Page 75 - Ranger Manual 2017_Neat

Transmitting Procedure

Rangers’ primary dispatch channel is POLICE 1; however, rangers may receive calls for service
or be required to respond to dispatchers on FIRE 1, SOLAW C, or BCFD C. Rangers are expected
to monitor the radio and be ready to receive transmissions. Direct transmitting is used to dispatch
calls on the operational channel, and communications airs all appropriate information as it
becomes available. If rangers change to other frequencies (e.g., will not be available on POLICE
1), they must notify the dispatcher. Rangers must also notify the dispatcher when they are back on
the department’s operational channel. Rangers acknowledge calls from dispatch with their radio
designator and location; locations should be as specific as possible; for example, “The1300 block
Pearl,” or “Mesa Trail North of NCAR.” After receiving a call, rangers should indicate their radio
designator and say “copy” to indicate receipt and handling of the call or “acknowledge” with a
brief explanation for not responding to the call. The dispatcher always ends the conversation on a
dispatched channel, usually by stating the time in 24-hour format.

Call Up (car-to-car)

A ranger calling another specific unit should first state the radio designator of the unit being
called, followed by their own radio designator. Once a contact has been established between two
units who have identified themselves, radio designators do not need to be used with each
subsequent transmission in the exchange as long as there is no participation or interruption by a
third unit. All broadcasts not directed to another specific unit begin with the transmitting unit’s
radio designator so everyone knows who is transmitting.

Transmission Problems

Problems with radios, weather, and terrain contribute to poor reception, and radio traffic may not
always be “readable.” If rangers attempt to contact a party and there is no immediate response, they
should wait at least five seconds and try again. If there is still no response, rangers should move to
a different location or try an alternate means of contact (i.e., another channel, through a dispatcher,
or by cell phone).

If reception is poor, rangers should switch to a more powerful radio (base station or vehicle vs. pack
set), change their location slightly, or call back later. It is important to avoid any feedback noise
during radio transmissions; to prevent further sound distortion when they are hard to understand,
rangers should not shout into their radios. Rangers should make sure the volume on all nearby
radios (except the broadcast radio) is turned down, and the AM/FM radio in their vehicles should
be turned off. See Appendix VIII for a list of radio channels and their descriptions.

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