Boston MedFlight Radio Frequencies

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matt131

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Hello,

Does anyone know the frequency for Boston Medflight and the exact PL tones? Also, what is the best way to monitor Boston Medflight. Some one said listen to the input. What is there input frequency?

Thanks,
 

kennyblues

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Boston Medflight operates on;
460.8000 (114.8) Boston
460.8000 (103.5) Hanscom
460.8000 (127.3) Plymouth
465.8000 Helo
Med channels 1-8
Local Fire Freq where the pickup is
130.575 VHF-AM, Helipads, seldom used
 

SCPD

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Kenny is correct.... When I am in Boston I stay on Blossom Street and I watch her leave many times. She comes in loud & clear. I tried the Med Channels for a day, but too much traffic made me take them out since I was missing calls on the Fire & EMS side. The input channel for Med-Flight is posted. Go to the MASS database and you will see them under MedVac.

Mark
 

matt131

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are the frequencies wide or narrow band? I want to program them into my scanner with the PL tones. Would I just program in 460.8 with the PL tone or would I have better luck with 465.8?
 

Junior08

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465.8 would be your best bet. They mostly will use the frequency of whatever FD they are responding to to coordinate landing and patient information.
 

zerg901

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The repeaters are at Boston (??? MGH ???), Hanscom AFB at Bedford, and at Plymouth Airport (IIRC). If you are close to a repeater, you can listen to a repeater output (460.80). If you are not close to a repeater, you will probably do better by listening to the input 465.80. (You can check the FCC database to see exactly where the repeaters are located at).

I have heard the dispatcher talk directly to the helo on 460.80 bypassing the repeater. That might be something that they just do at Hanscom. IIRC they call that "Channel 16".

I dont think that they "tie the repeaters together". In other words, if a helo is in Lowell and using the Hanscom repeater, I dont think that you can / will hear the traffic on the Boston or Plymouth repeaters.

I think that the dispatcher accesses the repeaters via telephone lines or microwave - therefore, you will not hear the dispatcher on 465.80. You will just hear the helos on 465.80 AFAIK.

Bottom line - you can listen to 460.80 or 465.80 - you can listen with PL on or off. Depending where you are vs where the action is - it can be tricky to figure out how to listen.

Maybe a good compromise is to listen to 460.80 with a PL - and listen to 465.80 without a PL.

And since this is turning into a book - I will finish with the repeater info - as I think they are configured -

460.80 PL 114.8 - Boston repeater output
465.80 PL 114.8 - Boston repeater input

460.80 PL 103.5 - Hanscom repeater output
465.80 PL 103.5 - Hanscom repeater input

460.80 PL 127.3 - Plymouth repeater output
465.80 PL 127.3 - Plymouth repeater input

(based on the above info from KennyBlues)

I dont know if they are narrowband or wideband - they are weak to me usually, so I am guessing they are narrowband (11K2F3E).

Peter Sz
 

SCPD

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901.... I am pretty sure they r narrow band. I hear them loud & clear, but the volume is low.\

Mark
 

zerg901

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I caught a PL of 114.8 on 465.80 overnight. 460.80 seems to be very quiet. Peter Sz
 

Citywide173

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Listening to them give C-MED entry notifications, I would guess that it is the noise canceling microphones they use to block out the helicopter noise as opposed to being narrow band (which 11K2F3E is). This is from years (well before narrow band) of monitoring from the C-MED console. The audio is always crisp, but the level has always been a bit lacking.
 

zerg901

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I locked the scanner on 460.80 - I seem to be hearing the dispatcher but not the helos - I wonder if they are mostly using simplex - or maybe they have the repeater turned off for some reason.

When I hear them getting busy, I will listen to both 460.80 and 465.80 to see whats up.

Peter Sz
 

ecps92

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I don't have an audio problem listening to them on my Radio [using a Vertex mobile as a UHF Scanner].

Medflight, LifeFlight, DART, Lifestar and Albany LifeFlight all loud and clear, routinely :p

Remember, many of the newer scanners can also do an Audio Boost on a Channel by Channel basis, give it a try.

10-04 on those noise cancelling Mic's. USCG Helo's are the same problem

Listening to them give C-MED entry notifications, I would guess that it is the noise canceling microphones they use to block out the helicopter noise as opposed to being narrow band (which 11K2F3E is). This is from years (well before narrow band) of monitoring from the C-MED console. The audio is always crisp, but the level has always been a bit lacking.
 

zerg901

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I caught DHART 2 talking to Boston MedFlight - I am pretty sure that DHART 2 was not on a repeater. I guess that North of Boston, MedFlight is using 'direct' alot on 460.80. Peter Sz
 

zerg901

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They seem to be using 'direct' with a PL of 107.2 in the Hanscom area - but the Boston repeater (PL 114.8) does get a little action. Anyone hearing them use "direct" down south? Peter Sz
 
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I don't have an audio problem listening to them on my Radio [using a Vertex mobile as a UHF Scanner].

Medflight, LifeFlight, DART, Lifestar and Albany LifeFlight all loud and clear, routinely :p

Remember, many of the newer scanners can also do an Audio Boost on a Channel by Channel basis, give it a try.

10-04 on those noise cancelling Mic's. USCG Helo's are the same problem

ECPS, what frequencies do you use to listen to medflight etc?
 

zerg901

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460.80 R - PL 103.5 - 7 AM today - testing with ...... Med 2 RN, Med 7 EMT, Med 7 RN, Med 7 Medic. Peter Sz
 

matt131

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I was receiving MedFlight all afternoon today with no problem on 460.800. I was able to receive dispatch and helo communications.
 

SCPD

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From my hotel room on the 12th floor I watched her land and take off three times. Heard both sides of comm's loud & clear on 460.8000 114.8 It was Medflight 3. Dispatch told them that Emerson Hospital requested them.
 
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