Empathy List Archives

BD

Butch Dalton

Tue, Feb 20, 2007 1:12 PM

If I remember that particular fire science class (some twenty years ago)
correctly, any radio frequency can legally be used in an emergency, including
AM and FM, perhaps even TV frequencies. The public isn't aware of the latitude
given to fire and rescue workers and citizens volunteering their assistance,
probably due to the fact that the occasion to use them occurs so (thankfully)
seldom. For instance, when you call 911 to report some sort of emergency and
request the fire department, your house legally becomes property of the fire
chief or his/her designee until he/she releases it. Subsequent visits (to
investigate the possibility of arson, for example) would require a search
warrant if custody has been relinquished.

At any rate, one would think that VHF would be hugely inefficient on land,
being "line of sight".

Butch Dalton
Dog Days III
Steele Creek, Marina
Townsville, NC

If I remember that particular fire science class (some twenty years ago) correctly, any radio frequency can legally be used in an emergency, including AM and FM, perhaps even TV frequencies. The public isn't aware of the latitude given to fire and rescue workers and citizens volunteering their assistance, probably due to the fact that the occasion to use them occurs so (thankfully) seldom. For instance, when you call 911 to report some sort of emergency and request the fire department, your house legally becomes property of the fire chief or his/her designee until he/she releases it. Subsequent visits (to investigate the possibility of arson, for example) would require a search warrant if custody has been relinquished. At any rate, one would think that VHF would be hugely inefficient on land, being "line of sight". Butch Dalton Dog Days III Steele Creek, Marina Townsville, NC

PB

Peter Bennett

Wed, Feb 21, 2007 12:49 AM

Tuesday, February 20, 2007, 5:12:11 AM, Butch wrote:

BD> At any rate, one would think that VHF would be hugely inefficient on land,
BD> being "line of sight".

BD> Butch Dalton
BD> Dog Days III

No - the marine VHF channels are right in the middle of the land
mobile VHF band, used by emergency services, taxis, trucking
companies, and almost any other business that requires short to medium
range radio communications.

--
Peter Bennett, VE7CEI Vancouver, B.C., Canada
Lien Hwa 28 (AKA Polaris 30) "Sea Spray"
GPS and NMEA info: http://vancouver-webpages.com/peter
Vancouver Power Squadron: http://vancouver.powersquadron.ca

Tuesday, February 20, 2007, 5:12:11 AM, Butch wrote: BD> At any rate, one would think that VHF would be hugely inefficient on land, BD> being "line of sight". BD> Butch Dalton BD> Dog Days III No - the marine VHF channels are right in the middle of the land mobile VHF band, used by emergency services, taxis, trucking companies, and almost any other business that requires short to medium range radio communications. -- Peter Bennett, VE7CEI Vancouver, B.C., Canada Lien Hwa 28 (AKA Polaris 30) "Sea Spray" GPS and NMEA info: http://vancouver-webpages.com/peter Vancouver Power Squadron: http://vancouver.powersquadron.ca

JS

Jeffrey Siegel

Wed, Feb 21, 2007 4:19 AM

No - the marine VHF channels are right in the middle of the land
mobile VHF band, used by emergency services, taxis, trucking
companies, and almost any other business that requires short to medium
range radio communications.

Peter's right. Every EMT and driver on our ambulance squad carries an Icom
M88 marine handheld because it can be also programmed for the VHF channels
used in fire, rescue, and hospital access. Even tiny towns like Castine
have installed VHF repeaters which repeat our local rescue frequency giving
it a range of 20+ miles in all directions right from the tiny handheld.

---=
Jeffrey Siegel
M/V aCappella
DeFever 53PH
W1ACA/WDB4350
Castine, Maine

www.activecaptain.com
Content, Communications, Community

> No - the marine VHF channels are right in the middle of the land > mobile VHF band, used by emergency services, taxis, trucking > companies, and almost any other business that requires short to medium > range radio communications. > Peter's right. Every EMT and driver on our ambulance squad carries an Icom M88 marine handheld because it can be also programmed for the VHF channels used in fire, rescue, and hospital access. Even tiny towns like Castine have installed VHF repeaters which repeat our local rescue frequency giving it a range of 20+ miles in all directions right from the tiny handheld. ================================== Jeffrey Siegel M/V aCappella DeFever 53PH W1ACA/WDB4350 Castine, Maine www.activecaptain.com Content, Communications, Community

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use of marine VHF channels