LACo Fire Battalion Frequency Assignments

[LAflyer]

To some it might be a mystery still to determine the appropriate Blue UHF TRO and accompanying VHF Tac channel used by units in different LA County Fire battalion districts.

Below is the breakdown of battalion, the Blue UHF TRO channel, and VHF Tac channel:

Bat 1 = 3 + V-9D
Bat 2 = 6 + V-10D
Bat 3 = 3 + V-10D
Bat 4 = 6 + V-9D
Bat 5 = 3 + V-10D
Bat 6 = 12 + V-11D
Bat 7 = 1 + V-9D
Bat 8 = 1 + V-9D
Bat 9 = 1 + V-11D
Bat 10= 6 + V-11D
Bat 11= 12 + V-11D
Bat 12= 6 + V-10D
Bat 13 = 3 + V-10D
Bat 14 = 1 + V-10D
Bat 15 = 6 + V-11D
Bat 16= 6 + V-9D
Bat 17= 12 + V-10D
Bat 18= 1 + V-9D
Bat 19 = 6 + V-9D
Bat 20 = 3 + V-11D
Bat 21 = 1 + V-13D
Bat 22 = 12 + V-10D


The exceptions to above are:
FS74 Little Tujunga = 3 + V-9D
FS75 Chatsworth = 3 + V-11D
La Habra Stations = U13 + V-10D

=

 

[scanfan22]

this info does not make sense to me.assssssss

 

[LAflyer]

For example in Battalion 1's area the UHF TRO channel would be Blue 3, and the VHF Tac would be V-9D.

 

[scanfan22]

is the tac simplex?

 

[LAflyer]

The "D" designates Direct mode, so yes they are simplex.

 

[JT-112]

Would the VHF Tac channels be the equivalent to Fireground frequencies (such as 153.830 Red)?

Or is there some other difference between the two?

 

[Code20Photog]

Would the VHF Tac channels be the equivalent to Fireground frequencies (such as 153.830 Red)?

Or is there some other difference between the two?

The VHF frequencies are VERY low power fireground frequencies. I've rolled in on a LACoFD call and didn't hear them on V-10 until about a block away.

Here's basically how it works. You *may* hear a pre-alert on the appropriate TRO for a call, lets say a call in 125s area:

Blue 3: "Structure 125s"

then over to Blue 8 dispatch: "engine 125 and quint 125.. yada yada yada address... v-ten direct"

Then back to Blue 3 for sizeup and all communications with dispatch. Unit to unit communications will be on V-10.

 

[spectr17]

The VHF frequencies are VERY low power fireground frequencies. I've rolled in on a LACoFD call and didn't hear them on V-10 until about a block away.

Range depends on if the FF is using a handheld (5w) or mobile (25w) and line of sight. I hear units in LA on VHF handhelds clear out in Pomona sometimes.

 

[madscanner]

Is the VHF battalion information in the first post still accurate? I ask because it isn't in the database here.

Also, what about 6D, 7D, 8D, 12D, and 13D? Are they assigned randomly on an incident-by-incident basis by TRO dispatchers? Or are they also assigned to specific battalions, perhaps for use as secondary fireground frequencies? (If so, which battalions use which?)

Finally, does anyone know if the 152 MHz "command" frequencies listed in the database (same link as above) are still valid? If so, what kind of activity occurs on them, and when? Because according to FCC ULS queries (150 mile radius geosearches relative to my coordinates), I could not find any Los Angeles County licenses for those frequencies except for license type CP (VHF/UHF paging).

 

[LZJSR]

The V-1 through V-5 ARE valid. They have been used as command channels on many brush fires in the recent past. In Santa Clarita, they have used V-1 and V-2, and it is a repeater that can be heard as well as the Blue channels. Seems that V-1 through V-5 may be replacing the second UHF channel that is assigned during a comm plan for larger incidents, that way the chiefs can have Admin on the UHF/Blue channel, and Command on the VHF repeater channel.

 

[f40ph]

Finally, does anyone know if the 152 MHz "command" frequencies listed in the database (same link as above) are still valid? If so, what kind of activity occurs on them, and when? Because according to FCC ULS queries (150 mile radius geosearches relative to my coordinates), I could not find any Los Angeles County licenses for those frequencies except for license type CP (VHF/UHF paging).

Frequency licensing is unique. Read the end of this thread for more info.
http://forums.radioreference.com/gr...mac-13-reprogramming-start-june-3-2013-a.html

 

[madscanner]

Thanks for the confirmation and reference pointer on the 152 MHz channels. That part 22 licensing of 30 kHz spectral chunks (as LBH described it in the TMAC 13 thread) sounds like a clever way to circumvent throwing mountains of good 20 kHz hardware into landfills.

Still curious about 6D, 7D, 8D, 12D, and 13D, and why the battalion assignments for 9D - 11D aren't in the database.

 

[LAflyer]

I just checked the latest Battalion assignment list.

All is the same except Bat 13 uses V-11D and Bat 21 V-10D now.

 

[SCPD]

Range depends on if the FF is using a handheld (5w) or mobile (25w) and line of sight. I hear units in LA on VHF handhelds clear out in Pomona sometimes.

and 5w is not "VERY low power" as it is standard for handhelds. Anything more powerful would drain the batteries very quickly and likely produce enough heat to make holding one in the hands difficult due to the heat produced.