What are Fire Tones?

[mattfox27]

What does fire tone or tone out mean? What does it do?

 

[N2JDS]

Each station or unit is assigned a specific set of "tones" or beeps of different pitch.
Their pager can remain silent until their particular tones is transmitted, and that opens up their pager to allow voice to come through.

 

[mattfox27]

Does setting the tones allow you to listen to additional channels or conversations? Or is it just a cool extra?

 

[nd5y]

Selective calling - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[k8zgw]

Remember Fire station 51, on the T V show Emergency ?
We would hear the tones and then a dispatch.
This was a "tone out", anybody that over 50 should remember that

 

[nd5y]

Does setting the tones allow you to listen to additional channels or conversations? Or is it just a cool extra?

No. It does just the opposite. It allows your scanner to fuction as a pager and prevents it from recieving anything unless the programmed tones are transmitted first.

 

[W2NJS]

Fire tones, or as they were once called, "Secodes," (For sequential codes), are also used in some venues to turn on lights in the bunk room, sound an audible alarm in the house, open the overhead doors, etc.

 

[KX4KDH]

Remember Fire station 51, on the T V show Emergency ?
We would hear the tones and then a dispatch.
This was a "tone out", anybody that over 50 should remember that

Actually, I am 38 and remember it quite well....

Now, I use that tone out as a ringtone for any of my friends who are firefighters.