NATIONAL LOGISTICS
WORKSHOP
RENO, NEVADA
MARCH 15, 2005
NATIONAL INTERAGENCY INCIDENT
COMMUNICATIONS DIVISION
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P25 MULTI-MODE
RADIOS
WHAT IS
NARROWBANDING
NWCG RADIO
ADVISORY GROUP
RECOMMENDATIONS
PRE-ORDERS ON
INCIDENTS
CDO/COMC
INTRA-CREW
COMMUNICATIONS
MULTI-MODE (P25)
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OPEN STANDARD (non-proprietary)
All manufacturers radios can operate together
seamlessly.
INTEROPERABILITY
Can operate in the analog wideband, analog
narrowband or digital mode as well as multimode.
BACKWARDS COMPATABILITY
Will operate with existing wideband and
narrowband systems.
P25 RADIOS IN CACHE
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RADIOS
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THALES RACAL 25
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EF JOHNSON 5100
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MOTOROLA XTS
5000
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DATRON
GUARDIAN
Radio Training
www.nifc.gov/radios
P25 RADIOS ON
CONTRACT
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DATRON GUARDIAN 25
EF JOHNSON 5100
MOTOROLA XTS 5000
THALES RACAL 25
RELM BENDIX KING DPH
ADI REPEATERS/BASE STATIONS
DANIELS REPEATERS/BASE STATIONS
MOTOROLA QUANTAR REPEATERS/BASE
STATIONS
P25 RADIOS ON DOI
CONTRACT
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DATRON GUARDIAN MOBILE
EF JOHNSON 5300 MOBILE
MOTOROLA ASTRO MOBILE
TECHNISONIC TDFM 136
DOI CONTRACT
www.blm.gov/natacq/IDIQ/index.html
“NIICD FIRE CERTIFIED
P25 RADIOS”
EF JOHNSON 5100
 MOTOROLA XTS3000
 MOTOROLA XTS5000
 THALES RACAL 25
 DATRON GUARDIAN 25
 RELM BENDIX KING DPH
 TECHNISONIC TDFM136
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WHAT IS NARROWBANDING?
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DIVIDING OF FREQUENCIES IN ½
WIDEBAND = 25 KHz
NARROWBAND = 12.5 KHz
NARROWBAND = 12.5 KHz
IN WIDEBAND WE HAD
TOTAL OF 480 FREQUENCIES AVAILABLE
TO ALL FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AGENCIES
IN NARROWBAND WE NOW HAVE
TOTAL OF 960 FREQUENCIES AVAILABLE TO
ALL FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AGENCIES
THINGS TO REMEMBER
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NARROWBAND VS WIDEBAND
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OLDER RADIOS THAT ARE NARROWBAND
ANALOG CAPABLE HAVE TO BE
PROGRAMMED TO NARROWBAND, THEN
TUNED ACCORDINGLY TO WORK
PROPERLY
ISSUES CREATED WHEN RADIOS NOT
PROPERLY SET-UP
NARROW TO WIDE = AUDIO LOW, TURN UP
VOLUME ON WIDEBAND RADIO
 WIDE TO NARROW = AUDIO LOUD, TALK INTO
WIDEBAND RADIO WITH MIC TURNED
SIDEWAYS SPEAK ACROSS MIC NOT
DIRECTLY INTO IT
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NEW RADIOS ARE CAPABLE OF
OPERATING IN WIDEBAND &
NARROWBAND ANALOG &
NARROWBAND DIGITAL ON PER
CHANNEL BASIS
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WHEN PROGRAMMED PROPERLY NEW
APCO Project 25 RADIOS WILL OPERATE
IN ALL CURRENT SYSTEMS
USERS SHOULD SET COOPERATOR
CHANNELS TO MATCH COOPERATOR
SYSTEMS
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RADIO USER RESPONSIBILITY:
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THAT ONCE SET, NOT TO CHANGE
FUNCTIONAL PROGRAMMING ON THE
RADIO DURING OPERATIONS. ONLY
CHANGE FREQUENCIES AND GUARD
TONES.
TO MAKE SURE RADIOS ARE UPDATED
WITH CURRENT VERSIONS OF
SOFTWARE.
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NIFC-NIICD WEBSITE
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www.fs.fed.us/fire/niicd/Hotsheet/Hotsheet.html
• SELECT: RADIO SOFTWARE VERSIONS
PHONE CONTACT: 208 387 5719
NARROWBAND ADVISORY
GROUP RECOMMENDATIONS
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All fire communications activity (interagency)
will be performed in multi-mode if capable.
Any federal, state or local entity that converts
to digital must keep their system in multimode during fire activity.
All radio equipment issued by NIRSC will be
configured in analog narrowband mode.
All FM aviation communications (federal,
state and contracted) will be in the analog
narrowband mode.
NARROWBAND ADVISORY
GROUP RECOMMENDATIONS
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Family Radio Service (FRS) and General Mobile
Radio Service (GMRS) radios are not to be used on
incidents.
All MOU’s between cooperators need to be reviewed
to ensure that beginning in 2005 all fire frequencies
are authorized for narrowband operations only.
PRE-ORDERS ON
INCIDENTS
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Standing orders/pre-orders for communications
systems in excess of a 4390 Starter System will not
be automatically filled by NIRSC.
Pre-orders tie up frequencies which are in short
supply.
Once the team is on the ground and has assessed
their communications needs NIRSC will fill what is
needed.
CDO/COMC
Duties
and
Responsibilities
COMMUNICATIONS DUTY
OFFICER
WHAT DO THEY DO?
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Provide AM/FM frequencies for initial
attack, and for all National Type I, and II
incidents with the assistance of the USDA
Forest Service, Department of Interior,
and Federal Aviation Administration
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Coordinate the design, and ordering of
communications equipment, and supplies,
and the ordering of personnel
COMMUNICATIONS
COORDINATOR
WHAT DO THEY DO?
• Manage and allocate communications
resources
–Personnel
–Equipment
–Frequencies
–Supplies
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Maintain staged resources if necessary
Work under the direction of the CDO
Work in a geographic area
Review/approve resource orders
Aggressively enforce priorities
PROVIDE ASSISTANCE
• Obtaining communications equipment
• Specialized communications
equipment
• Personnel
• Supplies
• Trouble shooting
• Equipment tracking
• Area information
PERSONNEL
• COMT pool reduces competition by
incidents for COMT resources
• Incident COML requests for COMT
support through COMC
• Resource order is not necessary
• COMC provides excess list to CDO
for reassignment nationally
EQUIPMENT
• Incident COML orders equipment
• COMC reviews/approves all orders
• Determine sources for
communication equipment not
available at NIFC
• Identify specialized equipment to
augment communications for
incidents
FREQUENCY
MANAGEMENT
• Immediate action on frequency
management is required
• Maintain accurate records
• Pass frequency information to CDO
• All frequency support is made
through CDO
• Support all functions that have
frequency requirements
FREQUENCY
MANAGEMENT
• Additional requests are made
through CDO
• Adhere to restrictions identified for
frequencies
• Release frequency assignments as
soon as possible through CDO and
other coordinating entity
WORK WITH OTHERS
Provide suggestions and advice to
• Geographic Area Coordinators
• Incident Management Teams
• Complex Incidents
• Small Incidents
• Local Dispatch
about allocation and/or reallocation of communications
equipment personnel and supplies.
INTERAGENCY
COORDINATION
• Maintain contact with all agencies
involved
FEMA
State
Local
Private
RELEASE OF RESOURCES
• Determines priority of equipment
• Notify CDO of available equipment
• Identify method of return and inform
COML
• Track released equipment until it
arrives at it’s destination
INTRA-CREW
COMMUNICATIONS
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Involves all Interagency Hotshot
Crews
One nationwide intra-crew
frequency
Incident use only
Narrowband operations
PL tone on TX and RX frequencies
When demobed return to national
IHC frequency
INTRA-CREW
COMMUNICATIONS
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No use of any other frequencies
authorized
Use in mobiles not authorized
Radio discipline is required for
effective and efficient operations
Request for support will be made
through COML at incident
QUESTIONS ?
HOTSHEET:
www.fs.fed.us/fire/niicd/Hotsheet/Hotsheet.html