Knoxville FD & Rural Metro

[Scotty91]

Uniden SDS200 $699.99, BCD 996P2 $399.90. Knoxville City FD uses P 25 System, you will need to program frequencies and talk groups, Rural Metro serving some areas of Knox County are using using VHF, but are going to change to P 25 System some day. Counties like Louden, Blount are using P 25 System. If you move forward with purchase of P25 system scanner contact me I can help you. You will also need scanner programming software much (which you can get free) easier than putting in by hand to scanner. email here is originalbmckay@outlook.com

Thank you! I will definitely take you up on that once I get one. Appreciate it thank you.

 

[medic9351301]

the 996p2 is not really good on simulcast sytems, it will work with some adjustments just a fyi

 

[fireairmedlistener]

Just moved to area, I am using a Uniden BCD996P2. Looking to listen to Knoxville FD & Rural Metro. Have frequencies in scanner Sites are Black River and Spring Ridge. Have talk groups entered also. I hear no communications, on database these sites state P25 Phase 1, is that correct? I hear Louden county fine. What am I doing wrong. Looking forward to someone helping me on this.

RMFD also assists New Market Fire Rescue on some of their calls so it's possible that you might want to consider looking into equipping your scanner for Jefferson County but to my knowledge Jefferson County is very hard to use a scanner for.

 

[zachgallop]

RMFD also assists New Market Fire Rescue on some of their calls so it's possible that you might want to consider looking into equipping your scanner for Jefferson County but to my knowledge Jefferson County is very hard to use a scanner for.

Jefferson County talkgroups are all fully encrypted on Land Air UHF NXDN Trunking System. These are their channels: FIRE MAIN, FIRE TAC 1, FIRE TAC 2, FIRE TAC 3. Every Fire Department and Rescue Department with the exception of White Pine Fire and Baneberry Fire use those encrypted channels. You will not be able to hear them on there at all. They do still get paged out on 460.600 though, although I do not believe that you can hear Jefferson City Fire calls on there. JCPD 1, JCPD 2, LAW 1, LAW 2, and EMS PRIMARY are also encrypted for Jefferson County on that Land Air system. You can monitor White Pine PD, White Pine VFD, and Baneberry VFD on UHF conventional NXDN though. They are unencrypted and can be monitored.

 

[Gsquared]

Also, RMFD and Knox Rescue have started using their TACN talkgroups for some calls and sometimes dispatch now assigns them to use the digital channels instead of the VHF channels. They are slowly getting mobile and portable radios for TACN in their apparatuses.

Just an update for September 2022.

I decided to run an overnight recording scan of their TCAN system to check for action and dispatch was live. There were 65 recordings and all were on Dispatch only (no Tac channel action). Because my BCD436HP is not really designed to receive analog signals on some systems (learned that from you guys), I monitor RMFD's VHF channels on my cheap handheld Baofeng HAM radio. This morning, I have both radios running (436 on TCAN / Baofeng on VHF) and only hear dispatch on the analog side so I guess they're continuing to test on overnight shifts.

 

[buddrousa]

A 436hp will scan most if not all ANALOG SYSTEMS

 

[Gsquared]

A 436hp will scan most if not all ANALOG SYSTEMS

Didn't explain it well enough. It's not that it can't scan analog, it just better tuned to receive digital signals over some analogs and in my case with Rural Metro, I was told their VHF signal strength is somewhat lacking from the radio tower when trying to monitor with a scanner. Different story with their own radios. Also, I can hear the analog frequencies on my 436, but there's too much static whereas the Baofeng comes in loud and clear. So that's what I meant to say, it's partly on their side as well as mine with the 436.

 

[buddrousa]

That is not a true statement either.
I have 2 sds100 2 436hp 7 536hp 1 sds200 8 996p2 and 4 15x unidens the x36hp are very hot receiver's.

 

[Gsquared]

That is not a true statement either.
I have 2 sds100 2 436hp 7 536hp 1 sds200 8 996p2 and 4 15x unidens the x36hp are very hot receiver's.

Listen, I'm not a radio guy. I may have misinterpreted what was stated in the post about why my 436 wasn't getting a good signal with Rural Metro. All I know is I'm glad RM is starting to use their TACN for some stations so I can monitor them on the 436.

 

[buddrousa]

Not a problem with Digital you either have a signal and hear traffic or you do not. With Analog you have a signal it does not matter if it is readable or not all the way to the White Background Noise.

 

[spencerwww]

It's not exactly misleading, once you get the background. The TACN system was built out statewide to provide coverage for state agencies. In Knox County, that meant two sites were placed on TACN (Sharps Ridge 002-020 and Black Rd 002-019). Most of the TACN system resides on the 700 MHz frequencies.

When Knox County Emergency Communications District (KCECD) opted to upgrade their 'old' Motorola trunking system, they also opted to tie into TACN, albeit as their own controlled 'site' (003-010). They reused their 800 MHz frequencies and the backbone is tied into TACN. The KCECD system is 5 simulcast sites, that in two cases are at the same physical location as the true TACN sites at Black Rd and Sharps Ridge.

Now, as for KFD, their new station alerting system uses a canned voice (Lola) for the audio dispatches. That's what you're hearing about 99% of the time. There are usually 2, sometimes 3 human dispatchers on duty just for KFD and they handle all radio comms on TAC talk groups, as well as the routine traffic on the Dispatch talk group. Their comm center works 4 shifts, 12 hr, on a 7 day rotation. The dispatchers do not rotate days/nights, so you'll typically hear the same voices (aside from Lola) every other week. The KFD dispatchers also handle dispatching for Karns (Vol) Fire Dept, but I'm not sure if Lola is on their dispatch talk group.

Glad we were able to help you get connected. Keep in touch and Happy New Year!

But don't they still use dispatchers on check in route and stuff meaning there not replacing 911 right they just use voice.for dispatch

 

[jblackst]

But don't they still use dispatchers on check in route and stuff meaning there not replacing 911 right they just use voice.for dispatch

Yes, there are still live humans monitoring the radio.😉. Lola just handles the load of the initial dispatch announcing.

 

[INDY72]

Yes, there are still live humans monitoring the radio.😉. Lola just handles the load of the initial dispatch announcing.

There are also times when they are finishing training the dispatchers, and they do full duty with LOLA off. Same for if the CAD has issues and needs to be "rested" while they sort out problems, humans do it all then too. (After all, you always want a human that can handle everything in case of a full on CAD crash etc.) Same for most major metro areas on TRS now. Here in Indy we have 2 dispatch TG's for countywide Fire/EMS dispatch, with the secondary used for final training of dispatchers, and when CAD throws fits. Primary rarely has humans on it, unless a unit forgets to flip to an OPS TG and has to get told they are on Dispatch. Once the issues with CAD is fixed, they announce to go back to "silent" Day Watch with only Locution (the official name for the automated dispatch). Live dispatchers when on the OPS TG's are "Controllers" here. We also have 2 other "dispatch" TG's called North and South for other "dispatch" operations such as EMS requests for MED TG's, etc... (Those are almost always patched together now in one "supergroup".) Once you learn how the set up works for your area, its really rather simple to enjoy monitoring. Have fun! (Found a lot of this nfo out when KFD and others all come here for the big FD Training Officer's Convention every year, get to talk to some interesting folks from all over the place.)

 

[INDY72]

But don't they still use dispatchers on check in route and stuff meaning there not replacing 911 right they just use voice.for dispatch

Most agencies now use the laptops in the trucks for basic status reporting such as "en route", "in service" etc. The "Dispatcher/Controller" usually only needs to do status checks/reminders if there is an issue with laptops or CAD, or wifi etc. You rarely hear the good old "Engine 32 en route" any more on TRS. You do get to hear, "Engine 81, mark en route. Engine 81, mark en route. Engine 81 Control. Mark us en route, having laptop issues." And my favorite, "Medic 32, Control, what rig do you show this as? We show you as Medic 51 R. Umm, Okay, reset this as Medic 32. They switched radios and didn't set it apparently."

 

[buddrousa]

Ours are done on IPADS mounted in the Apparatus also does cad updates from Dispatch plus mapping.

 

[INDY72]

Ours are done on IPADS mounted in the Apparatus also does cad updates from Dispatch plus mapping.

The newest tech you can do CAD stuff from a smart phone. Works with like detectives and admin types, not so good with patrol officers and basic firefighters and EMT/Paramedics. (Yeah I can see being uber med guy, doing an IV, running an EKG, and juggling a report on CAD with the phone strapped on your wrist.) Then again,... With the APX NEXT's its basically that plus LMR.

 

[buddrousa]

The smart phone is the new Minitor We are only using our IPADS mounted in the Pumper not at the MED SCEENE

 

[spencerwww]

The smart phone is the new Minitor We are only using our IPADS mounted in the Pumper not at the MED SCEENE

So they will ever get ride radios I've seen they got all iPad check in route stuff but lot times they use radio if its cp.voice they still check in route on radio and I've seen fire dep ems police upgrade there digital radios i.lnk tell always use dispatchers even if turn fully cad computers but would they ever get rid of radios

 

[Jonathankidd215]

Knoxville FD is on the TACN network, but you'll need to program in the Knoxville Simulcast site information (and be within receiving distance of one of the 5 simulcast sites, generally anywhere within about 40 miles of Knoxville). KFD dispatch is P1 due to some legacy equipment at the fire stations, but the bulk of their traffic on responses is mixed P1/P2. Very little encryption is employed by KFD, only on a couple of talk groups and sparingly used.

Rural/Metro FD is still using VHF (although the 3rd Battalion units have TACN and are testing it). 154.430 is their dispatch Rx.

Listings for both agencies are up to date in the RR Database.
Knox County, Tennessee (TN) Scanner Frequencies and Radio Frequency Reference (Knox County, TN)

Tennessee Advanced Communications Network (TACN) Trunking System, Various, Multi-State - Scanner Frequencies (TACN)

If you're in Loudon County, you should have no trouble receiving the Black Rd Simulcast site. Keep in mind, there are two TACN sites on Black Rd. One is on the Knox Simulcast system (003-010), and the other is true TACN (002-019). You need to be scanning the 003-010 system to hear traffic from the Knox units, typically.

Hey I am tying to program a few BCD536HP and on the North end Sharps ridge works well but I am unable to connect to Black Rd or the simulcast site west resulting in the scanners not reciving the new 800 capabilities. Any tips or pointers. Thanks Jonathan

 

[buddrousa]

Hey I am tying to program a few BCD536HP and on the North end Sharps ridge works well but I am unable to connect to Black Rd or the simulcast site west resulting in the scanners not reciving the new 800 capabilities. Any tips or pointers. Thanks Jonathan

Buy a scanner designed to work with SIMULCAST SYSTEMS