Death Valley Freqs

[BirkenVogt]

For you to bring up "tie in" indicates you have listened to Forest Service radio systems for some time. If you listen to tactical communications on fires the term "bump" is one that may be a curiousity also. I had the same pocket notebook in my fire shirt for my entire year that I used to keep track of the names of my crews and other important incident information. I started to keep a list of wildland fire lingo that I heard frequently. It is still a mystery to me what the difference between "face-to-face" and "tie in" is. "Face-to-face" seems to be used most often on incidents and quite frequently when people are on foot. "Tie in" seems to be for day to day work when vehicles are involved.

I could write a very large Wiki submission on an insider's view of what employees natural resource agencies face in their daily jobs and the lingo they use. I will probably never get the time. I am now in a new profession and am trying to learn the lingo used in it.

I was a ground pounder for many years in California and the Northwest, now I work for a municipal FD and while wildland is not our responsibility (being in California that is the State's) I still work with the same kind of people, and as you mention, often the very same people as before. It is a small world one day you can be in Arizona and the next in Washington and a few days later run into the same people all over again.

Anyway in my experience "face to face" isn't used that much but a newcomer we had working for us one summer was getting annoyed by the constant cliche of "tie in" this and "tie in" that over the radio. We always just took it for granted but he pointed out the hilarity of it and I have noticed it ever since. You will tie in a handline, tie in a dozer line, tie in a retardant line, to tie in with somebody means to meet with them, or maybe just communicate with them be it over the radio, phone, or by smoke signals, you might tie in some paperwork which is to say complete the assignment, even one concept or idea might "tie in" with another one, the possible meanings are endless. It is great fun to listen to the radio and see how many times that it says "tie in".

Birken

 

[zerg901]

PBS Nature is doing a show about Death Valley tonight. I have seen their Cessna patrol plane twice already. Its has "PATROL" painted across the top of the wing. Peter Sz

 

[Tumbleweed]

I used to work for NPS in Death Valley. There is a structural engine at Cow Creek. (Engine 1?) I think it's at the Ranger's office parked with the ambulance. As far as I know they are toned out on 170.100. The fire engine at Grapevine/Scotty's is in the Grapevine maintenace area. Dispatch comes from San Bernardino County.

 

[LZJSR]

EMS in Death Valley

I know that DVNP has a National Park Service ambulance, but who staffs it, and when they do respond, do they actually transport to a hospital, or do they always rendezvous with a local EMS resource coming from outside of the park?

 

[Tumbleweed]

Death Valley

The ambulance is staffed by park service employees. Most are Rangers but not all of them. There is an ambulance at Cow Creek, Stovepipe and I'm pretty sure at Grapevine. I could be wrong but I think they transport to Pahrump. Sometimes they will bring in a helicopter (Mercy Air).

 

[SCPD]

I've heard the NPS ambulance working medical incidents and as I remember they communicate with a hospital in Las Vegas. I don't remember which hospital it was but I think it was the largest in the city. They used the park net to communicate.

Just to clarify Death Valley National Park is dispatched by the federal interagency communications center in San Bernardino, located at the Forest Supervisor's office of the San Bernardino National Forest. This center provides service for Joshua Tree and Death Valley National Parks, Mojave National Preserve, the San Bernardino National Forest, and the California Desert District of the BLM.

 

[Tumbleweed]

Thanks for the info Exsmokey. I always thought (for no particular reason) that it was San Bernardino SO.

The Law enforcement Rangers are the 400 call signs. I think the Chief Ranger is '401'. They have a slightly different call sign when talking to San Bernardino. For example '429' would call SB as '4R29'. But when talking within the park service would just be '429'. The 500's are maintenance.

I have a question: When San Bernardino transmits do they come across all of the repeaters or just one at a time?

 

[SCPD]

There is a one hop microwave link from San Sevaine Peak to Rogers. San Seavine is near Lytle Creek. The dispatcher can then bring up any one of the three repeaters, one at a time. Rogers covers much of the Park an has a tone of 141.3 input and output. I don't remember the tones for Grapvine (southeast of Scotty's Castle) or Dry Peak (on the ridge south of Ubehebe Crater). These latter two repeaters do not have the input tone tramsmitted on the output, so you are only able to identiry when Rogers is used.

Natural resource federal agencies are not dispatched by local governments. Every dispatch center in the country are interagency, with the BLM, NPS, USFS, US FWS, and BIA participating when they have lands within the dispatch zone. The only time a state dispatches for a federal agency is when the comm center is a Cal Fire/US Forest Service interagency center, such as "Camino" and "Grass Valley."

 

[sjmitchell]

Just got back from a trip to Death Valley and thought I'd report a little.

I was looking for 2m ham repeaters and confirmed that it's pretty darned hard to hit any from inside the valley. I could hear a weak signal from the 146.88 machine pretty reliably, but could only key it up periodically. Likewise the 145.28 and I believe there's a 146.94 machine there that I could hear as well (but don't think I could hit it). I was using 65 watts into a 5/8 wave antenna--so that's probably the best you're going to do mobile. This is mostly from the Furnace Creek campground. If you want to get out, best bet is to go up to Dante's View where you can pretty much hit anything in the surrounding area.

I have an APRS tracker on my mobile. I entered the valley from the Ridgecrest side up through Trona and my tracker lost all digis while west of Ridgecrest. At the top of Dante's View it looks like I was getting out through digis in Las Vegas. Interestingly, on the valley floor I tuned my mobile to 144.39 and could hear at least one other APRS station in the area--but no digi responses to our beacons.

Most activity on 170.100. They have a morning report that is worth catching (don't recall the time). If I'm not mistaken, I was hearing 170.100 in Ridgecrest and beyond. No NWS freqs that I could hear from the valley floor. There was sparse vehicle stop activity on 154.725.

Lots of CB antennas on the numerous 4x4 vehicles in the area. And don't forget about FRS.

Steve, N6SJM

 

[Tumbleweed]

Morning Report

The Death Valley Morning Report is at 0900. I've got a link to it at my web site: Hells Gate Nevada-The News

 

[LZJSR]

154.725 is Inyo County Sheriff and also dispatch for Southern Inyo Fire Department in Tecopa/Shoshone area.

 

[SCPD]

Just got back from a trip to Death Valley and thought I'd report a little.

I was looking for 2m ham repeaters and confirmed that it's pretty darned hard to hit any from inside the valley. I could hear a weak signal from the 146.88 machine pretty reliably, but could only key it up periodically. Likewise the 145.28 and I believe there's a 146.94 machine there that I could hear as well (but don't think I could hit it). I was using 65 watts into a 5/8 wave antenna--so that's probably the best you're going to do mobile. This is mostly from the Furnace Creek campground. If you want to get out, best bet is to go up to Dante's View where you can pretty much hit anything in the surrounding area.

I have an APRS tracker on my mobile. I entered the valley from the Ridgecrest side up through Trona and my tracker lost all digis while west of Ridgecrest. At the top of Dante's View it looks like I was getting out through digis in Las Vegas. Interestingly, on the valley floor I tuned my mobile to 144.39 and could hear at least one other APRS station in the area--but no digi responses to our beacons.

Most activity on 170.100. They have a morning report that is worth catching (don't recall the time). If I'm not mistaken, I was hearing 170.100 in Ridgecrest and beyond. No NWS freqs that I could hear from the valley floor. There was sparse vehicle stop activity on 154.725.

Lots of CB antennas on the numerous 4x4 vehicles in the area. And don't forget about FRS.

Steve, N6SJM

The 146.880 repeater you heard is located on Potosi in the southern portion of the Spring Mountain range west of Las Vegas. Without going up to Dante's View the best I've ever done with it was in Tecopa where I could barely get in using a 50 watt mobile. My signal was poor enough and intermittent enough that I could not be copied. Too bad as it part of the Intermountain Intertie system.

The 146.940 repeater you heard is on Silver Peak, northwest of Bishop. It belongs to the Bishop Amateur Radio Club (BARC). On behalf of BARC and the Western Intertie Network (WIN) I wrote the National Park Service at Death Valley and inquired about putting a repeater on Rogers. They dismissed any possibility of erected any type of new building and indicated that the State of California's building is completely full. Another issue is that the solar collector/propane backup power system at Rogers is maxed out also. Death Valley is the largest area of Inyo County without ham repeater coverage. HF is the only way to cover it.

The ARRL Repeater Directory shows a number of listings for the Pahrump area. Two of them can be worked from the Death Valley junction area on SR 127 east of the park. 2 of the 3 are low level right in town. The third is located somewhere in the north Amargo's valley, but once you travel west from the junction you lose it. Except for my poor signal into the Potosi repeater, nothing can be worked from the Shoshone-Tecopa area. North of Trona there is a listing for a 146.970 repeater located up the slope on the southwestern portion of the Panimint Range. I haven't been in a position to try this repeater for many years. I don't know what its coverage is like to the north in the Panimint Valley.

The closest NWS transmitters are located on either Government or El Paso Peaks, south of Ridgecrest, and somewhere in the Las Vegas area. BARC has tried to get the NWS to place a transmitter on Silver Peak, which would provide coverage to most of the Owens Valley and would provide some spotty coverage in Death Valley itself in the Furnace Creek, and Ubahebe Crater areas. The Owens Valley is, in my opinion, the largest gap in NWS radio coverage, where there is a large amount recreation use and travel, in the country. I've written the NWS, my congressional rep, and Senator Fienstien about it. The NWS is aware of the situation but lacks the budget to establish a new transmitter. The previous Inyo County Sheriff was not interested in the situation, but the new Sheriff elected in 2006 might be, he is really sharp.

 

[SCPD]

The Death Valley Morning Report is at 0900. I've got a link to it at my web site: Hells Gate Nevada-The News

Are you able to receive any of the traffic on Roger's Peak from Beatty? NPS, Inyo S.O., and CHP? Is the Nevada HP and DOT using the NSRS only in that area?

Back in the early 2000's my wife and I were camping at Furnace Creek with some friends. I woke up early and turned on the scanner. Within a couple of minutes I began picking up traffic relative to a traffic stop attempted by NHP south of Beatty on 95. The vehicle had three occupants. A pursuit ensued with shots fired at the NHP officer. The pursuit continued through Beatty and then turned west into Death Valley. The subjects were then pursued by the original NHP officer, CHP, the NPS, and the Inyo S.O, with frequent shots being fired by the suspects . The Park's chief ranger managed to block their southern progress toward Furnace Creek, and they turned west into the Harmony Borax site. They continued past the end of the road and got their 4WD stuck. They attempted to walk south toward Furnace Creek but the NPS began firing at them and they continued west. The Park launched their aircraft, a single engine Cessna, and the CHP started their helicopter from Barstow. The suspects fired at the NPS plane while moving upslope and finally reaching an area of large rocks to take cover. They then shot at the CHP helicopter and hit an oil line, forcing the ship down in range of their rifles. Eventually a NPS western area SWAT team brought them into custody. I was in Furnace Creek the entire time listening. It was early on a Sunday morning. We were close enough to hear the gunfire directed toward the NPS fixed wing and the pursuing officers. Quite a situation to be near, the wild west in action!

 

[Eng74]

They didn't get the NWS transmitter south of Ridgecrest tell about two years ago.

 

[klinquist]

Exsmokey,

Bumping a thread from 7 years ago.... Will be traveling to DV for a few days in Jan and wondered if most of what you posted above still applies? Amazing amount of information.
Looking to form a communications plan for friends and I while we explore the park on motorcycle. Also heard that park rangers/CHP may now be actively ticketing motorcycles that cross road closed signs for the first time, so will be listening for that as well . Thanks in advance.

 

[LZJSR]

For Public Safety, I can verify the following (as of April 2013):

Death Valley Park: 170.1
San Bernardino County Fire (For SR-127 between Baker and Tecopa): 868.1375 (DPL 131)
Southern Inyo Fire (Tecopa/Shoshone/Southern Death Valley) and Inyo Sheriff: 154.725
BLM: 166.375
Mercy Air "AirComm"" 453.875 (pL:179.9)
CHP: 42.12/42.20

I also believe Lone Pine Fire responds to SR190 east of US395 toward Panamint Valley, and Amargosa Volunteer Ambulance responds towards Scotty's Castle/Nevada State Line on 155.4 (that is what I was told and put in my scanner, but can't independently verify).

You can also refer to the CAD site for access to the dispatch information: WCFICC and when you look at the "Incident Number" section, if it starts with DVP- that is a Death Valley call... hope that helps...

 

[scottyhetzel]

For Public Safety, I can verify the following (as of April 2013):

Death Valley Park: 170.1
San Bernardino County Fire (For SR-127 between Baker and Tecopa): 868.1375 (DPL 131)
Southern Inyo Fire (Tecopa/Shoshone/Southern Death Valley) and Inyo Sheriff: 154.725
BLM: 166.375
Mercy Air "AirComm"" 453.875 (pL:179.9)
CHP: 42.12/42.20

I also believe Lone Pine Fire responds to SR190 east of US395 toward Panamint Valley, and Amargosa Volunteer Ambulance responds towards Scotty's Castle/Nevada State Line on 155.4 (that is what I was told and put in my scanner, but can't independently verify).

You can also refer to the CAD site for access to the dispatch information: WCFICC and when you look at the "Incident Number" section, if it starts with DVP- that is a Death Valley call... hope that helps...

What PL ctcss did you get on the BLM freq.? 103.5 ? Curious

 

[LZJSR]

Yes, 103.5 receive tone for BLM 166.375...

 

[SCPD]

The California Desert District of the BLM uses 166.3750 and their fire net is 166.4875. The BLM Bishop Field Office is on 169.7125, but they don't use it very often as they are dispatched by the Inyo NF dispatch center in Bishop. This BLM office and the Inyo National Forest border the park on the west side. The BLM has the southern end of the Inyo Mountains and the Inyo NF has the northern part of the range.

I haven't read through all the posts in this old thread, but as far as I know nothing has changed except for Xanterra dropping their 400 MHz business frequency. They only have one license right now and that is for 151.835. If you get a chance to monitor 452.275 please do so. They had a repeater on the frequency and they had enough traffic to justify it. 151.835 was used by security only.

If you hear a structural fire dispatch in Furnace Creek note whether it is done on 154.725 or 154.430. I've only heard one dispatch there and it was many years ago. I haven't heard another in the 8-10 trips I've taken since. It would make sense that 154.725 is used as I have heard Shoshone/Tecopa get dispatched on it when I've stayed there.

By the way, if you like date products, including date shakes, there is a great little spot outside of Shoshone called the China Ranch Date Farm. When I was a kid my parents used to take me to Hadley's near Palm Springs when we went to see relatives in the Westmorland area. China Ranch makes them just as good as Hadley's as well as good date cookies as well. The place is an oasis in a narrow canyon and is worth the visit.

Two NWS transmitters were added since 2009. One is on Silver Peak near Bishop on 162.425 and the other is on Mt Potosi on 162.400. Both are only 100 watt stations and the NWS coverage maps don't show coverage into the park.

I haven't been to Death Valley since 2009 due to family obligations and tight finances so I haven't kept track other than watching the FCC license status for there.

As far as driving on closed roads and in closed areas the CHP does not have jurisdiction for this in the park, the National Park Service does. I hope they write tickets the first time as there isn't any excuse for doing so. As I used to say when I worked for the Forest Service, the signs and literature available at the ranger stations were your warning.

 

[LZJSR]

I have heard fires and medical aid calls being dispatched to the Death Valley "4R-xx" units on 170.1 within the past 2 years....