New Channel and Zone Allocations

[Scotty]

Can anybody assist with identifying what zones are allocated to each radio channel (eg D101 - ME1, ME3)?

I've been trying to figure it out since the changes but keep coming up short because of the patches that are in place. There are a number of channels almost permanently merged, being:

D101 - patched with D102 / D103 (Sydney Inner/North/East)
D104 - patched with D106 / D401 / D402 (Sydney West/North West, Central West, Blue Mountains)
D306 - patched with D107 / D108 / D304 (Sydney South/South West, Goulburn, South Coast)

So can anybody shine light more accurately on the zone allocations?

[JAFO]

I would not even bother trying to work it all out, it will still be some months before Newcastle & Sydney Comm's work out what is workable in the way of channel patching and operator numbers goes, and you could find it all changing this coming fire session if it ends up being a busy session and if it is true, there may be more Channels coming operational soon.

[matthewn1983]

Add 10107(D108) --> 10125(D306) to the patch list
and 10120(D301) --> 10125(D306)

[Scotty]

I would not even bother trying to work it all out, it will still be some months before Newcastle & Sydney Comm's work out what is workable in the way of channel patching and operator numbers goes, and you could find it all changing this coming fire session if it ends up being a busy session and if it is true, there may be more Channels coming operational soon.

Thanks Grant, patching aside, there surely must be some 'formal' arrangement allocating each zone to a channel? Otherwise how do you know what channel to listen in on?

[scanSydney]

I would not even bother trying to work it all out, it will still be some months before Newcastle & Sydney Comm's work out what is workable in the way of channel patching and operator numbers goes, and you could find it all changing this coming fire session if it ends up being a busy session and if it is true, there may be more Channels coming operational soon.

Otherwise how do you know what channel to listen in on?

I believe they don't "listen in" on any area-specific channels any more. All job printouts now state a channel the incident is working off, and they change to that channel when responding. I think this method actually works a whole lot better, so incoming units to a large incident (for example) change when responded, not as advised by the Comcen.

Grant can correct me if I'm wrong though - I still don't understand how half the patches work yet, but it looks like you've worked it out!

EDIT: I just realised, they DO actually need something to listen in on... what if they're at a school fete, etc.?

[JAFO]

There is another Member on this Forum who knows the new system in and out and could provide a much better rundown on things then I could. But till such time as he shows his hand . . . I’ll try my best to provide a rundown on the New Comm’s Setup as I know it so far, given I was on extended leave when the change-over occurred.

For those who have not picked-up on what has happened, FRNSW have gone from Four (4) Communications Centres (Sydney, Newcastle, Wollongong and Katoomba) down to Two (2) Communication Centres . . . being Sydney & Newcastle.

The Rationalisation to 2 Communications Centres also occurred while FRNSW Changed-Over from it’s old Computerised Dispatch System (FireCAD) to the Government’s new NSW Emergency Services Computerised Dispatch System (ESCAD) http://gov.cebit.com.au/nsw/emergency-s ... escue-nsw/ , which in time will be used by, NSW Police, SES, RTA & RFS.

I have not seen any Correspondents from the Department outlining the new Radio Channel Allocations, nor has there been a new Communications SOG’s Up-Date, so to date there is no list of what Stations are on what channel or what Country Stations are covered by which Communications Center. The guys at work have stated, they received an “Admin Text” via the Station Turnout System when the New ESCAD went live, advising them to change to Channel D104, and this is now the Channel all Stations within MW1 & MW2 use for their day to day Radio Net usage for the time being.

But as previously posted on the forum, the following list seems to be true as to which Regions/Zones Stations fall under which Communications Centre Dispatch/Radio Net:

Newcastle Comm's: MN1, MN2, MN3 - MW1, MW2, MW3 - RN1, RN2, RN3. RW1, RW2, RW3

Sydney Comm's: ME1, ME2, ME3 - MS1, MS2, MS3 - RS1, RS2, RS3

In FRNSW Sydney Radio World, similar to the Old Sydney North/NorthWest and South/SouthWest Radio Nets, we now have a New Invisible Radio Boarder running through Sydney which is shown in the image below as a Red Line. This means unlike before, where Station’s within MetroEast and MetroWest could hear each other, this is no longer the Case, the new Boarder now Splits MetroWest from MetroEast-MetroSouth.

Below, RED Line represents Boarder between Sydney & Newcastle FireComm's. Stations in Blue are Station that come under Newcastle FireComm's Radio Net and those Station shown in Green come under Sydney FireComm's Radio Net.


I don't know what the Situation is with with Station's in MetroSouth and if they can hear MetroEast Stations at all, or if there like us out here in the west and can't hear Metro MetroEast at all.

Now as far as Appliances being told to Change Radio Channels!!!!

Under the New System, both Newcastle and Sydney ESCAD Systems are linked allowing both Newcastle or Sydney Operators to take Triple ‘000’ Call from any location in the State, process those triple 000 calls and Dispatch the closest Station to the incident which was not totally possible under the old FireCAD System.

Now looking at the image above, if a Triple '000' Call was received to a House Alight in Kiparra St West Pymble, the ESCAD System would chose RP37 & P42 as the closest resources to that location and automatically activate the Stations turn-out systems. As Kiparra St West Pymble comes under Sydney FireComm's Radio area, P42 would be advised upon their Code 1 to change from D104 to D101, as D101 would be the Operational Channel for that area and thus that incident.

My understanding is, as I was told when our radio’s were being Re-Programmed for the Digital GRN, in time Every Zone in Sydney would/will have it’s own Radio Channel, and all appliances attending incidents within different Zones would change to the Zone’s Operational Channel till such time that they returned to their own Zone Channel area.

[Bigfella237]

All of Metro South must usually be patched with all of Region South as we hear most of the stations shown in green on your map down the Far South Coast here most of the time, as far as I can figure that includes talkgroups D103, D104, D301, D303, D304, D305 & D306 (plus some PMR links)?

When the changeover first occurred they actually had all the above plus Metro East plus some of Region West all on the same patch, only lasted a matter of hours I think but the dispatchers sure earned their money that night!

And no, we can't hear normally D101 / D102 as appliances are often told to switch over and aren't heard from again until they return to their own area? Although, occasionally the odd curious person will follow them over with a portable to listen in on the incident!

Andrew

[ivahri]

And I'm biting my tongue as I've been as confused as everyone else at times! Describing it as chaotic at times is being polite... This change was driven by operational firefighters wanting talkgroups to reflect operational boundaries. The old arrangements didn't- they were based on geographic & radio coverage boundaries. The reason I haven't commented on the patching arrangements is that I've heard them change depending on the platoon and I only think I know how it is supposed to be, but that may well not be how it is. I might say something politically incorrect so I better shut my trap.

Cheers

Richard

[ivahri]

Grant- you have described the arrangements as I understand it very well. Thanks!

[matthewn1983]

(may be slightly off topic) on D101 during the high wind period yesterday afternoon - they had issues with the what Im assuming is the dispatch system? Either the operator couldn't keep up or the system wasn't coping with the amount of jobs coming in - I think the line was "All appliances stand by, this system cannot cope, this system is rubbish"