Algonquin Park listening guide

[exkalibur]

Hey guys; For those of us who head up to Algonquin Park for an escape, I came across some planning documents which outlines exactly what services respond to what part of the park. I figured I'd post up a guide so you know what to listen to when you're up there.

The park is well serviced by Fleetnet from the GATEHOUSE (East Gate) tower and the HILLSIDE (just west of Highway 35/60 junction) tower.

OPP:
The entire park is patrolled by the Whitby Satellite detachment of Killaloe OPP. They can be found on 2OPS42 with occasional use of their secondary TG, 2OPS09. Callsigns are 3F3xx. Traffic is almost always carried on the GATEHOUSE tower, and is only carried on the HILLSIDE tower when cars are in the west end of the park.

Ambulance:
The park is divided into a West sector and East sector for EMS services. The border is at Smoke Lake (Mizzy Lake) MNR water landing strip located at KM 14 (from the West Gate). West Park is responded to from Muskoka EMS (from Huntsville base). They are on the MUS DIST 1 talkgroup and can be heard on the HILLSIDE tower, rarely showing up on GATEHOUSE. East Park is responded to by Renfrew EMS (from Whitney base). They are on the REN DIST 1 talkgroup and can be heard on the GATEHOUSE tower, with occasional use of the HILLSIDE tower.

Fire:
For the purposes of Fire, the dividing line is Cannisbay Campground. West of Cannisbay, fire services are done by Algonquin Highlands from Oxtongue Lake station on 154.775. Their tone-outs are 483.5/330.5. East of Cannisbay is served by South Algonquin out of the Whitby station on 153.830. Unknown what their tone-out is.

MNR:
MNR is divided into two main sections, park operations and enforcement. Park Operations run on Low Band on 46.760 PL 110.9. Enforcement is done primarily on 2NRO02. This is a wide area TG where the Conservation Officers usually hang out. There's a park-specific TG as well, 2APENF. They'll use this if something park specific is going on or for chit-chat with another CO in the park. They also use a simplex frequency of 161.700 PL 110.9 (and also in P25 mode).

 

[IdleMonitor]

For the sake of setting some confusion straight. It should be Whitney, and not Whitby. There's a huge difference between the two.

Is the simplex frequency you mentioned in the RR Database? if not, it should be in there.

Other then that, great description for monitoring.

MNR Fire (Airplanes etc.) by the way, I would assume would be 47.07 PL 110.9 I can't confirm, however from being in certain regions, I've heard this channel in the Bancroft region area before, as well as being used out of Pembroke Base and with a mention of Haliburton Base also. It's been commonly referred to as Ch. 19.

Hey guys; For those of us who head up to Algonquin Park for an escape, I came across some planning documents which outlines exactly what services respond to what part of the park. I figured I'd post up a guide so you know what to listen to when you're up there.

The park is well serviced by Fleetnet from the GATEHOUSE (East Gate) tower and the HILLSIDE (just west of Highway 35/60 junction) tower.

OPP:
The entire park is patrolled by the Whitby Satellite detachment of Killaloe OPP. They can be found on 2OPS42 with occasional use of their secondary TG, 2OPS09. Callsigns are 3F3xx. Traffic is almost always carried on the GATEHOUSE tower, and is only carried on the HILLSIDE tower when cars are in the west end of the park.

Ambulance:
The park is divided into a West sector and East sector for EMS services. The border is at Smoke Lake (Mizzy Lake) MNR water landing strip located at KM 14 (from the West Gate). West Park is responded to from Muskoka EMS (from Huntsville base). They are on the MUS DIST 1 talkgroup and can be heard on the HILLSIDE tower, rarely showing up on GATEHOUSE. East Park is responded to by Renfrew EMS (from Whitney base). They are on the REN DIST 1 talkgroup and can be heard on the GATEHOUSE tower, with occasional use of the HILLSIDE tower.

Fire:
For the purposes of Fire, the dividing line is Cannisbay Campground. West of Cannisbay, fire services are done by Algonquin Highlands from Oxtongue Lake station on 154.775. Their tone-outs are 483.5/330.5. East of Cannisbay is served by South Algonquin out of the Whitby station on 153.830. Unknown what their tone-out is.

MNR:
MNR is divided into two main sections, park operations and enforcement. Park Operations run on Low Band on 46.760 PL 110.9. Enforcement is done primarily on 2NRO02. This is a wide area TG where the Conservation Officers usually hang out. There's a park-specific TG as well, 2APENF. They'll use this if something park specific is going on or for chit-chat with another CO in the park. They also use a simplex frequency of 161.700 PL 110.9 (and also in P25 mode).

 

[yorkphotog]

Good info... but if you're going up there for an escape, shouldn't that mean leaving the scanner behind?

 

[IdleMonitor]

I know Darlington Provincial Park actually has "Radio Free" zones for camping in. But that never stopped me from bringing my scanner in though.

Good info... but if you're going up there for an escape, shouldn't that mean leaving the scanner behind?

 

[exkalibur]

I'm not sure if that simplex channel is in the database or not. I came across it from another scanner site. And yes you're right, I've changed it from Whitby... my bad! That frequency is channel 19. I'm not sure if it is used or not for fire ops in the park. It is licensed for a few locations in the park so I would say it is.

 

[DaveH]

Fire:
For the purposes of Fire, the dividing line is Cannisbay Campground. West of Cannisbay, fire services are done by Algonquin Highlands from Oxtongue Lake station on 154.775.
.

Wouldn't that be 154.755 (according to TAFL..)?

Dave

 

[polkaroo]

I know Darlington Provincial Park actually has "Radio Free" zones for camping in. But that never stopped me from bringing my scanner in though.

I've always interpreted "radio free" as in music-free.. as in you can't blare your, ah, ghettoblaster.

 

[exkalibur]

Dave yes, my bad!

Radio Free means no electronics. We were given the gears awhile back for using a ham radio on a camp site. I imagine if you keep the volume (very) low, there wouldn't be an issue.

 

[VE3RADIO]

Ever hear the lowband stuff down here? I hear the Darlington PP lowband all the time.

 

[exkalibur]

I've never bothered to listen to be honest. I have a nice Ericsson Low-Band Orion I could fire up with all the OMNR and Hydro One stuff to scan for the heck of it. Just don't have a decent 6m antenna (yet!).

 

[uncleblackie]

There's a park-specific TG as well, 2APENF. They'll use this if something park specific is going on or for chit-chat with another CO in the park.

What's the TG# for this 2APENF?
Don't see it in the DB. You sure it's not #3024 2ALGONQUIN ?

 

[exkalibur]

That is the talkgroup. On the MNR radio, it is labeled as 2APENF. That's how they refer to it on the radio as well - that or just "the park channel". All MNR channels follow that naming convetion. IE, Aylmer is 1AYENF, Parry Sound is 2PSENF, and so on.

 

[mikewazowski]

Theres also a 3APENF as well.

I would assume it's for the areas of the park that border on Zone 3.

 

[exkalibur]

That's correct. The general "border" from what I've heard is that 2APENF is used for areas reached via Highway 60 and 3APENF is used for areas reached via Highway 17.

The closest Zone 3 sites to Algonquin would be Mattawa and Powassan.

 

[uncleblackie]

Theres also a 3APENF as well.

I would assume it's for the areas of the park that border on Zone 3.

Ok, well then, seeing as how you are a DB administrator and you are aware of these TG's, how is it that the DB doesn't reflect their existence. Obviously I wouldn't expect you to know every TG on every system, but you do seem to be well aware of their existence. Is it because you are going on info from contacts within the ministry, and don't have tg#'s to go with the alpha tags, and/or have not had any confirms from other listeners?

Thanks

 

[SCPD]

Zone 3 MNR

Hello.

So exkalibur and Steve (MikeOxlong) you are saying the 3APENF is there private Enforcement channel that they would use in or around Algonquin Park. Because going with the other Enforcement channels they use I thought this one was probably the Kapuskasing talkgroup since the way it is written and since Kapuskasing starts with "KAP". But maybe I was wrong. So 3APENF is probably the enforcement channel for around the Algonquin Park area.

And I also I came across a talkgroup named: 3LHENF. This talkgroup I cannot figure out what the name of this enforcement channel is. Exkalibur or Steve or anyone else that might know the name of this talkgroup. Can you let me know so I will know the name of this enforcement channel if and when they do use it and can put the name of it in my scanners.

Thanks

 

[exkalibur]

Kapuskasing is (for MNR's purposes) in the Hearst District, I would imagine they would be found on the Hearst TG (2992). It seems that their District Enforcement channels all follow this format: Zone/Area/ENF. IE, 1APENF is Zone 1, Algonquin Park, Enforcement.

I have no idea what 3LHENF would be. What areas do you hear mentioned on it? There's no MNR district in Zone 3 that has that name (LH).

Take a look at this PDF for a list of all MNR offices/districts. You'll find that most of the MNR talkgroups in the database correspond with one of these areas.

http://www.mnr.gov.on.ca/stdprodconsume/groups/lr/@mnr/@contactus/documents/document/272554.pdf

 

[SCPD]

Ok. Thanks for that map exkalibur that did help.

And as for that TALKGROUP: 3LHENF. I just seen it show up once but didn't get to hear what the name of that talkgroup was. I was thinking maybe down your way they might have the same talkgroup but instead of 3LHENF, it would be 1LHENF or 2LHENF. So just thought maybe you might of heard of this Talkgroup before down your way like: 1LHENF or 2LHENF.

But if you happen to find out sometime before I do what the name of that talkgroup is. Can you let me know. So I can get it labelled with the name of that talkgroup to put into my scanner.

Thanks.

 

[exkalibur]

If you say you didn't get to hear the name of the talkgroup, how do you know it is called 3LHENF? If there's a 2LHENF and 1LHENF, my guess is that they're some sort of common wide-area talkgroup. Maybe something to do with fire fighting, or some other operation that would be non-area specific?

There seems to be some holes (a lot?) in the MNR stuff.

 

[SCPD]

I just heard them mention just that one time when I just happen to catch it saying to go to 3LHENF and that was all I caught them saying by the time I got to my scanner. And yah maybe you are right maybe it is some kind of wide area enforcement talkgroup or another type of PARK enforcement channel. Like for Algonquin Park.

Just have to keep listening to see if I hear them use it again and hopefully try to catch the name of that talkgroup.

Thanks exkalibur