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Mutual Aid Box Alarm System Communications Committee Meeting Minutes February 20, 2006
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I. Call to Order
The meeting was called to order at 10:15 a.m. at Lisle-Woodridge Station 1. Present were committee members Paul Maplethorpe, Round Lake; Steve Rauter, Lisle-Woodridge; Gregg Riddle, IFCA; Bill Bouma, Mt. Pleasant; and Bob Mierop, Bolingbrook. Also attending the meeting was Chief Steve Hansen from Racine, WI.
II. Approve Prior Meeting Minutes
D/C Rauter moved to approve the January meeting minutes as presented. Second by Chief Bouma. All AYES; motion carried.
III. MABAS Conference
Chief Maplethorpe reported that the Chief Dato and he will be making several communications related presentations at the MABAS and MABAS Dispatchers conferences in March. Gregg Riddle will also be presenting during the MABAS Dispatcher conference.
IV. Statewide Radio License
Additional discussions were held concerning frequencies to be added to the MABAS statewide FCC authorization. The following conclusions were reached:
· Add 45.88 for mobile and fixed base temporary locations. · Add low power low band mobile interoperability frequencies. · Add V-Call and V-Tac channels for fixed base temporary and mobile. · Add UHF low power interoperability frequencies for mobile use. · Add U-Call and U-Tac channels for fixed base temporary and temporary repeaters. · Obtain FBT and FB2T licensure on the NPSPAC interoperability channels.
· Add IREACH for FBT and mobiles. · Add ESMARN for FBT and mobiles. · Obtain STA on 700 MHz channels for Fire, EMS & All Discipline interoperability pairs.
V. Statewide Interoperability Executive Committee
Based on the January discussions, it was concluded that a letter should be drafted to ITTF Chairman Chamness for review and signature by President Reardon outlining the Communications Committee’s concerns about an SIEC. D/C Rauter agreed to pen the draft letter.
VI. Old Business
A. MERCI Base Station Project
Chief Maplethorpe reported for Chief Dato that the base radios have been shipped by Motorola. The back-ordered antenna multi-couplers have also been shipped. Chief Dato is preparing written documentation addressing installation concerns.
B. VHF Interoperability Radios
Chief Maplethorpe reported that a programming issue concerning Gray Fireground has been confirmed. The programming template used by Motorola to program all 1200 MABAS VHF radio used the default frequency for GRAY. A plan to reprogram all 1200 radios is being developed.
C. Rock Island County
Chief Maplethorpe reported that an FCC application has been filed by the Rock Island County Sheriff’s Department for the new dispatch frequencies. This should be the last license necessary before the frequency change can be implemented. Funding remains an issue, however.
D. Gibson Area Ambulance
Chief Maplethorpe reported that the FCC application for Gibson Area Ambulance’s new repeater output has been approved by the FCC. The planned switch to the new frequency should occur during the first week of March.
E. Southwest Central Dispatch
No report
F. LEADS/EMnet
No report.
G. IAFC/Top Priority
Chief Maplethorpe reported that Chief Dato apologizes for not drafting the letter to the IAFC.
VII. New Business
IFERN CTCSS Testing: Chief Maplethorpe discussed the IFERN CTCSS compliance testing that was performed on February 7th. Numerous divisions still were not transmitting the correct CTCSS tone from their Division base stations. A complete list was previously circulated via e-mail. Several newer divisions, remote from the Chicago area have voiced concerns over not hearing the test. This was expected. A report concerning this compliance test will be made at the March MABAS Executive Board meeting in Peoria.
IFERN Network: Chief Maplethorpe related several conversations that have been held concerning a possible IFERN broadcast network utilizing several existing base stations that would be controlled by RED Center and Orland Dispatch using DuComm’s “UFERN” repeater system.
Consensus of the committee members present was to proceed with development of a plan for an IFERN broadcast network.
Evacuation Tone: B/C Mierop discussed the need for an emergency and evacuation tone for transmission over fireground frequencies. D/C Rauter reported that he has built some encoders for this purpose. Chief Hansen (Racine) suggested transmitting a 1500Hz tone using the repeater access feature on Motorola radios. A general discussion ensued.
D/C Rauter moved to develop a formal recommended practice establishing a standard emergency/evacuation tone for fireground operations as a 1500 Hz tone transmitted for six (6) seconds. Second by B/C Mierop. All AYES; motion carried.
VIII. Information for the Good of the Committee
New Division Orientation: Chief Bouma reported that the new orientation PowerPoint that was developed for Division 39 has been well received in Wisconsin. Unfortunately the associated wav files are not working properly.
APCO Conference: D/C Rauter reported that he will speak at the APCO conference regarding Interoperability Solutions in the Hand.
B/C Mierop left the meeting at 11:30 hours.
Chicago Participation: Chief Maplethorpe reported holding a conversation with Chicago Deputy Commissioner Gene Ryan concerning Chicago’s participation on the MABAS Communications Committee. He agreed to work on representatives.
Crossband Patches: Chief Hansen (Racine) discussed the need for developing guidelines or standards for crossband patches on fireground and the IFERN frequency. The committee reported that developing such guidance was a goal of the Committee for 2006.
IX. Adjournment
D/C Rauter moved to adjourn the meeting. Second by Chief Bouma. All AYES; the meeting adjourned at 12:10 p.m.
The next meeting for the MABAS Communications Committee is scheduled for Monday, March 20, 2006 at 1000 hours. The location of the meeting will be at Lisle-Woodridge Fire Station 1. Please mark your calendars.
Respectfully submitted,
Paul Maplethorpe Co-Chair
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