Government Radio Network (Australia)

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The Government Radio Network (or GRN) is no single Australia-wide radio system. Some states in Australia run a GRN in that state (eg. SAGRN in South Australia, NSWGRN in NSW etc). It is a trunked radio network usually using Motorola SmartZone. In essence this is a system of interconnected (by microwave links) repeater sites, mobile (vehicle mounted), portable and static radio transceivers used within Australia for radio communications.

This system is used by almost all Australian Emergency Services (Police, Fire, Ambulance) along with some private companies.

GRNs can be a mix of analog and digital. Eg. on the SAGRN, only Police (SAPOL) and Fisheries Dept use digital (and encrypted) radios while all other users use analog (unencrypted) radios.

Frequencies are allocated dynamically to each "talk group" (group of connected radios) as required and are only activated in areas ("cells") which contain radios belonging to that "talk group".

The frequencies used are licenced by the ACMA and are outside of the Citizen's band, and as such are relatively secure from casual interference, although of course they can be monitored by scanners.

The South Australian Country Fire Service, Metropolitan Fire Service, Ambulance Service and State Emergency Service use GRN radios.