Material Type

Artifact

Other Name

LETHBRIDGE FIRE DEPARTMENT

Date Range From

1960

Date Range To

1975

Materials

METAL

No. Pieces

3

Height

173

Length

57

Width

38

Description

RADIO REPEATER EQUIPMENT CONSISTS OF TWO RELATED GRAY "MOTOROLA CABINETS, AN UPRIGHT CABINET AND A SMALLER, BOX-LIKE CABINET. THE UPRIGHT CABINET HAS A GRAY FINISHED BODY WITH CHROME ACCENTS. THE TOP OF CABINET DISPLAYS A STYLIZED MANUFACTURER MARK THAT READS “MOTOROLA”. BELOW THAT A WHT PANEL DISPLAYS THREE SQUARES THAT READ THE MICRO-AMPS AND THE VOLTAGE. THE PANEL'S GLASS FACE IS BROKEN WITH A REMNANT OF INTACT GLASS REMAINING ON THE LEFT PANEL SIDE. MAJORITY OF BODY IS MADE UP OF A DOOR WITH A DETACHED HANDLE AND KEY IN KEY HOLE. TOP CENTER OF DOOR IS OUTFITTED WITH A CIRCULAR YLLW VENT THAT FEATURES A VELVET-LIKE TEXTURE. WHEN DOOR IS OPEN FUSES, OUTLETS AND MECHANICAL WORKINGS ARE REVEALED. RADIO REPEATER HAS A FEW SCRATCHED AND DENTS. MANUFACTURER'S PLATE, "CB63A-1-60", "PATENTED 1952-1957". 3 PLUS PCES. DUE TO DISASSEMBLED PARTS, INCLUDING THE HANDLE, ON THE CABINET'S INTERIOR FLOOR. THE BOX-SHAPED CABINET HAS AN IDENTICAL GRAY BODY FINISH WITH TOP AND REAR VENTS. THE CABINET'S FRONT AND BACK PLATES CAN BE FULLY REMOVED BY USE OF A KEY. A CONTROL PANEL IS INSET INTO THE FRONT PLATE, FEATURING "MOTOROLA", A SPEAKER AND DIALS "VOLUME" AND "SQUELCH". THE REAR MANUFACTURER'S PLATE IS MARKED "MODEL MC63GKB-1000A". 1 PCE.

Subjects

SOUND COMMUNICATION T&E

Historical Association

SAFETY SERVICES

History

RADIO REPEATER WAS PURCHASED BY THE LETHBRIDGE FIRE DEPARTMENT IN 1963. THE FIRST RADIO REPEATER BASE IN THE CITY WAS BY BOTH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND THE POLICE. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ON THE REPEATER'S OPERATION, SEE ASSOCIATED MOTOROLA DISPATCH POLICE EQUIPMENT P19960112068-70. A RADIO REPEATER IS A COMBINATION OF A RADIO RECEIVER AND A RADIO TRANSMITTER THAT RECEIVES A WEAK OR LOW-LEVEL SIGNAL AND RETRANSLATES IT AT A HIGHER LEVEL OR HIGHER POWER, SO THAT THE SIGNAL CAN COVER LONGER DISTANCES WITHOUT DEGRADATION. IN DISPATCHING, AMATEUR RADIO, AND EMERGENCY SERVICES COMMUNICATIONS, REPEATERS ARE USED EXTENSIVELY TO RELAY RADIO SIGNALS ACROSS A WIDER AREA. WITH MOST EMERGENCY (AND SOME OTHER) DISPATCHING SYSTEMS, THE REPEATER IS SYNONYMOUS WITH THE BASE STATION, WHICH PERFORMS BOTH FUNCTIONS. THIS INCLUDES POLICE, FIRE BRIGADE, AMBULANCE, TAXICAB, TOW TRUCK, AND OTHER SERVICES. A FEATURE THAT DEFINES THE REPEATER IS THE FACT THAT IT TRANSMITS AND RECEIVES AT THE SAME TIME, (SIMULTANEOUSLY). A DUPLEX REPEATER USES TWO RADIO FREQUENCIES; AN "INPUT" FREQUENCY, WHICH IT MONITORS FOR SIGNALS, AND AN "OUTPUT" FREQUENCY, ON WHICH IT RETRANSMITS THE RECEIVED SIGNALS AT A HIGHER POWER OR HIGHER ALTITUDE. THE INPUT IS THE FREQUENCY ON WHICH MOBILE RADIOS, OR HAND-HELD RADIOS, TRANSMIT TO REACH THE REPEATER. THE OUTPUT IS THE TRANSMITTER FREQUENCY FOR THE REPEATER WHICH REPEATS THE AUDIO FROM THE RECEIVED SIGNAL ON THE INPUT. THIS ALLOWS AN INCREASE IN THE RANGE CAPABILITIES OF PORTABLE DEVICE. IT COULD BE A BASE STATION WHICH ALLOWED A OPERATOR TO COMMUNICATE WITH OTHER RADIOS IN THE FIELD. THE FACT THAT THE TRANSMITTER AND RECEIVER ARE ON AT THE SAME TIME MEANS SOME ELECTRICAL ISOLATION MUST EXIST TO KEEP THE REPEATER'S OWN TRANSMITTER FROM DEGRADING THE REPEATER RECEIVER. IF THE REPEATER TRANSMITTER AND RECEIVER ARE NOT ISOLATED WELL, THE REPEATERS OWN TRANSMITTER BLINDS THE REPEATER RECEIVER. PART OF ISOLATING THE TRANSMITTER AND RECEIVER IS KEEPING THE INPUT AND OUTPUT FREQUENCIES DISTANT. THE FURTHER APART THESE TWO FREQUENCIES, THE EASIER IT IS TO KEEP THE TRANSMITTER FROM INTERFERING WITH THE RECEIVER. THIS IS AN ENGINEERING PROBLEM WITH MANY POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS. LETHBRIDGE VOLUNTEER FIRE BRIGADES PROVIDED PROTECTION FROM 1886 TO 1909, WHEN A PROFESSIONAL FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS ORGANIZED. IT EMPLOYED 12 FIRE FIGHTERS OF ALL RANKS IN 1910, ITS FIRST FULL YEAR OF OPERATION. BY 1985, THE DEPARTMENT EMPLOYED 122 FIRE FIGHTERS OF ALL RANKS. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TOOK OVER THE HORSE-DRAWN AMBULANCE FROM GALT HOSPITAL IN JUNE 1912. WHEN IT ACQUIRED THE AMBULANCE SERVICE, THE DEPARTMENT BEGAN TO EMPHASIZE FIRST AID TRAINING EVEN MORE THAN PREVIOUSLY. BY 1913, ALL MEMBERS OF THE DEPARTMENT HELD ST. JOHN AMBULANCE ASSOCIATION CERTIFICATES. THIS MADE LETHBRIDGE ONE OF THE FIRST INTEGRATED SERVICES IN THE COUNTRY THE EVER-INCREASING RESPONSIBILITIES ASSIGNED TO THE DEPARTMENT WERE NOT ONLY FOR FIRE PROTECTION, BUT FOR AMBULANCE AND RESCUE SERVICES AS WELL. IT ALSO INCLUDED PREVENTIVE SERVICES SUCH AS PUBLIC EDUCATION AND TRAINING, INSPECTIONS, AND INVESTIGATIONS. LETHBRIDGE FIRE AND EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICE WAS A FULLY PROFESSIONAL BODY, SECURE IN THE KNOWLEDGE THAT IT COULD HANDLE WHATEVER MEDICAL EMERGENCY OR FIRE THAT MIGHT OCCUR.

Catalogue Number

P19930061000

Acquisition Date

1993-10

Collection

Museum

Less detail