Cleveland National Forest New Forest Net

[Teotwaki]

Updated to add in Comms 26

Brush 288
Comms 22, 26, 27, 28, 29
2Charles1 (supervisor?)
2Edward 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10, 11, 12
Engineer 325
2King 1 & 5 (canine units)
Lookout 03, 41, 50, 51 57, 62 (Palomar)
Patrol 21, 22, 23, 33, 34, 41, 42
Prevention 24
Ranger 2
Rec 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 31
Trails 21
2Tom 2 (LEO Trainee)
Utility 36

 

[Opfor2]

So is LE 2 (171.7875) on Santiago Peak? For I'm hearing it loud and clear in Simi Valley. Also, it appears to be mixed mode analog and P25 is this also correct ?

 

[KF6DGN]

I’ve copied the same near Lake Elsinore, field unit is in the clear, dispatch is digital, I assume P-25.

 

[monitor142]

CNF Info:
171.4250 (PL 103.5 Out), CNF Forest Net
171.1375 (PL 103.5 Out), CNF Admin Net
171.7875 (Analog PL 103.5, Digital NAC 40B) CNF Law Net - Mixed Mode

Law Net with flip back and forth between P25 and analog. Region 5 Law Net is no longer used in the CNF.

 

[monitor142]

So is LE 2 (171.7875) on Santiago Peak? For I'm hearing it loud and clear in Simi Valley. Also, it appears to be mixed mode analog and P25 is this also correct ?

Yes, Tone 2 is used for the Santiago Peak channels (Forest, Admin, Law nets)

 

[es93546]

CNF Info:
171.4250 (PL 103.5 Out), CNF Forest Net
171.1375 (PL 103.5 Out), CNF Admin Net
171.7875 (Analog PL 103.5, Digital NAC 40B) CNF Law Net - Mixed Mode

Law Net with flip back and forth between P25 and analog. Region 5 Law Net is no longer used in the CNF.

The Region 5 law enforcement net is on 171.7875. The Cleveland is not using something unique to the forest. This frequency has been confirmed in use on several national forests in R5, from the Mendocino, the Plumas and south. Eventually, it will be encrypted. There has been some discussion of the USFS centralizing all law enforcement dispatch in one 24/7/365 center. The requirement of not putting any DMV/warrant/CLETS information over the air might speed up getting the entire network encrypted.

I think you might have thought of the 166.1250 net the Cleveland was using. It was the R5 LE net, but began to be phased out 2-4 years ago as it isn't compliant with the new allocation of the federal government's VHF High band, which all agencies were supposed to comply with as of 1/1/19, but a lot of agencies did not receive a dime of funding to do so. The Department of the Interior seems to be the most behind of the agencies I follow, which includes natural resource/land management agencies.

 

[1942LA]

There has been some discussion of the USFS centralizing all law enforcement dispatch in one 24/7/365 center.

Something like the Federal LE (FS-BLM-NPS-Fish&Wildlife) Command Center in Phoenix?

 

[silverspy]

171.7875 is also being used on the Klamath and the Shasta-Trinity. Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit law units are on the Forest Net.

 

[es93546]

Something like the Federal LE (FS-BLM-NPS-Fish&Wildlife) Command Center in Phoenix?

I think so. The Phoenix Center uses satellite radio communications networks as they are providing communications in several states. As far as I know the R5 LE Net would be the primary means of communications for this center. I would bet that the California state microwave network would be used to link all the repeaters together. They could also use a 400 MHz network sort of like the old North Ops/South Ops dispatch center nets that existed prior to that all being put on the state's microwave network. From a cost standpoint I don't think they will build a 400 MHz link network.

 

[es93546]

171.7875 is also being used on the Klamath and the Shasta-Trinity. Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit law units are on the Forest Net.

Thanks for that info. The info available for employees, where I get most of my information, does not include LE related info.

 

[AgentDave]

Wherever this other transmitter was located it should be the USFS "Sitton Peak" transmitter but I was way too far away from the Ortega site (2 miles!) to receive that distinctly separate transmitter.

If you're still looking for the mysterious Sitton Peak repeater, I hiked it a couple of weeks ago and think I found it.

I thought it looked like a repeater site based on what I saw, so I googled for information and found this thread. It's nothing more than a small cabinet with two antennas and two small solar panels. The whole setup is small enough that even knowing the exact location in person, I couldn't see it on Google Earth.

The location could provide a strong signal to the spots you described in your testing. And the upper sticker on the cabinet (above the yellow one) looks to me like a USFS logo.

 

[Teotwaki]

Excellent sleuthing! I really appreciate the information and the photo!

 

[es93546]

If you're still looking for the mysterious Sitton Peak repeater, I hiked it a couple of weeks ago and think I found it.

I thought it looked like a repeater site based on what I saw, so I googled for information and found this thread. It's nothing more than a small cabinet with two antennas and two small solar panels. The whole setup is small enough that even knowing the exact location in person, I couldn't see it on Google Earth.

The location could provide a strong signal to the spots you described in your testing. And the upper sticker on the cabinet (above the yellow one) looks to me like a USFS logo.

View attachment 103979

I don't quite understand that you hiked to this repeater and "think" there is a USFS sticker above the yellow sign. I assume you walked right up to the repeater, was the USFS sticker faded or had been peeled off to the point you could not be sure if it was a USFS sticker? Also, nearly all USFS property where a metal sign is used has a Forest Service emblem on it. If not it is a generic U.S. Government property sign, which the USFS could use, but when I worked for the USFS we didn't use it as we had one for our own agency. Sitton Peak is not listed on any USFS site/frequency information. I need to read back in this thread where this was first mentioned.

 

[es93546]

Updated to add in Comms 26

Brush 288
Comms 22, 26, 27, 28, 29
2Charles1 (supervisor?)
2Edward 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10, 11, 12
Engineer 325
2King 1 & 5 (canine units)
Lookout 03, 41, 50, 51 57, 62 (Palomar)
Patrol 21, 22, 23, 33, 34, 41, 42
Prevention 24
Ranger 2
Rec 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 31
Trails 21
2Tom 2 (LEO Trainee)
Utility 36

Charles stands for patrol captain, who is like a sergeant. Every captain is supervised by an agent, I think the title "Special Agent" is used, but I could be wrong. Agents have a identifier of "David." At one time there was an agent on nearly every forest. The Inyo NF had one the entire time I was on the Forest (1988-1999), but hasn't had one in quite some time. When the agent we had picked up a job in the Washington office, they didn't fill the position after she left. I'm not sure what agent supervises the Inyo patrol captain now. I think agents, depending on workload, supervise an area or zone of forests. If they are supervising a zone, then you won't hear them on the radio much. They have supervisory, administrative and investigation responsibilities. They drive unmarked vehicles that don't have any radio, siren or light controls visible in the interior, even though the rigs are equipped with all of that. They aren't on the radio very much and don't do much typical field work that would require dispatch services. The usually use a cell phone to communicate with dispatch. The Angeles has the workload to have its own without supervising a zone. However, the cutbacks that the Inyo has gone through makes me think that all my assumptions could be wrong. In several key functions outside of fire management the agency can't even address some very basic responsibilities.

 

[norcalscan]

Sitton Peak is not listed on any USFS site/frequency information.

Sitton Peak has been tone 12 for both forest and admin nets for the CNF.

 

[Teotwaki]

I don't quite understand that you hiked to this repeater and "think" there is a USFS sticker above the yellow sign. I assume you walked right up to the repeater, was the USFS sticker faded or had been peeled off to the point you could not be sure if it was a USFS sticker? Also, nearly all USFS property where a metal sign is used has a Forest Service emblem on it. If not it is a generic U.S. Government property sign, which the USFS could use, but when I worked for the USFS we didn't use it as we had one for our own agency. Sitton Peak is not listed on any USFS site/frequency information. I need to read back in this thread where this was first mentioned.

I don't understand why you charge in here and berate Agent Dave and then erroneously claim there is no USFS Sitton Peak site. It's been around for many years. Please re-read the relevant posts, maybe re-introduce yourself and admit other people know cool stuff that you don't. I imagine that you know cool stuff that you could share.


SittonPk

LocationID R5CNF_SittonPk
Name SittonPk
Health UNMONITORED
HealthReason Added thru coverage import process
HealthUpdated 10/5/2015 2:42:53 PM
RulesEnabled <Null>
Lat 33.587222
Lon -117.446111
MGRS 11SMT5860316479
RegionID 05
RegionName R5-Pacific Southwest
ForestID 0502
ForestName Cleveland National Forest
IsMonitored 0
ESN <Null>
Elevation_Meters 0
ModelType <Null>
FS_Bldg <Null>
Mtn_Top <Null>
Pwr_Reqs <Null>
Ethernet <Null>
Satellite <Null>
Microwave <Null>
COM_Circuits <Null>
Sat_Ant_Loc <Null>
Rptr_Qty <Null>
Accessible <Null>
Generator <Null>
Ups_DC_Pwr <Null>
Tx_Antenna <Null>
Dbi <Null>
Antenna_Height_Meters <Null>
Antenna_Azth <Null>
Txpo_Watts <Null>
Contact_Name <Null>
Contact_Telephone <Null>
Contact_Address <Null>
Contact_City <Null>
Contact_State <Null>
Contact_Zip <Null>
DateTimeStamp <Null>
EnclosureTemperature <Null>
EnclosureTemperatureMin <Null>
EnclosureTemperatureMax <Null>
SystemBatteryVoltage <Null>
SystemBatteryVoltageMin <Null>
SystemBatteryCharge <Null>
PrimaryACMonitor <Null>
PrimaryACMonitorMin <Null>
TertiaryACMonitorMin <Null>
SecondaryACMonitorMin <Null>
Secondary1BatteryVoltage <Null>
Secondary1BatteryVoltageMin <Null>
Secondary1BatteryCharge <Null>
Secondary2BatteryVoltage <Null>
Secondary2BatteryVoltageMin <Null>
OpenDoorCounter <Null>
FuelLevel <Null>
RepeatersInRed <Null>
ESRI_OID 1195

I am interested in Inyo NF comms as I was just up at Papoose Flat over the last four days and had some Inyo freqs in my work radio. Mostly heard light activity on south 173.8375

Inyo comms should be in a separate thread rather than clutter up this one.

Jim

 

[es93546]

Sitton Peak has been tone 12 for both forest and admin nets for the CNF.

I rechecked my frequency directories and saw that I had missed Sitton Peak in the list of repeaters. This sort of thing is happening with more frequency as I get older. There is a lot more to the story, but I don't want to get personal here. My member name is "es", plus my local zip code. The "es" stands for two things, "Exsmokey" or "eastern Sierra." I had been a member of RR since 2002 and quit in 2016 due to problems I was running into with some database administrators, who issued me infractions and sent me some interesting private messages. There is much more to that story, but it is water under the bridge. I rejoined, I think, late last summer. I think some of you might possibly remember "Exsmokey." So much for the requested reintroduction. I don't know much that is cool, I leave that up to others. I do have a few very good sources of information. Fortunately, some others on this site have some great sources of info as well. Together, we should be able to figure many things out. Having worked for the USFS in 4 states and in 3 USFS regions (R3, R4 and R5 - in that order to boot!) and having had a fairly wide number of experiences I can add a thing or two now and again.

I don't understand why you charge in here and berate Agent Dave and then erroneously claim there is no USFS Sitton Peak site. It's been around for many years. Please re-read the relevant posts, maybe re-introduce yourself and admit other people know cool stuff that you don't. I imagine that you know cool stuff that you could share.

I didn't mean to "berate Agent Dave." I'm sorry if I came across that way. I did not understand how he hiked to the repeater, but only thought there was a USFS sticker on the cabinet. If he only got as close as the picture he took, then this is understandable. I asked some questions to clear this up.

I may have used, or could have used, Sitton Peak in 1988, when I was working a fire that had burned up from Camp Pendleton. Given it uses Tone 12, it probably didn't exist that long ago. I was sent in to staff an fire informational station at the private land east of the peak, which could have been threatened by the fire. I remember that subdivision having some interesting residents. It sure is located in a hazardous location, given the fuels that surround it.

I did reread this thread, but didn't get back more than about 6-8 pages. If you have questions about the Inyo, I might be able to answer them in another thread. I will let you start it.

 

[Mike_G_D]

Wow! I actually didn't realize you (es93546) and ExSmokey were one and the same! Anyway, Fred...right?...I, for one, am glad you're back as I always enjoyed your informative posts on federal forest and national park and natural resource managment!

-Mike

 

[P25Radio]

Has the DB been updated ?

 

[Teotwaki]

Has the DB been updated ?

Where is it wrong?