Communications

MoDOT State Radio

Rules and Regulations

1.Communications from mobile units, and especially emergency communications, have precedence over all other messages.

2.  All communications, regardless of their nature, must be kept as short as possible.

3.  All mobile and base station operators shall take reasonable precautions to prevent unnecessary interference.

4.  Only trained personnel should operate radio equipment.

5.  Profane or obscene language shall not be used.

6.  No person shall use a call sign other than the one assigned to the station on which they are transmitting.

7.  No person shall transmit unnecessary, unidentified, or excessive radio communications.

8.  No operator shall willfully damage, cause or permit to be damaged any radio apparatus or installation in any licensed radio station. Operators are responsible for ensuring that no liquids, especially drinks, are spilled on the radio.

9.  No operator shall willfully or maliciously interfere with or cause interference to any radio communication or signal.

10.  FCC or MoDOT identification tags must remain affixed to the equipment.

11.  Any new unit call sign number not listed in the mobile unit directory must have clearance from the communication coordinator before being used.

12.  Any mobile unit operator temporarily filling the job of another person will use the unit call sign number of the position they are occupying.

13.  Adjustment of radio equipment shall not be made by anyone unless they have been trained.

14.  Operators shall inspect connections as part of the regular vehicle maintenance procedure. Clean corrosion or report the damage to the radio shop for replacement of radio wiring, if needed.

15.  If a radio equipped vehicle is transferred to another organization or building, notify the radio shop so records can be updated.

16.  Confidential information shall not be transmitted.

Motorist Assistance Operators Radio Procedure

The following are the established radio procedures relative to the handling of requests and communications:

1. Operators are to utilize the Metro channel D7 frequency.

2.  Motorist Assistance Shift Supervisors or assigned operators will monitor the Kansas City Regional Channel C7 or D8 for any pertinent road conditions transmitted by other MoDOT personnel.

3.  The radio unit call sign number is the same as the operators assigned patrol zone.

4.  Operators will broadcast their call sign when starting out on patrol.

5.  For safety precautions, Operators shall broadcast their location before providing assistance outside of their vehicle.

6.  If equipped, the outside radio speaker shall be utilized when performing an assist outside of the vehicle.

7.  Radio problems encountered while on patrol shall be reported to the Shift

Supervisor on the day detected. The Shift Supervisor is to notify the radio shop to schedule repairs to the unit.

During snow and ice procedures, the Motorist Assistance Operation will continue to transmit all data pertinent to emergency assistance and road conditions. All other transmissions would be secondary to all other radio calls pertaining to snow and ice control.

Reporting For Patrol Duty or Returning From Code 7

  1. Check to ensure air clearance
  2. Give radio call number
  3. Give Code 8
  4. Sign off.

Reporting Off Duty / On Break / Out of Vehicle

  1. Check to ensure air clearance
  2. Give radio call number
  3. Give Code 7
  4. Give location, if applicable
  5. Sign off.
Motorist Assistance Service Codes

The following service codes should be used when reporting road conditions or motorist assistance activities.

Transmitting the proper code and location takes place before performing outside of the operator’s assigned vehicle.

1.  Tire A. Transport Motorist

  1. Dispense Fluid B. Change Tire
  2. Debris Removal C. Tow Truck
  3. Spill D. Cell Phone Use- Work
  4. Lost Motorist E. Cell Phone Use- Family
  5. Abandoned Vehicle F. Cell Phone Use- Authority
  6. Mechanical G. Gasoline
  7. Accident H. Diesel
  8. Stalled Vehicle I. Coolant
  9. Other J. Oil

K. Transmission fluid

L. Shoulder

M. Pavement

N. Hazardous Material

O. Electrical

P. Fuel system

Q. Exhaust system

R. Cooling system

S. Mechanical

T. Jump Start

U. Other

V. Traffic Control

W. Push

X. Law enforcement present

Y. Tagged before

Z. State Damage

Mutual-Aid Kansas City Police/Fire Radio

The Motorist Assistance vehicle is equipped with a mutual-aid 2-way radio that is capable of communicating with the Kansas City Police and Fire Department Dispatch and field personnel.

The radio is an incident management tool to detect, verify, notify and resolve any adverse road conditions.

Transmitting information or requests on this frequency is to be done by MoDOT call numbers (your assigned zone).

The police or fire department dispatcher identifies the caller as a MoDOT unit.

Radio transmission shall be brief and to the point. When transmitting a message it shall be spoken plainly to the dispatcher.

When calling in an incident, always give the location by the route and the crossing street.

Use the phonetic alphabet to communicate difficult names and messages.

Always safeguard the equipment. Lock the vehicle when not in use.

The radio is not for public use.

All Federal Communication Commission (FCC) Rules and Regulations apply to the use of this radio.

The Phonetic Alphabet

A-ADAM N-NORA

B-BOY O-OCEAN

C-CHARLES P-PAUL

D-DAVID Q-QUEEN

E-EDWARD R-ROBERT

F-FRANK S-SAM

G-GEORGE T-TOM

H-HENRY U-UNION

I-IDA V-VICTOR

J-JOHN W-WILLIAM

K-KING X-XRAY

L-LINCOLN Y-YOUNG

M-MARY Z-ZEBRA

Cellular Phone:

The cellular phone is issued to each Motorist Assist staff person to be used to help expedite response and notification efforts to any roadway incident scene in his or her respective zone.

Also, the cellular phone is for the motorist to use when needing further assistance from another source, whether that is family, work, or tow service, etc.

Personal cell phone use shall be kept to a minimum. The employee will pay for the personal minutes used. It is the responsibility of the employee to account for his or her personal calls, incoming as well as outgoing. The employee is expected to pay for the personal call usage promptly when the bill arrives.

Truck to truck telephone calls should be kept to a minimum, and should only be made to conduct that business which cannot or should not be discussed by state radio.

The employee should not be talking on the cell phone and operating the vehicle.

When an employee is performing work outside of an assigned vehicle, the cell phone must be in their possession.

Cell phone usage by the Motorist Assistance staff is to be in accordance with Personnel Policy 2503 Communication Systems and Services.

TRAINING: Radio Equipment

The Missouri Department of Transportation District 4 Radio Shop training class agenda of operating and maintaining radio equipment is as follows:

  1. Distribute operator’s manual.
  2. Overview of MoDOT system (VHF High Band, Narrow Band, mainly communicating through repeaters, but with car-to-car options.
  3. Location of repeaters used by District 4.
  4. Using examples of each mobile radio models, show how to:

·  Determine make and model

·  Understand the differences of 50 watt vs. 100 watt

·  Turning on and off

·  Display tag number

·  Adjust volume

·  Select inside / outside speaker

·  Select channels

·  Accessing the home channel

·  Proper microphone technique

  1. Discuss proper radio procedure

·  Determining air clearance

·  How to call and answer

·  Operating code signals

·  Signing off

·  Transmitting pertinent information

·  What is not to be broadcasted

·  Federal Communication Commission license

  1. Discuss precautions and user maintenance (jump-start another vehicle, avoiding spillage on equipment, etc.