Yellowstone National Park Frequencies

[icom1020]

I did hear a digital transmission, only on one side of the conversation. Someone was inquiring about the Fed Hwy Admin and them wanting to place a sign near a construction area, the other person responded back in digital mode. North rptr was still down as of Thurs but simplex traffic was heard. I also heard traffic on 167.125 and someone checking campsites on "gunsite ridge" Don't know if this was Forest Service or Teton NP. I really enjoyed the 2 parks and would go back again in a heartbeat. All the handhelds I saw were Racals.

[kf7yn]

North Input is now on 166.925 (166.325 output). It moved from 166.375/166.975 pair a few years ago.
Rangers carry Racal digital radios but complaints about digital range and voice quality combined with lack
of knowledge by Rangers and Dispatch mean digital and encryption are not used much. I heard a lot more
digital in 2005 and 2006 than I did this year. It definitely seems to be on the downswing but for how long?

I've never heard anything on the 168.350 "common" channel in many years of scanning in and around
Yellowstone, no idea if it's a current assignment.

One more freq you will want to program is 153.905 (Gold) which is listed as common with West Yellowstone PD.
Rangers use this for car to car stuff. They act like nobody knows they're using it, kind of comical sometimes.

[Exsmokey]

A new directive from the NTIA (National Technology and Information Agency) was issued in January of this year to change the federal itinerant frequencies. 168.350 is supposed to be a repeater input with an output of 163.100. This repeater pair is reserved for portable repeaters.

The new federal itinerant simplex frequencies are 168.6125, 163.7125, 167.1375, and 173.625. One of the first two, probably 168.6125, is the replacement for 168.350. Some frequency listings for Yellowstone show 168.650 as an air net or air to ground. This frequency has a nationwide allocation for flight following and all federal natural resource agency dispatch centers and air bases are supposed to be equipped with it. I would imagine that the new air net or air to ground is going to be a unique frequency for the park, at least in the range of aircraft being able to receive it. Yosemite and Sequoia-Kings Canyon NP's recently changed from 168.650 to their own frequencies. Narrow banding has increased the available frequencies such that some parks now have their own unique tactical frequencies as well. Yosemite now has a "project channel" that is unique to that park.

These four new itinerant frequencies have one use as "Intra Crew Channels" and labeled as follows: 167.1375, National (to be used for crew mobilization), 163.7125 Primary (travel and incident on-scene, 168.6125 Secondary (travel and incident on-scene), 173.625 Tertiary (travel and incident on-scene). Crews are encouraged to use CTCSS (analog or digital), or NAC when using digital transmissions. The frequencies are for logistical purposes between members of the same crew and not for tactical or inter crew use. So you might hear things like, "bring the sack lunches and water from the crew buggies up to the ridge where we have tied in to the dozer line" or "bring another chain for a 36" bar and some saw mix up the line, we are about half way up from the bottom."

[zerg901]

http://www.nps.gov/yell/parkmgmt/upl...08%20Final.pdf

Yellowstone is considering their wireless, radio, and WiFi options for staff and visitors

Lots of good info here - especially around page 70 - no specific freqs listed IIRC

Peter Sz

[Shrike]

When I was there about 3 weeks ago, they were still using 172.500 for flight following of spotter/tracker aircraft, with some field team ground to air comms with the spotters.

Mike
Casper, Wyoming

[Exsmokey]

Originally Posted by zerg901

http://www.nps.gov/yell/parkmgmt/upl...08%20Final.pdf

Yellowstone is considering their wireless, radio, and WiFi options for staff and visitors

Lots of good info here - especially around page 70 - no specific freqs listed IIRC

Peter Sz

Good link, thanks. It contains some up to date information and I will enjoy reading it.

[Exsmokey]

Originally Posted by Shrike

When I was there about 3 weeks ago, they were still using 172.500 for flight following of spotter/tracker aircraft, with some field team ground to air comms with the spotters.

Mike
Casper, Wyoming

168.850 is called "National Flight Following" and the installation of base or remote base stations for each dispatch center has not occurred everywhere. Automatic flight following, using data transmissions has reduced the need for flight following when aircraft are on longer flights. For aircraft used locally the Park (NPS), Forest (USFS), or Field Office (BLM) nets are used for flight following. When an incident or other operation starts to use aircraft it is typical for personnel at scene to provide flight following. Was this the case when you heard traffic on 172.500 a local operation or incident or was the dispatcher in Mammoth on this frequency providing flight following?

I'm thinking 172.500 is the unique air to ground assignment for Yellowstone NP and is also used for incident specific flight following. Some other NPS units use this frequency for air to ground, but they are out of range of aircraft flying over Yellowstone. This may be one NPS dispatch center that is not equipped with National Flight Following.

[Shrike]

I have heard traffic on this frequency for at least 3 years now during winter, spring, and fall trips. No firefighting type comms observed, but that may be related to the times of the year when we are typically there (Jan-Feb, April/early May, mid Sep/mid Oct). Typical call is "off Gardiner, enroute xxx area", leaving xxx area, enroute xxx", etc. Dispatch is 700 something (may be Fox - I think I'm remembering that right). Lots of use during the wolf trapping/collaring events over the winter, plus comms with the biologist field teams.

Mike
Casper, Wyoming

[akuter]

I logged 172.5 from a tanker last year taking off from West Yellowstone's airport. It was right after departure, but didn't hear the base as I only had a portable with me. I head them on a 16x.xxx too, but will have to look it up.

[kf7yn]

172.500 has long been "Fire Cache" in YNP and the callsign is 700 Fox.