"Steve W." wrote:

Sounds like most of P.A. They had big M come in and install all new gear
across the state all of it P25 crap. The coverage area went from
something like 85% in the worst spots to less than 60% now in the best
locations. There were a couple videos out that showed them testing the
system and two people were less than a mile apart and could see each
other but the radios wouldn't work. Then there are the guys in NYFD who
can stand on opposite sides of a brick wall and cannot talk. Just what
you want for crews who will be risking it all entering a building on
fire and they can't talk to the crew outside!!!


It will bite them some day when it's the family of the ones who
signed the contract needs help, and they can't get it because of the
crappy radios.

On 8/8/2012 5:52 PM, Stormin Mormon wrote:
So, what size are the batteries that go wtih the chart?

Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
.

"Jim Wilkins" wrote in message
...
One is red, the other is blue. How long are your shoelaces?


"Stormin Mormon" wrote in message
. ..
So, what size batteries are they?

Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
.


The article doesn't specify.

http://www.stefanv.com/electronics/using_nimh.html


But the given mAhs suggest AA.

AAAs don't hold that much, C and Ds hold more.

Thanks, that looks like a good article to read.

Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..

"David J. Hughes" wrote in message
...

http://www.stefanv.com/electronics/using_nimh.html


But the given mAhs suggest AA.

AAAs don't hold that much, C and Ds hold more.

Michael A. Terrell wrote:
"Steve W." wrote:
Sounds like most of P.A. They had big M come in and install all new gear
across the state all of it P25 crap. The coverage area went from
something like 85% in the worst spots to less than 60% now in the best
locations. There were a couple videos out that showed them testing the
system and two people were less than a mile apart and could see each
other but the radios wouldn't work. Then there are the guys in NYFD who
can stand on opposite sides of a brick wall and cannot talk. Just what
you want for crews who will be risking it all entering a building on
fire and they can't talk to the crew outside!!!


It will bite them some day when it's the family of the ones who
signed the contract needs help, and they can't get it because of the
crappy radios.


I mentioned that to our counties Emergency services people (both the
head and his deputy) and was told.
"There is nothing we can do to change it" When I mentioned lawsuits and
such from deaths and fires where the radio signals didn't trip our
pagers or where crews couldn't talk to each other the answer was "We are
not responsible for that, and we're not worried because nobody will sue
us. We're just following the law"

I figure it will take a death or two in families that are involved in DC
before they will start listening to the folks who use the equipment over
big M and their ilk.

--
Steve W.

"Steve W." wrote:

Michael A. Terrell wrote:
"Steve W." wrote:
Sounds like most of P.A. They had big M come in and install all new gear
across the state all of it P25 crap. The coverage area went from
something like 85% in the worst spots to less than 60% now in the best
locations. There were a couple videos out that showed them testing the
system and two people were less than a mile apart and could see each
other but the radios wouldn't work. Then there are the guys in NYFD who
can stand on opposite sides of a brick wall and cannot talk. Just what
you want for crews who will be risking it all entering a building on
fire and they can't talk to the crew outside!!!


It will bite them some day when it's the family of the ones who
signed the contract needs help, and they can't get it because of the
crappy radios.

I mentioned that to our counties Emergency services people (both the
head and his deputy) and was told.
"There is nothing we can do to change it" When I mentioned lawsuits and
such from deaths and fires where the radio signals didn't trip our
pagers or where crews couldn't talk to each other the answer was "We are
not responsible for that, and we're not worried because nobody will sue
us. We're just following the law"


They sound like the German guards at the death camps.


I figure it will take a death or two in families that are involved in DC
before they will start listening to the folks who use the equipment over
big M and their ilk.


I never trust any ilk.

The volunteer fire department where I lived in Ohio had no
dispatcher. The phone rang at a paper mill a half mile away. They
would trip the old Plectrons over a leased phone line, then turn on a
W.W. II surplus air raid siren, in case the old radios weren't working.
It also alerted anyone with hearing that the volunteers would be rushing
to the fire house, then to the fire. That paper mill is no more, and
the county took over dispatch before I left Ohio. That was before 911,
and the call had to be routed to another town which was less than
perfect.

"Stormin Mormon" wrote in message
...
Years ago, I read the FCC web site on FRS. Back then, they were non
commercial, only. A lot of stores use FRS at the store. I went back and
read
the web page, the non commercial bit had disappeared.

I'd like to see base stations sold.

Radio shack used to sell an FRS repeater.

For example, farm house, to contact the
guys in the farm field. Midland has a "base station" with hand held
microphone. I'd make one of those on four D cells, so it would last a
while.
They used three AA cells. What advantage is that? Antenna not removable,
either.

Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
.

"Michael A. Terrell" wrote in message
m...

It would work a lot better with a simple ground plane antenna or
dipole antenna, but FRS radios aren't allowed in fixed service
applications. Those are supposed to be licensed.

Michael A. Terrell wrote:


I never trust any ilk.

The volunteer fire department where I lived in Ohio had no
dispatcher. The phone rang at a paper mill a half mile away. They
would trip the old Plectrons over a leased phone line, then turn on a
W.W. II surplus air raid siren, in case the old radios weren't
working. It also alerted anyone with hearing that the volunteers
would be rushing to the fire house, then to the fire. That paper
mill is no more, and the county took over dispatch before I left
Ohio. That was before 911, and the call had to be routed to another
town which was less than perfect.

Sounds like a good plan.

In our VFD, the phone was answered by a fireman who launched the page and
drove the firetruck to the scene. People receiving the page went either to
the fire or to the station to roll more equipment.

There's probably no limit to the procedures that have been found to work
well in various communities.

By the way, about 80% of the firefighters in the US are volunteers.

HeyBub wrote:

Michael A. Terrell wrote:


I never trust any ilk.

The volunteer fire department where I lived in Ohio had no
dispatcher. The phone rang at a paper mill a half mile away. They
would trip the old Plectrons over a leased phone line, then turn on a
W.W. II surplus air raid siren, in case the old radios weren't
working. It also alerted anyone with hearing that the volunteers
would be rushing to the fire house, then to the fire. That paper
mill is no more, and the county took over dispatch before I left
Ohio. That was before 911, and the call had to be routed to another
town which was less than perfect.

Sounds like a good plan.

In our VFD, the phone was answered by a fireman who launched the page and
drove the firetruck to the scene. People receiving the page went either to
the fire or to the station to roll more equipment.

There's probably no limit to the procedures that have been found to work
well in various communities.

By the way, about 80% of the firefighters in the US are volunteers.


I've worked with several volunteers. One had to respond to a fire
where we worked, on Friday night. The Northern Electric 'Merlin' phone
system caught fire, and did a lot of damage to the front offices &
engineering department.

A neighbor's house burnt, and they couldn't get the tanker down the
sand road because of the weight, so they ran a half mile of hose between
the smaller pumper & the highway where the larger trucks were waiting.
They were there for about three hours before it was out. I heard the
chief tell them to Roll & carry the hose back to the highway, so I got
my truck, and slowly backed out to the highway as they rolled & tossed
the hose on the truck. They thanked me, but I was glad to help. I
would be useless, these days, but you help where you can.

Much the same, here. I'm in the application process, for my local FD. As old
as I am, not sure how much interior work I can do. But, there is a lot to be
done, outside.

Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..

"Michael A. Terrell" wrote in message
m...

I've worked with several volunteers. One had to respond to a fire
where we worked, on Friday night. The Northern Electric 'Merlin' phone
system caught fire, and did a lot of damage to the front offices &
engineering department.

A neighbor's house burnt, and they couldn't get the tanker down the
sand road because of the weight, so they ran a half mile of hose between
the smaller pumper & the highway where the larger trucks were waiting.
They were there for about three hours before it was out. I heard the
chief tell them to Roll & carry the hose back to the highway, so I got
my truck, and slowly backed out to the highway as they rolled & tossed
the hose on the truck. They thanked me, but I was glad to help. I
would be useless, these days, but you help where you can.

Michael A. Terrell wrote:
HeyBub wrote:
Michael A. Terrell wrote:

I never trust any ilk.

The volunteer fire department where I lived in Ohio had no
dispatcher. The phone rang at a paper mill a half mile away. They
would trip the old Plectrons over a leased phone line, then turn on a
W.W. II surplus air raid siren, in case the old radios weren't
working. It also alerted anyone with hearing that the volunteers
would be rushing to the fire house, then to the fire. That paper
mill is no more, and the county took over dispatch before I left
Ohio. That was before 911, and the call had to be routed to another
town which was less than perfect.
Sounds like a good plan.

In our VFD, the phone was answered by a fireman who launched the page and
drove the firetruck to the scene. People receiving the page went either to
the fire or to the station to roll more equipment.

There's probably no limit to the procedures that have been found to work
well in various communities.

By the way, about 80% of the firefighters in the US are volunteers.


I've worked with several volunteers. One had to respond to a fire
where we worked, on Friday night. The Northern Electric 'Merlin' phone
system caught fire, and did a lot of damage to the front offices &
engineering department.

A neighbor's house burnt, and they couldn't get the tanker down the
sand road because of the weight, so they ran a half mile of hose between
the smaller pumper & the highway where the larger trucks were waiting.
They were there for about three hours before it was out. I heard the
chief tell them to Roll & carry the hose back to the highway, so I got
my truck, and slowly backed out to the highway as they rolled & tossed
the hose on the truck. They thanked me, but I was glad to help. I
would be useless, these days, but you help where you can.

I thank you for that assist on behalf of my fellow Fire Fighters. You
would be surprised how small things like that help. We had an auxiliary
until a few years ago. They were mainly wives and folks who wanted to
help but didn't want or couldn't be full responders. They would hold
fund raisers and show up at calls with coffee, food and such. At 3AM
when you've been dragging hose and doing interior work a cup and a
cruller are VERY welcome items. Sadly they disbanded due to lack of
interest by the current generation in helping the community.

Our dispatch comes through the county and with the current radio system
there are many times you ask for second tones or repeats due to garbled
static. This will get worse soon with the new radios going to narrow
band and less than 50 watts of power.

--
Steve W.