LACOFD Quickcall II tones

[spectr17]

Every morning at 0700 on Tac 19 (154.4) there is a Tac 19 pager test for the crews who have Quick Call alerting on Tac 19, so that is a good time to log hits for pager tones. Also, on Sunday mornings at either 0800 or 1000 on Blue 8, there are a whole bunch of units toned out for pager test on Blue 8, that is another time to log a bunch of tones.

LACFD stations have a White SCU on Tac 19 that also gets tested each morning. The SCU opens the muted audio at the station for 3 minutes when alerted. (AKA the wake up call). This White SCU is the back up to the Blue 8 SCU normally used for dispatch. This White SCU has SLA battery backup and an alert P.A. horn to let the FFs know if AC power fails in the station. Antennas for the White SCU are a 3 foot monopole. Motorola Radius mobiles are used as the White base unit with a homebrew relay control logic board.

LACFD BC Suburbans are also able to transmit the Quick Call tones on Tac 19 (White) to alert stations in case the CAD and Blue 8 dispatch fail.

LACFD can select different sites to transmit the Quick Call tones. HQ in Monterey Park and San Dimas are 2 sites that can transmit the tones.

 

[mattfox27]

I know this is a stupid question...but what are the fire tones? What does it mean? Is it just a noise or is what is it? Does it help with listening to County Fire?

 

[fender1878]

The Quick-Call tones are the two tones you hear on Blue-8 when a working incident is dispatched. They are normally comprised of a low and high tone.

These tones are used to activate radios that can decode QC tones or Minitor pagers. The radio/pager monitors the frequency and when it detects a specific tone frequency (hertz) and duration, the radio will usually alert audibly and/or visually. It allows special teams (copters, USAR, HAZMAT, etc) and battalion chiefs to only be alerted when they're needed, instead of monitoring all traffic.

A lot of volunteer fire departments use QC tones to alert the voice pagers of their volunteer staff. The Minitor sits silently until the tones are detected, then un-mutes the audio for a set duration, allowing the staff to hear the voice dispatch.

 

[mattfox27]

What are the benefits to setting these on a scanner? Is it like a priority thing, like your scanner will automatically go to that channel if you program the tones in? Are you missing anything by not programing the tones? Or is it just a cool add-on feature?

 

[fender1878]

I don't know much about scanners because I primarily use two-way radios and that's my specialty. If they make scanners that can decode QC-2 then the advantage would be that you could have it only unsquelch when the QC is detected. In 95% of circumstances though, I can't see why it would be useful on a scanner. It's primarily meant for radios.

 

[rdale]

If they make scanners that can decode QC-2 then the advantage would be that you could have it only unsquelch when the QC is detected.

Uniden does - and that's its purpose. I use it on my scanner at night or when I want an otherwise quiet scanner with the exception of a local incident.

 

[scanner99]

can anyone post a complete list of tone outs for LACFD

 

[scanner99]

Is there a limit to the number of tone-outs you have in a bcd996xt. Right now i believe i have 9 and cant figure out how to get more.

 

[rdale]

Is there a limit to the number of tone-outs you have in a bcd996xt.

Yes.

10.

 

[scanner99]

can someone post a list of tone outs for LACFD? and does anyone know who is dispatched from the tone A 901.7 B 900.5? I hear that tone a lot.

 

[LZJSR]

This is what I have.

LACoFD Battalion 1 855.5 1153.4
LACoFD Battalion 2 855.5 1185.2
LACoFD Battalion 3 851.1 1217.8
LACoFD Battalion 4 855.5 1251.4
LACoFD Battalion 5 855.5 1285.8
LACoFD Battalion 6 810.2 1122.1
LACoFD Battalion 7 955.5 1357.6
LACoFD Battalion 8
LACoFD Battalion 9 855.5 1433.4
LACoFD Battalion 10 903.2 1122.1
LACoFD Battalion 11 903.2 1153.4
LACoFD Battalion 12 903.2 1357.6
LACoFD Battalion 13 903.2 1185.2
LACoFD Battalion 14
LACoFD Battalion 15 767.4 1153.4
LACoFD Battalion 16 767.4 1185.2
LACoFD Battalion 17 767.4 1217.8
LACoFD Battalion 18 767.4 1395
LACoFD Battalion 19 767.4 1433.4
LACoFD Battalion 20 726.8 1395
LACoFD Battalion 21 767.4 1285.8
LACoFD Battalion 22 903.2 1285.8
LACoFD Copter 11 1357.6 1285.8
LACoFD Copter 12 (EAO) 1251.8 1185.2
LACoFD Copter 14
LACoFD Copter 15 (NAO) 1357.6 1185.2
LACoFD Copter 16 1395 1433.4
LACoFD Copter 17 1395 1185.2
LACoFD Copter 18 +
LASO AIr Rescue 5: ???
LACoFD All Camps
LACoFD Brush Fire 1321.2 1185.2
LACoFD Unknown 767.4 1285.8
LACoFD Unknown 903.2 1321.2
LACoFD USAR 1395 1185.2
LACoFD HM TF 43 810.2 1153.4
LACoFD USAR 1285.8 1185.2
LACoFD HazMat 129 810.2 1153.4
LACoFD CFF Stn 112 1185.2 1357.6
LACoFD CFF ? 1357.6 1395
LACoFD CFF ? 1185.2 1433.4
LACoFD CFF 157 Green Vly 1217.8 1122.1
LACoFD CFF ? 1321.2 1433.4
LACoFD CFF ? 1185.2 1321.2
LACoFD CFF ? 1185.2 1395
LACoFD CFF ? 1185.2 1217.8
LACoFD ALL BCs 810.2 1357.6
LACoFD Unk Sun 10am 1357.6 1433.4
LACoFD Unk Sun 10am 1433.4 313
LACoFD Unk Sun 10am 1395 1321.2
LACoFD Unk Sun 10am 1433.4 953.7
LACoFD Unk Sun 10am 1433.4 288.5
LACoFD Unk Sun 10am 1433.4 296.5
LACoFD Unk Sun 10am 1433.4 304.7
LACoFD Unk Sun 10am 1321.2 1185.2
LACoFD Unk Sun 10am 810.2 1357.6
LACoFD
LACoFD USAR 130 855.5 1185.2
LACoFD USAR 103 855.5 1395

 

[LZJSR]

Please fill in the holes

Please fill in the holes to my list. Also need Air Rescue 5....

 

[rdale]

Easier to fill the holes if you use the Wiki that exists for that purpose

 

[LZJSR]

I am not really wiki literate on how to post there.... i could email someone my excel spreadsheet, if they want to post it to the wiki... i heard that creating columns takes some knowledge, which I don't have....

 

[Uplink]

LACoFD Battalion 1 855.5 1153.4
LACoFD Battalion 2 855.5 1185.2
LACoFD Battalion 3 851.1 1217.8
LACoFD Battalion 4 855.5 1251.4
LACoFD Battalion 5 855.5 1285.8
LACoFD Battalion 6 810.2 1122.1
LACoFD Battalion 7 955.5 1357.6
LACoFD Battalion 8
LACoFD Battalion 9 855.5 1433.4
LACoFD Battalion 10 903.2 1122.1
LACoFD Battalion 11 903.2 1153.4
LACoFD Battalion 12 903.2 1357.6
LACoFD Battalion 13 903.2 1185.2
LACoFD Battalion 14
LACoFD Battalion 15 767.4 1153.4
LACoFD Battalion 16 767.4 1185.2
LACoFD Battalion 17 767.4 1217.8
LACoFD Battalion 18 767.4 1395
LACoFD Battalion 19 767.4 1433.4
LACoFD Battalion 20 726.8 1395
LACoFD Battalion 21 767.4 1285.8
LACoFD Battalion 22 903.2 1285.8
LACoFD Copter 11 1357.6 1285.8
LACoFD Copter 12 (EAO) 1251.8 1185.2
LACoFD Copter 14
LACoFD Copter 15 (NAO) 1357.6 1185.2
LACoFD Copter 16 1395 1433.4
LACoFD Copter 17 1395 1185.2
LACoFD Copter 18 +
LASO AIr Rescue 5: ???
LACoFD All Camps
LACoFD Brush Fire 1321.2 1185.2
LACoFD Unknown 767.4 1285.8
LACoFD Unknown 903.2 1321.2
LACoFD USAR 1395 1185.2
LACoFD HM TF 43 810.2 1153.4
LACoFD USAR 1285.8 1185.2
LACoFD HazMat 129 810.2 1153.4
LACoFD CFF Stn 112 1185.2 1357.6
LACoFD CFF ? 1357.6 1395
LACoFD CFF ? 1185.2 1433.4
LACoFD CFF 157 Green Vly 1217.8 1122.1
LACoFD CFF ? 1321.2 1433.4
LACoFD CFF ? 1185.2 1321.2
LACoFD CFF ? 1185.2 1395
LACoFD CFF ? 1185.2 1217.8
LACoFD ALL BCs 810.2 1357.6
LACoFD Unk Sun 10am 1357.6 1433.4
LACoFD Unk Sun 10am 1433.4 313
LACoFD Unk Sun 10am 1395 1321.2
LACoFD Unk Sun 10am 1433.4 953.7
LACoFD Unk Sun 10am 1433.4 288.5
LACoFD Unk Sun 10am 1433.4 296.5
LACoFD Unk Sun 10am 1433.4 304.7
LACoFD Unk Sun 10am 1321.2 1185.2
LACoFD Unk Sun 10am 810.2 1357.6
LACoFD
LACoFD USAR 130 855.5 1185.2
LACoFD USAR 103 855.5 1395

great list!, thanks for sharing your hard work on this.

 

[rdale]

I am not really wiki literate on how to post there.... i

A little CTRL-C, CTRL-V and you're ready

Los Angeles County (CA) - The RadioReference Wiki

 

[LZJSR]

I was advised that creating columns in Wiki required some sort of special type of formatting...

 

[landonjensen]

great list!, thanks for sharing your hard work on this.

Anyone lifeguard tones? Theyre the high pitched then deep tones...

 

[rdale]

I was advised that creating columns in Wiki required some sort of special type of formatting...

No need for columns or special editing - I already did it. Click the link

 

[ocguard]

LACFD stations have a White SCU on Tac 19 that also gets tested each morning. The SCU opens the muted audio at the station for 3 minutes when alerted. (AKA the wake up call). This White SCU is the back up to the Blue 8 SCU normally used for dispatch. This White SCU has SLA battery backup and an alert P.A. horn to let the FFs know if AC power fails in the station. Antennas for the White SCU are a 3 foot monopole. Motorola Radius mobiles are used as the White base unit with a homebrew relay control logic board.

LACFD BC Suburbans are also able to transmit the Quick Call tones on Tac 19 (White) to alert stations in case the CAD and Blue 8 dispatch fail.

LACFD can select different sites to transmit the Quick Call tones. HQ in Monterey Park and San Dimas are 2 sites that can transmit the tones.

This is GREAT information. You mention a White SCU (back-up) and a Blue 8 SCU (primary). Does the White SCU unumte audio for Blue 9 or is the voice given over White? Also, does the "primary" Blue 8 SCU use QCII or some other signalling?

Someone mentioned that the primary means of alerting a station is thru an MDT. Does this MDT control a station klaxon of some sort, or do the FFs have to be in earshot of the actual MDT?