Radio Frequency Sharing Agreement

Documents/Forms

(Both agreement and application must be submitted)

Narrow Banding of Fire Mutual Aid Channels, New Frequency Naming Convention, Tone Squelch Requirements and the Missouri Statewide Interoperability Network (MOSWIN)

The state of Missouri’s Department of Public Safety agencies, including the Division of Fire Safety, transitioned to narrow-band emissions on March 1, 2012.  This change was in response to the federally mandated narrow banding of radio frequencies.

This means the Division’s frequencies shared with Missouri’s fire service, Fire Mutual Aid, and the five command frequencies continue to operate in narrow-band emissions.

The Division has recently reviewed and updated its Radio Frequency Sharing Agreement (RFSA) to optimize the use of licensed frequencies for mutual aid responses.  All frequencies are narrow band, which ensures compatibility and eliminates potential interference.

To maintain consistency and adhere to federal naming conventions, as well as adherence to the standing Statewide Fire Mutual Aid Communications Plan found in FIREMAP, Appendix C, the following frequency designations remain in effect:

  • VFIRE21: Fire Operations (PSAP Coordination)
  • VFIRE22: Fire Command (State/Region Coordination Command)
  • VFIRE23: Fire Regional Coordination (Regional Mutual Aid)
  • VFIRE24: Fire Operations (Incident Operations)
  • VFIRE25: Fire Mutual Aid Operations (State/Regional Mutual Aid Operations)
  • VFIRE26: Fire Mutual Aid Staging (Staging Coordination)

Following recommendations from the National Interoperability Field Operations Guide (NIFOG), the RFSA with the Division mandates the use of Continuous Tone-Coded Squelch (CTCSS) at 156.7 Hz for the transmit audio function.  No tone squelch will be used on the receive audio function.  This is designed to minimize radio interference while ensuring clear communication.  Using CTCSS on transmit allows all users to hear transmissions from users on frequencies without CTCSS or frequencies using a different CTCSS tone.  Please ensure your equipment is programmed with these settings for optimal interoperability. 

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us.