Lee County Tornado / Search & Rescue Communications

[K4DPA]

Post your findings and other information regarding radio communications in Lee County particularly around the area most hit by the recent tornados. For example, frequencies that are being used weather it be repeaters, simplex, mutual aid, NIFOG, mobile interoperability trailers, state, federal, national guard, and etc. Thanks.


- Dawson Adams
K4DPA / WQPN413

 

[morganAL]

Opelika P-25 ALMACALL and ALMATAC1 have been heard

 

[Turner101]

Anyone using First Net down there during this event? How was service?

 

[joejo95]

I have been hearing ALMACALL (tg 3801) and ALMATAC1 (tg 3802) also on the Phenix City system. The Helicopters have been using 123.0250 on Monday and today. Saw a lot of Red Cross trucks On the road.

 

[RaleighGuy]

Look for FEMA to show up soon now that declaration issued.

 

[joejo95]

I got to try and find some Red Cross fre. cause i was in Opelika today and saw 3 of there trucks. The ant. i saw on them looked like CB ant.
Does anyone know if the Auburn airport can handle Air Force One? Trump is comimg Friday by the news.

 

[RaleighGuy]

Does anyone know if the Auburn airport can handle Air Force One? Trump is comimg Friday by the news.

Quick stop on the way to FL., POTUS traveling to Palm Beach, FL on March 8, 2019, and returning Sunday, March 10, 2019

 

[K4DPA]

I got to try and find some Red Cross fre. cause i was in Opelika today and saw 3 of there trucks. The ant. i saw on them looked like CB ant.
Does anyone know if the Auburn airport can handle Air Force One? Trump is comimg Friday by the news.

The last time I saw, the Red Cross was using low band. 47.4200 & 47.5000 MHz is listed as their national frequencies.

If the President is scheduled to travel somewhere, especially on AF1, the Secret Service and the Air Force will ensure that plenty of resources are available to carry out such a mission. The Secret Service advance team more than likely is already on the ground in Lee County planning and preparing.


- Dawson Adams
K4DPA / WQPN413

 

[K4DPA]

Does anyone know if there was damage or downtime on any of the radio systems in Lee County?

 

[nd5y]

These might be helpful.
https://wiki.radioreference.com/index.php/Disaster_Relief
https://wiki.radioreference.com/index.php/Disaster_(US_Nationwide)

 

[joejo95]

There was no damaged to any of the systems . A officer i talked to said the SO system(VHF) got overloaded by all the calls and they were using the cell phones to talk to dispatch some of the time.

 

[K4DPA]

There was no damaged to any of the systems . A officer i talked to said the SO system(VHF) got overloaded by all the calls and they were using the cell phones to talk to dispatch some of the time.

I can imagine. It’s great that Lee County uses VHF however they need a trunking system for all the traffic they have. The county should invest in a VHF / 800 MHz trunking system like P25 Phase II. If not that, then they should at least bring the dispatch repeater “154.740” back on online and start using the other TAC repeater too. That way it wouldn’t be just one repeater.


- Dawson Adams
K4DPA / WQPN413

 

[joejo95]

I have always said Lee County needed to join the Opelika system. i can pick it up with my 436 with the Uniden rubber ant. in Russell and Macon county. I also can get them goin down I-85 going into Chamber county.

 

[RaleighGuy]

Does anyone know if the Auburn airport can handle Air Force One? Trump is comimg Friday by the news.

Thinking he's landing at Fort Benning GA about 11:30am, probably taking Marine One into Lee County.

 

[K4DPA]

Has anyone picked up any simplex traffic on any of the NIFOG / Mutual aid frequencies there?


- Dawson Adams
K4DPA / WQPN413

 

[KK4JUG]

I got to try and find some Red Cross fre. cause i was in Opelika today and saw 3 of there trucks. The ant. i saw on them looked like CB ant.
Does anyone know if the Auburn airport can handle Air Force One? Trump is comimg Friday by the news.

The Red Cross generally uses various frequencies in the 47 mHz range.

No, the Auburn airport cannot handle Air Force One. The runway is only 4000 ft. The Columbus airport has a 7000' runway; the Montgomery airport has a 9000' runway; Maxwell AFB in Montgomery has an 8000' runway. Ft. Benning has a 10,000' runway with security already in place and it's less than 30 miles to the damage area.

 

[K4DPA]

Here’s an FCC license for Lee County that’s still relatively new and isn’t on the RR database.

WQJI924

RPT 155.7675 / input 158.8125

Emission designators are showing DMR only. By looking at the location information on the license, it looks as if this may be a portable repeater or temporary set up. It’s definitely worth checking out for those that are in Lee County. Please report back. Thanks.



- Dawson Adams
K4DPA / WQPN413

 

[K4DPA]

Also not on the RR database. FCC license eligibility shows County Gov / Emergency Management.

WQAU472

RPT 155.9325 / input 153.9425

Emission designators show analog however I wouldn't be surprised if DMR is being used because the last repeater I posted is DMR and agencies don't always update the emission designators. I would check both if not all modes on this one.

 

[joejo95]

WQJI924 is used by the So swat unit and it is a portable repeater. Over a year ago a freind i know was using a RTL-SDR dongle and they was in the clear but then he moved. At the end of last year i got a 436 so i could hear DMR and now all i have heard is ENCed

 

[K4DPA]

WQJI924 is used by the So swat unit and it is a portable repeater. Over a year ago a freind i know was using a RTL-SDR dongle and they was in the clear but then he moved. At the end of last year i got a 436 so i could hear DMR and now all i have heard is ENCed

Thanks for that info! I wouldn't be surprized if the SO is using it for rescue or security ops in the affected area. A incident of this magnitude requires all hands on deck so it's worth checking out.