Determining Tone A and Tone B

[prcguy]

Yeah, those don't work when you play with orchestras and wind sections. Does "A" = 440, 439, or 442? Or are you a singer-songwriter that likes to slide A down to 432 to ease up on the vocal cords a bit?

My Juilliard trained horn player friends don't need a frequency counter, they are a frequency reference. They could probably set off specific pagers if you tell them what frequency to blow. And in the end, the drummer gets all the chicks, sorry.

 

[EAFrizzle]

I have no need to know the exact frequencies on my guitar; what matters is what the band is tuned to.

Here's a tuning tip for aspiring musicians: if a place has a band for open-mic night, and you want to perform solo, make sure you're tuned to 440 or 442. Those guys are going to be tuned around 432, and are going to sound like crap when they come in flat, so they usually back off and let you play.

 

[EAFrizzle]

And in the end, the drummer gets all the chicks, sorry.

Yeah.
Too bad they're always the chicks that no one else would have.

 

[n0doz]

Don't get overly complicated, the "play stores" for Google, etc., have simple downloads that will decode tones.

 

[VFN05]

The “radio ID” app for iOS does a great job. Decodes QC2 (Motorola 2 tone), MDC and STAR IDs as well. Great little tool.

 

[Diesel0001]

It won't work if its Simulcast tones. I've tried.

 

[wa8pyr]

That will get you into the ball park but I don't think its going to be accurate to the needed 0.1Hz resolution.

The Audacity method has always worked quite well for me; comparing the found tone to the chart quoted in an earlier message to ascertain the correct tone hasn’t failed me once.

Best part is, it’s relatively easy, and it’s free.

 

[GJTA]

Hi everyone,

I’m reaching out to see if anyone here might be able to assist me with identifying the two-tone alert tones (Tone A and Tone B) used by the Rural/Metro Fire Department in the Tucson, Arizona area. I’ve attached an audio clip that contains what I believe is the actual alerting tones used during dispatch, and I’m hoping someone with the right tools or experience can help me determine the exact frequencies.

Unfortunately, I don’t have the decoding equipment necessary to analyze the tones myself. I’m relatively new to working with pagers and two-tone alerting, and I don’t currently have access to a decoder or software that can accurately read and measure these tones from the audio. What I do have is a Unication G5 pager, and my goal is to program it so that I can receive and monitor Rural/Metro dispatches properly.

If anyone is familiar with the tone pairs Rural/Metro uses, or if you’re able to analyze the audio and determine the tone frequencies, I would be extremely grateful for your help. Even just pointing me in the right direction would be appreciated.

Additionally, I’d be interested to know if there’s a known VHF frequency or channel that Rural/Metro Fire typically uses for dispatch or fireground operations. I’ve been researching online and scanning local frequencies, but I haven’t been able to confidently identify which ones are active for this department.

If it helps, I’m located in the Tucson area, so this is specific to Southern Arizona operations – not Phoenix or Maricopa County.

Thank you in advance to anyone who can offer advice, guidance, or technical assistance. I know this community has a wealth of knowledge, and I appreciate the time you take to help folks like me get started and get set up properly.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

– Max

If you have a receiver on the proper frequency and in range of the transmitter, you can use the "Radio ID" app to decode the tones. Even easier if you record the tones. When you play back with the app listening, it will display the tones and you can use a watch or timer to get the a / b timing and duration.