Interop

[plaws]

Fires, fires, everywhere.

Hearing VTAC 11, VTAC 13, RMA (Central) 2C in use. Also I-Tac1 and 8Tac91 seem bridged together. Dunno if others are patched.

 

[Sparky_one]

ITAC-1 not sounding good

Fires, fires, everywhere.

Hearing VTAC 11, VTAC 13, RMA (Central) 2C in use. Also I-Tac1 and 8Tac91 seem bridged together. Dunno if others are patched.

Is there a problem with ITAC-1 or are some people using some out of tune radios? I first noticed it on my GRE-700 and it locked in on ITAC-1 with the fire at S. 49th and Westminster. It sounded several Khz off frequency. So I thought maybe Radio Reference's database was either out of date or that they had changed the frequency since I programmed it.
So I ran out to the car and got my Maxon 4800 I had picked up from Leon's Radio and it sounded the same way there, off frequency. The Maxon is supposed to have a bad PA and its also programmed with Xmit inhibit. But it picks up the state simulcast frequencies just fine with no distortion.

 

[rfradioconsult]

I have ran into a problem with some counties EM using the new Wouxun radios they cannot accept a couple of the VTAC frequencies specifically VCALL and VTAC14. The radios will "round up" the frequencies and will actually be off frequency..

 

[cdknapp]

Wouxun + Narrowband

Yes, this is a problem and you are not the only ones with it! Wouxun's line-up of radios will not go down to 2.5 channel spacing. It is NOT a firmware issue, it is a chipset issue and CANNOT be changed. They will NOT be in FCC compliance as of 1/1/2013
I ran into the same problem when I got mine and learned this the hard way, too. They are supposedly coming out with a new model that will take care of this, but everyone here (USA) hasn't heard or seen anything, other than "it's coming". By reports, it's been coming for a year and a half now.
Then I got a TYT, and that works fine with all the narrow band fx's.
I will use these radios ONLY for back-up radios, i.e. during a disaster for extras. I wouldn't use them myself for day-to-day use.

I have found about the best radios I've even worked with coming from Connect Systems, right here in the USA. 128 channel portables that can do everything you can imagin, in both UFH and VHF, for under $325 per radio. One place that has them is www.TacRadios.com , you might want to check their website.

 

[Sparky_one]

Could post this to "what you heard."

This is about the fire. Just heard Edmond tell their fire units that there is reportedly a warehouse near Memorial and Midwest that holds 9000 lbs of shotgun shells. That could change the nature of this fire very fast.

 

[Sparky_one]

This is 800 Mhz, fully 12.5 compliant

Yes, this is a problem and you are not the only ones with it! Wouxun's line-up of radios will not go down to 2.5 channel spacing. It is NOT a firmware issue, it is a chipset issue and CANNOT be changed. They will NOT be in FCC compliance as of 1/1/2013
I ran into the same problem when I got mine and learned this the hard way, too. They are supposedly coming out with a new model that will take care of this, but everyone here (USA) hasn't heard or seen anything, other than "it's coming". By reports, it's been coming for a year and a half now.
Then I got a TYT, and that works fine with all the narrow band fx's.
I will use these radios ONLY for back-up radios, i.e. during a disaster for extras. I wouldn't use them myself for day-to-day use.

I have found about the best radios I've even worked with coming from Connect Systems, right here in the USA. 128 channel portables that can do everything you can imagin, in both UFH and VHF, for under $325 per radio. One place that has them is www.TacRadios.com , you might want to check their website.

The radio was designed to be 12.5 bandwidth compliant along with the GRE 700 is also compliant with latest firmware updates. Its the radio that uses a SD-RAM card to hold channel information. I think the programming in both radios is off though. I attribute it to outdated programming tables.

 

[woodyrr]

Can someone point to a comprehensive table that identifies the ITAC channels?

All I have ever found is a CALL channel and four TAC channels in each band. I have never found, VTAC 11 or 13, as an example.

Thanks.

 

[ecps92]

RR WIKI - go to the References and click on the NIFOG

Can someone point to a comprehensive table that identifies the ITAC channels?

All I have ever found is a CALL channel and four TAC channels in each band. I have never found, VTAC 11 or 13, as an example.

Thanks.

 

[woodyrr]

Thanks.

That Excel spreadsheet is just what I was looking for.

It looks like what I have as VCALL and VTAC 1-4 is actually VTAC 10-14.

I need to change the alpha tags in my radios.

 

[nd5y]

If you want a table that you can copy & paste from they are here Common Public Safety - The RadioReference Wiki

 

[papadoc]

I'd also like to thank you for the info. I've been listening to the RMA channels and the VTAC channels since this fire started. I wasn't aware of ITAC channels until this morning when I caught them directing everyone which channels to use today.

 

[ecps92]

DHS provides one already for the ICS Forms

If you want a table that you can copy & paste from they are here Common Public Safety - The RadioReference Wiki

 

[plaws]

Is there a problem with ITAC-1 or are some people using some out of tune radios? I first noticed it on my GRE-700 and it locked in on ITAC-1 with the fire at S. 49th and Westminster. It sounded several Khz off frequency. So I thought maybe Radio Reference's database was either out of date or that they had changed the frequency since I programmed it.
So I ran out to the car and got my Maxon 4800 I had picked up from Leon's Radio and it sounded the same way there, off frequency. The Maxon is supposed to have a bad PA and its also programmed with Xmit inhibit. But it picks up the state simulcast frequencies just fine with no distortion.

I'm glad you posted this - I thought it was my BCD996XT! I even tried adjusting the bandwidth on the receiver with no change. Sounds equally bad on the 8Tac side of the bridge.

 

[plaws]

Yes, this is a problem and you are not the only ones with it! Wouxun's line-up of radios will not go down to 2.5 channel spacing. It is NOT a firmware issue, it is a chipset issue and CANNOT be changed. They will NOT be in FCC compliance as of 1/1/2013

7.5-kHz spacing for VHF. And I doubt that they would be in compliance now, let alone after the narrow-band implementation date. ISTR that all radios have had to be narrow-band capable, which presumably means being about to operate on a 7.5-kHz channel, for over 5 years now.

Perhaps these agencies bought ham version of the Wouxon to save a few bucks?

 

[plaws]

Can someone point to a comprehensive table that identifies the ITAC channels?

Google "NIFOG" and try to find the latest PDF, which I think is dated this year. It has just about every interop channel that is recognized by more than 10 agencies (i.e. the Podunk County unlicensed countywide channel on 152 MHz is probably not listed).

 

[plaws]

I'd also like to thank you for the info. I've been listening to the RMA channels and the VTAC channels since this fire started. I wasn't aware of ITAC channels until this morning when I caught them directing everyone which channels to use today.

ITACs will eventually drop 45 MHz and be relabeled 8TAC. Right now, it seems that any traffic to either is repeated on the other, which makes sense for the transition period.

 

[papadoc]

Thanks plaws.

I'm hearing them using the Forestry service today. So what frequencies do the Forestry radios use? All I can find in the database are other counties, but not Oklahoma.

 

[nd5y]

Are there any federal firefighting agenceis involved like USFS, BLM, USFWS or BIA?
If so they might use some of the frequencies listed here National Incident Radio Support Cache - The RadioReference Wiki

A while back I found a frequency plan for Eastern OK on the BIA web site that listed 168.300 and 169.900. I can't help with any state agencies. You might check if the they have any communications plans on their web sites likey do in Texas.

 

[nd5y]

I found three statewide licenses for Oklahoma Forestry Services and put them in the wiki.
http://wiki.radioreference.com/index.php/Forestry Department (OK)

If there is any state or federal aircraft in use they are probably also using VHF AM air band frequencies. You will probably have to search the band to find them. 122.925 is a common one.

 

[papadoc]

I found three statewide licenses for Oklahoma Forestry Services and put them in the wiki.
http://wiki.radioreference.com/index.php/Forestry Department (OK)

If there is any state or federal aircraft in use they are probably also using VHF AM air band frequencies. You will probably have to search the band to find them. 122.925 is a common one.

Thanks very much for that.

What I'm finding really interesting is the conversations whenever patches need to be done to coordinate different agencies together.