Mammoth Mtn. Ski Area Identifying Talkgroups

[es93546]

I've got the Mammoth Mtn. Ski Area radio system up and running thanks to the folks that helped me on a recent thread. The next step in understanding this system is identifying the function of each talkgroup. It would appear I've IDed about half of them or more. They are listed in the database for this radio system. A lot of people, especially those from southern California, ski here and listen to its radio system.

I would appreciate it if we leave the database submissions to me. I listened to the old system quite a bit and I understand the procedures of this ski area very well. Once someone thinks they have identified a talkgroup, post that here, along with the reasons for that ID. I will listen to see if it makes sense and make the DB submission.

Here is a list of those talkgroups I've monitored, with notes of what I might have heard, but have been unable to pin down the function of them:

1002
1004
1005
1011
1012
1013
1014 Alpine Ski Teams? "Mighty Mite coaches meet in the locker room"
1018 "This is 545 (Operations Base) Chair 17 down for 5 minutes" No traffic since.
1021 Ski Patrol Alternate? Heard a lot of people in the Mammoth Mtn. Inn being called and told to go to a meeting room.
1025 Summer golf course use, is there a different winter use?
1026
1029 Prior to snow being on the ground heard "secure your work carts" and "Chair 8 is secure." Could be lift maintenance, but they have two talkgroups already, 1015 and 1016.
1030
1031 Sports School, likely Main Lodge due to the amount of traffic. However, I haven't heard them refer to a location yet.
1032 Nothing heard yet, but likely the Sports School at Eagle Lodge. School not open yet and thus no traffic.
1033 Sports School. Less traffic. I think this is the Canyon Lodge school, but a location not given, such as Chair 8 or Chair 16, etc.
1037
1039 Sounded like Sports School type traffic, all first names being used, without callsigns. This is the procedure for Sports School, but they already have 3 talkgroups with a low amount of traffic.

4006 Tamarack Lodge talkgroups start with a "4," but do they really have 6 talkgroups?
5004 Mammoth Mtn. Inn talkgroups start with a "5," but do they really have 4 talkgroups?
6010 Juniper Lodge talkgroups start with a "6," but do they rally have 10 talkgroups?

Next I will lists department callsigns to aid in identifying talkgroups. That will be the next post.

 

[es93546]

Personnel and base station callsigns:

Beginning with:

1 Administration
2 Slope Maintenance
3 Ski Patrol
4 Lift Maintenance
5 Lift Operations
G and GS Gondola management personnel and Gondola Stations. Panorama Gondola: GS1 Main Lodge, GS-2 McCoy Station, GS-3 Top of the Mountain. Village Gondola: Top of Village (at Canyon Lodge), Bottom of Village (in town at "The Village")
6 Snow Placement (Snow making and Snow plowing)
7 Electrical
8 Security
9 Building Maintenance
10 Not used
11 Telecommunications
12-1 through 12-9 and 12-20+ Race Department
12-10 through 12-19 Unbound Terrain Parks
13 Ski School Management
19 plus first or last name. Hosts

Those without a numbered callsign are usually seasonals and use their first or last names. 14, 15, 16, 17 and 18 are probably used at June Mtn.

Base stations:

540 Mammoth Mtn. Inn Phone Operator
541 Message Center
542 ?
543 Main Lodge Ski Patrol, AKA "The Room"
544 Garage Maintenance Facility
545 Operations
547 Snowcat's Base
641 Lift Maintenance/Electrical
642 Staff Accommodations
643 Canyon Lodge Ski Patrol

 

[es93546]

CODES

Codes (some thought to be unique to the Mammoth/June Mountains Ski Areas)

Code 2 Urgent
Code 3 Life threatening emergency - stay off radio until Code secured
Code Blue Toilet stopped up
MFA Malicious False Alarm * In reference to a reported injury/accident.
RGS Returned to Groomed Surface (Used by Mammoth Snowmobile Adventures)
RTB Returned to Boarding *
RTC Returned to Carpet * (See magic carpet in the definitions below)
RTD Meaning Unknown * (Possibly involves a guest who has been driving)
RTS Returned to Skiing *
RTW Returned to Walking *
SFR Short Form Release * A liability release signed by a guest who decides not to continue in the ski patrol’s care.

* Ski patrol use for injury/accident disposition after providing evaluation and/or first aid

DNF Did Not Finish (Race Department)
DNS Did Not Start (Race Department)
DQ Disqualified (Race Department)

10 Codes are standard APCO (Association of Public-safety Communications Officials) except for:

10-21 Call your base
10-43 Message delivered
10-50 Emergency traffic
10-60 Lift stoppage
10-R Courtesy snowmobile ride for guest
10-75 Accident involving Mountain vehicle/bus
10-83 Lost child
10-100 Bus driver bathroom break

 

[es93546]

There is no doubt that the listed "Ski Patrol Alternate" (Talkgroup 1021) is actually "Ski Patrol 2" as I heard this during a training exercise that has been ongoing this afternoon. This is a small edit that I will submit after I confirm additional talkgroup(s).

I think I have Talkgroup 1018 figured out. I will do some additional monitoring to confirm. I think it is used to call "545", the operations base. This is different from the old system, which did not have a channel like this. It makes sense as otherwise 545 would have to monitor several talkgroups that are fairly busy, such as ski patrol, gondolas, lift operations and lift maintenance.

I have to sit at a desk with my ProScan software in the logging mode. I also have a GRE PSR-600 base unit with my StarSoft software in logging mode. I'm trying to figure out some other systems like the new California state trunking system, whose name escapes me right not. I'm also watching YouTube and researching several topics, including some FCC license searches. Like any dedicated scanner buff I find the time spent as rewarding.

 

[es93546]

For those of you who ski June Mountain, which is owned by Mammoth Mtn. I think the Telcomm folks have moved the old 800 MHz Type 1 trunked system to there. It will be after Christmas for me to check that out. June Mtn. isn't open yet and I think there needs to be more snow before it opens. FCC license data shows the old original 5 frequencies located down in the northwest part of town where the entire mountain is in view. Type 1 systems are a lot easier to figure out than these new ones.

 

[es93546]

I submitted the following to the database today:

1014 Alpine Tms Alpine Ski Teams Instruction/Training
1018 Ops Call Operations Base ("545") Calling
1020 Ski Ptl 1 Ski Patrol 1
1021 Ski Ptl 2 Ski Patrol 2
1031 Sprts Sch Main Sports School Main Lodge
1033 Sprts Sch Cyn Sports School Canyon Lodge

One can assume that the Sports School at Eagle Lodge (Chair 15) is going to be on 1032, but they are closed until this weekend. I'm not going to assume when updating the database. This thread will include June Mountain, which is closed right now - lack of snow. Too much sunshine right now! When it opens up and after the Christmas and maybe New Year's holiday I might get a chance to drive over there and play with a couple of radios and figure it out.

 

[es93546]

I'm sure looking for some discussion of the topic. Hopefully some scanner hobbyists will come up to ski in the next week or two. Additional observations and comments are welcome here.

 

[es93546]

June Mountain is set to open 12/14/24. After the first of the year I plan to drive up there and figure out their system.

 

[es93546]

Ski Patrol 2, Talkgroup 1021 is quite active. Still sounds like training with patrol members being cycled through a made up fixed incident. One thought on the talkgroup. I think its purpose is as a tactical for major incidents where more than 2 or more victims are involved. However, some years back the additional talkgroup was used for ski patrol at Canyon Lodge for awhile. I think it was discontinued before the season ended. However, we should watch to see if they try it again. If "643" (Canyon Lodge Ski Patrol Base) dispatches calls and ski patrol members call them with depositions then we know they have reassigned the channel.

 

[es93546]

I didn't have the computer today. My wife was working on our Christmas newsletter. I had the 325P2 logging all day however. Here are some observations from that logging and some voice monitoring from yesterday.

Talkgroup 1013. Heard someone in an exchange of conversation say "it's nothing, there was a baby not quieting down, but it's quiet now." I think this must be "Mammoth Child Care." They take kids from newborns to 6 years old. They entertain the kids by taking them outside for play and snow play. They have a lesson/child care option for half day or full day. Thus, they have people with kids in the field. They are located in the Village at Mammoth development. They also serve the kids lunch in the facility. There were a couple of dozen hits on the log today. I'm going to need to listen to this talkgroup on another day when I have the computer before I submit it to the database.

Talkgroup 1023. The Race Department is on Talkgroup is on 1022. I've never had any hits on 1023 until today. There were a ton of hits, maybe 6-7 dozen during the day. I think this would be the race que channel. This is where the race starts for each skier are coordinated. They also call in when racers miss gates and are disqualified. Just like the talkgroup above, I need to actually listen to the channel before I submit this to the database.

I heard a talkgroup a week or so ago. I was someone describing how they traveled from point A back to the main lodge area. I suspected it was Mammoth Snowmobile Adventures, but I failed to write any notes and observe what talkgroup it was on. I was misinformed by someone that there wasn't enough snow to start this activity up. Later I found this activity started Thanksgiving weekend. I should have written my observation down on paper. I will have to catch them on another day. Sigh!

ANYBODY, I can use help on these. There are 15 talkgroups between 1001 and 1040 that are open. Some have been logged, with inconclusive listening and some logged only 1 or 2 times. Some haven't been monitored yet. Come on folks, program your handheld and make it up here to ski and do a little monitoring!