overview of radio comms from 2022 red book

https://www.nifc.gov/sites/default/files/redbook-files/RedBookAll.pdf

the red book is 500 pages of wisdom for federal wildfire agencies

overview of radio comms info

FAA Air Tanker Base channels are engineered / allocated for 40
nautical mile radius and up to 5,000 feet above ground level

air to air and air to ground channels are assigned for 20 nautical
mile radius ... and 5,000 feet agl for air to air ... and 3,000 feet
agl for a/g

168.625 shall be the last channel in every group in every fire handheld radio

168.625 requires TX pl of 110.9

168.65 requires TX and RX pl of 110.9

168.55 requires pl of 123.0 or 11.9

common user channels are 163.10 and 168.35

National Interagency Fire Tactical Channels are ... 168.05 168.20
168.60 168.25 166.725 166.775 .... not to be used for a/a or
a/g

all smoke jumpers have programmable radios

all dozer / plows etc shall have programmable radios

military battalions get 80 handheld radios ... intercrew comms are
done on military radios using military channels

Type 1 hand crews must have 8 programmable radios ... and 1 mobile per vehicle

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iirc last year they said the fire tac channels could be used for a/g
... or they had air tac channels listed ... yes maybe that was it ...
no air tac channels listed this year

iirc last year they dropped the requirement to have 168.625 in last
position in each bank