New FRNSW Pager frequency (?)

[Mike Alpha]

I found the pager frequency 148.9625MHz registered to FRNSW (Client No 20008471) on ACMA with authorisation dates March to June 2021. This frequency is located on sites all over Sydney, Illawarra and the Central Coast. FRNSW have another pager frequency of 148.9875MHz which is located on more regional sites.

I ran 148.9625 through PDW and found it spitting out heaps of messages. But the messages were not FRNSW related. The messages were all business related with the occasional Melbourne Ambulance and Queensland Fire messages. The messages are the same as the messages that appear on the Vodafone/Hutchison paging systems and I've received messages saying "Vodafone Test Message".

Why is this frequency registered to NSW Telco/FRNSW? Is it an ACMA entry stuff up?

Mike

UPDATE: I've found that 148.6375 (Vodafone/Hutchison) is simulcasting with 148.9625 (FRNSW)

[tsunami_australia]

Is it possible that FRNSW contracted VHA (if they still call themselves that after sort of merging with TPGgroup) to run their pager equipment?

[Mike Alpha]

Is it possible that FRNSW contracted VHA (if they still call themselves that after sort of merging with TPGgroup) to run their pager equipment?

I don't think so because the messages are all business related and from what I recall, FRNSW abandoned the use of pagers in Sydney many years ago. 148.9625 used to be the Link Communications paging frequency from the days when pagers were widely used. So I'm not sure if the infrastructure was already in place and is being reused.

Another interesting thing I've noticed is that wherever a new registration of 148.9625 appears, the RFS pager frequency 148.5875 appears at the same site. And strangely, both frequencies are now on the NEW GRN site at the Roselands Ausgrid Monopole. Why would the RFS need a pager frequency at Roselands?

Mike

[Comms23]

As a side note, I can confirm that FRNSW are trailing a new Birdy TPL 4G/ POCSAG pager for Retained Firefighters attached to 48 Stn Mortdale and 72 Stn Merrylands as part of the Stay Safe and Keep Operational (SSKO) NSW Government initiative. This may have something to do with the Licencing arrangements.

[astro_boy]

There's going to be some changes to the providers of installs & maintenance of the rfs/frnsw paging equipment so i've heard, you'll see these popping up at the same location as the GRN towers operating together.

[Mike Alpha]

I'm wondering then if the NSW GRN is going the same way as the Victoria and SA GRNs and having a dedicated pager option as well?

I went past the Roselands GRN site yesterday and there is no VHF dipole array on the tower...as yet.

Mike

[JAFO]

There was a notification not long ago, that the current Paging system has reached it's End of Life Expectations and FRNSW are going through a Pager System Up-date.

As far as I know, Pagers still remain the PRIMARY Notification for Incident Calls for Retained Firefighters in both Metropolitan and Regional Areas. Mobile Phones are a secondary Incident Notification system.

Metropolitan has for some years been via Commercial providers, Regional Stations have Paging Equipment installed in Stations or in Radio Sites. Under the new contract who knows what they are going with, Metropolitan Retained Stations may be going back to Station Based Paging systems due to reliability issues that had been an on going issue with the Commercial providers over the years.

[Mike Alpha]

The NSW Telco FRNSW frequency 148.9625 is now live with what looks like messages for retained stations. They are very brief turnout messages with minimal information.

It looks like Voda/Hutch have abandoned commercial paging all together. The transmissions have stopped and their allocations on ACMA have all disappeared.

Mike

[JAFO]

From what I know, the Retained Pagers will now give "Call Type" and the ability for RTFFs to Reply/Acknowledge the Page.

Looks like there is a Paging Transmitter in the Lower Blue Mtns, which might give good coverage to the Sydney West portion of the Sydney basin.

[Mike Alpha]

I went past the Roselands GRN site yesterday and there is no VHF dipole array on the tower...as yet.

Mike

A VHF folded dipole has been recently added to the Roselands GRN site.

Roselands_antenna.jpeg

VHF dipole now at Roselands GRN site

(23.23 KiB) Not downloaded yet

Mike