| October 1923 | first use of fire service two way radio in USA - to fireboats - per bfdradio.net - per http://www.bostonsparks.com/bookV1/ also (p212) | http://www.bostonfirehistory.org/bfdannualreport1924.pdf | four 2 way radios installed - 1 at HQ, and 1 on each of 3 fireboats per 1924 Annual Report - pg 20 of 52 - 3/2011 |
| 1924 | The two-way radio system between the fireboats and Headquarters was first installed in 1924, being the first such system to have its own wave length for fire fighting purposes. | https://bostonfirehistory.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/51/2016/02/bfdguidebookfornewappointees1945.pdf | https://web.archive.org/web/*/https://bostonfirehistory.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/51/2016/02/bfdguidebookfornewappointees1945.pdf |
| 1925 | radios installed in fireboats, chiefs cars, and rescue companies - per BFD website | ||
| June 26, 1928 | simultaneous dispatch of alarms - per bfdradio.net - Apr 2009 | also per Sept 1998 Firehouse Mag | |
| May 23 1929 | freq changed from 115 meters to 187.3 meters | ||
| January 17, 1934 | http://www.bostonfirehistory.org/bfddepartmentgeneralorders1934.pdf | Jan 17 1934 - changed from 1558 kc to 1630 kc | |
| 1940 | Boston Fire applied to FCC to put 3 fire boats on 33.74 at 50 watts each - on license "WEL" | https://sites.google.com/site/sonofrcma/home/1940 | |
| 1941 | per 1940 BFD Annual Report - a goal for 1941 is the expansion of 2 way radio facilities on chief officer's cars | ||
| 1942 | FCC granted license for 14 more mobile 2 way radios | Commisioner, Chief, Fire Alarm Superintendant, all Deputy Chiefs, and all District Chiefs now have radios | per page 12 of 1942 BFD Annual Report |
| 1944 | switched from AM to FM radios | switched from 1630 KC to 37.74 MC (???) | per BFD History 1859 to 1973 |
| January 15, 1946 | Rescue 2 had a 2 way radio installed - per BFD website - 5/2009 | 1975ish - 33.74 is Ch1 - 153.89 is Ch2 - 154.265 is Ch4 - per my memory - 5/09 | (May 1967 - Chief got a portable on 153.89 to talk to the dispatchers - per E Belen) - see below |
| 1947 | http://www.bostonfirehistory.org/bfddepartmentgeneralorders1947.pdf | See page 122 of 133 for radio use info - Apparently they were still on shortwave in 1947 since their callsign was "WEY" - Main transmitter at Fire Alarm Office - Radio tests at 9 AM and 7 PM - They made recordings of the radio traffic. WHO HAS A COPY? | |
| June 27 1948 | BFD switched from 37.74 Mhz to 33.74 Mhz | ||
| 1951 | putting 2 way radios in all units - Chiefs cars, Rescues, and Lighting Plant already had 2 way radios | per 1951 BFD Annual Report | |
| 1952 | per 1952 BFD Annual Report - E47 (Fire Boat) and District Chiefs and Deputy Chief had radios | ||
| November 26 1952 | 153.89 went into use - District 11 has portable radio on 153.89 | per BFD History 1859 to 1973 | |
| 1954 | per 1954 BFD Annual Report - apparently all units have radios - they are kept on when doing home inspections | ||
| 1957 | per 1957 BFD Annual Report - new radio transmitter at Courthouse - linked to Fire Alarm Office via repeater system | ||
| September 8 1965 | got 154.22 for Metro Area Mutual Aid Channel | per BFD History 1859 to 1973 | |
| September 20, 1966 | replaced receiver on 153.89 with a full transceiver (FB)(fixed base station) | per BFD History 1859 to 1973 | |
| 1967 | BFD purchased 55 portables on Ch 2 - highband - keyed into 3 Command Posts around the city plus 1 Mobile Command Post | maybe CP = remote receiver sites | |
| January 1971 | got 154.265 as Channel 4 | per BFD History 1859 to 1973 | |
| 1974 | per 74/75 BFD Annual Report - joined hospital net (155.28 iirc) - also began to implement voice radio dispatch (maybe 453.65) | ||
| 1977 | per 75/76 BFD Annual Report - Ch2 bases (153.89) at 5 subway stations - all stations will have the 70 watt bases by 1977 | ||
| 1977 | per 76/77 BFD Annual Report - scuba team have pagers that they wear 24/7 | ||
| July 1981 | during July 1981 every company received a new 4 channel Motorla UHF portable radio with emergecy help button | ||
| approx 1982 | switched from 33.74 and 153.89 to UHF | repeaters added in Sumner, Callahan, and Prudential Tunnels - also at Copley Place | |
| 1982 | per 1982 BFD Annual Report | 36 bases + 12 satellite receiver sites + 216 mobiles + 90 portables includes 4 new radio channels, the dispatch channel, District 13, MBTA tunnel radios, and paging system | 4 bases moved from Quincy City Hospital to Saint Margaerts Hosp - Station 55 got radio site - erected radio antenna at Faulkner Hosp |
| misc | no mention of radios in various BFD Annual Reports - 1946 - 1947 - 1948 - 1953 - 1955 - 1959 |
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