Got a legal or technical question relating to your radio/paging system?

There are all kinds of questions we receive daily on a variety of topics relating to various governmental regulations as they apply to the operation of public safety communications.  We've broken them down by basic topic with the hope that the information provided will be of assistance to you.  If you have a specific question, you are always welcome to drop us an email to sales@falcondirect.com. 

Analog versus digital

So, whats the big deal about digital radios?  Aside from the fact that they talk farther, with more clarity, in privacy, and have both voice and data capability, not much!  Meeting national interoperability standards, complying with FCC technical and operational standards is a plus and little things like extended battery life, the ability to communicate both privately and in groups is generally considered a benefit.  For an overview of the various digital technologies current available, please visit www.falcondirect.com/digital.

FCC, General Rules

It may come as a surprise to many, but all pubic safety radio systems require an operating license.  A copy of your license is required to be posted near your base station or in a prominent place for public viewing.  Your license can be viewed on line at www.fcc.gov. We often find that licenses have expired or that power and number of units authorized is being exceeded.  Want to know how severe the fines can be?  Check out www.info4u.us/FCCFines.pdf.

FCC rules also require station identification at the end of each transmission or automatic transmission in voice or morse code at periodic intervals.  So what happens if you violate the rules?  Oh, nothing much - just fines up to ten thousand dollars a day, forfeiture of license, and maybe a little jail time.  And guess what?  It is not your equipment supplier that is responsible for complience - it is YOU!  If your supplier isn't keeping you informed and compliant, we suggest that it may be time to start looking for a new supplier! In the meantime, you may want to check out www.info4u.us/FCCCallSigns.pdf.

Glossary of Terms

Radio equipment manufacturers and suppliers have a language of our own.  Unfortunately, we sometimes take it for granted that our customers are familiar with the terms.  We can't provide a common sense definition for all the terms, but we've made a first effort at www.info4u.us/glossary.pdf. We hope you find it useful.

Grants

There are a number of grant opportunties for fire and rescue organizations.  The best known is the Assistance to Firefighter Program administered by FEMA.  There are two annual grant application periods.  The larger of the two is typically opened in March with a 30 day window of opportunity to submit an application.  Different categories for different needs allow an organization, with paid or volunteer to apply for grant assistance with federal matching shares of up to 95%. Additional information is available at www.usfa.dhs.gov/fireservice/grants. A second grant opens in the fall with a specific emphasis on safety.  Falcon Direct offers a plug in narrative for a vehicular intercom system that qualifies under the guidelines of both grants.  We can also assist in the preparation of applications for interoperable communications.  Call us at 800.489.2611 for more information.

HEAR System

The HEAR system in the original concept was the forerunner of interoperable communications as it is understood today.  The idea was to provide better care for those injured in rural areas.  Unfortunately, the near forty year old system has been allowed to deteriorate to level far removed from the original capability.  That's the bad news.  The good news is that it can be restored to fully operational status with minimal expense to all concerned.  Additional information is available at http://xtr2way.com/hearplus.aspx.

Maintenance options

We never cease to be amazed at the number of purchasers that give absolutely no thought to maintenance until after the purchase is made.  Many users find that a low initial price does not necessarily equate to the lowest cost of ownership.  We think maintenance should be the FIRST consideration and we've gone to a great deal of effort to help you select the plan that is best for YOU!  Additional information is available at www.ultracareplus.com.

New FCC narrow band rules

What is narrow band?  When do you have to come into compliance?  Is there one standard for manufactures and another for users?  Who determines what equipment is permissible?  Does compliance with these rules have anything to do with FEMA grants?  For the answers, go to www.info4u.us/Narrowband_FAQs.pdf .  Are all our answers correct?  We think so, but as you read the reference material, you will see much of the information is based on assumptions, conclusions, and regulatory action subject to change. 

NFPA Standards

One of the more popular terms originated by Falcon Direct is litagation avoidance. In essence this involves taking the necessary steps to do those things required to stay out of court.  We class NFPA standards in this category.  If you comply with NFPA standards, your chances for getting sued and losing are greatly minimized.  Hearing protection is an example.  If the sound levels in your apparatus exceed NFPA standards and a firefighter suffers hearing loss, you've got a problem, in particular if you knew about the problem and did nothing about it.  The installation of a vehicular intercom addresses such a situation.  Additional information is available at www.falcondirect.com/intercoms.

OSHA Standards

Litigation avoidance is the applicable term in dealing with OSHA.  The main difference between NFPA and OSHA is that both follow similar guidelines, particularly in the area of personal safety, but OSHA has enforcement authority with the power to levy significant fines.  See comments on NFPA above.

Planning for the future

In general, system planning should involve not just a single department but at a minimum, all public safety agencies within a county or region.  You save money, enhance efficiency and receive a more favorable review if you are applying for grant money.  We invite you to review a system planner we developed for a county wide network at www.info4u.us/InterOpPlan.pdf. We hope you find it useful.

Tone Signaling

There are all kinds of tone signaling and privacy systems commonly used in conjunction with pagers and two way radios.  When ordering voice monitor pagers, you will need to specify your two paging frequencies or codes.  Most often this will involve Motorola 2-tone or Quik Call paging tones.  Tones are also used to protect systems, in particular those involving repeaters, with a tone sqelch code,  These codes are normally referred to as CTCSS or Private Line for analog tones or DCS or DPL for analog codes.  Midian Electronics has prepared a very informative chart which may be helpful at www.midians.com/pdf/tone_signaling.pdf.