I decided to make a dedicated page for the system to better help people locate all the info they need to participate in the Bridgeberry Community Watch System (BBCW). I’ll do everyone a favor and pare this down to just the essential bits. If you’re already on BBCW and just looking for Tips Of Use, then CLICK HERE. If you want to lookup BBCW users by lot number, CLICK HERE.
I Want To Participate – How Do I Start?
Well, the first thing you will need to get started (and it’s a very good idea to do this) is to get a GMRS (General Mobile Radio Service) license from the FCC (Federal Communications Commission). Fortunately, this is super cheap and can be done online through the FCC’s Universal Licensing System website. The process is simple and only one person in a household needs to be the license holder. All other members of the family are covered under the license holder’s license. Getting the license ensures that your transmissions are legal on GMRS frequencies. This process to get the license online generally takes 5 minutes of your time and the filing fee of $35. The GMRS license is good for 10 years and can be renewed online within 90 days of expiration so mark that calendar! Though the BBCW repeater station is licensed to John Rogers (lot 14), anyone talking on the repeater really should have a proper GMRS license to cover their transmissions on the system. It is not necessary to have this license if you just want to monitor for alerts, etc. To file your request online with the FCC, please first REGISTER WITH THE FCC, then once you are assigned an “FRN” number, (this is your account with the FCC), you can then LOG IN and file your GMRS license request online. Please reach out to a BBCW admin if you need help. You can also download this helpful guide that shows the process. As an added perk of having your GMRS license, it allows you and your family to use other public GMRS radio systems nationwide. If you have any questions about GMRS licensing, please reach out to a BBCW admin, we’ll be glad to help you.
What Equipment Do I Need?
Fortunately, equipment is readily available. You can order your radio conveniently from Amazon. A carefully maintained list of equipment is available HERE which should help you find a radio handset that meets your needs. Please feel free to reach out and ask questions in the WhatsApp group and we’ll be glad to help you.
OK, I Got My Equipment – What’s Next?
Once your radio equipment arrives, it must be programmed by a BBCW system admin so that it can be used on BBCW. The BBCW 16 Channel plan ensures that you have access to the BBCW repeater, but also the community-wide social channel and family group channels on your handsets. We will soon have a team of BBCW admins who will be able to do radio programming for Bridgeberry residents. Just reach out and ask for a BBCW admin in the WhatsApp group. If you are not in this group, please call or txt John at 508-326-1521 and ask about BBCW programming, and you will be helped.
My Radios Are Programmed And Ready for BBCW
Great! Now you are part of our first line of defense in keeping Bridgeberry a safe and desirable home, and keeping crime out! Here are some guidelines for use of BBCW:
- Now that your BBCW handsets are programmed, set them up in your home (kitchen, night stand, office, etc) and leave them on CH16 and in the charge cradle. It is recommended to leave the radio powered on and set to CH16 so that you will be able to hear calls and alerts transmitted by the BBCW system. You will also then be able to respond and communicate with other neighbors who may be discussing a hazard or suspicious activity within Bridgeberry. FOR ALL CRITICAL EMERGENCIES, PLEASE DIAL 911 FIRST !!!, and use BBCW to alert your neighbors when you feel your neighbors would benefit from the information, or would be helpful in rendering immediate assistance.
- First: NO KIDS allowed on the BBCW repeater, except in a real emergency – this channel must be reserved for reporting suspicious activity/hazards within our community. Please educate your children to avoid CH16 (most radios) or radios on which the channel displays “BBCW”. We don’t want to disturb others who have radios on and are monitoring this channel for legitimate activity. Please ensure your children respect the serious nature of this channel.
- Only report actual hazards, or other safety related items on the BBCW repeater (CH16, or BBCW). Examples could include but are not limited to:
- Suspicious vehicles
- Loitering/suspicious people that you believe may be up to no good
- Active criminal activity in progress
- Unsafe items/conditions found throughout the ‘Hood
- Imminent threats by incoming weather, or other hazards
- Vehicles or people watching children in a suspicious way
- Use of the BBCW repeater station is also OK for any organized Community Watch planned event.
- To promote neighborly social opportunities, Channel 7 is the “neighborhood-wide social channel” often referred to as “Social 7” where neighbors can enjoy neighborly chit chat in a group around the ‘Hood. Please feel free to use this channel to chit-chat with your neighbors and have fun with the radios. It’s a good way to also show other neighbors the benefit of the BBCW system.
Community Channel Plan
Benefits Of The BBCW Channel (CH16)
The Community Watch Channel is CH16. This channel goes through a dedicated repeater base station. The base station is a specialized piece of equipment that serves to enhance call reliability within our neighborhood by serving as a high power relay system and increasing overall range of individual handsets. Handset to handset range on channels 1-15 are limited mostly to close distance, whereas the repeater system dedicated to our community watch has greater reach and visibility, offering extended range. This system is established at 305 Trautz (lot 14) and utilizes a special base station antenna in the attic. The repeater system is also housed in a secure data cabinet and there is 24/7 standby generator power on site, so that even in the most extreme emergencies, the system will continue to operate – even during prolonged power outages. There is also a dedicated Public Hazard Alert receiver hooked into the repeater system so that when official emergency alerts are activated by local, state, or federal officials for our region in Wake County, such alerts will automatically be broadcast over the repeater system. This doubles the usefulness of your BBCW handset by allowing it to double as a hazard warning receiver. Type of hazards that you may hear when activated are:
- Nuclear Plant Warnings
- FEMA Warnings
- NOAA Weather Warnings (tornadoes, severe weather, etc)
- Other localized warnings activated by local emergency management
Here is a look at the repeater system:
System Coverage Area
Below, are some coverage maps so you know what to expect as far as usable range goes. Areas in green are strong serviceable areas where you will experience reliable coverage on the BBCW channel (CH16). Yellow shaded areas are fringe/weak coverage. As you can see, our entire neighborhood enjoys solid coverage on the system. (blue: strong coverage, red: weak)
