Catalina Island

[jrholm]

Starman, yes Avalon station still handles all dispatch, to include fire/baywatch, on the island.

A little history to explain the difference between the Santa Catalina Island Company and the Conservancy. At one point the entire island outside the City of Avalon (and a large chunk of the city too) was owned by the Wrigley Family (chewing gum). When they owned the Cubs they did spring training on the island.

Anyway the State of California decided to tax them as if they were going to develop the whole island, even though they had no plans to do so. In order to stop the outrageous taxes (this was pre Prop 13 as well) they formed the Catalina Island Conservancy and donated most of the island to it. As a private nature conservancy (non profit) it stopped the taxes. The family retained the necessary infastructure to support the tourisim and an agreement between the conservancy and Island Company for land access. The Island Company owns the area of Two Harbors and Rancho Escondido the remainder of the interior belongs to the Conservancy including Middle Ranch and the Airport.

Oh, and the board of directors of the Conservancy is dominated by Wrigley family members

 

[inigo88]

Great report!

California Dept of Parks & Recreation
I heard the following channels with DCS 115:
Yellow
Aqua
Lt Blue
Sand
Violet
Blue
Jade (also heard DCS 125 briefly)
Copper
Sand

"Yellow" is Huntington Beach / Sunset Beach area. Multiple references to intersections of PCH and Warner/Brookhurst/Magnolia.
"Sand" is also beach traffic. Heard references to Huntington Beach and Crystal Cove.

You can cross Copper and Light Blue off the list too, both belong to the San Diego Coast district. Both are lifeguard channels, although Copper seems to be the main lifeguard dispatch (Aqua is the main ranger dispatch channel with Surcomm). Both have repeaters on Blackjack and Mt Soledad, I just didn't realize Blackjack was on Catalina before reading this thread.