What are the air wildland fire frequencies they use for this year up north Colorado and the air traffic frequencies if you know them?
Forest Fire Changes
- Thread starter Spirit
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BinaryMode
Blondie Once Said To Call Her But Never Answerd
ecps92
Member
and many of these, since the DB would be for only actually heard records, many in the wiki are from found documents, but not always OTA (Over the Air confirmed/validated)
National Incident Radio Support Cache - The RadioReference Wiki
ecps92, Do they change every year then?and many of these, since the DB would be for only actually heard records, many in the wiki are from found documents, but not always OTA (Over the Air confirmed/validated)
National Incident Radio Support Cache - The RadioReference Wiki
wiki.radioreference.com
ecps92
Member
YMMV - some have, others it's been 2-5 yrs between and others when the big guys (NTIA) tell them to change
BinaryMode
Blondie Once Said To Call Her But Never Answerd
ecps92
Member
NTIA over the years has changed things to make alignments in technology, NET design etc
Some of those were
a. Narrowbanding
b. defining Simplex, inputs to repeater and repeater outputs [band alignments]
see Federal VHF/UHF Channel Plans - The RadioReference Wiki
c. Interference to neighboring entiries (Other Forests etc, Canada, Mexico)
d. Interference received
e. I'm sure others have more info (Ex-Smokey for one)
f. Reasons that have never been shared with the public by the NTIA
g. insert others...
BinaryMode
Blondie Once Said To Call Her But Never Answerd
Very good, thanks.
Commands 1-6 and the Tacticals have been the same frequencies for decades. The only change to Commands 1-6 was all the repeater inputs of the last decades were reversed, that is, the inputs became the outputs and the outputs became the inputs. This was done in the late 2010's to comply with the new frequency allocation directive made January 1st, 2019. The use of the NIFOG (National Interoperability Field Operations Guide) frequencies for Commands 8-12 began about 10-20 years ago. These frequencies will stay the same because frequencies that can be assigned on a nationwide basis are rare. The assignment of the tac frequencies was made in the 1970's when competition for nationwide frequencies was much lower. If frequencies did not have nationwide clearance NIFC radio systems would have to be programmed to whatever local area frequencies that have clearance or an assignment. That would be very complicated and has to be done occasionally when other unused federal frequencies have to be used on a temporary basis. .
BTW, I used to have the moniker of "Ex-Smokey," but currently go by "es93546." I can answer a lot of questions as to the history of the NIFC system as I worked for the U.S. Forest Service for 25 years and 1) had 108 wildland fire assignments, 2) always figured out the radios and frequencies I was given and 3) am a bit of a radio and natural resources/land management agencies nerd.
soundchaser
Member
It used to be that each year (and may still occur), each Colorado County would need to determine a communications plan. It defines which frequencies are used for different levels of fire type, and specific resources within a fire. They would fill out a Incident Radio Communications Plan (Form ICS 205)(Google to find an example). I have 3 forms from Boulder County for 2011 (things have changed since then).
For example, "Initial Attack Wildland Fire", lists the default frequencies for Div A, Div. B, structure protection, Air to Ground, etc.
Often from year to year these plans would remain the same, but some years there would be minor edits.
Over the past two days of fires in Boulder County, the dispatchers have referenced Comm Plan 1, Comm Plan 2 (in use by Larimer County and not available for Boulder County to use) and Comm Plan 4. With the new Lake Shore fire I heard that they will be using a hybrid plan because they are running out of channels to use that aren't duplicated on other fires.
Also once upon a time, I saw a document from the forest service that divided the state into 5 or 6 zones and listed all of the Air-Air and Air-Ground frequencies available to each zone so they wouldn't interfere with each other if there were multiple fires. There would be minor edits from year to year.
I used to hunt these documents down each year so my scanner would be prepared, but now I just listen for them to mention which channels they're using. For example for yesterday's Stone Mountain Fire near Lyons, Ftac 5 was structure protection, Ftac2 was staging, etc. There was a new (to me) Air to Air, so I just punched it into the scanner and I was off and running.
For example, "Initial Attack Wildland Fire", lists the default frequencies for Div A, Div. B, structure protection, Air to Ground, etc.
Often from year to year these plans would remain the same, but some years there would be minor edits.
Over the past two days of fires in Boulder County, the dispatchers have referenced Comm Plan 1, Comm Plan 2 (in use by Larimer County and not available for Boulder County to use) and Comm Plan 4. With the new Lake Shore fire I heard that they will be using a hybrid plan because they are running out of channels to use that aren't duplicated on other fires.
Also once upon a time, I saw a document from the forest service that divided the state into 5 or 6 zones and listed all of the Air-Air and Air-Ground frequencies available to each zone so they wouldn't interfere with each other if there were multiple fires. There would be minor edits from year to year.
I used to hunt these documents down each year so my scanner would be prepared, but now I just listen for them to mention which channels they're using. For example for yesterday's Stone Mountain Fire near Lyons, Ftac 5 was structure protection, Ftac2 was staging, etc. There was a new (to me) Air to Air, so I just punched it into the scanner and I was off and running.
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