Looking for help for my Special Needs Daughter

[Rocknpalms]

I have it working on one of my scanners. I didn't even realize there was a broadcastify feed as shown by @officer_415 above. That will be the easiest way to do this. It is on the Oceanside Lifeguard TG. The only thing you would miss would be the occasional secondary communications that take place on the Lifeguard TAC channel. All you need to access it is a phone/tablet/computer with internet access and a premium subscription to this website. If you want to go the other way you will have to purchase the scanner.

Thank you for this. Definitely will be sharing with Shebly tonight. I do have a few questions. I logged in with-out premium and can hear it fine. What difference would premium give us? The secondary TAC channels would be nice. Would we be able to get the TAC channel with the hand held? Willing to pay for a radio. Or to ask a different way are you able to get the TAC channel and could you help with that. I am pretty sure they have TAC1 and TAC2 and that is where the fun conversations are.

 

[KE6BQG]

My daughter is special needs age 25 and is very limited to outward speech. We have moved down to Oceanside beach in California and she is now an honorary lifeguard as she washes the trucks for them almost every night and brings water and oranges to the towers on very hot days. All volunteer.

I am not a radio enthusiast but she has taken my mobile marine radio and is listening to it for any chatter. It is limited. I have spoken to the Chief of the Fire/Life Guard and he is guiding me to the radio system used so that I can get Shelby a scanner and listen to the lifeguards.

She can not do much and is pretty much stuck at home. Being able to listen would really make her day. I am reaching out to this group in hopes to find a few people that can help me find the right radio to purchase as well as find the correct frequencies for Oceanside CA lifeguards and fire.

I already purchased and returned one radio as it would not work with a trunked system. Below is part of an email I received from the Chief.

“Yes, lifeguards, and all of the "Northcomm" dispatched agencies. Those are all of the fire departments in North San Diego County since we are all members of the joint powers authority.
The system is 800Mhz, digital, trunked. I'm not a scanner person so I'm unsure of what you would need to purchase. Our police department also uses the system but law enforcement channles are encrypted.”

I took a photo of one of the lifeguards radio and it is a Motorola APX900. I am starting to think I need a phase 2 scanner.

I would like to thank any and all in advance as you will be making a very special person very happy.

hi
got a thought find a used scanner
one of the handheld radio or a base scanner,
i'm in the bay area,

the RR Family Members,
in the local area
might have intel for scanner what to buy
and what frequencys are used in your area.
they could know about a ham radio swap meet
or they might have an extra scanner that they are not using

bcd 785 d Scanner old school Phase 1
SDS 200 scanner both phase 1 /2
and a handheld scanner.

contact your local ham radio club,
your local police fire/ ems / lifeguard.
will know who to call.

ham radio fokes Drill and
stakeholders work with us too
year around

.
best of luck
and you sound like a really special parent.
i'm learning disabilitys ad/hd..
had a special needs parent my mom was blind, she had 5 boys.

 

[RFI-EMI-GUY]

Another local source of help might be your local TV news room. They probably have someone on board who is familiar with scanners and what is required to tune in at your local. I am in Florida so no help on your locale. However I am using a Uniden BCD536HP and it works well on Motorola APCO 25 Phase 2 system except to some extent simulcast distortion popping in. The portable version is BCD436HP. These are not the latest models, but will tune everything the SDS200 and SDS100 radios will and can be had much cheaper and seem to have better reliability.

 

[W6KRU]

Thank you for this. Definitely will be sharing with Shebly tonight. I do have a few questions. I logged in with-out premium and can hear it fine. What difference would premium give us? The secondary TAC channels would be nice. Would we be able to get the TAC channel with the hand held? Willing to pay for a radio. Or to ask a different way are you able to get the TAC channel and could you help with that. I am pretty sure they have TAC1 and TAC2 and that is where the fun conversations are.

I don't use broadcastify so I am unsure about it's use. I remember hearing the TAC channel in the past and would expect to receive it now. I have it programmed now and watching for it but haven't heard anything yet. There isn't a TAC 1 listed, just TAC 2. I am retired so I have plenty of time to help.

 

[W6KRU]

Is that the RCS NextGen system and would the North Simulcast site be the best? Do you have problems with simulcast? For a handheld, I believe the SDS100 would be the best. Do you agree? What talkgroup is used to dispatch the lifeguards? According to the database, all talkgroups for Oceanside are still Phase 1. Thanks!

Yes, it's the NextGen system and the North site would probably be best. Yeah simulcast can be a pain in that area. My SDS100 is the best. I tried various approaches before getting the SDS that solved the issues. 2408 is the main lifeguard channel and is phase I like everything else,

 

[officer_415]

Thank you for this. Definitely will be sharing with Shebly tonight. I do have a few questions. I logged in with-out premium and can hear it fine. What difference would premium give us? The secondary TAC channels would be nice. Would we be able to get the TAC channel with the hand held? Willing to pay for a radio. Or to ask a different way are you able to get the TAC channel and could you help with that. I am pretty sure they have TAC1 and TAC2 and that is where the fun conversations are.

Oh, I guess you don't need premium then. The link I sent you is the tac channel (TG 2408).

 

[ladn]

most scanners do not play nice with simulcast sites, except for the very expensive SDS series scanners from Uniden

Uniden's BC325P2 does Phase 2 and is considerably less costly than the SDS radios.
OP might want to consider purchasing from a vendor like Amazon that offers a liberal return policy.

 

[RaleighGuy]

Uniden's BC325P2 does Phase 2 and is considerably less costly than the SDS radios.
OP might want to consider purchasing from a vendor like Amazon that offers a liberal return policy.

While it does Phase 2, it is NOT designed to deal with simulcast sites like her area has, and many people in the forums have said this. Simulcast reception depends on our location and since she wants this for listening to lifeguards I didn't think she'd want another delay since the end of summer is near.

 

[Rocknpalms]

If you get a premium subscription, you could listen using Broadcastify Calls on your phone:

Lifeguards/Oceanside Group Calls Live

2408 Group Calls Live

www.broadcastify.com

Thank you for this. She is listening off her phone now.

 

[Rocknpalms]

I don't use broadcastify so I am unsure about it's use. I remember hearing the TAC channel in the past and would expect to receive it now. I have it programmed now and watching for it but haven't heard anything yet. There isn't a TAC 1 listed, just TAC 2. I am retired so I have plenty of time to help.

Thank you for your help. Right now she is listening to the tower to tower check ins and smiling. . If you ever hear more exciting chatter on the TAC channel please let me know what radio/scanner I need and frequency.

 

[Rocknpalms]

Just wanted to thank all of the members that gave my daughter and I information and help.

 

[W6KRU]

Thank you for your help. Right now she is listening to the tower to tower check ins and smiling. . If you ever hear more exciting chatter on the TAC channel please let me know what radio/scanner I need and frequency.

I am glad Shelby is pleased with the communications and will give you any help needed. After listening for a while she will learn the lingo used. E.G. a couple I learned is 900 is a lost person, 902 is first aid, 906 is a rescue, and 910 is swimming /surfing violation.

 

[inigo88]

Just wanted to thank all of the members that gave my daughter and I information and help.

If the broadcastify feed ever isn’t cutting it, I’d also recommend the Uniden SDS-100 for RCS Nextgen North Simulcast Zone. While the system is still phase I (FDMA), the SDS is the only scanner I was able find that reliably handled Linear Simulcast Modulation (LSM) distortion, which causes regular scanners to not be able to lock on and follow calls despite the received signal being strong.

Your RR premium subscription will allow you to use Uniden sentinel software and download the radioreference database directly into the scanner. From there you can set up favorite lists (push a number on the scanner for the system you want), or enter your zip code and have the scanner try and automatically scan the area (though this can be hit or miss).

Good luck and glad to hear your daughter is enjoying it!

 

[RFI-EMI-GUY]

Just wanted to thank all of the members that gave my daughter and I information and help.

Always nice to have another radio aficionado enjoying the magic. She might also enjoy shortwave listening. If you get a radio with SSB mode the ship to shore comms from coastguard and merchant marine might be interesting to her as they originate way beyond the great horizon of the ocean.

 

[hill]

SSB mode the ship to shore comms from coastguard and merchant marine

HF-SSB on marine is really dying off. Most of the commercial stuff is now using satellites.

 

[RFI-EMI-GUY]

 

[Rocknpalms]

I am glad Shelby is pleased with the communications and will give you any help needed. After listening for a while she will learn the lingo used. E.G. a couple I learned is 900 is a lost person, 902 is first aid, 906 is a rescue, and 910 is swimming /surfing violation.

I am glad Shelby is pleased with the communications and will give you any help needed. After listening for a while she will learn the lingo used. E.G. a couple I learned is 900 is a lost person, 902 is first aid, 906 is a rescue, and 910 is swimming /surfing violation.

Thank you for the code meanings. I wanted to share with you a couple of photos of Shelby. As stated earlier she is an honorary life guard as she washes their trucks in the evening and plugs in the radios to charge overnight. She is in the top left corner next to the fire chief in the group photo.
The broadcastify channel is little boring and it seems holding her phone vs my marine radio is not giving her the same cool feeling. We would like to get the TAC channel As well. Others have recommended the Uniden SDS 100. Do you agree and feel the TAC channel will be available. She only wants Oceanside Lifeguard and Oceanside Fire nothing else in the county.

 

[Rocknpalms]

If the broadcastify feed ever isn’t cutting it, I’d also recommend the Uniden SDS-100 for RCS Nextgen North Simulcast Zone. While the system is still phase I (FDMA), the SDS is the only scanner I was able find that reliably handled Linear Simulcast Modulation (LSM) distortion, which causes regular scanners to not be able to lock on and follow calls despite the received signal being strong.

Your RR premium subscription will allow you to use Uniden sentinel software and download the radioreference database directly into the scanner. From there you can set up favorite lists (push a number on the scanner for the system you want), or enter your zip code and have the scanner try and automatically scan the area (though this can be hit or miss).

Good luck and glad to hear your daughter is enjoying it!

We have reached the point the broadcastify fun but we know there is more out there. Thank you for the Uniden recommendation. Just to make sure before the large purchase. Do you feel comfortable the Life Guard Tac channel will be picked up? Just double checking. Thanks again.

 

[W6KRU]

Thank you for the code meanings. I wanted to share with you a couple of photos of Shelby. As stated earlier she is an honorary life guard as she washes their trucks in the evening and plugs in the radios to charge overnight. She is in the top left corner next to the fire chief in the group photo.
The broadcastify channel is little boring and it seems holding her phone vs my marine radio is not giving her the same cool feeling. We would like to get the TAC channel As well. Others have recommended the Uniden SDS 100. Do you agree and feel the TAC channel will be available. She only wants Oceanside Lifeguard and Oceanside Fire nothing else in the county.

Thank you for the photos, Shelby looks like she is enjoying herself. I have an SDS 100 and it is the best radio for the SD County system. I have been scanning the TAC 2 channel and haven't heard anything on it but it should function the same when they get around to using that channel. The Fire dept is large and busy. All of N county (Del Mar to Escondido) is dispatched on the same channel and there is no way to separate Oceanside. The FD would give Shelby something else to listen to when beach season slows down.

 

[Peter_SD911]

Thank you for the photos, Shelby looks like she is enjoying herself. I have an SDS 100 and it is the best radio for the SD County system. I have been scanning the TAC 2 channel and haven't heard anything on it but it should function the same when they get around to using that channel. The Fire dept is large and busy. All of N county (Del Mar to Escondido) is dispatched on the same channel and there is no way to separate Oceanside. The FD would give Shelby something else to listen to when beach season slows down.

Oceanside Lifeguards are part of the fire dept. LG's are now stationed at the harbor (24/7) and have replaced the former OPD harbor units as the primary rescue responders. LG's are included in all beach and harbor area dispatches on 3-A.