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Post by FireRunt on Aug 23, 2006 9:13:21 GMT -5
Ever hear this over the radio? Transmits once over every weekend. Is there a reason is has to be so long and drawn out? Takes about a minute of airtime just with the tones. I understand that 5 companies and an ambulance squad has to be toned out for this, but if you ever hear 830 do it, takes about a quarter of the time.
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Post by allcompanies on Aug 23, 2006 11:15:31 GMT -5
You are correct.
Primary dispatch for M-LFD is 830 (GNVFD). FIRECOM is the 2ndary dispatching agency, and I guess they've never increased the speed of the M-LFD tones on their dispatch board. What you hear is: Chiefs tone, 5 separate fire company tones, ambulance unit tone, and the tactical (signal 10) tone being dropped, hence the long duration of time.
Some trivia - when FIRECOM hits the tones - plectrons in the M-LFD houses and members pagers don't always trip.
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Post by volffemt on Aug 23, 2006 11:21:31 GMT -5
Well, what transmitter is firecom using? I dont think they have one that can hit MLFD that good.
GNVFD uses an antenna on the Thomaston water tower to disp MLFD.
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Post by FireRunt on Aug 23, 2006 12:26:18 GMT -5
You'd think they'd be able to shorten it, no?
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Post by allcompanies on Aug 23, 2006 13:46:35 GMT -5
When 870 dispatched for itself (we gave it up around 8-10 years ago), the tones were slow. Then there was a period of time where they were shortened, and we only got 3 beeps on the Minitor II after the tones dropped. After that, they were lengthened slightly.
I would guess that FIRECOM could shorten the tones, but since they only test us on 1 weekend evening, it probably shouldn't be a top priority.
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Post by volffemt on Aug 23, 2006 13:59:56 GMT -5
Of course the tones can be altered, to however each dept wants.
What MLFD should do (and ALOT of other depts out there) they should have ONE (1) general tone for all members/companies etc. That way a general alarm doesnt take 20 seconds of different company tones.
Firecom should have put a transmitter on the North Shore Towers or the Thomaston water tower to cover that part of Nassau, but since they don't dispatch MLFD it's prob not a big priority.
The closest transmitters would be Pt. Wash (which is a crappy site), Sea Cliff, Mineola or Floral Park. MLFD has a huge district with big terrain issues also. Maybe a firecom op has better insight.
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Post by allcompanies on Aug 23, 2006 14:15:43 GMT -5
I'm no radio expert so you'll have to tell me how that would work. M-LFD has 5 houses that are spread out over a large district. All calls are effectively zone responses with between 1 and 3 companies (plus Ambulance when SOP dictates). Most members have no desire to have their pagers trip for 2000+ calls per year when their company only goes to between 400 and 600 depending on volume.
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Post by volffemt on Aug 23, 2006 14:20:16 GMT -5
allcompanies, I understand that, but for a sig 15, or a major alarm/disaster (1) tones should be used to alert the entire dept, not chiefs, 5 companies, ems, etc...
I know that the older pagers could only hold/support 2 tones, but the newer pagers can hold a lot more.
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Post by allcompanies on Aug 23, 2006 14:26:31 GMT -5
Now I think I understand where you're going. That is the purpose of the TAC tone which is supposed to be dropped for all major incidents including signal 10's.
There are members who are in: a fire company (1st tone), Ambulance Unit (2nd tone), and want the TAC tone (would be 3rd tone) so that they never miss anything good.
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Post by FireRunt on Aug 23, 2006 18:04:03 GMT -5
Even the 8th battalion signal 15 is shorter. Don't all manhasset pagers (along with every pager in the 8th battalion) activate with the 10 second alert?
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Post by FIRE07 on Aug 23, 2006 19:40:22 GMT -5
I think thats what I heard. Just speculation here, but maybe the reason for the company tones and the tac tones is to ensure that all the pagers trip. I know that the mlfd membership is very spread out, so maybe there is a chance that the pager may not recieve the signal consistently??? Again, pure speculation.
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Post by redstripe225 on Aug 25, 2006 21:07:04 GMT -5
BOOOOO Long drawn out tones  HOORAY BEER!!!!!!!! |
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Post by w2lie on Aug 30, 2006 4:49:00 GMT -5
Around what time, and what day of the weekend do they usually tone out?
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Post by allcompanies on Aug 30, 2006 7:30:53 GMT -5
FIRECOM does a signal 15 for the M-LFD at 18:30 hrs on Sunday. I listened carefully this past Sunday night, and FIRECOM's tones are very slow - almost 5 seconds per each M-LFD paired tone. Lastly, the plectron in my firehouse did not trip.
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Post by FireRunt on Aug 30, 2006 11:54:03 GMT -5
only 5 seconds? sounded longer. No doubt about it though, they are extremely drawn out.
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Post by w2lie on Sept 1, 2006 22:16:23 GMT -5
I'll try and keep a radio locked on it and record it.
If I get it, I'll post it up on my website with my other calls.
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Post by MLFDCO4 on Sept 2, 2006 21:43:21 GMT -5
FireCom just needs to update their tone database. Half the members' pagers don't trip for their Signal 15's on Sunday nights, and if you do get it on your pager it is guaranteed to be all static.
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Post by volffemt on Sept 2, 2006 23:35:50 GMT -5
has nothing to do w/length of tones. has to do with firecom not having a transmitter close enough to ML district to trip their pagers. hence, not many activate, and when they do it's static. i dont know which transmitter they use, but they dont have one that cover manhasset that good.
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Post by FIRE07 on Sept 3, 2006 19:08:16 GMT -5
why did 830 do it tonight instead of firecom?
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Post by bearcat210 on Sept 3, 2006 20:55:05 GMT -5
Firecom uses their Port Washington transmitter for M-L. With M-L being such a huge district, probably the Co.4 & 5 members don't get good activation from there. If Firecom ever dispatched M-L full-time, they would have to put in another transmitting site somewhere in M-L's district.
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Post by allcompanies on Sept 4, 2006 13:20:04 GMT -5
I believe that 830 did the M-LFD signal 15 last night because FIRECOM was working the Roslyn signal 10.
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Post by volffemt on Sept 4, 2006 22:13:58 GMT -5
Firecom uses their Port Washington transmitter for M-L. With M-L being such a huge district, probably the Co.4 & 5 members don't get good activation from there. If Firecom ever dispatched M-L full-time, they would have to put in another transmitting site somewhere in M-L's district. There's the problem, the Pt. Wash transmitter is on PWFD HQ on PT. Wash Blvd, it's too low to cover MLFD good. |
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Post by Thunderfoot on Oct 4, 2006 13:09:40 GMT -5
FireCom just needs to update their tone database. Half the members' pagers don't trip for their Signal 15's on Sunday nights, and if you do get it on your pager it is guaranteed to be all static. Firecom can only use whatever tone database they have, someone from MLFD needs to contact the proper people at firecom and provide an updated list |
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woi599
Probationary Member
Posts: 6
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Post by woi599 on Oct 5, 2006 22:20:05 GMT -5
The tones used by fire-com are the original tones used by 870 when they operated on 48.02 (f5). The port washington transmitter is to far away to activate co#5 in New Hyde Park. Thomaston water tower was offered to fire-com years ago as a site but no funds were available. When Manhasset shortened the tones co #5 had problems activating for alarms. If you notice 830 activates 870 now twice due to pager problems
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Post by allcompanies on Oct 6, 2006 7:18:37 GMT -5
Good to hear from you WOI599, how are things out east? Without putting my name here, you should know me cuz I used to have the nickname "Vic."
See my message dated 8/23/06. As you know, FIRECOM is only a secondary alerting mechanism for the M-LFD, so optimizing the duration of theiir delivery of tones has never been a priority for anyone. It probably has happened since, but I can't remember FIRECOM actually toning out a real alarm for M-LFD since a heavy rain storm in the fall of 1994. At that time, 870 was still self-dispatching and lost power.
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Post by CFD208 on Oct 6, 2006 7:34:08 GMT -5
only 5 seconds? sounded longer. No doubt about it though, they are extremely drawn out. Problems with determining length huh? (couldn't resist) |
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Post by NoSho Buff on Oct 6, 2006 9:49:33 GMT -5
does anyone know the real reason 870 stopped self-dispatching & went to 830.....i keep hearing different stories...
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Post by coorsfd on Oct 6, 2006 10:12:05 GMT -5
Good to hear from you WOI599, how are things out east? Without putting my name here, you should know me cuz I used to have the nickname "Vic." See my message dated 8/23/06. As you know, FIRECOM is only a secondary alerting mechanism for the M-LFD, so optimizing the duration of theiir delivery of tones has never been a priority for anyone. It probably has happened since, but I can't remember FIRECOM actually toning out a real alarm for M-LFD since a heavy rain storm in the fall of 1994. At that time, 870 was still self-dispatching and lost power. Was this at a time when M-LFD was operating as WNRE 296 the Manhasset Lakeville Fire Department 870 Operator One (may he rest in peace)? |
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Post by allcompanies on Oct 6, 2006 12:34:15 GMT -5
It was at that time. It was on Veterans Day in 1994 when M-LFD had a signal 10 in the apartments on Welwyn Road with a nearby tree onto car with fatality.
WNRE296 on 46.10 was preceded by KEF863 on 48.02 MHz. On 48.02, the calls were announced first and then toned out.
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woi599
Probationary Member
Posts: 6
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Post by woi599 on Oct 13, 2006 17:40:01 GMT -5
good to hear from ya "vic" things are alot slower out here.
mlfd had to switch to 46.10 because 48.02 is a utility freq and not a dedicated fire service freq. what set it off back then was that 870 was stepping all over an upstate utility company while they were having an emergency. a complaint was filed with the fcc and the rest was history. 870 also dispatched albertson fd. they went to firecomm when 870 went to 46.10. 870 disbanded after union problems.
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