SDINA Stringers

Stringer619 · Jul 8, 2012

This topic has been rarely discussed, but it seems there are a few members here who know the info on the group. So who here is "in the know" with SDINA (San Diego Independent News Association)? I'd probably be a primo canidate for joining the group if I knew where to start, as I'm a full-time 24/7 stringer.

I've picked up chatter mostly on YELLOW (primary dispatches), but also ULTRA, although ULTRA often has beeps like morse code along with chit-chat. WHITE and RED come in some times but are unreadable.

Anyone know how the channels are laid out or other general info on how the group works? Repeater location(s)? Reception in east county is pretty awful, although I'm not using a tuned antenna.

SDINA - GREEN 462.625000
SDINA - YELLOW 462.650000
SDINA - WHITE 462.675000
SDINA - RED 462.700000
SDINA - ULTRA 462.725000

mike619 · Jul 15, 2012

Do you have the CTCSS tones for the freqs?

Stringer619 · Jul 15, 2012

I am still figuring that out, but it appears to be 229.1 for YELLOW and ULTRA. The others I rarely hear, and when I do it's unreadable. Could be anyone, not just SDINA.

Stringer619 · Feb 11, 2013

To the top. Maybe some fresh eyes or members know more information? I used to scan all 5 but rarely heard any traffic, and when I did it sounds like its kids playing with walkie talkies (share the same frequencies I believe). Maybe an antenna cut to 462MHz will help over a handheld whip. The CTCSS tones and "channel layout" would really help. I tend to get the sense that the SDINA crew is extremely secretive and, well, stuck up. I'm not saying they are, but that's my perception. It's like you have to be one of the "cool kids" to get in (or at least get scanning info). I'd be a contributing member on a nightly basis if there was more info available.

Mike_G_D · Feb 11, 2013

You might want to check out this old thread from three years back: http://forums.radioreference.com/gr.../169161-riverside-county-gmrs-462-650mhz.html.

In post number 5 I relate my info which pretty much jives with what you have.

Most recently, I haven't heard them very often - at least on those known frequencies they no longer seem as talkative as they once were. The most recent conversation I can recall of the SDINA group was on their Ultra channel, I think some months ago (that I heard). It seems like I only hear the WRRG group on the 462.650MHz frequency now and haven't heard SDINA in ages on that frequency.

Yes, you will hear the kids and such on those frequencies as they are part of the GMRS and, unfortunately, the bubble pack radios sold in department stores have GMRS channels as well as the FRS channels. Few people buying these things bother to read the fine print and obtain a license to use the GMRS channels (or just don't care anyway) so they use them on all of them, FRS and GMRS, however they like - kids playing around and all.

That's why the tones are very useful.

-Mike

Anderegg · Feb 24, 2013

I used to be on the SD stringer repeater on 462.650 back in the 90's.....I was unit "108".

Paul

dano3131 · Apr 5, 2013

SDINA ???

I be the voice of unit # 31

mike619 · Feb 14, 2015

Are any of those frequencies still used for independent news personnel?

Mike_G_D · Feb 15, 2015

mike619 said:
Are any of those frequencies still used for independent news personnel?

I still hear occasional SDINA traffic on the 462.650MHz channel (Yellow) using the 229.1Hz CTCSS tone. That's about it - haven't heard much on the other channels for some time and nothing lately on the WRRG repeaters - but then my location has changed and I can no longer receive Riverside County stuff nearly as well as I used to.

-Mike

Stringer619 · Feb 27, 2015

Since I posted this thread over two years ago, I have yet to hear any stringers talking on those frequencies. Or anyone for that matter. I'm the main outfit in town, and the others aren't part of SDINA, nor am I. As far as I know, SDINA has been defunct for years. I say this, because I have yet to ever meet a member of SDINA on the thousands of scenes I have responded to over the last five years. I do know a man by the name of Scott B (I'm not posting his name out of respect/privacy) who may have been a member pre-2010 as I witnessed him talking on a handheld saying "BLUE BLUE BLUE" as if to tell other parties to switch to the blue channel.

As far as I am concerned, there is no such thing as SDINA after 2010.

StevenS · Mar 12, 2015

I spent the better part of a couple of days recently monitoring 462.650. I never heard a single transmission on that frequency during that time. Does anyone know of any current active frequencies used by any of the Stringer groups these days? Or, are local Stringers using their phones more these days?

The reason I used to monitor the Stringers on 462.650 on a separate scanner was because they would often use that frequency to alert other Stringers about breaking incidents on specific frequencies/systems. For instance, in the past they might use 462.650 to broadcast "pursuit on CHP Orange". This was always helpful for me because I may only have one scanner running on a slow day, and when you are knee deep in the RCS and the City System, it could take a while to loop back around to catch the breaking incident. I am sure we've all been there

So, I was just curious if there was anywhere I could monitor to hear active Stringer groups once again to keep tabs on breaking incidents to monitor?

JoeyC · Mar 12, 2015

You will still hear some of those guys chat on occasion on 462.65, but nothing like a couple of years ago. I heard a couple of guys talking just a day or two ago on that freq.

Mike_G_D · Mar 13, 2015

As recently as a week ago I heard them, or at least whoever-it-is that still occasionally broadcasts about CHP pursuits and what-not. Someone is still there, at least on 462.650. Occasionally I even still here someone talking back to that ("base", I assume?) guy. Maybe SDINA is dead but someone is still using at least the Yellow with the same old tone.

BTW - it is usually really late at night like 2AM or later that I hear that aforementioned individual. Sometimes I hear traffic in the early evening or thereabouts but not too often.

-Mike

StevenS · Mar 13, 2015

This is good to know. I think I ultimately stopped monitoring 462.650 for about the last year or so due to infrequent activity. I think I will monitor this frequency a bit more since some of you have monitored at least someone still using it for stringer business. I guess I will just have to be more patient during the periods of inactivity.

Alain · Oct 19, 2016

SDINA

I've just stumbled upon this thread, so I thought I'd do a license search on the FCC's ULS site. I went all the way back to 2004, looking for a GMRS license for SDINA and came up with nothing.

I recall hearing them in the hey-day too, 2007 era. They would respond over the radio, especially around this time of year, reporting on wildfires and where were the best vantage points for photos, listening to their scanners in the car, which could be heard over their conversations. I recall monitoring one episode when there was a wildfire in Orange County...off the Ortega Highway.

One of the photog's got cornered or disoriented and couldn't find his way out! One of his fellow photojournalists gave him directions, sending him right into the arms of the CDF [at that time] Incident Command! What a lucky man he was...

SDBud · Oct 19, 2016

Alain said:
I've just stumbled upon this thread, so I thought I'd do a license search on the FCC's ULS site. I went all the way back to 2004, looking for a GMRS license for SDINA and came up with nothing.

Everyone had their own individual GMRS license.

mrhandd · Jan 15, 2017

SDINA UPDATE

As time changes so dose technology and with that, SAINA went to a simple TXT based system don't have to carry a radio when you have a smart phone. There are many other channels you don't have listed and are not monitoring but mostly what you hear over the air is meant for the general public listening. We are slowly building out a new mesh remote based radio network. This way we can use a cell phone to talk or listen or a radio. The mesh net will be more low in elevation and not meant to cover the county from one mountain top. And with the mesh net we can inter tie several counties to the net on different channels.

Mrhandd

Anderegg · Jan 15, 2017

Who exactly are these SDINA stringers? I know pretty much all the SD stringers, so these must be "stringr.com" type stringers?

Paul "108"

SDINA Stringers

Stringer619

News Photojournalist

mike619

Member

Stringer619

News Photojournalist

Stringer619

News Photojournalist

Mike_G_D

Member

Anderegg

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dano3131

Member

mike619

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Mike_G_D

Member

Stringer619

News Photojournalist

StevenS

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JoeyC

Senior Member

Mike_G_D

Member

StevenS

Member

Alain

Member

SDBud

Member

mrhandd

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Anderegg

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