Upstate Medical Helicopter TGs?

[gosling1]

All -

I loaded all the Medical Helicopter TalkGroups (Palmetto 800) for the state of SC. However, I'm primarily interested in on the one(s) operating in the Upstate.
I've been unable to determine on my own those and was looking for some info if possible please?

Thanks!

Daniel
K4DB

 

[brian]

This is a good starting point for information, though some of the details are out of date:

SC Medical Helicopters - The RadioReference Wiki

wiki.radioreference.com

In the Upstate, there is Regional 1 in Spartanburg, Medtrans 1 in Greenville, and Lifenet in Anderson. These are all operated by Medtrans. They are dispatched on separate talkgroups, but they all communicate with their Medtrans dispatcher (who I think is based in Texas) on the MedTrans Roam talkgroup, 51704.

There is a newish helicopter operated by Air Methods based in Pickens County now, and it's part of SC LifeNet which has helos in Camden and Orangeburg. I assume it uses the LifeNet talkgroups but I don't know that for certain.

Some helicopters from NC - MAMA from Asheville/WNC and MedCenter Air from Charlotte - will occasionally operate in Upstate SC. On rare occasion a helicopter from elsewhere in the state will fly into the Upstate for a patient inter-facility transport and you'll hear them on their designated Palmetto 800 talkgroup.

All helicopters coordinate landing zones with agencies on the ground (usually fire departments) on the agencies' designated channels. In Spartanburg, for example, that's on Spartanburg County Fire Tac 2, which is 154.415/85.4. Each county or agency will have their own channel designated for that purpose, and that can be a conventional or trunked channel.

For Helo to ER communications, that's up to the hospital to specify. Regional 1 will communicate with SRMC ER on their Med channel, talkgroup 48573. Each hospital may have different preferences. Some may require the use of a mobile phone rather than a radio. You can also sometimes hear them use the ubiquitous 155.340 HEAR frequency.

Occasionally helicopters will use the Helo Air-Air channel of 123.025, but that's mainly to coordinate with other helicopters operating in the same area. I have also heard them on local airport Unicom frequencies when passing through or operating near an airport.

Hope this helps.

Brian

 

[gosling1]

This is a good starting point for information, though some of the details are out of date:

SC Medical Helicopters - The RadioReference Wiki

wiki.radioreference.com

In the Upstate, there is Regional 1 in Spartanburg, Medtrans 1 in Greenville, and Lifenet in Anderson. These are all operated by Medtrans. They are dispatched on separate talkgroups, but they all communicate with their Medtrans dispatcher (who I think is based in Texas) on the MedTrans Roam talkgroup, 51704.

There is a newish helicopter operated by Air Methods based in Pickens County now, and it's part of SC LifeNet which has helos in Camden and Orangeburg. I assume it uses the LifeNet talkgroups but I don't know that for certain.

Some helicopters from NC - MAMA from Asheville/WNC and MedCenter Air from Charlotte - will occasionally operate in Upstate SC. On rare occasion a helicopter from elsewhere in the state will fly into the Upstate for a patient inter-facility transport and you'll hear them on their designated Palmetto 800 talkgroup.

All helicopters coordinate landing zones with agencies on the ground (usually fire departments) on the agencies' designated channels. In Spartanburg, for example, that's on Spartanburg County Fire Tac 2, which is 154.415/85.4. Each county or agency will have their own channel designated for that purpose, and that can be a conventional or trunked channel.

For Helo to ER communications, that's up to the hospital to specify. Regional 1 will communicate with SRMC ER on their Med channel, talkgroup 48573. Each hospital may have different preferences. Some may require the use of a mobile phone rather than a radio. You can also sometimes hear them use the ubiquitous 155.340 HEAR frequency.

Occasionally helicopters will use the Helo Air-Air channel of 123.025, but that's mainly to coordinate with other helicopters operating in the same area. I have also heard them on local airport Unicom frequencies when passing through or operating near an airport.

Hope this helps.

Brian

Brian -

Many thanks for the quick and informative response! I seem to remember that you're located in Spartanburg per se... I checked the Radio Reference dBase for MedTrans 1 TG as you suggested and only saw it listed in conjunction with the "roaming" dispatch group - any additional suggestions? Also, what would be the best way for me to determine what channel(s) Greenville County FD use for air to ground communication? Just monitor all the FD Tac channels? TIA -

Daniel
K4DB

 

[brian]

Great questions.

Re MedTrans One dispatch talkgroup, check the Greenville County talkgroup listing. Specifically, 51712. You should hear dispatch on that talkgroup, most likely via the Greenville site only. Not sure if you'd hear it on Caesars Head or Hogback, but I wouldn't count on it.

As far as determining the Landing zone channel, that's going to vary by department, possibly. Perhaps someone else in Greenville County can chime in. In Spartanburg, all fire departments (there are more than 30 independent departments) share a consolidated dispatch center, and therefore they share a set of designated VHF channels.

Since Greenville County FDs don't use a consolidated dispatch center, it's difficult to say what each would use for LZs. Some might use "their" Ops channel talkgroup on Palmetto 800. Some might use the North, Central or South common channels. Some might use one of the shared Air-Ground talkgroups on Palmetto 800 (check the talkgroup section at the top pf the Palmetto 800 database page called SC Interoperability Talkgroups, and look for State Air-Ground and SC Air 1, 2 and 3.) Some might use 155.340, or one of the 8TAC, 7TAC or VTAC national interoperability frequencies in Direct (ie, Simplex, not repeated) mode.

Look here for some information about the Fire Departments' possible radio templates. Look at the third table, which is the one that includes the zones used by the various departments. That might be a clue of what they would use.

Greenville County (SC) - The RadioReference Wiki

wiki.radioreference.com

Probably the best way to find out is to monitor the MedTrans Roam statewide channel 51704. Typically a helo will receive the dispatch alert tone and initial mission information in their dispatch channel, and they'll acknowledge the call. They'll check whatever it is they check (weather, copter status, crew status, etc) and either accept or decline the mission via that channel. They'll then receive details on the call via the MedTrans Roam channel and use that channel during flights. Often the dispatcher will tell them the name of a channel that the landing zone agency will use to communicate with the helicopter. That name doesn't always help, but sometimes it does. Sometimes they'll specify a band (VHF, UHF, 800) which can give a clue.

Hope that helps. Let us know what you learn.

 

[TwoStep]

A lot of good info here.

I have a question about the SC Air Talkgroups. I'm in Spartanburg and hear SC Air 1 on a regular basis. I've never heard SC Air 2 or 3. Are these talkgroups based on their region? I'm guessing SC Air 1 is Upstate/Piedmont and the other 2 are Mid and Low Country. Anyone have any info on these groups?

Chris

 

[brian]

Another good question.

My answer is, simply, I don't know. I agree that I hear SC Air 1 up here in the Upstate more than SC Air 2 or Air 3. However, at times I have definitely heard SC Air 1 being used by agencies in other parts of the state, not just the Upstate.

If you subscribe to the idea that Palmetto 800 talkgroups are generally grouped by region (see this Wiki page for the breakdown: Palmetto 800 Talkgroup Ranges - The RadioReference Wiki), then you'd assume that Air 1 is Coastal, Air 2 is Midlands and Air 3 is Upstate based on the talkgroup value. And this may be true - I can't say that I have definitely heard Air 1 used by Upstate agencies. But I can't say I've heard Air 3 used up here either. Most Air ops in the upstate are on local talkgroups or VHF frequencies (not Palmetto 800).

Why are we hearing SC Air 1 in the Upstate then? Maybe a dispatch console is pulling Air 1 radio traffic up here even though it's not being used up here. Or maybe a radio used by one of the Upstate helicopter services. Or maybe something completely different.

I just saw SC Air 1 active on my scanner a short time ago, but I didn't get any audio. So I'm not sure what it was being used for. I'd say to listen closely when you hear it active again, and see if you can figure out which agency is using it. Maybe we can narrow it down. On the "old" Palmetto 800, SC Air-Ground was active a lot. That's not the case on the "new" Palmetto 800 (the P25 version).

 

[KMG54]

The only way I have found to monitor is with DSD plus fastlane. If you programmed the scanner for all the areas they fly too you would never hear them over the normal traffic. Just because med trans out of greenville can be heard, they may be going to Western NC you will not hear the landing zones from the FD. You will everything to a extent with DSD+FL. Alot of Brevard and Henderson have Palmetto 800 capabilities. Air comms one is your best choice in the upstate area. And if you want all you can get, just program all the helicopters and air channels into your FD scan list.

 

[evan]

A lot of good info here.

I have a question about the SC Air Talkgroups. I'm in Spartanburg and hear SC Air 1 on a regular basis. I've never heard SC Air 2 or 3. Are these talkgroups based on their region? I'm guessing SC Air 1 is Upstate/Piedmont and the other 2 are Mid and Low Country. Anyone have any info on these groups?

Chris

This is from: Palmetto 800 Radio Network 0092320
Whether system users actually follow these designations, I cannot say. I mostly hear SC Air 1 in the Midlands. Can't say I've heard Air 2 and 3.