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sp1989 wrote:No. RSO air units have multi band radios capable of transmitting on local agencies' freqs, they can come up on any of RPD's freqs and talk to officers in the field direct. They can also talk to SBSO on their trunked systems, and CHP on low band VHF.

Aw I see, so when an officer needs a copter, they aircraft will be instructed to go to the appropriate cahnnel where the officer(s) involved and the pilot can coordinate.

Yes, dispatch handles the AOD request to RSO and RSO contacts the air unit on the radio and finds out if they are available and gives the agency requesting and the location. Once on scene, they can communicate direct through whatever channel is being used.

sp1989 wrote:Yes, dispatch handles the AOD request to RSO and RSO contacts the air unit on the radio and finds out if they are available and gives the agency requesting and the location. Once on scene, they can communicate direct through whatever channel is being used.

A bit of a chain of command I suppose, but thank you for the info.

sp1989 wrote:I've never heard RSO air units or dispatch refer to it as "Bravo" channel, either. I have heard them refer to 123.45 mhz as "Bravo Sierra" for bullshitting channel, they use it to talk to other agencies' air units.

That might be the origin of the "bravo" term, only it was cut short.

123.45 is known to pilots as "multicom", and is used for air to air comms between aircraft. A couple of buddies flying to get the proverbial $100 hamburger would use 123.45 to chat while enroute.

I've also heard it used between law enforcement aircraft and news media helicopters orbiting an incident for collision avoidance. The news guys do a good job keeping out of LE's way, and LE is pretty good about setting up a workable pattern and altitude for the news people.

Wow I didn't know it was used by news media as well.

cvrules90 wrote:Wow I didn't know it was used by news media as well.

It's available for use by any pilot, flying any aircraft, for any air-to-air aviation related purpose.

Now that I mention it, a comment about LE aircraft radios is in order... A police helicopter operates in two separate worlds - it's a law enforcement vehicle, and it's an aircraft. The communication needs for those two worlds are completely different. They operate different modes, under different FCC rules, etc. LE aircraft use of VHF AM aircraft band frequencies is generally related to safe operation of the aircraft, and not for law enforcement activities. There are always occasional exceptions to the rule.

So some things I suppose have multiple purposes. Police helis for example are law enforcement vehicles and aircraft at the same time.

I just saw the question about marine freqs for Lake Elsinore boat patrol. It was (I think) marine channel 16 156.80 mhz, the distress/calling freq. I can't find my scanner director that had the info right now. Don't know if it is still used.

sp1989 wrote:I just saw the question about marine freqs for Lake Elsinore boat patrol. It was (I think) marine channel 16 156.80 mhz, the distress/calling freq. I can't find my scanner director that had the info right now. Don't know if it is still used.

That sounds about right according to my notes anyway.

sp1989 wrote:I just saw the question about marine freqs for Lake Elsinore boat patrol. It was (I think) marine channel 16 156.80 mhz, the distress/calling freq. I can't find my scanner director that had the info right now. Don't know if it is still used.

That would make sense. It wouldn't have been used for communications with dispatch, it would have been to communicate with boaters on the lake. They also would be using this on the river.