CZU/SCU lightning complex frequencies.

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Does anyone know the frequencies they are using on these fires? All day today until about 6pm I was receiving the CZU frequencies specifically Ben Lomond and boulder creek area fire, and after 6 I’ve only heard radio silence. Was wondering if anyone knows what frequencies cal fire favorites for large incidents? Or if anyone has the IAP RX frequencies only that would be greatly appreciated. For today 8/19 SCU complex has been working on Vtac 13 and command 8.
 

mmckenna

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I haven't seen the IC205 yet. If I run across one at work tomorrow, I'll let you know.

Things are a total mess up there. It's entirely possible they lost some sites.

Mt. Hamilton over on the other side is taking a beating:
I know that fire burned over the radio site up there, unsure if they were able to protect it. I do see the SVRCS tower is still standing, the fire lookout is still standing, and the CalFire repeaters are there with it. That site is going to be a C.F. for a while. They evacuated the site earlier today. Haven't heard from anyone up there since around noon.
 

N6ML

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SCU was running command for the Canyon Zone on SCU Local (which happens to be the same frequency as Command 8) up to last night. It sounds quiet this morning so-far, but I've only been listening for about 20 mins. They were originally running the Deer Zone on Command 1 (Tone 1), but I believe they moved everyone to SCU Local. I've been hearing Sacramento ECC on Command 1 since yesterday.
 

techynyc

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Does anyone know the frequencies they are using on these fires? All day today until about 6pm I was receiving the CZU frequencies specifically Ben Lomond and boulder creek area fire, and after 6 I’ve only heard radio silence. Was wondering if anyone knows what frequencies cal fire favorites for large incidents? Or if anyone has the IAP RX frequencies only that would be greatly appreciated. For today 8/19 SCU complex has been working on Vtac 13 and command 8.
SCU was running command for the Canyon Zone on SCU Local (which happens to be the same frequency as Command 8) up to last night. It sounds quiet this morning so-far, but I've only been listening for about 20 mins. They were originally running the Deer Zone on Command 1 (Tone 1), but I believe they moved everyone to SCU Local. I've been hearing Sacramento ECC on Command 1 since yesterday.
 
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SCU was running command for the Canyon Zone on SCU Local (which happens to be the same frequency as Command 8) up to last night. It sounds quiet this morning so-far, but I've only been listening for about 20 mins. They were originally running the Deer Zone on Command 1 (Tone 1), but I believe they moved everyone to SCU Local. I've been hearing Sacramento ECC on Command 1 since yesterday.

I found a list of the tones on cal fire from 2011, and then I found another list with the same tones for 2018-2019. When a unit speaks on Cal fire Felton, they say, “unit ID Felton local, tone 10, ....” but on both List I found, it’s actually tone 9. Does that mean the lists I found is inaccurate?
 
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Does anyone know the frequencies they are using on these fires? All day today until about 6pm I was receiving the CZU frequencies specifically Ben Lomond and boulder creek area fire, and after 6 I’ve only heard radio silence. Was wondering if anyone knows what frequencies cal fire favorites for large incidents? Or if anyone has the IAP RX frequencies only that would be greatly appreciated. For today 8/19 SCU complex has been working on Vtac 13 and command 8.

just heard CDF tac 27 is new tac channel for Branch 2 of CZU complex.
 

N6ML

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I found a list of the tones on cal fire from 2011, and then I found another list with the same tones for 2018-2019. When a unit speaks on Cal fire Felton, they say, “unit ID Felton local, tone 10, ....” but on both List I found, it’s actually tone 9. Does that mean the lists I found is inaccurate?

The tone system is pretty complex. It takes a while to get your head around it. When they something like "Local tone 10", tone 10 is the *input* tone (aka TX CTCSS), which is used to bring up a specific repeater. All of the repeaters (for a given net) use the same *output* tone (RX CTCSS).

As for CZU, Local tone 10 is on Loma Prieta. *Command* tone 9 is also on Loma Prieta. Local tone 9 is on Mt Toro..... at least according to the 2011 plan (page 64).
 
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The tone system is pretty complex. It takes a while to get your head around it. When they something like "Local tone 10", tone 10 is the *input* tone (aka TX CTCSS), which is used to bring up a specific repeater. All of the repeaters (for a given net) use the same *output* tone (RX CTCSS).

As for CZU, Local tone 10 is on Loma Prieta. *Command* tone 9 is also on Loma Prieta. Local tone 9 is on Mt Toro..... at least according to the 2011 plan (page 64).
Ahhh so that’s why the #’s aren’t adding up to me. So I start with the final answer which is the rx frequency and need to look at what the tx frequency is and what CTCSS tone goes with that tx frequency. And whatever that tx frequency is, is the one that they say they are on.

AND, that means the local tone system is different than the state wide tone system. So local tone 10 could be 156.7 but statewide tone 10 is like 123 or something like that.
 

N6ML

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Ahhh so that’s why the #’s aren’t adding up to me. So I start with the final answer which is the rx frequency and need to look at what the tx frequency is and what CTCSS tone goes with that tx frequency. And whatever that tx frequency is, is the one that they say they are on.

AND, that means the local tone system is different than the state wide tone system. So local tone 10 could be 156.7 but statewide tone 10 is like 123 or something like that.

The tone numbers are (supposed to be) standard across all fire service agencies in CA.

For a given "net" (e.g. CZU Local), there are several repeaters, on different hilltops, all using the same input and output frequencies, and the same output tone, but each has a different input tone. That allows the transmitting unit to select which repeater they activate, but they can monitor all repeaters, because they all use the same output tone.
 

KK6ZTE

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Also, working off a document 9 years old can make things more complicated. Tones can move from one site to another.

FIRESCOPE has standardized the tones in CA. All of the first 16 tones (32 actually) should be the same for any wildland agency.

EDIT: One more thing to consider is they may not refer to a channel by it's name. For instance, if CZU Local tone 10 is the assigned command channel for an incident, units will refer to it as "Command". For instance, "Delta IC, Engine 1767 on Command". When that channel is not assigned to an incident, they would refer to it as "Local". "Felton, Engine 1767 on Local 10"
 
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Also, working off a document 9 years old can make things more complicated. Tones can move from one site to another.

FIRESCOPE has standardized the tones in CA. All of the first 16 tones (32 actually) should be the same for any wildland agency.
I saw the list of 32, that’s good to know they are standardized.
Hey I just applied to broadcast the CZU feed, how long does that normally take to get approved? I think I may have messed up by selecting public safety instead of disaster event but I filled in all the channels and frequencies I am planning on broadcasting.
 
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I haven't seen the IC205 yet. If I run across one at work tomorrow, I'll let you know.

Things are a total mess up there. It's entirely possible they lost some sites.

Mt. Hamilton over on the other side is taking a beating:
I know that fire burned over the radio site up there, unsure if they were able to protect it. I do see the SVRCS tower is still standing, the fire lookout is still standing, and the CalFire repeaters are there with it. That site is going to be a C.F. for a while. They evacuated the site earlier today. Haven't heard from anyone up there since around noon.

did you come across a IC205 at work today?
 

officer_415

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Does anyone know the frequencies they are using on these fires? All day today until about 6pm I was receiving the CZU frequencies specifically Ben Lomond and boulder creek area fire, and after 6 I’ve only heard radio silence. Was wondering if anyone knows what frequencies cal fire favorites for large incidents? Or if anyone has the IAP RX frequencies only that would be greatly appreciated. For today 8/19 SCU complex has been working on Vtac 13 and command 8.

CZU Complex

CDF Command 2
Tacticals: NIFC T1, T5, T6, T7, VFIRE26, CDF T26, T27, T30, T31
Air/Ground: CDF T17
Air Tactics: 168.7375

SCU Complex

NIFC Command 3 - 170.425
NIFC Command 10 - 170.4125
NIFC Command 11 - 170.6875
NIFC Command 38 - 172.675
NIFC Command 40 - 173.750
(all linked together, 131.8 PL)

Tacticals: VTAC 11, 12, 13, 14, VFIRE 23, 24, CDF T29, 30
Air/Ground: CDF T20
Air Tactics: 169.2875
 

N6ML

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SCU Complex

NIFC Command 3 - 170.425
NIFC Command 10 - 170.4125
NIFC Command 11 - 170.6875
NIFC Command 38 - 172.675
NIFC Command 40 - 173.750
(all linked together, 131.8 PL)

Tacticals: VTAC 11, 12, 13, 14, VFIRE 23, 24, CDF T29, 30
Air/Ground: CDF T20
Air Tactics: 169.2875

Thanks! 170.4125 is the strongest in Brentwood (near the Deer Zone). 170.425 is good too, but 12dB down.

BTW, HelCo was using 133.025 and 120.775, but I don't know if they still are - all of the activity has moved far south of me now. Looks like they moved the HeliBase from Byron to Livermore too.
 

ian707

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Sorry to hijack this thread but anyone know the frequencies they are using for the LNU Lightning Complex? I have most of the Cal fire and Sonoma frequencies in my scanner but most of them are pretty quiet.
 
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