Saratoga County 800 Radio Project
EMS Version
Steve Lohnes – CPHM
stephen.lohnes@gmail.com
Version 9 – June 1, 2011
Saratoga County Radio Sites
BLUE = Original Towers
• Spruce
• Providence
• Halfmoon
GREEN = New 800 Towers
• Mt. McGregor
• Sheriff’s Office (Milton)
• Stillwater (Radar Base)
• CPHM
RED = APA Towers
• Hadley (Fraker Mtn)
• Edinburg
YELLOW = addit 800 tower
• Lakeview
(10 towers, 15 frequencies)
VHF Paging 155.9250
•Remains on 925
•Both EMS and Fire
•Simulcast (already on):
Milton, Stillwater,
McGregor, Spruce,
Providence, Halfmoon
•Narrowband (soon)
•155.9250
800 Radio Talk Groups - EMS
EMS TEMPLATE 1
BANK A
BANK B
A 1-EMS 1
B 1-EMS 1
A 2-EMS 2
B 2-EMS 2
A 3-TAC 3
BLANK
A 4-TAC 4
BLANK
A 5-TAC 5
BLANK
A 6-TAC 6
B 6-COLONIE*
A 7-TAC 7
B 13-ICALL
A 8-TAC 8
B 14-ITAC 1
A 9-TAC 9
B 15-ITAC 2
A 10-GRND 1
B 10-ITAC 3
A 11-GRND 2
B 11-PAGING
A 12-GRND 3
B 12-DREGRP
A 13-PAGING
B 13-TAC 24
A 14-FIRE 1
B 14-CAP800
A 15-TAC 24
B 15-EMS 2
A 16-EMS 1
B 16-EMS 1
• What is a Bank?
• Talk group vs. channel
• EMS 1 = home talk group
• All communications with
EMS Dispatch will be on
EMS 1
• What is a TAC?
• “Talk Around Channel”
•Fire use of TACs
•TAC use must be assigned
• What is a Ground talk
group? (local only use)
FIRE TEMPLATE 1
BANK A
A 1-FIRE 1
BANK B
B 1-FIRE 1
A 2-FIRE 2
B 2-FIRE 2
A 3-TAC 3
B 3-EMS 1
A 4-TAC 4
BLANK
A 5-TAC 5
BLANK
A 6-TAC 6
B 6-COLONIE*
A 7-TAC 7
B 7-ICALL
A 8-TAC 8
B 8-ITAC 1
A 9-TAC 9
B 9-ITAC 2
A 10-GRND 1
B 10-ITAC 3
A 11-GRND 2
B 11-PAGING
A 12-GRND 3
B 12-DREGRP
A 13-PAGING
B 13-TAC 24
A 14-EMS 1
B 14-CAP 800
A 15-TAC 24
A 15-FIRE 2
A 16-FIRE 1
B 16-FIRE 1
Fire Template
• Fire 1 = home
• Fire Comm replaces
Fire Control
• TAC groups used
more extensively
 Fires involve multiple
units and departments
EMS TEMPLATE 1
A 1-EMS 1
B 1-EMS 1
FIRE TEMPLATE 1
BANK A
BANK B
A 1-FIRE 1
B 1-FIRE 1
A 2-EMS 2
B 2-EMS 2
A 2-FIRE 2
B 2-FIRE 2
B 3-EMS 1
BANK A
BANK B
A 3-TAC 3
BLANK
A 3-TAC 3
A 4-TAC 4
BLANK
A 4-TAC 4
BLANK
A 5-TAC 5
BLANK
A 5-TAC 5
BLANK
A 6-TAC 6
B 6-COLONIE*
A 6-TAC 6
B 6-COLONIE*
A 7-TAC 7
B 13-ICALL
A 7-TAC 7
B 7-ICALL
A 8-TAC 8
B 14-ITAC 1
A 8-TAC 8
B 8-ITAC 1
A 9-TAC 9
B 15-ITAC 2
A 9-TAC 9
B 9-ITAC 2
A 10-GRND 1
B 10-ITAC 3
A 10-GRND 1
B 10-ITAC 3
A 11-GRND 2
B 11-PAGING
A 11-GRND 2
B 11-PAGING
A 12-GRND 3
B 12-DREGRP
A 12-GRND 3
B 12-DREGRP
A 13-PAGING
B 13-TAC 24
A 13-PAGING
B 13-TAC 24
A 14-FIRE 1
B 14-CAP800
A 14-EMS 1
B 14-CAP 800
A 15-TAC 24
B 15-EMS 2
A 15-TAC 24
A 15-FIRE 2
A 16-EMS 1
B 16-EMS 1
A 16-FIRE 1
B 16-FIRE 1
* COLONIE is not currently programmed into radios
TAC Use In EMS
• You may request a TAC assignment
• Major incidents
• Special events/operations
• EMS Dispatch may assign you a TAC
• If your call involves multiple units
• If the EMS 1 talk group has heavy traffic
• When on a TAC, you will normally need to
switch back to EMS 1 to reach Dispatch
Interoperability EMS and Fire
EMS TEMPLATE 1
BANK A
BANK B
A 1-EMS 1
B 1-EMS 1
A 2-EMS 2
B 2-EMS 2
A 3-TAC 3
BLANK
A 4-TAC 4
BLANK
A 5-TAC 5
BLANK
A 6-TAC 6
B 6-COLONIE
A 7-TAC 7
B 13-ICALL
A 8-TAC 8
B 14-ITAC 1
A 9-TAC 9
B 15-ITAC 2
A 10-GRND 1
B 10-ITAC 3
A 11-GRND 2
B 11-PAGING
A 12-GRND 3
B 12-DREGRP
A 11-PAGING
B 13-TAC 24
A 12-FIRE 1
B 14-CAP800
A 13-TAC 24
B 15-EMS 2
A 16-EMS 1
B 16-EMS 1
•Fire radio home is Fire 1
•Fire Comm replaces Fire
Control for dispatch
•On EMS calls with Fire, you
will be advised of the TAC
assigned to the Fire units
•To speak directly with FD,
switch to the assigned TAC
•To reach EMS Dispatch,
switch back to EMS 1
Helpful Hints
1. Always monitor EMS1
(use a portable on the
TAC)
2. You can/will miss pages
when scanning
3. Most everyday use will
be on Bank A
4. For simplicity:
•
•
Bank A and C are same
EMS 1 is 1st and last on
portable selector switch
The 800 Radio System Brains
Brains
Push-to-Talk
(PTT Button)
Helpful Hints
1. A computer controls the
radio system traffic
2. Push to talk and WAIT
until the radio beeps
3. Two radios cannot talk at
once
4. If the channel is busy or
the radio is out of range,
you will get a BUSY
tone.
Talk Group Usage
• EMS 1 – Primary dispatch communications
• EMS 2
• Overflow (assigned by communications when
necessary)
• Carries EMS Emergency Button signals
• TACs 3 thru 9 – interoperability (assigned)
• Ground 1 thru 3 – radio-to-radio only (no
permission needed to use)
Talk Group Usage
• Paging – Cross band repeated paging from
155.9250. Not for two-way communication.
• FIRE 1 – Primary FD communications with
Fire Comm for dispatch, call info.
• TAC 24 – County-wide major incident talk
group for all users (Police, Fire, EMS,
DPW).
• DREGRP – (Dynamic ReGrouping) used to
create a new talk group “on the fly.” This
would be a rarely used feature.
Talk Group Usage
• I-Call and I-TACs – Nationwide radio to
radio talk groups. For interoperability when
outside Saratoga County. Similar to
Ground TACs.
• Colonie – potential future interface to Town
of Colonie 800 system.
• CAP800 – Potential future interface to
other Capital District 911 Communications
Center 800 radio systems.
Law Enforcement Talk Groups
Law Enforcement has their own set of talk groups.
Radios from other disciplines will not have access to these.
Police can be assigned to TACs for communications with EMS
and Fire when necessary.
Radio Identifiers
800 system is computer controlled
• Only radios registered and activated in the
computer system will work
• Communications can deactivate any radio
• Radio identifiers are issued by OES
• Users in the field can decipher radio
identifiers to determine it’s identity
• All transmissions display the radio ID in
communications
Radio Identifying Number
800 Radio IDs - EMS Main
•
FIRST digit “7” identifies Saratoga
County (to other 800 systems)
•
SECOND digit distinguishes EMS
Mobile from Portable. (Sheriff 1 or
2, Fire 5 or 6, DPW 7 only)
•
THIRD and FOURTH digits are the
two digit EMS Agency Number.
•
FIFTH digit Identifies the what type
of Unit it is.
•
SIXTH digit is used to identify
additional units for that agency.
•
The display appearing in field units
would be 731251 or 741251.
•
Alias Display in the County
Communications Center for this
Mobile will be 1251 and for this
Portable will be P 1251
If Mobile Radio, the digits indentify the Unit
7
System Identifer
3
3 - Mobile, 4 - Portable
1
These 2 digits identify EMS Agency
2
5
These 2 digits identify EMS Unit
1
System would display: 1251
If portable, the digits indentify the individual
7
System Identifer
4
3 - Mobile, 4 - Portable
1
These 2 digits identify EMS Agency
2
5
These 2 digits identify EMS Unit
1
System would display: P 1251
Radio ID Assignments
Each vehicle ID can be associated
with one mobile and one portable
• Additional portable radios are identified using
sequential IDs, starting with XX11. For
example, 7151 has four portables. They may
be identified as P7151, P7111, P7112, P7113
• If 7152 also had four portables, they would be
identified as P7152, P7114, P7115, P7116
Radio ID Assignments
Each vehicle ID can be associated
with one mobile and one portable
• Users should identify themselves by the
vehicle they are using or their NIMS assigned
task, regardless of portable ID
• Example, “Portable 7151” or “EMS Command”
• Agency leaders must know where portables
are at all times (in case of emergency button
activation)
Emergency
Button
Emergency
Button
THE EMERGENCY BUTTON
• Push when you are in imminent danger
and unable to transmit a voice message
• Radio will switch to EMS 2 and open
your mic for 10 seconds
• This is your opportunity to indicate what
problem you are having
• Communications will then call you with
a two word question:
“Activation status?”
THE EMERGENCY BUTTON
• The only way to stop a law enforcement
response is with a one word reply:
“ACCIDENTAL”
• Say anything else like, “Sorry, I hit the
button accidentally,” and you will get a law
enforcement response!
• Emergency button activations for units not
on an active call with no response when
called by Communications will be referred
to agency leadership to determine radio
location.
Portable Radio XTS 1500
Scan on/off
(long = Scan Program)
Light
on/off
Nuisance
Delete
Restore After Nuisance Delete
To restore the preprogrammed scan list after
using nuisance delete to eliminate
channels from the scan list, do one of the
following:
1. Turn scan off then turn scan back on
2. Turn the radio off and then turn back on
IMPRES Charger
• Smart charger
• If < 50% battery
capacity, will deep
discharge and then
recharge (8+ hours)
• LED color indicates
status (see bottom of
charger for codes)
Typical Mobile Radio
Channel Select
On/Off, Volume
Emergency
Soft Menu Keys
Agency Purchased 800 Mobile (Model XTL 2500)
Volume
Knob
Dimmer
Button
Power
Button
Home
Button
Channel
Knob
Soft Menu
Keys
Emergency
Button
4-way Navigation
Button
If your agency purchased these (remote
mount) 800 mobile radios, be familiar with
the various function buttons
Dynamic Regrouping
• Allows EMS Dispatch to temporarily
combine talk groups or frequencies.
• When your radio is regrouped, a special
tone alerts you and the name of the regroup
appears.
• Talk as normal. When released, by
dispatch, the radio will return to normal
mode.
Secret Talk
• Pittsfield Communications is Saratoga
County’s authorized radio vendor for all
repairs to County owned equipment.
• Agencies owned equipment can be serviced
by any vendor BUT, Pittsfield is the only
vendor with necessary computer keys to
program 800 radios.
• Pittsfield will only program radios in
accordance with permissions issued by OES
Questions, More Info…
1. www.saratogaems.org – click on
800 Radio tab for resources
2. Email Steve:
stephen.lohnes@gmail.com
3. Email Mike McEvoy (EMS-1):
mcevoymike@aol.com