Nationwide Interoperable Frequencies

[SteveOFD 176]

The Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) International, and The National Public Safety Telecommunications Council (NPSTC) have received American National Standards Institute (ANSI) recognition of their Standard Channel Nomenclature for the Public Safety Interoperable Channels.

This Standard sets forth frequencies (on all bands), and requirements, that are available Nationwide for ALL Public Safety agencies to use for Interoperable Communications between agencies. Public Safety agencies can program these frequencies into mobile and portable radios as long as they have a valid FCC license. No frequency coordination or license amendments are required for the above mentioned mobile or portable radio use. Base station use would require frequency coordination, and additional FCC licensing.

The purpose of this Standard is to provide commonality Nationwide of both frequencies, AND the designations of these frequencies. This means that 453.2125MHz will be known as UCALL40D, and not as, for example, channel 16 or interop 4, or whatever local designation previously was used for this frequency.

Westchester County has received FCC authorization for Base/Repeater use of these frequencies with licenses WQLI 209 and WQLI 210. WQLI 210 provides for mobile and portable radio access for repeater operations on these frequencies. I have a source at 60 Control that has told me that Westchester County is looking to build out the UTAC/UCALL frequencies when funds become available. This source also told me that all the Trunked System Portables have been programmed with these frequencies, and he is hopeful to have these frequencies programmed in the Mobile Radios in the future. FYI - the City of White Plains has received FCC base station authorization for use of these frequencies.

It would be advantageous for all Public Safety agencies to program these frequencies in their radios now before they are needed, rather than, if and when, they are called mutual aid to the next County (or State), or five County's away and they are unable to communicate with the local agency except for being handed a local radio from the host mutual aid agency on their local frequency. There may or may not be enough of these radios to hand out, and you may not have communications with the local agency except for cell phone (if service is available). Be proactive, and be prepared, get these frequencies progammed in your radios.

Edited July 11, 2010 by SteveOFD
Removed ALL CAPS from Topic Title

[wraftery 1,275]

10-4, Steve

OOps...cant say that anymore.

Is OK a word?

[SteveOFD 176]

10-4, Steve

OOps...cant say that anymore.

Is OK a word?

I think you meant "affirmative"

From dictionary.reference.com

FYI - Word History : OK is a quintessentially American term that has spread from English to many other languages. Its origin was the subject of scholarly debate for many years until Allen Walker Read showed that OK is based on a joke of sorts. OK is first recorded in 1839 but was probably in circulation before that date. During the 1830s there was a humoristic fashion in Boston newspapers to reduce a phrase to initials and supply an explanation in parentheses. Sometimes the abbreviations were misspelled to add to the humor. OK was used in March 1839 as an abbreviation for all correct, the joke being that neither the O nor the K was correct.

[wraftery 1,275]

Good answer, Steve. The same way OK became COMMON TERMINOLOGY almost worldwide, 10-4 is well on it's way to universality in its meaning. It became widely understood largely because of actor Broderick Crawfod's constant use of the term in the TV show Highway Patrol in the late '50s or early 60s.

I would like to start a national movement right here on EMT-B to accept 10-4 as common terminology. My reasoning is the 10-4 is no longer a ten code (which we can't use). It has evolved into a word. It means "yes". More people in this nation understand and can spell the new word "10-4" than can understand os spell the word "afirmative."

All in favor, write to FEMA, NIMS, Common Terminology Section. OK?

Edited July 13, 2010 by wraftery