Dallas Fire Rescue Frequency?

Status
Not open for further replies.

avflyguy

Member
Joined
May 7, 2009
Messages
46
Location
Plano, TX
How come I can hear DFR just fine on RR live audio feed, but I can't find it for anything on 2 different scanners?

Last I had was the Dispatch and Fire / Rescue could be heard on either 453.875 or 453.900. Use to hear them just fine several years ago but can't hear anything. I CAN hear the North Central PD just fine on 460.175

I've been all over than landscape either side of those and can't hear anything!

Sitting with ext antenna 20 feet of top of roofline - Frankford / Marsh Ln area. (lots of elevation for this area). Where might be the closest repeater?
 

Alliance01TX

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
May 11, 2007
Messages
371
Location
DFW Texas
Did you go to the RR Frequency Database and review?

Go to Database Tab
Click & Drill-Down to Texas
Click on Dallas County
Navigate around to City of Dallas and you should find the channels....
I normally hear the Dispatch in North Ft. Worth and the other two (2) main channels (EMS) and "Trucks" responding on the other freq's as list in Radio Reference' Data Base' look up....

Dispatch is still 460.575
 

Alliance01TX

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
May 11, 2007
Messages
371
Location
DFW Texas
Dallas Fire Department (DFD) Freq's

Dallas Fire Department via RR Database.

Dallas Fire Department uses Motorola Sabre handheld units. When units are dispatched to a BOX the apparatus will always monitor DFD F01 (453.875) - Fire Response channel for information from 660 (DFD Dispatcher Callsign). However, the office and firefighters turn their handhelds to DFD F11 (465.6125) - Fire Ground Staging. This frequency is SIMPLEX so only the companies on scene can hear the transmissions from the Battalion Chief. Once the company has been given an assignment, they then switch their handhelds to the DFD F12 (465.6375) - Fireground. This channel is SIMPLEX, so only the general area (within a 1 mile radius) can hear the communications. All normal fire ground traffic is carried out on this channel and it is heavily trafficked. There are sectors, command units, rehab, etc. reporting on what they see. IF you can ever get close to a DFD fire, and have your scanner, program those 2 frequencies into your scanner and get ready for some enjoyment. (Thanks to Wild Bill for this info!)

Frequency License Type Tone Alpha Tag Description Mode Tag
460.57500 KKN377 R 173.8 PL Dal FD Disp Dispatch FM Fire Dispatch
453.87500 KTQ245 R 131 DPL Dal FD1 Fire Fire Response FM Fire Dispatch
453.90000 WPDY802 RM 131 DPL Dal FD2 EMS Rescue Response FM Fire Dispatch
451.15000 KKO224 RM 131 DPL Dal FD3 Shop Units to Shop and Major Incidents FM Fire-Tac
453.67500 WPDY802 RM 131 DPL Dal FD4 FG Repeated Fireground / Admin FM Fire-Tac
463.00000 KS8879 RM 173.8 PL Dal FD6/Med1 Rescue Ambulance to Hospital FM EMS-Tac
463.02500 KS8879 M 173.8 PL Dal FD7/Med2 MICU Ambulance to Hospital FM EMS-Tac
463.07500 KS8879 M 173.8 PL Dal FD8/Med4 MICU Ambulance to Hospital FM EMS-Tac
463.12500 KS8879 M 173.8 PL Dal FD9/Med6 MICU Ambulance to Hospital FM EMS-Tac
460.61250 WPLX264 M 173.8 PL Dal FD9 Trng Simplex Training FM Fire-Tac
460.63750 WPLX264 M 173.8 PL Dal FD10 Haz Simplex Specialty Teams/Hazmat FM Fire-Tac
465.61250 WPLX264 M 173.8 PL Dal FD11 Stg Simplex Fireground Staging FM Fire-Tac
465.63750 WPLX264 M 173.8 PL Dal FD12 FG Simplex Fireground Operations FM Fire-Tac
154.28000 CSQ Dal FD MA Mutual Aid FM Fire-Talk
453.65000 WNAE384 R 173.8 PL Dal FD B/U Backup Repeater - Forest x Preston FM Fire-Tac
453.70000 KJV288 RM 173.8 PL Dal FD B/U Backup Repeater - Garland x NW FM Fire-Tac
453.85000 KJV288 BM 173.8 PL Dal FD B/U Backup Repeater - DPD SW Substation FM Fire-Tac
 

avflyguy

Member
Joined
May 7, 2009
Messages
46
Location
Plano, TX
Dallas Fire Department via RR Database.

Dallas Fire Department uses Motorola Sabre handheld units. When units are dispatched to a BOX the apparatus will always monitor DFD F01 (453.875) - Fire Response channel for information from 660 (DFD Dispatcher Callsign).

Frequency License Type Tone Alpha Tag Description Mode Tag
---> THIS--> 460.57500 KKN377 R 173.8 PL Dal FD Disp Dispatch FM Fire Dispatch
---> THIS -->453.87500 KTQ245 R 131 DPL Dal FD1 Fire Fire Response FM Fire Dispatch
----> THIS-->453.90000 WPDY802 RM 131 DPL Dal FD2 EMS Rescue Response FM Fire Dispatch


These are the primary freqs I try to hear. They come thru just fine on the live RR feed, but very weak and sparsley intermittent or NOTHING at all on a PRO 97 or an older desktop Pro 2022.

I can hear tons of other stuff all over the area (Addison, Carrollton, FB, Plano, Parker/Lucas, etc) and I'm less than a mile from station 10 and hear NOTHING.

Very Frustrating.
 

n5ims

Member
Joined
Jul 25, 2004
Messages
3,993
I'm just a bit west of you and they come in fine here. I'm only using a mobile UHF antenna indoors stuck on a pie pan for that scanner (a RS Pro-2055). They also come in fine on my pro-95 using the stock duckie.
 

SCPD

QRT
Joined
Feb 24, 2001
Messages
0
Location
Virginia
These are the primary freqs I try to hear. They come thru just fine on the live RR feed, but very weak and sparsley intermittent or NOTHING at all on a PRO 97 or an older desktop Pro 2022.

I can hear tons of other stuff all over the area (Addison, Carrollton, FB, Plano, Parker/Lucas, etc) and I'm less than a mile from station 10 and hear NOTHING.

Very Frustrating.

Try buying a new antenna/Scanner - I'm 60 miles north of the metroplex and hear DFR just fine on a stock antenna.
 

avflyguy

Member
Joined
May 7, 2009
Messages
46
Location
Plano, TX
I've just replaced my antenna with one of these:

Outdoor VHF-Hi/UHF Scanner Antenna - RadioShack.com

I'm using 75 feet of RG8 from the antenna to the inside of the house and using BNC connector "T" to RG58 leads of not more than 10 feet long to connect the Pro2022 and Pro97 via BNC at every connection point.

One possibility ? This long lead of RG8 feed from the antenna to the house is well over 30 years old. When I got the new anntenna I snipped off both end ands about 6 inches connetcted a new PL259 on the antenna end side and the BNC to the other end. The braid wasn't bright and shiny but the stinger looked brand new.

Checked with continuity at both ends to make sure no shorts and was just fine.

Would a better lead in do better?
 

hiegtx

Mentor
Premium Subscriber
Joined
May 8, 2004
Messages
11,172
Location
Dallas, TX
I've just replaced my antenna with one of these:

Outdoor VHF-Hi/UHF Scanner Antenna - RadioShack.com

I'm using 75 feet of RG8 from the antenna to the inside of the house and using BNC connector "T" to RG58 leads of not more than 10 feet long to connect the Pro2022 and Pro97 via BNC at every connection point.

One possibility ? This long lead of RG8 feed from the antenna to the house is well over 30 years old. When I got the new anntenna I snipped off both end ands about 6 inches connetcted a new PL259 on the antenna end side and the BNC to the other end. The braid wasn't bright and shiny but the stinger looked brand new.

Checked with continuity at both ends to make sure no shorts and was just fine.

Would a better lead in do better?
At 30 years old, that coax is past due for replacement (based on my past experience). Water, over time, will wick into it, and degrade the performance, even thought it may not be apparent to the naked eye. You can see the difference, in terms of signal loss, for various types of coax here. I suspect that new coax will help at least as much as 'better' coax.

Still curious as to what kind of reception you're area is getting. Based on n5ims comments, he's a little west of you, but is getting reception at ground level, more or less, on a handheld Pro-95, and a Pro-2055 using an antenna indoors.
 

avflyguy

Member
Joined
May 7, 2009
Messages
46
Location
Plano, TX
At 30 years old, that coax is past due for replacement (based on my past experience). Water, over time, will wick into it, and degrade the performance, even thought it may not be apparent to the naked eye. You can see the difference, in terms of signal loss, for various types of coax here. I suspect that new coax will help at least as much as 'better' coax.

Still curious as to what kind of reception you're area is getting. Based on n5ims comments, he's a little west of you, but is getting reception at ground level, more or less, on a handheld Pro-95, and a Pro-2055 using an antenna indoors.

I am at loss why N5ims is getting all this reception on duck antenna - have no idea. The duck antenna on my Pro 97 says "800 MHz", to that may explain not getting anything on the Pro 97 and my Pro2022 doesn't have the the original screw in antenna, so have to use BNC connector.

How about this? I've got about 100 ft on a spool of some RG6 "quad shield" that I've had in storage for awhile. Was left over from a CATV / Cable TV install before I swithced to satelitte.. Never been connected or exposed to the outside (yet) The last time the Dish Network guy was out, he really 'bragged" on the high quality of quad-shield and said that is even better than Dish or Direct use! I presume that to mean it has very low signal loss?

At over a buck a foot for 9913 would prefer to use what I already have. (RG6 Quad shield) Would this work as well? I've got a load of F connectors and the compression tool and could do adapters back to BNC for the lead inside.

As an aside on location, if you sit facing west at Frankford and Marsh, you can see for MILES to the west. Beyond Bush, it starts downhill for maybe 100 feet or so by reaching Kelly or Josey. I'm actually a little higher being just 1/2 mile east of Frankford at Marsh. My elevation (at 29.92 std pressure) is 655 ft MSL It's a litle uphill to the east but not very much. Standing on my roof, I can see Bush/Tollway interchange to the N.E and some buildings around Addison Airport to the S.E. Due south is blocked by trees and due N is blocked by large trees. Granted, I am on the fringe of the Dallas city area with Plano north and N.E, Carrollton to the W and NW and Dallas to the S, E, and SE.
 

hiegtx

Mentor
Premium Subscriber
Joined
May 8, 2004
Messages
11,172
Location
Dallas, TX
I am at loss why N5ims is getting all this reception on duck antenna - have no idea. The duck antenna on my Pro 97 says "800 MHz", to that may explain not getting anything on the Pro 97 and my Pro2022 doesn't have the the original screw in antenna, so have to use BNC connector.

How about this? I've got about 100 ft on a spool of some RG6 "quad shield" that I've had in storage for awhile. Was left over from a CATV / Cable TV install before I swithced to satelitte.. Never been connected or exposed to the outside (yet) The last time the Dish Network guy was out, he really 'bragged" on the high quality of quad-shield and said that is even better than Dish or Direct use! I presume that to mean it has very low signal loss?

At over a buck a foot for 9913 would prefer to use what I already have. (RG6 Quad shield) Would this work as well? I've got a load of F connectors and the compression tool and could do adapters back to BNC for the lead inside.

As an aside on location, if you sit facing west at Frankford and Marsh, you can see for MILES to the west. Beyond Bush, it starts downhill for maybe 100 feet or so by reaching Kelly or Josey. I'm actually a little higher being just 1/2 mile east of Frankford at Marsh. My elevation (at 29.92 std pressure) is 655 ft MSL It's a litle uphill to the east but not very much. Standing on my roof, I can see Bush/Tollway interchange to the N.E and some buildings around Addison Airport to the S.E. Due south is blocked by trees and due N is blocked by large trees. Granted, I am on the fringe of the Dallas city area with Plano north and N.E, Carrollton to the W and NW and Dallas to the S, E, and SE.
One possible explanation for why N5ims is getting reception, & you're not, was in the pm I sent you. If you have reception troubles on the Pro-97, at ground level, with it's rubber duck, then it's likely either local interference, or a dead spot. Your coax is also part of the issue, as far as not hearing with a rooftop antenna. I have monitored Dallas Fire, on a handheld, well up into Denton County (Corinth area), so I would not consider your location "fringe".

The RG6 coax is what comes with the ScanTenna (also known as the ST-2). I have two of these antennas up, using the included RG6, and get excellent range from them. While not as low loss as the 9913, and some of the others you'll see recommended, it's still a workable compromise. The cable you have is probably a higher grade than the 50ft coil included with the scanner antennas I have. For the 'downstairs' end, I use this connector on one feed. Since you're splitting to two scanners, you might be better off to come down to a standard "F" type connector, then split the cable using a cable type type splitter. Less interference between the individual scanners. My second feed terminates to a Type F. When feeding only one scanner, I use an F->BNC adapter . If feeding two scanners off that antenna, I use a cable-type splitter & two short pigtails.
 

Russell

Texas DB Admin
Database Admin
Joined
Dec 18, 2002
Messages
1,784
Location
Dallas Texas
It's also possible that the radio is being overdriven (too much signal). Though I don't see it specifically licensed, I think the tower next to the North Central PD substation has some FD transmitters. Try turning on attenuate for the channel your having trouble with and see if the reception improves.

FCC Callsign Proximity Search: N 32.998166666667 W -96.78 Range: 0.1

Russell
 
Last edited:

riccom

Upstate S.C.
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Jul 2, 2004
Messages
1,318
Location
Kansas City Mo
Could you be near a cell phone tower?

I ask cause I was next to a cell phone tower and my signal on almost all bands was diminshed, the cell phone towers are digital and push more wattage at times.

just an idea


Also i checked the area near the transmitters in a one mile area

The area is heavly saturated with rf in a one mile radius of the Dallas transmitter, so that wont be alot of help if your in that area!
 
Last edited:

avflyguy

Member
Joined
May 7, 2009
Messages
46
Location
Plano, TX
Not within eyesight from where I'm at. They could be disguised around some housing and buildings in the area, but I'd say I'm clear by a mile from any known towers around me.

Me thinks credence (in part) is in the old lead in wiring. It's at least 30 years old and at least 1/2 of it has been exposed to the outdoor elements for quite while. First attempt is going to be new lead in using 75 ohm RG6 quad shield, terminating to F connectors wtih a splitter then just some short lenghts of RG59 or RG8 to each scanner and see if that helps.

I still wonder if the config as shown for the Pro97 is set correctly?

dfr.JPG
 

riccom

Upstate S.C.
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Jul 2, 2004
Messages
1,318
Location
Kansas City Mo
your pro

Not within eyesight from where I'm at. They could be disguised around some housing and buildings in the area, but I'd say I'm clear by a mile from any known towers around me.

Me thinks credence (in part) is in the old lead in wiring. It's at least 30 years old and at least 1/2 of it has been exposed to the outdoor elements for quite while. First attempt is going to be new lead in using 75 ohm RG6 quad shield, terminating to F connectors wtih a splitter then just some short lenghts of RG59 or RG8 to each scanner and see if that helps.

I still wonder if the config as shown for the Pro97 is set correctly?

dfr.JPG

as far as i see yes it is configured right, but sometimes the pro 97 can be a intermod beast, but your settings are right,

on the cable part i guess i would have to be there to make a call, but i would repace the coax and try from there
 

Alliance01TX

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
May 11, 2007
Messages
371
Location
DFW Texas
Have you tried these scanner(s) at a different location?

Also, just for the heck of it REMOVE the PL Tones (CT/DC) and go CSQ (no tones / squelch control only) on 460.575 and see what happens....

I suspect, as well noted in prior post it appears to be Top-3 (Connectors-Coax-Antenna) related and this would be proved if the scanner operates ok say 5 miles away from you location....otherwise you may have a location issue (blind or overload) perhaps...
 

Russell

Texas DB Admin
Database Admin
Joined
Dec 18, 2002
Messages
1,784
Location
Dallas Texas
Not within eyesight from where I'm at. They could be disguised around some housing and buildings in the area, but I'd say I'm clear by a mile from any known towers around me.

Me thinks credence (in part) is in the old lead in wiring. It's at least 30 years old and at least 1/2 of it has been exposed to the outdoor elements for quite while. First attempt is going to be new lead in using 75 ohm RG6 quad shield, terminating to F connectors wtih a splitter then just some short lenghts of RG59 or RG8 to each scanner and see if that helps.

I still wonder if the config as shown for the Pro97 is set correctly?

The RG6QS will definitely work. I've used this for years at several location with great performance. Give that a shot, I'll bet it helps. I just recently replaced mine with LMR400 and it is clearly better, but much harder to work with (and more expensive).

It has also been my experience with RS scanners that the wire connecting the center conductor of the BNC connector to the circuit board can break. I've had this happen on several RS scanners, though not with the Pro97 or Pro95's, but it can happen. It's a relatively easy thing to repair. Howver, if your scanner works in other location but not at home, this probably isn't your problem.

Russell
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top