ACT RURAL FIRE SERVICE
ACT RFS VHF and TRN frequencies.

You will need to get a plugin

Click here to open in Windows Media Player
Click here to open an interactive map to plot smoke sightings

WWW.SCANACT.NET - ACT and NSW Emergency Services
NSW and ACT VHF frequencies
Click here to go to their scanner site

Things you may hear on the radio

Storm Warnings
You may occasionally hear output from the two storm / lightning detection systems running on the server. The female voice is from NexStorm and the male voice is from WASP2. A "Close storm" is one detected within 30km and a "Severe Storm" is lightning strikes in excess of 150 per minute.

Weather and Readiness Broadcasts
Each day during the bushfire season COMCEN will broadcast fire weather forecasts, fire danger, readiness and TOBAN notifications. Broadcasts are made at 07:35, 16:30 and 19:15 each day

Callsigns
Brigade callsigns are made up of two parts. The first identifies the brigade (normally) or a department or some other description. The second part is a number, identifies the type and its series. For example Southern 11 is the 2nd tanker in the Southern Brigade, Southern 10 would be the first tanker.. The callsign numbers are pronounced ONE ONE, TWO ZERO etc.

Callsign Description Example
ABC 1-9 RFS officers Southern 1 - Southern Captain
Rivers 2 - Rivers Deputy Captain
ABC 10-19 RFS heavy tankers Molonglo 10 or Gunghalin 11
ABC 20-29 RFS light unit Southern 20 or Tidbinbilla 21
ABC 30-39 Plant and machinery DUS 30 - a bulldozer or grader.
ABC 40-49 Support trailers Southern 40 - a quick fill
Molonglo 42 - catering trailer
ABC 50-59 SES brigade officers Rivers 54
ABC 60-69 SES vehicles (& trailers) Tuggeranong 60 - Troop carrier
ABC Command RFS Command vehicle Hall Command

Other callsigns you will hear are:

Callsign Description
COMCEN Communications Centre at ESA headquarters Curtin.
FIRECOM Incident control based at Fairbairn.
One Tree Fire tower on One Tree hill near Hall.
Kowen Fire tower in Kowen Forest, off the Sutton Road.
Tennent Fire tower on Mount Tennent above Tharwa.
Coree Fire tower on Mount Coree in Brindabella Range.
Bravo x Urban fire brigade pumpers.
Firebird xxx Light Helicopter.
Helitack xxx Medium / Heavy helicopter.
Bomber xxx Fixed wing bomber.
Firespotter xxx Light fixed wing.
Fire fighting aircraft are named and numbered on a national identification scheme.

Messages
Each message group is commenced with a colour code.

Code Meaning Example
Yellow Routine COMCEN from SOUTHERN ONE ONE, YELLOW.OVER.
COMCEN, SOUTHERN ONE ONE is mobile in Tharwa area. OVER.
Blue Incident Related FIRECOM from RIVERS TWO ZERO, BLUE. OVER.
FIRECOM, RIVERS TWO ZERO has departed fire. OVER.
White Reporting an incident COMCEN from COREE TOWER, WHITE. OVER.
COMCEN, I have a smoke sighting on bearing 120.
Red Urgent COMCEN from GUISES CREEK 2, RED. OVER.
COMCEN, We are in immediate danger at grid reference xxxyyy. OVER.

Phonetic Alphabet

Letter Word Pronunciation Letter Word Pronunciation
A Alpha Al-fah N November Noh-vem-ber
B Bravo Brah-voh O Oscar Oss-car
C Charlie Char-lee P Papa Pah-pah
D Delta Dell-tah Q Quebec Key-beck
E Echo Eck-oh R Romeo Row-me-oh
F Foxtrot Foks-trot S Sierra See-air-ah
G Golf Golf T Tango Tang-go
H Hotel Hoh-tel U Uniform You-nee-form
I India In-dee-ah V Victor Vic-tah
J Juliet Joo-lee-ett W Whiskey Wiss-key
K Kilo Key-loh X Xray Ecks-ray
L Lima Lee-mah Y Yankee Yan-key
M Mike Mike Z Zulu Zoo-loo

Prowords

ProWord Meaning
Acknowledge Let me know you have received and understood this message.
Affirmative Yes or correct or permission granted.
All stations / units General call from a base station to all mobile and portables on its network.
Cancel Ignore my previous message.
Check All radio transmissions must cease to allow nominated unit to pass message.
Confirm Reinforce a statement.
Correction An error was made in my last transmission, the correct version is .........
Disregard Delete reference to my last transmission or request.
ETA Estimated time of arrival.
ETD Estimated time of departure.
Figures Number to follow.
Fire Call Alert to another radio that a message will involve details of a fire.
Go ahead (send) Go ahead with your message.
Grid A grid reference follows.
I say again I am repeating my last transmission.
I spell I shall spell the word phonetically.
Location What is your location?
Message I have a message for you. Are you ready to receive it?
Negative No, or this is incorrect, or permission not granted.
Nothing heard I have not received a reply or heard from the radio whose call sign I have just given.
Over This is the end of my transmission to you and a response is necessary. Go ahead and transmit.
Out My transmission has ended. I do not expect a reply.
Out to you My transmission to you has ended. I intend to call another station.
Radio check What is my signal strength and readability.
Read back Repeat all, or the specified part of this message back to me exactly as received.
Received I have received your message and understood it.
Receiving I have heard your call and am standing by to receive your message.
Red red red Used when life or property is threatened.
Roger I have received and understood your last transmission.
Say again Please repeat all of your last transmission.
Send I am ready to receive your transmission.
Sit rep Situation report of the incident.
Standby I must pause and I will call you back.
Stand out Wait and DO NOT acknowledge, keep off the radio until called.
Standing up Unit is entering operational state at a location.
Standing down Unit is entering non operational state at a location.
Wait I must pause for up to 5 seconds. Unless urgent no other station is to transmit.
Wilco Message received and will be complied with.