Comms Flashcards
Comms
What is UHF and VHF
● Ultra- high Frequency
● Frequency better suited for short distances
● indoors
● Very-high Frequency
● Frequencies better suited for long distance
What does TRN stand for?
TRN = Trunked Radio Network
What are the three types of radios used in ACTFR and their signal strength?
what is the highest output?
- Portable radio Hand held 5W
- Mobile radio Mounted in vehicle 25W
- Base station In building 10W
What is Zone A?
● OPS1 = monitored and used for most day to day communication
● 17 talk groups
● OPS 2-6 are incident channels
● OPS 8 is command channel
● Includes parliament house (channel 14 private network)
● 2 simplex channels, 2 NSW channels
What is Zone B?
● National simplex channels
● Southern region RFS
● Hazard reduction burns
What is Zone CT?
Common to ESA
What is Zone DZ?
● Disaster Zone
● Used during network failure
● Locked to one tower
● 1-11 are locked to black mountain
● 18-30 are locked onto individual towers
What is a Simplex Network vs a Trunked Radio Network?
Simplex:
● Simplex are only able to be used in close range
● Radio to radio, off the network, not monitored
● Isn’t affected by radio shadow
TRN:
● Connected to other radio networks i.e. Comcen
● Potentially other radio networks can encrypt
Name the TRN Sites around Canberra?
- One tree hill
- Mt Ainslie
- Black Mt
- Mt Stromlo
- Mt Ginini
- Mt Tennent
- Tuggeranong Hill
- Mt Jerrabomberra
- Mt Clear
What does RSSI stand for?
Received Signal Strength Indicator
What does the key symbol on the radio mean?
The Channel is encrypted
What does the Yellow radio messages indicate?
● General, non urgent communication
● Reporting inventory etc
What does the Green radio messages indicate?
● S.O. Responsibility
● Given at the end of an incident
What does the Blue radio messages indicate?
● Relating to an active incident
What does the White radio messages indicate?
● Priority
● Report new incident whilst mobile
What does the Red radio messages indicate?
● Urgent e.g. Firefighter down
● Takes priority over anything else
What is the structure of a CAN report?
Conditions:
- Location
- Smoke/heat conditions
- Visibility Actions
- All clear progress
Actions:
- Fire control progress
- Cant find fire
- PAR’s (Personnel accountability report) Needs
N__eeds:
- Reinforcement
- Tool or equipment
- Urgent help
- No needs
What command is sent back when returned to station?
- Standing down
- Transmit to comcen via MDT that you’re “at home station”
- UPPER CASE: signifies it has been received
Where can Satellite phones be found?
Provided to Operational commanders and both Off-road vehicles Rescue 48 and 49 (they’re a package deal)
If pumper 17 was at station 3 what would its call sign be?
Pumper 1-7-3
How do you add your number on the MDT and what do you need to keep in mind?
Add f then number.
Eg. f769
Name the phonetic alphabet
- A - Alpha
- B - Bravo
- C - Charlie
- D - Delta
- E - Echo
- F - Foxtrot
- G - Golf
- H - hotel
- I - India
- J - Juliet
- K - kilo
- L - Lima
- M - Mike
- N - November
- O - Oscar
- P - papa
- Q - Quebec
- R - Romeo
- S - Sierra
- T - Tango
- U - Uniform
- V - victor
- W - Whiskey
- X - X-ray
- Y - Yankee
- Z - Zooloo
how would you msg a radio check if you were pumper 9
“Comcen, Pumper 9 Yellow - radio check, over”
“receiving you loud and clear” or “receiving you 5 by 5”
“receiving you 5 by 5 also. Pumper 9 out”
Can you enter a name if they are already registered to another fire appliance
No, can’t enter name on MDT if already registered on other vehicle. need to speak to comcen to clear them
Pro words (not all)
- Affirmative - Yes
- Correction - Error in last transmission
- Confirm - Please confirm information
- How do you read? - Are you receiving clearly?
- Disregard - Ignore my last message
- Over - My message is over
- Out - This convo is over
- Standby - Ill respond soon
- Responding - Responding to an incident
- Replying - Receiving you, awaiting message
- Standing down - Returned to station
What are the 5 radios alias on the fire appliance
The number indicates which pumper ie pumper 8 would be;
- P8 SO - Station officer
- P8MD - Motor driver
- P8SFF - Most Senior of crew
- P8FF - Less senior of crew
- P8AUX - Auxiliary radio
5 Pieces of info on a sitrep
- Call sign
- Location
- Nature of incident
- Extent of incident
- Size
- Risk
- Hazards
- Ops in progress
- Resources
Incident evolution (process and device/s used)
- Received new incident • DTS • MDT
- Is responding/proceeding • MDT
- Unit cancelled or 2nd neg message • MDT • R/T
- Arrived at incident • MDT • Brief R/T
- Follow-up 360, further details • R/T
- CAN reports • R/T
- Released/departing fire ground • Brief R/T • MDT
- Incident is complete/ left in control of other agency • R/T
- Cleared from incident and mobile available • MDT
- Is back at home station • MDT
(R/T = radio transmission)
what does the Rocker Switch do?
VOL - volume control
MODE - channel selector
Damages/faults with radio, who do you report to?
- Radio unserviceable
- reported to Ops Commander (CMDR) through chain of command
- Repair of fixed radio’s
- report faults to ESA ICT section
- Repair on portables
- S.O. will ensure its tagged with details, email sent to TOSS inc. Ops CMDR name
- OPS CMDR will arrange portable to be sent to TOSS and spare portable is issued.
Changing/Charging batteries for radios, what should you never do?
- Remove a battery whilst the radio is turned on
- Place the radio in a charger whilst the radio is on
- Do not use excessive force when changing battery
