I just made this database submission for Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. I received this information a couple of months ago from a good source, but have been laid up even worse than I am now so I did not submit it earlier. It looks like the frontcountry net is a three repeater multicast mobile voting system. The backcountry looks like a multicast repeater system and mobile voting might be used or not, but likely not. By mobile voting I mean that the mobile frequency and tone is the same for all three frontcountry repeaters and the repeater that receives the best signal then feeds that signal to the other two repeaters and the signal is then transmitted on all three repeaters.
The backcountry net uses three frequency pairs twice on six repeaters. The repeaters sharing a pair are separated by distance and topography and in addition there are different tones for each repeater on a frequency pair. I suppose all six repeaters could then multicast the mobile signal and the system design appears as though that is what is done, while mobile voting may not be used due to how small repeaters in wilderness have to be. That is, buildings are not in place, rather large fiberglass boxes or vaults are used. Antennas are on masts and not towers and usually won't support a link antenna. Power is also limited so having a repeater and a link transceiver is not likely.
Since CTCSS tones are listed it looks like the system is analog. I'm not completely surprised as the Mt. Gould backcountry repeater sounded real poor the previous two seasons. It sounded like the mobile signals coming into the repeater weren't of sufficient strength and quality to be understandable. If you've ever hiked the backcountry of both parks it is easy to understand why. It is pretty spectacular.
Here is their channel plan:
171.7000 165.6000 KMC735 RM 167.9 KNP CMD MlkPt Ch 1 Command Milk Ranch - South
171.6750 165.6000 KMC735 RM 167.9 KNP CMD PrkRdg Ch 2 Command Parkridge - North
171.6250 165.6000 KMC735 RM 167.9 KNP CMD Thrps Ch 3 Command Tharps Hill - South Front Country
170.0250 164.4750 RM 156.7 KNP BC Evol Ch 4 Backcountry Evolution Rpt
170.3625 165.0000 RM 156.7 KNP BC Windy Ch 5 Backcountry Windy Rpt
172.1125 166.0875 RM 156.7 KNP BC Gould Ch 6 Backcountry Mt. Gould Rpt
170.0250 164.4750 RM 167.9 KNP BC Palmer Ch 7 Backcountry Palmer Rpt
172.1125 166.0875 RM 167.9 KNP BC Prdse Ch 8 Backcountry Paradise Rpt
170.3625 165.6000 RM 167.9 KNP BC Frgtn Ch 9 Backcountry Forgotten Rpt
168.6125 168.6125 M General Use Ch 10 General Use
163.7125 163.7125 M Common Use Ch 11 Common Use
166.5500 166.5500 M R5 Tac 4 Ch 12 USFS R5 Tac 4
168.0500 168.0500 M NIFC Tac 1 Ch 13 NIFC Tac 1
167.4750 167.4750 M AG41 Prim Ch 14 AG 41 Air to Ground Primary
168.6375 168.6375 M AG24 Secd Ch 15 AG 24 Air to Ground Secondary
173.6750 173.6750 M KNP AG Ch 16 Sequoia Kings Air to Ground
Since receiving this information I've been unable to drive down to the Owens Valley to listen to the Mt. Gould backcountry repeater to determine if the system is multicasted. Actually this system would be a combination multicast and simulcast system as a mobile frequency would be repeated on three different frequency pairs and each on two different repeaters. Remember that multicasting is when several transmitters, each on a different frequency, transmit the same signal at the same time. Simulcast is the same except the transmitters are all on the same frequency.
I hope some of you can monitor both the frontcountry and backcountry nets and report back, most especially in regard to the multi/simulcasting of the backcountry net. I may not be able to leave the house and get down to the Owens Valley before the rangers leave the backcountry for the season.
The backcountry net uses three frequency pairs twice on six repeaters. The repeaters sharing a pair are separated by distance and topography and in addition there are different tones for each repeater on a frequency pair. I suppose all six repeaters could then multicast the mobile signal and the system design appears as though that is what is done, while mobile voting may not be used due to how small repeaters in wilderness have to be. That is, buildings are not in place, rather large fiberglass boxes or vaults are used. Antennas are on masts and not towers and usually won't support a link antenna. Power is also limited so having a repeater and a link transceiver is not likely.
Since CTCSS tones are listed it looks like the system is analog. I'm not completely surprised as the Mt. Gould backcountry repeater sounded real poor the previous two seasons. It sounded like the mobile signals coming into the repeater weren't of sufficient strength and quality to be understandable. If you've ever hiked the backcountry of both parks it is easy to understand why. It is pretty spectacular.
Here is their channel plan:
171.7000 165.6000 KMC735 RM 167.9 KNP CMD MlkPt Ch 1 Command Milk Ranch - South
171.6750 165.6000 KMC735 RM 167.9 KNP CMD PrkRdg Ch 2 Command Parkridge - North
171.6250 165.6000 KMC735 RM 167.9 KNP CMD Thrps Ch 3 Command Tharps Hill - South Front Country
170.0250 164.4750 RM 156.7 KNP BC Evol Ch 4 Backcountry Evolution Rpt
170.3625 165.0000 RM 156.7 KNP BC Windy Ch 5 Backcountry Windy Rpt
172.1125 166.0875 RM 156.7 KNP BC Gould Ch 6 Backcountry Mt. Gould Rpt
170.0250 164.4750 RM 167.9 KNP BC Palmer Ch 7 Backcountry Palmer Rpt
172.1125 166.0875 RM 167.9 KNP BC Prdse Ch 8 Backcountry Paradise Rpt
170.3625 165.6000 RM 167.9 KNP BC Frgtn Ch 9 Backcountry Forgotten Rpt
168.6125 168.6125 M General Use Ch 10 General Use
163.7125 163.7125 M Common Use Ch 11 Common Use
166.5500 166.5500 M R5 Tac 4 Ch 12 USFS R5 Tac 4
168.0500 168.0500 M NIFC Tac 1 Ch 13 NIFC Tac 1
167.4750 167.4750 M AG41 Prim Ch 14 AG 41 Air to Ground Primary
168.6375 168.6375 M AG24 Secd Ch 15 AG 24 Air to Ground Secondary
173.6750 173.6750 M KNP AG Ch 16 Sequoia Kings Air to Ground
Since receiving this information I've been unable to drive down to the Owens Valley to listen to the Mt. Gould backcountry repeater to determine if the system is multicasted. Actually this system would be a combination multicast and simulcast system as a mobile frequency would be repeated on three different frequency pairs and each on two different repeaters. Remember that multicasting is when several transmitters, each on a different frequency, transmit the same signal at the same time. Simulcast is the same except the transmitters are all on the same frequency.
I hope some of you can monitor both the frontcountry and backcountry nets and report back, most especially in regard to the multi/simulcasting of the backcountry net. I may not be able to leave the house and get down to the Owens Valley before the rangers leave the backcountry for the season.