NOVA SCOTIA HOSPITAL GRID

This page describes or depicts a service or system that is no longer in operation and is thought to be dismantled

NOVA SCOTIA AMBULANCE/HOSPITAL VHF NETWORK
A component of the NSIMRS
Last updated October 7, 2010|

This system was a component of the NS Integrated Mobile Radio System, which has largely been replaced by the 800 MHz NS Trunked Mobile Radio System. The Hospital grid is thought to have been shut down in approximately 2001 when operations moved to the NSTMRS. It may be possible that the actual repeaters are still in place but not operational.
The indicated dial-up code was used by a unit in one area in order to connect with a distant repeater. The user brought up the local repeater and dialled the distant one by inputting the dial-up code. Note that the dial-up code is the site number + 400. It was possible for ambulance users to be connected to the other networks in the system by dialling the operator at Shubie Radio (dial-up code = 0) who would make a manual patch. In addition to the dial-ups for distant repeaters, numbers beyond 424 were used to dial individual hospitals. Hospitals did not have to monitor the radio, which presumably emitted a ring or tone when an ambulance called.

Unlike the other grids in the NSIMRS, this system had very few frequencies. All but two repeaters used the 158.91 frequency but with a different CTCSS tone. Sydney and Halifax used the other frequency 158.94 because they were much busier. In addition to the repeater frequency pairs there was also a simplex frequency 158.76 MHz which was also in common use for communicating with hospitals. Tones and channel numbers are not known for most repeaters. Several of the repeaters seemed to allow a wide range of tones for access, for example at Garland, which is listed for CTCSS 136.5, both the next lower and next higher tones in the sequence also accessed this repeater.

The following chart depicts the basic 24 site network; however it is known that just prior to the migration to the Nova Scotia Trunked Mobile Radio System, the ambulance network was very significantly expanded to take in many other repeaters. It is thought that at least some of these were surplus repeaters formerly operated in the Mobile Telephone Service abandoned with the advent of cellular telephones. I am very anxious to obtain a list of the repeaters added in this short-lived expansion.

Site #	Rptr Site	Area Served	Dial-up Code	Channel #	Frequency (out)	Input frequency	CTCSS Tone
1	Middle Ohio	Shelburne	401		158.91	159.69	1 (71.9)
2	East Kemptville	Yarmouth	402		158.91	159.69	2 (?)
3	North Range Corner	Digby County	403		158.91	159.69	146.2? or 3 (94.8)?
4	DND	Annapolis	404		158.91	159.69	4 (?)
5	Springfield	Springfield	405		158.91	159.69	5 (?)
6	Garland	Kings County	406		158.91	159.69	8 (136.5)
7	Liverpool	Queens County	407	26	158.91	159.69	6 (118.8)
8	Sherwood	Lunenburg County	408		158.91	159.69	7 (127.3)
9	Willow Hill	West Hants	409		158.91	159.69	2 (?)
10	Hammonds Plains	Halifax	410		158.94	159.87	7 (127.3)
11	Jerusalem Hill	Musquodoboit Hbr	411		158.91	159.69	4 (?)
12	Marinette	Sheet Harbour	412		158.91	159.69	5 (?)
13	Kirkhill	Parrsboro	413		158.91	159.69	1 (71.9)
14	Sugarloaf	Cumberland County	414	37	158.91	159.69	6 (118.8)
15	Nuttby Mtn	Colchester County	415		158.91	159.69	3 (94.8)
16	McLellan's Mtn	New Glasgow	416		158.91	159.69	7 (127.3)
17	Cochrane Hill	Sherbrooke	417		158.91	159.69	8 (136.5)
18	Fairmont	Antigonish	418		158.91	159.69	2 (?)
19	Lundy	Guysborough	419		158.91	159.69	1 (71.9)
20	Oban	St. Peter's	420		158.91	159.69	6 (118.8)
21	Rear Boisdale	Sydney	421		158.94	159.87	5 (?)
22	Kiltarlity Mtn	Inverness County	422		158.91	159.69	4 (?)
23	Cape Smokey	Ingonish	423		158.91	159.69	3 (94.8)
24	Money Point	Cape North	424		158.91	159.69	8 (136.5)

Tone 1 (71.9) is listed in some sources as tone 69.3

Note that the channel numbers vary with the output frequencies and the CTCSS tone.

On the map below the channel numbers written in were those used in New Brunswick ambulances travelling to and from Halifax. Apparently they were not equipped to access the other repeaters as their path from the border to Halifax and return would only require these four repeaters. Even the need for the Kirkhill repeater (Channel 20) appears questionable as it is not actually on the route. Most likely the sequence of Sugarloaf, Nuttby and Hammonds Plains would be adequate.