[Dispatch] ***Important*** Radio System Upgrades

[Chelf, Andrew]

Due to Motorola System upgrades, there will be intermittent impacts on the radio system Wednesday, February 1st from 12:01 AM and 4:00 AM and Thursday, February 2nd from 12:01 AM and 4:00 AM.

IMPORTANT IMPACTS TO YOU:



1)      Operation crews will experience their radio displaying "SITE TRUNKING" for up to two minutes, accompanied by a beep, twice at some point during this 4 hours window. During a "SITE-TRUNKING" event, the user will lose the ability to talk with other users on a different site. For most users in the central part of the county/city, you will still have communications back to the dispatch center at CTECC. For some ESD users in the outlying areas, "SITE-TRUNKING" may mean you will be unable to communicate with dispatch as you may be affiliated with a different "SITE" than the one used by the dispatch center at CTECC. You should still be able to communicate with all other users affiliated on your "SITE." Please be prepared to use another method of communicating back to the dispatch center should you have an urgent need during these few minutes MDC's should continue to work and messages can be sent thru the mailroom or the Dispatch supervisor can be reached at 512-974-0400.



2)      There will be no "patching" of channels during this time frame. The patch between FCOM N/S and FCOM E/W used to carry traffic across both talk groups will not be available during the entire 4 hour window. During this time, please make sure you are operating on the appropriate channel. Dispatch will have to monitor each talk group on a separate radio during the entire 4 hour window.



3)      Station Alerting should not be impacted.


For those that would like to know more, below is an explanation from B401.2 on what SITE TRUNKING means.


"The Zone Controller at CTECC acts as the "traffic cop" for our radio system. If this component goes down, our system is designed to have individual repeater sites take over this function. Radios will beep once and display "Site Trunking." This should not have a significant effect on radio functionality on the fireground. Dispatch will lose console functionality (which includes ability to identify Emergency ID's) but they have backup radios in place which will allow them to continue to monitor fireground activities and provide support. Command shall initiate an immediate PAR and an immediate review of strategy shall be undertaken."


Captain Andrew Chelf
Austin Fire Dept.
Fire Communications
512-415-9144
1 Thess 5:16
andrew.chelf at austintexas.gov<mailto:andrew.chelf at austintexas.gov>

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