Every source I have shows 168.4000 as the input to Command 4 whose output frequency is 166.6125. Command 9 has an output of 170.0125 with an input of 165.2500. Command 9 is one of the repeater channels in the nationwide interoperability VHF federal response system. Lots of interesting things can be done in regard to frequency use on large incidents. This would involve using the input channel from one of the NIFC command repeater pairs and matching it up to one of the fed interoperability repeater output frequencies. I wonder if there are actually 2 command repeaters being used, Commands 4 and 9 network. In this configuration two portable repeaters are set up to collectively provide coverage to the entire fire. Those two repeaters are then linked with UHF frequencies and any transmission on either command channel input frequency will be transmitted on the output of both repeaters. Is it possible that you were hearing the output of the Command 9 repeater and the input of the Command 4 repeater?
I have a more detailed trip report in the following thread, including all the frequencies I heard related to the Rough Fire:
http://forums.radioreference.com/ca...a-kings-canyon-national-park-trip-report.html
I was camped in Grant Grove and had good line of sight to Air Attack, but not any of the ground units down in the canyon working the fire.
I recognized Air Attack's voice and callsign on 168.400 MHz PL 123.0 as the same person I had just heard on 170.0125 MHz PL 123.0. The original PL tone I posted in this thread was a typo. 170.0125 MHz was scratchy, and had the characteristic of a low power portable repeater output. IC and other command staff in the CP, as well as different divisions and Air Attack could all be heard on this frequency, all at the same signal strength. On the other hand only Air Attack could be heard on 168.400 MHz, and his signal was extremely clear, which would make sense for a simplex line of sight transmission given his position relative to me. While Air Attack was mid sentence giving long winded size ups, I was able to band scan 163-174 MHz and found him again on 170.0125 MHz, the repeater output. I never got a hit on the other frequencies you mentioned.
Given these factors I am near 100% certain that the 170.0125 MHz / 168.4000 MHz repeater pair was in use for fire command, with no simulcasting or cross-linking to secondary repeaters (at least none within range of me). I agree that this does not agree with nationwide lists that exist on RR and elsewhere online, but I verified it first hand from the field.