NMA CMD1 1B NMA TAC1 1C NMA TAC2 1D NMA CMD2 1E NMA TAC3 1F NMA TAC4 1G NMA CMD3 1H NMA TAC5 1I NMA TAC6 1J NMA CMD4 1K NMA TAC7 1L NMA TAC8 1M NMA CMD5 1N NMA TAC9 1O NMA TC10 1P NMA TC11

SMA 2A SMA CMD1 2B SMA TAC1 2C SMA TAC2 2D SMA CMD2 2E SMA TAC3 2F SMA TAC4 2G SMA CMD3 2H SMA TAC5 2I SMA TAC6 2J SMA CMD4 2K SMA TAC7 2L SMA TAC8 2M SMA CMD5 2N SMA TAC9 2O SMA TC10 2P SMA TC11

EMA 3A EMA CMD1 3B EMA TAC1 3C EMA TAC2 3D EMA CMD2 3E EMA TAC3 3F EMA TAC4 3G EMA CMD3 3H EMA TAC5 3I EMA TAC6 3J EMA CMD4 3K EMA TAC7 3L EMA TAC8 3M EMA CMD5 3N EMA TAC9 3O EMA TC10 3P EMA TC11

CMA 4A CO CALL 4B CO TAC 1 4C CO TAC 2 4D CO TAC 3 4E CO TAC 4 4F CMA ICS1 4G CMA ICS2 4H CMA ICS3 4I CMA ICS4 4J CMA ICS5 4K CMA ICS6 4L CMA ICS7 4M CMA EMR1 4N CMA EMR2 4O CMA EMR3 4P CMA EMR4

TRF 5A TRF CMD1 5B TRF TAC1 5C TRF CMD2 5D TRF TAC2 5E TRF CMD3 5F TRF TAC3 5G TRF CMD4 5H TRF TAC4 5I TRF CMD5 5J TRF TAC5 5K TRF CMD6 5L TRF TAC6 5M TRF TAC7 5N TRF TAC8 5O TRF TAC9 5P TRF TC10

ALS ALS TRI ALS SLJ ALS PAL ALS UCSD ALS MRCY ALS SHRP ALS GRSMT ALS SCV BLS CHLD ALS MED AIR ALS FIRE AIR ALS LAW AIR SD1 7A SD DISP 7B SD ADMIN 7C SD SSC 7D SD CMD1 7E SD TAC1 7F SD TAC2 7G SD CMD2 7H SD TAC 3 7I SD TAC 4 7J SD CMD 3 7K SD TAC10 7L SD TAC 11 7M SD CMD 4 7N SD TAC 12 7O SD TAC 13 7P SD MA 1

SD2 8A SD CMD5 8B SD TAC 14 8C SD TAC 15 8D SD TAC 16 8E SD CMD 6 8F SD TAC 22 8G SD TAC 23 8H SD CMD 7 8I SD TAC 24 8J SD TAC 25 8K SD CMD 8 8L SD TAC 27 8M SD TAC 28 8N SD TAC 29 8O SD MA 2 8P SD MA 3

HF1 HT DISP HT ZONE HT CMD 1 HT TAC 1 HT TAC 2 HT CMD 2 HT TAC 3 HT TAC 4 HT CMD 3 HT TAC 5 HT TAC 6 HT CMD 4 HT TAC 7 HT TAC 8 MED AIR SDMARSHF2 HT CMD 5 HT TAC 9 HT TAC 10 SMA CMD 1 SMA TAC 1 SMA TAC 2 INL ADMIN HT ADMN HT TRNG HF3 HT DSP2 INL ADMIN HT CMD 7 HT TAC 11 HT TAC 12 HT CMD 8 HT TAC 13 HT TAC 14 HT CMD 9 HT TAC 15 HT TAC 16 HT TRNG 2 EMA CMD 1 EMA TAC 1 EMA TAC 2 MED AIRMVU MV DISP MV CMD 1 MV TAC 1 MV CMD 2 MV TAC 2 MV MED AIR MV FIRE AIR MV LAW AIR

BLS BLS TRI BLS SLJ BLS PAL BLS UCSD BLS MRCY BLS SHRP BLS GRSMT BLS SCV BLS CHLD BLS ALVR BLS ELCTR BLS PION BLS MEDG

MT1 MT1 POM MT1 FALB MT1 SENC MT1 CPEN MT1 MBAY MT1 VET MT1 THRN MT1 NAVY MT1 VILV MT1 CABR MT1 KAIS MT1 PARD MT1 CRD MT1 SHCV MT1 SEAST MT1 REWARD

CNV FIREMAR INTRSRV CLEMARS SDMARS CARS 1 CARS 2 CARS 3 CARS 4 I CALL I TAC 1 I TAC 2 I TAC 3 I TAC 4 LT GRN 1

RED-CONVENTIONAL GREEN-RCS ANALOG BLUE-TRANSPORTABLE RADIO FACILITY

Every agency has a dedicated Fleet Map of “channels”.In 2009 all fire agencies in San Diego County werere-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 SystemTypical 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 AreaVHF Sites in the Campo Area

16

VHF Radio ProceduresVHF Radio ProceduresThe 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

MVU Local Command 1 Command 2 Command 3

TONE 1 RED MTN TONE 1 SANTIAGO-RRU TONE 1 SANTIAGO-RRU TONE 4 PINE COVE - BDF

TONE 2 WHITE STAR TONE 2 STRAWBERRY – BDU TONE 2 STRAWBERRY – BDU TONE 5 ELSINORE PEAK - RRU

TONE 3 CUYUMACA TONE 3 CUYUMACA TONE 4 LYONS TONE 6 STRAWBERRY – BDU

TONE 4 BOUCHER TONE 4 BOUCHER TONE 6 HOT SPRINGS TONE 8 MT. WOODSON

TONE 5 TECATE TONE 8 MT. WOODSON TONE 1 WHITE STAR

TONE 6 HOT SPRINGS TONE 2 LYONS

TONE 7 TONE 9 RED MTN

TONE 8 MT.WOODSON

CNF FOREST NET FIRE CTCSS TONES

TONE 1 SIERRA ORCO TONE 1 110.9 Hz TONE 9 100.0 Hz

TONE 2 SANTIAGO TONE 2 123.0 Hz TONE 10 107.2 Hz

TONE 3 ELSINORE TONE 3 131.8 Hz TONE 11 114.8 Hz

TONE 4 HIGH POINT TONE 4 136.5 Hz Tone 12 127.3 Hz

TONE 5 CUYUMACA TONE 5 146.2 Hz TONE 13 141.3 Hz

TONE 6 ORTEGA TONE 6 156.7 Hz TONE 14 151.4 Hz

TONE 7 LOS PINOS TONE 7 167.9 Hz TONE 15 162.2 Hz

TONE 8 BOUCHER TONE 8 103.5 HZ TONE 16 192.8 Hz

NOTE: Yellow print indicates San Diego County coverage

18

VHF Radios

19

SummarySummary

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 MoreWhere to Get More InformationInformation

www.campofire.orgSelect the “Bulletins” button

21

Finally, about modulationFinally, 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?Questions?