Bison Fire Gardnerville Area

[rpoole23]

While trying to follow and listen to mostly the air-to-ground and air-to-air radio traffic for this fire, I found it interesting that after the new Great Basin Type II incident management team took over this morning, the primary air-to-ground frequency moved from 166.8750mhz (A/G 8) over to 166.7500mhz (A/G 5). The reason I find this interesting is that when I first noticed the channel light up, I have 166.7500 as CA BLM Law Net.

I do understand that during bigger fires (such as this one, it is now over 9000 acres) different frequencies can be re-used in different parts of the country. A/G 5 is shown in ExSmokey's latest listing as being mainly used in Nebraska. Since 166.7500 has been tagged and used at the BLM law net, I would figure they would utilize a different A/G channel that doesn't have a use in neighboring California?

Also, if most of the air-to-air and air-to-ground frequencies have been working alright before command is transferred over to a higher IMT; why would they change everything around and re-do all of the air and ground frequencies being used?

It has been interesting and quite the eye-opener listening to the operations of all of these aircraft battling 30mph+ winds to drop their retardant and/or water in a precise manner and in a precise location! I definitely have a new appreciation for these folks!

 

[gvranchosbill]

Sunday July 07 2013
Frequencies i received as Night-Ops took over.
All day Operations were suspended until daylight but after dark these were what i was able to log and confirm.

BISON FIRE 2013
Douglas,Lyon Counties,Nv

153.1850 123.0 GRAYBACK FORESTRY INC (Contract Fire Services: Fire Fighters,Showers,Generators,Tents)

155.0850 100.0 EAST FORK FIRE & PARAMEDIC DIST COMMAND-01 (Leviathan Pk Repeater)
155.0850 100.0 EAST FORK FIRE & PARAMEDIC DIST COMMAND-02 (Simplex Talk-Around)
155.6400 114.8 EAST FORK FIRE & PARAMEDIC DIST SILVER-TAC
155.7750 172D EAST FORK FIRE & PARAMEDIC DIST COMMAND-01 (Repeater Input)

154.2650 CSQ V-FIRE-22 MUTUAL-AID INTEROP
154.2950 CSQ V-FIRE-23 MUTUAL-AID INTEROP
154.2800 CSQ V-FIRE-21 MUTUAL-AID INTEROP

154.3100 131.8 UNKNOWN HOT-SHOT CREW

159.3450 CSQ NEVADA DIVISION OF FORESTRY RED-NET-01 (Stewart Camp Inmate Hand Crews)

162.2375 186.2 BLM CARSON-DISTRICT McCLELLAN PK (Repeater Input)
163.1000 CSQ COMMON-02 BISON HELI-BASE (Air/Ground)
163.7125 CSQ INTRA-CREW NET
164.1250 CSQ USFS SERVICE NET (Simplex Tac,I noticed slight accent? or dialect? may be B.I.A.Crew?)
164.7250 CSQ UNKNOWN HOT-SHOT CREW (Refered to as Crew Ch2, B.I.A.?)
164.8250 CSQ UNKNOWN HOT-SHOT CREW
164.9375 CSQ UNKNOWN HOT-SHOT CREW
164.9875 CSQ USFS TAC (After Dinner De-Breifing at Camp?)
166.7250 CSQ NIFC TAC-05
166.7750 CSQ NIFC TAC-06
167.1375 CSQ PRIMARY-I.A.
168.0500 CSQ NIFC TAC-01
168.0750 131.8 NIFC COMMAND-03 (Repeater Output)
168.0750 131.8 NIFC COMMAND-03 (Simplex Also)
168.2000 CSQ NIFC TAC-02
168.3000 CSQ HELI-TENDER TAC
168.6000 CSQ NIFC TAC-03
168.6125 192.8 SECONDARY I.A.
169.1250 162.2 UNKNOWN HOT-SHOT CREW
169.8750 CSQ HTF FOREST-NET (Repeater Output)
169.8750 CSQ HTF FOREST-NET (Simplex Also)
169.9875 146.2 BLM CARSON CITY-DISTRICT (Repeater Output)
169.9875 146.2 BLM CARSON CITY-DISTRICT (Local/Simplex)
170.4250 131.8 NIFC COMMAND-03 (Repeater Input)
170.4750 131.8 HTF FOREST-NET HAWKINS PK (Repeater input)
171.6750 114.8 BLM CARSON CITY-DISTRICT SOA (Scene of action)
173.6250 071.9 TERTIARY-IA & INCIDENT TAC

HOT-SHOT CREWS HEARD TONIGHT:

KINGS RIVER HOT-SHOTS
SILVER STATE HOT-SHOTS
GRAYBACK FORESTRY INC (CONTRACTED FIRE SERVICES)
WESTERN NEVADA HOT-SHOTS (BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS)
BIG HILL HOT-SHOTS
KNIGHT HOT-SHOTS

I have many Daytime Freqs but since the fire started many things have changed so i will have to re-check.

 

[gvranchosbill]

July 08 2013
Air to Air with Lead Plane directing Tankers & Helicopters is using AM-VHF on 132.1250 MHz.
At least they were Saturday and yes things have changed like the post from rpoole23 i noticed last night as i felt like trying to listen to multiple freqs again wanting to make a current log for 2013 fire season.
In prior post that is my log and a lot is different from prior years except the NIFC Tac Channels,IA Channels.
3 years in a row in same general area and i have multiple photos and videos with realtime audio from two-way comms in sync with videos.
Started to do the same for The Bison Fire but as soon as i upload onto computer they are no longer current as this fire is changing direction and spreading north today farther than i would expected as of nightfall,also it has gone over the pinenut range to the east towards Smith Valley now its burning in Douglas and Lyon Counties

 

[gvranchosbill]

July 2013 the "Bison Fire" Douglas/Lyon Counties,Nv

Multiple frequencies logged during July 07 Evening/July 08 Daytime from Gardnerville,Nv
I heard the initial Dispatch and can view the fire from my front yard.
Channels Labled as best i could,either 100% confirmation or very close by monitoring comms then researching what i can find.
Most all is line of site except East of Pinenut Range
This is a list of frequencies i logged using search mode on:
VHF-AM 118MHz to 136MHz
VHF-FM 150MHz to 174MHz
UHF-FM 406MHz to 420MHz
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BISON FIRE 2013
DOUGLAS / LYON COUNTIES,NV

123.1750 AM VICTOR AIR TACTICS (TANKERS)
132.0250 AM VICTOR ROTOR VICTOR (HELICOPTERS)
132.1250 AM VICTOR AIR/AIR (HELICOPTERS)
151.1900 CSQ CAL-FIRE CREW TACTICAL
153.1850 123.0 GRAYBACK FORESTRY INC (CONTRACT FIRE SERVICES)
153.7550 CSQ CDF/CESRS CAL-FIRE TRAVEL CHANNEL
155.0550 CSQ HAND CREW
155.0850 155.7750 100.0 EAST FORK FIRE & PARAMEDIC DIST COMMAND-01
155.6400 114.8 EAST FORK FIRE & PARAMEDIC DIST SILVER-TAC
154.2650 CSQ V-FIRE-22 MUTUAL-AID INTEROP
154.2950 CSQ V-FIRE-23 MUTUAL-AID INTEROP
154.2800 CSQ V-FIRE-21 MUTUAL-AID INTEROP
159.3450 CSQ NDF RED-NET-01
163.1000 CSQ HELI-BASE HELICOPTER DISPATCH
163.7125 CSQ INTRA-CREW NET
164.1250 CSQ USFS SERVICE-NET SIMPLEX
164.7250 CSQ HOT-SHOT CREW?
164.8250 CSQ HOT-SHOT CREW?
164.9375 CSQ HOT-SHOT CREW?
164.9875 CSQ USFS TAC (AFTER DINNER DE-BRIEFING AT CAMP?)
165.3125 CSQ HOT-SHOT CREW?
166.6375 CSQ HOT-SHOT CREW?
166.7250 CSQ NIFC TAC-05
166.7500 CSQ PRIMARY AIR/GRND-05
166.7750 CSQ NIFC TAC-06
167.1375 CSQ PRIMARY-I.A.NET
168.0500 CSQ NIFC TAC-01
168.0750 170.4250 131.8 NIFC COMMAND-03 PORTABLE REPEATER
168.2000 CSQ NIFC TAC-02
168.2500 CSQ NIFC TAC-07
168.3000 CSQ BLM HELI-TENDER CREW
168.4275 114.8 LOCAL FLIGHT FOLLOWING-MINDEN DISPATCH
168.5375 CSQ SECONDARY AIR/GRND-54
168.6000 CSQ NIFC TAC-03
168.6125 CSQ SECONDARY I.A.NET
168.6250 110.9 AIR GUARD
168.6500 110.9 NATIONAL FLIGHT FOLLOWING
168.8000 CSQ UNKNOWN TAC
169.1250 162.2 HOT-SHOT CREW?
169.8750 170.4750 CSQ HTF FOREST-NET REPEATERS
169.9875 162.2375 146.2 BLM CARSON-DISTRICT REPEATERS
170.4125 165.9625 100.0 NIFC COMMAND-10 PORTABLE REPEATER
171.6750 114.8 BLM CARSON-DISTRICT SOA (SCENE OF ACTION)
173.6250 071.9 TERTIARY-IA & INCIDENT NET

412.6000 123.1750 CSQ AIRCRAFT LINK-03 / 123.1750 MHz(CROSSBAND)

408.7875 170.4125 100.0 LOGISTICS-03 / COMMAND-10 (CROSSBAND)
165.9625 408.7875 100.0 LOGISTICS-03 / COMMAND-10 (CROSSBAND)

408.7875 168.0750 131.8 LOGISTICS-03 / COMMAND-03 (CROSSBAND)
170.4250 417.7875 131.8 LOGISTICS-03 / COMMAND-03 (CROSSBAND)

 

[com501]

They better get this fire picked up before my lungs give out.

 

[rpoole23]

Crazy

Yeah, this fire seems to just keep going. I was glad to see the winds were WAY down from the previous couple of days, hopefully they were able to get some more control over it. Now it has shifted some to the SE and is headed right over the Pinenut Mountains to Smith Valley. Hopefully the winds will stay calmer for another day or so and get this at least mostly contained!

I have not been able to listen to much of anything anymore with this since it has moved so far to the North. There are a few big hills now blocking the communications from the fire to my location. I do appreciate the log of all of the frequencies listened to; it is interesting to see how many different ones are used on a fire of this big size. Plus they also set up a secondary camp on the east side of the Pinenut mountains, so coordination over the mountains has got to be tricky at times. The air-to-air was the most interesting when I was able to hear it!

 

[gvranchosbill]

As of July09 2013 these are my current logged freqs for Biso Fire only.

BISON FIRE 2013
DOUGLAS COUNTY,NV

123.0500 AM MINDEN-TAHOE CTAF UNCONTROLLED
123.1750 AM VICTOR AIR TACTICS (TANKERS)
125.2250 AM MINDEN TOWER GLIDER OPS
132.0250 AM VICTOR ROTOR VICTOR (HELICOPTERS)
132.1250 AM VICTOR AIR/AIR (HELICOPTERS)

151.1900 CSQ CAL-FIRE CREW TACTICAL
153.1850 123.0 GRAYBACK FORESTRY INC (CONTRACT FIRE SERVICES)
153.7550 CSQ CDF/CESRS CAL-FIRE TRAVEL CHANNEL
155.0550 CSQ HAND CREW
155.0850 155.7750 100.0 EAST FORK FIRE & PARAMEDIC DIST COMMAND-01
155.6400 114.8 EAST FORK FIRE & PARAMEDIC DIST SILVER-TAC
154.2650 CSQ V-FIRE-22 MUTUAL-AID INTEROP
154.2950 CSQ V-FIRE-23 MUTUAL-AID INTEROP
154.2800 CSQ V-FIRE-21 MUTUAL-AID INTEROP
159.3450 CSQ NDF RED-NET-01

163.1000 CSQ HELI-BASE HELICOPTER DISPATCH
163.7125 CSQ INTRA-CREW NET
164.1250 CSQ USFS SERVICE-NET SIMPLEX
164.7250 CSQ HOT-SHOT CREW?
164.8250 CSQ HOT-SHOT CREW?
164.9375 CSQ HOT-SHOT CREW?
164.9875 CSQ USFS TAC (AFTER DINNER DE-BRIEFING AT CAMP?)
165.3125 CSQ HOT-SHOT CREW?

166.2750 169.6500 131.8 NIFC COMMAND-26 PORTABLE REPEATER

166.6375 CSQ HOT-SHOT CREW?
166.7250 CSQ NIFC TAC-05
166.7500 CSQ PRIMARY AIR/GRND-05
166.7750 CSQ NIFC TAC-06
167.1375 CSQ PRIMARY-I.A.NET
168.0500 CSQ NIFC TAC-01

168.0750 170.4250 131.8 NIFC COMMAND-03 PORTABLE REPEATER

168.2000 CSQ NIFC TAC-02
168.2500 CSQ NIFC TAC-07
168.3000 CSQ BLM HELI-TENDER CREW
168.4275 114.8 LOCAL FLIGHT FOLLOWING-MINDEN DISPATCH
168.5375 CSQ SECONDARY AIR/GRND-54
168.6000 CSQ NIFC TAC-03
168.6125 CSQ SECONDARY I.A.NET
168.6250 110.9 AIR GUARD
168.6500 110.9 NATIONAL FLIGHT FOLLOWING
168.8000 CSQ UNKNOWN TAC
169.1250 162.2 HOT-SHOT CREW?
169.8750 170.4750 CSQ HTF FOREST-NET REPEATERS
169.9875 162.2375 146.2 BLM CARSON-DISTRICT REPEATERS

170.4125 165.9625 100.0 NIFC COMMAND-10 PORTABLE REPEATER

171.6750 114.8 BLM CARSON-DISTRICT SOA (SCENE OF ACTION)
173.6250 071.9 TERTIARY-IA & INCIDENT NET

412.6000 123.1750 CSQ AIRCRAFT LINK-03/123.1750 MHz

408.7875 170.4125 100.0 LOGISTICS-03/COMMAND-10
165.9625 408.7875 100.0 LOGISTICS-03/COMMAND-10

408.7875 166.2750 131.8 LOGISTICS-03/COMMAND-26
169.6500 417.7875 131.8 LOGISTICS-03/COMMAND-26

408.7875 168.0750 131.8 LOGISTICS-03/COMMAND-03
170.4250 417.7875 131.8 LOGISTICS-03/COMMAND-03

 

[rpoole23]

Thanks for all the logged frequencies. It appears now that they have most of this contained and under control. Since it moved NE away from me, I lost most of the transmissions (still need to replace antenna on roof!) so relying on others to follow those from the fire.

It will be interesting to compare this latest list with the always updated info from ExSmokey and see what and how they are being used at this recent very large fire.