Caltrans Flagger Handhelds

[mkewman]

hey everyone... gosh it's quiet in here.

anywho, i'm wondering if anyone has a collection of frequencies that Caltrans uses for their handhelds when doing traffic control?

It'd be nice to have them programmed into my scanner for when i get into a line, i know if i can turn off my car, and when i need to get ready to go... (gas is so expensive, that it helps to be a little informed about the wait times)

in some years past, they've used FRS, and i just scan the FRS frequencies, and find that out, but more often than not now, they use VHF handhelds.

Thanks,
mark

 

[Mick]

856.9875 110.9 simplex is my favorite.
In Orange County 47.10 is good for long term closures,
in Los Angeles County 47.24 110.9 is good for that.

 

[SCPD]

in some years past, they've used FRS, and i just scan the FRS frequencies, and find that out, but more often than not now, they use VHF handhelds.

I've listened to state highways departments since 1978 when I got my first programmable scanner and listen to them a lot in California. I've never heard Caltrans using FRS. I would not be surprised if some contractors working for Caltrans have used FRS, but the thought is really a bit scary. Can you imagine some passing motorist putting bogus traffic over an FRS and it resulting in an accident?

I always thought that where ever Caltrans had converted to 800 Mhz, 856.9875 with 110.9 was the standard for simplex operations. Recently some of the Caltrans maintenance work needing traffic control has been conducted on the frequency of the local repeater in the simplex or "talk around" mode. I guess this is to allow everyone to hear any calls being made by dispatch without having to scan more than one channel. That is the situation up here (over here if you are from the Bay Area and down here if you live north of I-80) in District 9.

Speaking of Caltrans I wish someone in southern California would do some thorough listening to the D7, D8, D12 trunked system on Santiago and give us some idea of the talkgroups, maintenance station locations, and corresponding call signs. I was just down there for a little over a week and could only hear the system while in the car and did not have an easy time figuring out what I was hearing. If I lived in LA and drove freeways, all I would listen to would be Caltrans and CHP. Over the years my interest in listening to highway departments while traveling by car has saved me dozens of hours stuck in traffic jams caused by many types of incidents. The highway department people usually give more specifics that a driver can find useful than the highway patrol officers do.

 

[mkewman]

I've listened to state highways departments since 1978 when I got my first programmable scanner and listen to them a lot in California. I've never heard Caltrans using FRS. I would not be surprised if some contractors working for Caltrans have used FRS, but the thought is really a bit scary. Can you imagine some passing motorist putting bogus traffic over an FRS and it resulting in an accident?

yeah, i'm sure it's contractors.
yeah it kinda freaks me out too- although a more likely problem would be a caravaning group using FRS and talking over the workers (as most stupid FRS users do- they always talk over other people, they have no regard for others using FRS) making it so that the contractors are unable to communicate at all for a short time.

 

[CZ]

Anyone know for positive what CALTRANS frequencies are for the Fresno, Kings, Madera Counties?

Found a couple listings that gave freq.'s in the 850 MHz. range, but have heard nothing. I live about 100 yards from a major freeway. From what I can gather, the San Joaquin Valley is not on Trunking so I should be able to hear something on the Bearcat 785D, or BC246T.... Yes, I know they receive Trunking--if you can figure out how to set up either one to do so

 

[Mick]

Using the FCC Web site I located probable Caltrans frqs. for Kings County:
KNFD848
400 S LEMOORE AVE
LEMOORE
857.7375
857.9875
Go here to look up callsigns in Fresno and Madera Counties:
http://svartifoss2.fcc.gov/reports/state_county_sv.cfm
or:
http://svartifoss2.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/genmen/state_county.hts
Then check all callsigns under California, State of.
Then check those frqs. for addresses that match your local Caltrans
offices in those counties.

Anyone know for positive what CALTRANS frequencies are for the Fresno, Kings, Madera Counties?
Found a couple listings that gave freq.'s in the 850 MHz. range, but have heard nothing. I live about 100 yards from a major freeway. From what I can gather, the San Joaquin Valley is not on Trunking so I should be able to hear something on the Bearcat 785D, or BC246T.... Yes, I know they receive Trunking--if you can figure out how to set up either one to do so

 

[CZ]

Ok, I'll take a look at the sites. Think this area is Division 6, but not sure

 

[selgaran]

Fresno County is in District 6.

You can look up districts here: http://www.dot.ca.gov/localoffice.htm