Current traffic on BaltCo feed

[ianh1989]

There's a 10-97 check going on right now (~1900 on Sunday) on the BaCoFD feed that I've never heard before...can anybody advise?

 

[ocguard]

There's a 10-97 check going on right now (~1900 on Sunday) on the BaCoFD feed that I've never heard before...can anybody advise?

Baltimore County 911 is at the back-up center. What you're hearing is the "Metro" test. "Metro" is the police mutual aid base-to-base (dispatch center to dispatch center) calling frequency.

When 911 goes to the back-up center, the only access they have to the "Metro" radio is to patch it to an un-used talk group and use a portable radio on the talk group. Since police have no "spare" talk groups, they use a "spare" fire talk group (usually 7-8 or 8-8). This is what you're hearing. Probably something like "Baltimore County calling MSP Golden Ring, 10-97?"... "Golden Ring to Baltimore County, 10-2."

 

[ianh1989]

This is why I love being a member of these forums...ask a question and it's answered within 30min!

 

[ocguard]

You will also typically hear a patch to FMARS via the 800mhz system during these periods as well.

It is sad the Baltimore County does not have dedicated FMARS and PMARS base stations at their back-up facility. If the consoles as the primary center fail, this patch would become impossible and there would be no access to there frequencies.