This tip comes from Sgt. Mark Nazzarese of the Venice Unit. You were issued a new Streamlight Strion LED flashlight when you changed over to the Glock weapon. This light came with an 12v car charger but no 120v home charger. However, as Sgt. Nazzarese found out, if you have any Streamlight 120V home charger, all you have to do is change over the plug from the home charger to the charging head for the new light and charge your new light at home. See below.

It appears that atmospheric conditions are causing our radios to improperly change sites.

This is causing radios to log onto distant sites when some condition makes it look close but after the radio logs on it has no way to find its way back to a site close enough to allow radio communication.  Below are the instructions that will allow your radios to re-associate the radio to a good site and allow it to log on.

Any radio user whose radio goes into wide area scan should follow these instructions.

1. Unlock the keypad of the portable radio by pressing and holding the M(enu) key then pressing the top side button and release both buttons. SKIP this step for MOBILE radios.

2. Press the following keys on the radio 1, 1, then M(enu). You should see SRCH TPA.

3. Next you need to select the area (RCC) you are near. If you are in the Tampa RCC area do nothing else. If you want to find any other RCC area press the up (left) arrow until you see your RCC area.

IMPORTANT - if you press the arrow once and see MUT AID you are using the wrong arrow. Press the other arrow once to return to SRCH TPA then continue to press that arrow until you find your RCC.

When you have found the correct SRCH area do not touch any buttons. The radio will find the correct radio site.

4. When the portable radio is on the correct site lock the keypad using the same keystrokes as used to unlock the radio. (See item 1). SKIP this step for Mobile radio.

Lieutenant William R. Bass
Technology and Communications Section
Florida Highway Patrol
11305 N. McKinley Drive
Tampa, FL 33612
Office (813)632-6859 ext 252 Cell    (813)541-5659
FAX   (813)558-5166
RussBass@flhsmv.gov
 

I have posted the "NON-Technical Manual for using the FHP Portable Radio" developed by A/Trooper David Childress. It is an outstanding document that will be very useful by all who will have access to portable radios. Click here to download and print the four page document.

For those of you with a technical interest in the operation of the radios, click here to view the full manufactures operation manual.

Now that we have portable radios available for most Auxiliary Troopers, the issue of officer safety comes into play. When riding with a Trooper you will now have three radios to contend with, the Troopers portable, the vehicle radio and the Auxiliary portable. To minimize the concern of feedback and control over what is heard by the public, it is suggested that Auxiliary members use earphones so only you will hear what is broadcast on the radio. For example, if you are watching a suspect while the Trooper requests a 10-61 (Criminal History) from inside the patrol car, you may not want the suspect hearing the response. If you are wearing an earpiece, only you will hear what is transmitted over the radio. There are two ways to accomplish this privacy.

One is an earpiece that connects to the remote microphone. Pictured here to the left. The unit clips on the back of your shirt and the plastic earpiece sits in your ear. When connected, the microphone speaker is turned off so only you will hear the transmissions.

Another possibility is the "Two Wire" microphone and earpiece set. This unit connects directly to your radio in place of the remote microphone/speaker. This is similar to the units used by the FBI, where they hold the microphone in the palm of their hands. In our case we attach the microphone to the front of your uniform shirt. There is a "Push to Talk" button on the microphone. The earpiece clips to the back or your shirt and inserts into your ear, as pictured to the left.

Both are available from Communications International, Inc. -- the M/A Com dealer in our area. The earpiece, model V10432 is $40.32 each plus shipping (no tax). The 2 Wire unit, model V-110523 is $99.82 plus shipping (no tax). Shipping is UPS of approximately $6.00 for the order, so if you can, save money on shipping by combining your orders.

NOTE: When I recently called the company, the phone number was not working. If I get another contact I'll post it here. Sorry, John

Many of you noticed the name tag Trooper David Childress has added to his BDU uniform. Here is the information to order the same name tapes for your uniform.