Harris County ESD 48 Frequencies

[clawbennett]

I am trying to find the frequencies for Harris County ESD 48? This seems to have taken over portions of the West Houston and Katy areas. I can't find them listed anywhere and was hoping maybe someone had access to them? This ESD 48 may be a new installment as it appears they have/will be taking over West I-10 Fire/EMS.

Any help is appreciated! Thanks!

 

[bpckty1]

They are using TxWARN analog, Clodine and N. Gessner towers, talkgroups 15728 (primary) and possibly 15760 (fireground).

They are using borrowed trucks, ambulances, and quarters. One location is at the old Westlake VFD station. See KTRK story, Legal dispute leaves some Katy-area residents worried about fire protection | abc13.com .

 

[clawbennett]

Thanks.

I am aware of the troubles going on and happen to live in the area which is why I am trying to figure out the frequencies to tap in to to see what kind of chaos is going on out there. There has not been a single siren heard for a week and it's concerning, now with absolute radio silence it's eerily calm in the house.

Thanks for posting the article. I hadn't seen that one yet.

 

[bpckty1]

I'd also monitor Westlake, Katy, Community, Cy-Fair, Willowfork FDs and Ft. Bend EMS. There may be a lot of mutual aid calls for awhile. I've also noted that instead of supervisors being dispatched as District X, they are now being dispatched as Battalion X, or Supervisor X.

 

[bpckty1]

There was a new Temporary Restraining Order issued today, somewhat confusing. I'm sure there will be discussions on territory coverage, and possibly frequency usage. So, I'd keep the Comm 20-22 as well as TxWarn analog talkgroups active in your scanner. Most likely there will be no great changes for a week or so, since equipment and personnel/staffing issues will need to be addressed.

http://www.yourhoustonnews.com/ranc...cle_f95db158-9cbc-5a9a-b29c-e27a551894d8.html

 

[bpckty1]

It seems the stations are back open. The old Westlake station is dark, and there are lights and ceiling fans on and POVs in the parking lot at station 4. The dispatch for stations 1, 3, and 4 is on the old Starnet/Borgnet/TxWarn Motorola analog TG. I haven't heard calls for stations 2 and 5 (not saying there haven't been any. I just haven't been awake and at home 24/7 monitoring ;^>)..

 

[bpckty1]

EMS still seems to be private contractor (handhelds in the field?), but Fire Operations seem to be ESD 48. Still on Motorola analog sites (Clodine/Gessner) with Clodine being the better site to hear the conversations.

I've also heard some dispatches for Station 2.

 

[bpckty1]

Finally saw a fire truck and Station 4. All signs of W I-10 are gone from the station, and the truck has an ESD 48 logo instead of West I-10.

 

[motorola_otaku]

FYI Comm-20 (460.250) has been silent for several weeks. The last thing I heard was radio checks back in August on the cutover date - nothing since.

 

[bpckty1]

I heard Comm 21 once, when the operator thought he was going to Community's Tac-2. Nobody answered him. I thought at least that the Comm Center would have advised him that the channel was out of service.

 

[bpckty1]

It seems that ESD-48 has transitioned to 1A7, using tg 983.

 

[bpckty1]

Com 21 was heard a few times on 10/31. I guess they were using it for PR for the neighborhoods' trick-or-treaters.
;^>

 

[clawbennett]

I have been told that they have all gone digital? Can someone confirm this. I can get dispatch from Westlakes analog signal, but nothing else.

If they have gone digital would any digital scanner work? Thanks, I have been trying to research as much as possible on digital scanners, but I see there are many different types, such as phase 2? Would a digital scanner still pick up analog signals as well?

 

[mass-man]

Yes...analog is another mode capable of being monitored by a digital scanner.
Phase 2 is yet another digital mode...
Guess as long as you are buying your first digital scanner, going for a Phase 2 capable one can't hurt. You never know when something you want to monitor might switch...
Unless of course they go encrypted...then you are SOL! I don't know enuf about the Harris Co system to know if that is in the future or not...

 

[motorola_otaku]

The individual agency on TxWARN decides whether they want to encrypt or not. System management does not dictate the use of encryption.

You can also monitor the dispatch side of ESD48 on 453.6625, but you'll need to monitor the WARN talkgroups to hear mobile traffic.

 

[rustinn]

It seems that ESD-48 has transitioned to 1A7, using tg 983.

So you're saying you can still listen to ESD48 callouts on analog?

 

[bpckty1]

I didn't, motorola_otaku did. I'm going to check the UHF frequency to see how well it works at my house.

 

[rustinn]

Whoops, thought I had him quoted, sorry. Haven't heard anything from that freq on my home patrol 1.