Cy-FAIR VFD -Houston Texas

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w5wht

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I'm in the Cy-Fair VFD area. And have programed all their frequencies in, and don't hear a lot. I've seen their EMS Supervisors vehicle and have noticed different antennas in the roof?

Are they up on the new system? I have west I-10 programmed and talk a lot. Are their more frequencies for cyfair?


Thanks in advance.
 

N5AMS

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as far as Fire/EMS Dispatch and Incidents they are all on the UHF conventional system depending on the time of day they are really active they do run an LTR system but its all voice inversion used and i believe only admins use the system
 

motorola_otaku

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Routine dispatch and fireground ops are all on the UHF conventional channels, primarily on 1/Dispatch, 3, 4, and 5. Everything else is for admin/back channel talk, training, or special events. 1960 Fireground is routinely used for fireground at major incidents and Lifeflight landings, but since it's a simplex channel you won't hear much unless you're nearby.

EMS supervisors and district chiefs have multiple radios in their trucks for interop with surrounding agencies at mutual aid events.
 

rbarker

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I have a friend in Houston (Kirkwood @ Louetta) and he is trying to hear this Cy Fair. he has the BCD436 handheld. he said he's hardly hearing anything but said they get 20+ calls a day. Are they only on this LTR System:
001 (1) Confirmed LCN 01 463.51250 02 N/A 03 N/A 04 N/A 05 N/A 06 N/A 07 461.32500 08 N/A 09 N/A 10 N/A 11 N/A 12 N/A 13 N/A 14 462.05000
https://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?sid=6520
 

rbarker

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Trying to heard all of Cy Fair Fire and EMS

I have a friend in Houston (Kirkwood @ Louetta) and he is trying to hear this Cy Fair. he has the BCD436 handheld. he said he's hardly hearing anything but said they get 20+ calls a day. Are they only on this LTR System:
001 (1) Confirmed LCN 01 463.51250 02 N/A 03 N/A 04 N/A 05 N/A 06 N/A 07 461.32500 08 N/A 09 N/A 10 N/A 11 N/A 12 N/A 13 N/A 14 462.05000
https://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?sid=6520
 

KevinC

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I have a friend in Houston (Kirkwood @ Louetta) and he is trying to hear this Cy Fair. he has the BCD436 handheld. he said he's hardly hearing anything but said they get 20+ calls a day. Are they only on this LTR System:
001 (1) Confirmed LCN 01 463.51250 02 N/A 03 N/A 04 N/A 05 N/A 06 N/A 07 461.32500 08 N/A 09 N/A 10 N/A 11 N/A 12 N/A 13 N/A 14 462.05000
https://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?sid=6520

I'm hearing them on 453.600 as I type.
 

N5AMS

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Admin all inverted voice

Aaron Siller
Houston, TX
Repeaterbook.com Tx,La admin
BCD396XT | BCD996XT | PRO 2051 | Homepatrol-1E
 

N5TL

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Where have they gone?

I do hear some of their pages on 453.6. I have heard some very limited activity on a couple of their channels. This is certainly not the amount of activity I would expect from such a busy department. I listen to much smaller neighboring departments and hear plenty of activity. I have listened to CFFD off and on for over 20 years. I should be hearing a much higher volume of radio traffic. I have not listened to them for the last year or so.

I am using a BCD436HP that I purchased last week. It does not load the LTR system into the scanner database and I cannot get it entered manually. Although, I doubt they are using such a small LTR system for FD operations.

I have been told they are moving to a multiple site Motorola trunk. I was also told they were not yet active on this new system.

I have every frequency they are licensed to operate on programmed into my scanner. I wonder what they are using for communications.
 

KevinC

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I do hear some of their pages on 453.6. I have heard some very limited activity on a couple of their channels. This is certainly not the amount of activity I would expect from such a busy department. I listen to much smaller neighboring departments and hear plenty of activity. I have listened to CFFD off and on for over 20 years. I should be hearing a much higher volume of radio traffic. I have not listened to them for the last year or so.

I am using a BCD436HP that I purchased last week. It does not load the LTR system into the scanner database and I cannot get it entered manually. Although, I doubt they are using such a small LTR system for FD operations.

I have been told they are moving to a multiple site Motorola trunk. I was also told they were not yet active on this new system.

I have every frequency they are licensed to operate on programmed into my scanner. I wonder what they are using for communications.

Do you have the proper "Service Types" enabled for the channels you are trying to monitor?
 

N5TL

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I do have the proper service types selected. Fire dispatch, tac and talk are all selected on.
 

motorola_otaku

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I do hear some of their pages on 453.6. I have heard some very limited activity on a couple of their channels. This is certainly not the amount of activity I would expect from such a busy department.
90% of Cy-Fair's business is EMS calls and the vast majority of that communication takes place via MDT or cell phone, not out of security concern but expediency. Normally unless a supervisor or additional resources are needed you will hear no radio traffic after an EMS call is toned out.

The LTR system is still on the air but essentially unused. You can also take out the encrypted P25 UHF channel, as it no longer exists.

I have been told they are moving to a multiple site Motorola trunk. I was also told they were not yet active on this new system.
Interesting. I was hearing a dirty unsubstantiated rumor late last year that they had signed a contract for a Harris system and would not be joining TxWARN or the city. Noticed any new towers going up in the area?
 

mfn002

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I read in an article recently that a new digital radio system for Cy-Fair ISD is being built. I think you may be referring to that system. According to the article, the project involves building additional tower sites.
 

k0aa

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Cy-Fair VFD will switch to a Motorola system, according to information found in past minutes of the Harris County Emergency Services District. Other than comments about new towers and general remarks, few details have been distribute via the minutes.

I listen to their dispatch & tactical channels using the channel info found on the RadioReference site.

Cy-Fair VFD radio comms are clear, concise & very professional in my opinion. Because they are the EMS provide to several hundred thousand people, there are a LOT of EMS responses.

As they get closer to the transition time, I'm sure frequency & programming info will appear. I'm not going to buy a new scanner just yet, but I would not be surprised if the CFVFD went to a comm system comparable to what the Houston FD uses. Encryption is a hurdle that we won't be able to overcome, if they go that route.

As a retired fire chief, I am an advocate for letting the public listen to fire department comms. Public support of FD operations is enhanced when citizens hear fire radio comms and are able to follow incident progression from dispatch to completion.

Please excuse any typos. I'm using my phone and can't scroll back to proof my message. I will use my desktop in the future.

Best wishes listening to the CFVFD. I'm sure you will find their comms to be very good.
 

ralexander5

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New P25 system is starting to come on-line as of two day ago.


I have been monitoring control channel past couple of days with Pro96Com and so far all that is coming up is data traffic and an occasional radio affilliating and dropping off. No voice traffic yet.
 

motorola_otaku

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I first heard it about a month ago. There has been voice traffic, and it's all been encrypted phase II.
 
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