Mesa Fire VHF Updates

Got the opportunity to monitor a working fire with MFD and RM. As it was MFD who happened upon RM working it, MFD got asked for assistance. Traffic was moved from C1 Alarm to C2 Major Incident. Alarm was simulcasted on 151.1675, one of the 5 that MFD recently established. Here is what I've got so far, if anyone has more, I'd appreciate it as I noticed the 2 VHF channels listed on the database are a bit off. The dispatch channel is correct. This information was submitted to the DB.


Mesa Fire B1 156.2400 D411N Simulcasted with C1
Mesa Fire B2 151.1675 D432N Simulcasted with C2
Mesa Fire B4 154.2800 CSQ Mutual Aid

The other frequencies I havent been able to confirm information on:

154.8000
155.6175


On a side note, it seems that it's simplex (much like PFD's hazard VHF channels). I'm not 100% sure, but it looks as if there is channel steering. Also, it seems only dispatch is simulcasted, I'm not hearing any of the units. Anyone else?

Thanks for the update John. I have not heard anything on 151.1675, 154.800, or 155.6175 yet. I am in Ahwatukee, so I might be a little out of range unless they are transmitting on one of the transmitters in the west part of Mesa. I do receive 156.240, but it is weak from my location.

Also, listen to these frequencies below. They are licensed as repeaters for Mesa. I hear them transmitting CW ID. I don't know Morse, so I have not gotten the callsigns that are being transmitted yet:
154.340 - Old VHF Ch1.
155.835
158.805

These are part of license:
WQOF854 (MESA, CITY OF) FCC Callsign Details
This is a relatively new license issued in April 2017.

Got them added to the scanner. I was gonna let it sit running on ProScan this week and see what pops up on the list, Ill post any updates later in the week if it catches anything. I've only caught traffic on B1 & B2 thus far, but then I havent been doing any logging of the new VHF freqs.

Just captured the CWID you were talking about on 158.8050, and again on 154.3400, 155.8350. My CW skills are quite rusty, but I think it's the callsign of the license: WQOF854 - Anyone care to confirm that from the CW ninja club?

After listening to it about 10 times, that sounds right to me. That would put my CW skills at about 0.2 words per minute. Does that qualify me for Ninja status?

Your CW skills are 0.1 words faster than mine, so yes you are a CW Ninja in my book haha


So far, not much on the VHF. I hit the avoid button on the main dispatch channel, and it seems that only the same handful of VHF have anything on them, and 99.9% of the hits are the CWIDs on those frequencies. Few keyups with no voice here and there. Could be I am simply not in range of the others if they are simplex. I plan on running this all week, will see what's up.

1130-1800 Hrs

154.3400 349 Hits
154.2800 337 Hits
155.8350 371 Hits
158.8050 411 Hits

The mutual aid channel (154.28) had some very weak transmissions, definitely voice, but I couldnt make out what they were saying. The scanner reported a PL of 173.8. Mesa is a large area, so it could have been something else. That freq/pl match anything known already in this area?

154.280 is programmed in the channel 4 slot in every fire department VHF radio in the Valley.
Daisy Mtn FD, dispatched by Phoenix, has been working a lot of mutual-aid assignments in Black Canyon City recently, including a 2nd alarm that included Phoenix, Peoria and Mayer units. All on mutual-aid channel 4.
I don't know if that's what you heard, or if it was another mutual-aid incident.
154.280 has a transmit tone of 173.8, but they receive in carrier squelch IIRC.

John
Peoria

I knew most valley FDs use the 173.8 tone, just wasnt sure if anyone else did on this side of town aside from MFD/GFD. I was probably too far away to pick up the 2A traffic. Would have been cool to listen to. I'm still surprised that MFD still isn't using their simplex freqs for fireground. Twice now I've been close enough to a working fire to pick up simplex traffic, but it's all been on the trunked system.

I'm surprised that they didn't keep their former VHF channels for hazard zone comms like Phoenix did, especially considering all of the testing that Phoenix did before coming to the conclusion that 700 MHz isnt consistently reliable and safe inside buildings.

John
Peoria

It just blows my mind - I know tons of other departments around the country use TRS for fireground. Why wouldnt you keep the old at the very least as a back up?

Day 4 of monitoring Mesa's VHF frequencies hasnt yielded much from my location (to be expected as seemingly most are simplex). Car 209 was doing radio checks on simplex with Alarm on 151.675, but I already had the tone for it. The varying levels of intelligibility and volume suggested C209 was mobile, and dispatch was switching transmitter sites as I didnt always hear one or the other, and only heard both at the same time twice. Has anyone else been checking them out?

I haven't had much time to do so, and living in Peoria, I probably wouldn't hear anything other than the dispatch repeater or the alarm room on the simplex channels.

John
Peoria

This is from a memo
The Mesa Regional Dispatch Center will begin using the VHF B-Deck for multi-unit hazard
zone calls on July 9, 2018 at 0800. Single unit hazard zone responses will remain on 800mhz
C-Deck, but can be moved to VHF B-Deck at the request of the Incident Commander or
Officer in charge of the incident.
All other medical or service calls will continue to use the 800MHz C-Deck.
This is the line up from our radio for Mesa Fire B Deck: Mesa B1 Mesa B2 Mesa B3 - 154.8000 Unknown PL/DPL Mesa B4 - 155.6175 Unknowm PL/DPL Black Canyon Rural Metro 2 Rural Metro 5
Casa Grande 1 Casa Grande 2 Casa Grande 3 VFire 21 VFire 22 VFire 23 MCSO 8 WX 7 Mesa B1

KB7MIB said:

I haven't had much time to do so, and living in Peoria, I probably wouldn't hear anything other than the dispatch repeater or the alarm room on the simplex channels.

John
Peoria

Click to expand...

Hey John,

I have the VHF Simulcast in a very old scanner before the old Motorola PL System. It is connected to a VHF Quarter Wave/Mag Mount in the attic. I'm copying the Mesa Dispatch very clear. I'll throw in the other frequencies and see if I can pick up the coms from the dispatcher.

Rich

Yea, dispatch is fine. I haven't heard any other channels from my home. I don't have an outside antenna.

John
Peoria

Ive got the following, and submitted to the DB:

Mesa Fire B1 156.2400 D411N Simulcasted with C1
Mesa Fire B2 151.1675 D432N Simulcasted with C2 (Dispatch only, units arent)
Mesa Fire B4 154.2800 Mutual Aid
154.3400 DPL 114
155.8335 DPL 116
158.8050 DPL 115

All last week and this current week, there was a unit driving around conducting radio checks with Alarm on the various frequencies.

It looks like Mesa/Gilbert Fire is now active on their B Deck VHF frequencies. Gilbert Fire was dispatched to a house fire that is active on "B3" 154.800 503 DPL. Battallion 281 as was also dispatched, so it is showing on the Phoenix Fire CAD. See the attached screenshot.

154.800 503 DPL is a simplex frequency. I am only able to hear Mesa Alarm, and not the on scene units. It is not patched to one of the existing fire talkgroups. I did not have time to do a search of other talkgroups before they called off the incident.

Off Topic Arizona

I have contributed little to the Arizona scanning experience. However, I would like to take this opportunity to thank Arizona's outstanding cadre of true scanner/radio experts. I cannot imagine that another State's scanner enthusiasts are enjoying such a pleasure.

CH B1 MFD 1 156.2400
CH B2 MFD 2 151.1675 Rio Verde Multi Company Response - HAZARD (or 3rd Tactical)
CH B3 MFD 3 154.8000 1st Tactical for Multi Company Response HAZARD
CH B4 MUTUAL AID 154.2800
CH B5 MFD 4 155.6175 2nd Tactical for Multi Company Response HAZARD
CH B6 FLOR FD 1 155.7000
CH B7 FLORENCE FD 2 155.0550
CH B8 QUEEN VALLEY 155.8725
CH B9 RURAL MET 2 154.3700
CH B10 RURAL MET 3 155.8050
CH B11 RURAL MET 5 154.4000
CH B12 CG FIRE 1 159.12
CH B13 CG FIRE 2 154.445
CH B14 CG FIRE 3 155.55
CH B15 WEATHER 162.55
CH B16 MFD 1 156.2400