VOLUNTEER GROUND AND INLAND WATER SEARCH AND RESCUE

1
VOLUNTEER GROUND AND INLAND WATER SEARCH AND
RESCUE INTEROPERABILITY   PROVINCIAL
COMMUNICATIONS (VHF RADIO) EQUIPMENT
NIF
2
PROJECT OBJECTIVES (as per the approved NIF
submission)
Wide/Narrow bandwidth compatibility
Switchable per channel
Province-wide consistency
All radios programmed in a standard
configuration.
Interoperability
Every SAR group has at least 6 portable radios
with all the provincial operational frequencies
on.
Flexibility
Every SAR group has the ability to reprogram
their radios to maintain current information.
3
(No Transcript)
4
92 SAR GROUPS
5
KIT CONTENTS

• 6 X WATERPROOF PORTABLE VHF RADIOS
• 12 X Li-ion BATTERIES
• 6 X AA BATTERY PACKS
• 6 X WATERPROOF SPEAKER/MICS
• 6 X DESKTOP CHARGERS
• 1 X BANK CHARGER (C/W 110V POWER SUPPLY AND 12V
  CABLE)
• 1 X MOBILE VHF RADIO
• 1 X MOBILE ANTENNA
• PROGRAMMING SOFTWARE
• PROGRAMMING CABLES
• PELICAN CASE

6
QUANTITIES
7
BUDGET
8
WHY ICOM?

• BANK/CHANNEL CONFIGURATION IS FUNDAMENTAL TO
  PROJECT OBJECTIVES
• MEETS NIF REQUIREMENT FOR WIDE-BAND VHF (136-174
  MhZ)
• WATERPROOF PORTABLE (1M for 30 min)
• VALUE FOR MONEY
• STANDARD ISSUE FOR RCMP AND BC FORESTRY
• REPUTABLE MANUFACTURER
• 2-YEAR WARRANTY
• ICOM CANADA SITUATED IN RICHMOND
• POTENTIAL FOR SDM (SHORT DATA MESSAGING) AND APRS
  (AUTOMATIC POSITION REPORTING SYSTEM) THROUGH
  BIIS PROTOCOL
• HIGH OUTPUT (50 WATTS) MOBILE
• COMPATIBLE PORTABLE/MOBILE FEATURES

9

• 256 CHANNELS IN UP TO 32 BANKS
• WATERPROOF (1 M FOR 30 min)
• WIDE/NARROW BAND SWITCHABLE
• LARGE LCD DISPLAY
• POSITIVE ROTARY SELECTOR
• 5W OUTPUT (OR LESS)
• SCAN GROUPS
• FULLY PROGRAMMABLE
• BIIS 1200 CAPABLE
• LITHIUM ION BATTERY WITH 1600 mAh CAPACITY (8 hrs
  _at_ 5590)

ICOM F70T
10
UPDATED FIRMWARE

• 256 CHANNELS IN 16 BANKS
• WIDE/NARROW BAND SWITCHABLE
• LARGE LCD DISPLAY
• 50W OUTPUT (OR LESS)
• 10 SCAN GROUPS
• FULLY PROGRAMMABLE
• BIIS 1200 CAPABLE

ICOM F521
11
PROGRAMMING EXAMPLE (F70T) PORTABLE)
12
PROGRAMMING EXAMPLE (F521 MOBILE)
13
PROJECT MILESTONES
UPON PROJECT APPROVAL (GO AHEAD), DETERMINE
FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENTS (ADVANCES, PAYMENT TERMS)
DEVELOP BANK/CHANNEL DESIGNATIONS
DEVELOP PROGRAM FILES
PROCURE FIRST-YEAR ACQUISITIONS
APPLY FOR LICENSES
DEVELOP USER GUIDES
PROGRAM EQUIPMENT
ESTABLISH SAR GROUP DISTRIBUTION AND PRIORITY
PACKAGE AND DISTRIBUTE
TRAIN SAR GROUP MEMBERS
14
BANK/CHANNEL DESIGNATIONS
EACH OF THE 6 REGIONS IS ALLOCATED 2 BANKS (32
CHANNELS) BANK 1 VAN ISL S (16 CHANNELS) BANK 2
VAN ISL N (16 CHANNELS) BANK 3 SW-W (16
CHANNELS) BANK 4 SW-E (16 CHANNELS) BANK 5
NW-W (16 CHANNELS) BANK 6 NW-E (16
CHANNELS) BANK 7 CENTRAL S (16 CHANNELS) BANK 8
CENTRAL N (16 CHANNELS) BANK 9 NE-S (16
CHANNELS) BANK 10 NE-N (16 CHANNELS) BANK 11
SE-W (16 CHANNELS) BANK 12 SE-E (16
CHANNELS) BANKS 13 -16 INDIVIDUAL SAR GROUP USE
(64 CHANNELS)
15
SUPPORT MATERIAL POSTED ON BCSARA WEBSITE
PROGRAMMING FILES
LESSON PLANS
FREQUENCY LISTING

• PROJECT INFORMATION
• Supplier address
• Technical resource contacts

16
THE CHALLENGES
REGIONAL FREQUENCY BANKS GETTING 92 VOLUNTEER SAR
GROUPS TO AGREE ON UP TO 192 RADIO
FREQUENCIES TIME TAKEN TO FINALIZE PLANNED 3
MONTHS - ACTUAL 12 MONTHS
INDUSTRY CANADA APPROVAL MANY FREQUENCIES THAT
SAR GROUPS INCLUDED IN THEIR REGIONAL BANKS
TURNED OUT TO BE UNREGISTERED TOOK 3 MONTHS TO
RESOLVE FREQUENCY LISTINGS TO INDUSTRY CANADAS
SATISFACTION
17
THE BENEFITS
EQUIPMENT INFRASTRUCTURE DISTRIBUTING 576
PORTABLE AND 100 MOBILE RADIOS AMONGST 92 SAR
GROUPS IN THE PROVINCE HAS CREATED
STANDARDIZATION. EACH GROUP HAS THE ABILITY TO
RE-PROGRAM THEIR RADIOS IN ORDER TO KEEP THEM UP
TO DATE WITH THE REGIONAL FREQUENCY
BANKS. CURRENT PROGRAMMING FILES ARE AVAILABLE ON
THE BCSARA WEB SITE.
INDUSTRY CANADA COOPERATION INDUSTRY CANADA ARE
WILLING TO WORK WITH SAR VOLUNTEERS TO IMPROVE
COMMUNICATIONS, BUT NEEDED THE SAR GROUPS
COOPERATION. THIS PROJECT HAS EXPEDITED THE
COOPERATION REQUIRED TO ESTABLISH A PROVINCIAL
FREQUENCY MANAGEMENT PLAN.
18
LESSONS LEARNED
NOT EVERYONE WORKS IN BLACKBERRY TIME! WORKING
WITH VOLUNTEERS CAN BE BOTH REWARDING AND
CHALLENGING, BUT CONSTANT FOLLOW-UP IS
ESSENTIAL INCLUDE ALL THE STAKEHOLDERS AND
PARTNERS AT THE OUTSET DONT ASSUME THAT THINGS
WILL BE APPROVED
19
QUESTIONS?
www.bcsara.ca