Medical Helicopter Accident Scene Talkgroup?

[AE8I]

I’m in Miami County and have been unable to capture communications between local emergency squads and medical helicopters (Careflight, etc.) as the helicopters approach or depart accident scenes. I have all of the Miami County and Medical Transportation Talkgroups from the RR database programmed into my 536HP and 996P2 scanners. All of the scanners at one time or another were used in both "ID Scan" and "ID Search" modes.

I have twice heard “Tac 92D” identified as the channel in use for those communications when EMS personnel have asked dispatch which channel should be to used. Am I correct in assuming that “Tac 92D” communications are encrypted, or if not, what is the talkgroup associated with “Tac 92D”?

 

[N0GTG]

It's probably 8TAC92D, 852.0125 conventional analog. The D suffix indicates simplex or talkaround mode, not repeated.
See this RR link.

 

[Tim]

They are probably referring to the nationwide interoperability frequencies.

851.0125 "8-Call 90" (PL 156.7)
851.5125 "8-Tac 91" (PL 156.7)
852.0125 "8-Tac 92" (PL 156.7)
852.5125 "8-Tac 93" (PL 156.7)
853.0125 "8-Tac 94" (PL 156.7)


8-Tac 92 would be a Repeater
8-Tac 92D would be simplex mode (D - Direct)


Tim

 

[AE8I]

Thanks to you both! I'll give those a try immediately.

 

[wa8pyr]

It's probably 8TAC92D, 852.0125 conventional analog. The D suffix indicates simplex or talkaround mode, not repeated.

Correct. State SOP calls for 8TAC92D as primary and 8TAC94D as secondary on 800 MHz; CSQ is recommended on receive but many agencies program tone on both TX and RX.

Primary on 700 MHz is 7AG88D (P25 digital, simplex, NAC 293), UTAC41D on UHF, and VFIRE21 on VHF.

https://siec.ohio.gov/Portals/0/OHIO AVIATION COMMUNICATIONS SOP 7-24-18.pdf

 

[AE8I]

I had erroneously assumed comms between squad and helicopter must be taking place on a MARCS-IP talkgroup associated with medical helicopters or Miami County. I knew about the interoperability frequencies, but for whatever reason, it didn't occur to me to associate "Tac-92D" with them.

I had done some Google searches on "Tac-92D" with "MARCS" and the like prior to posting here, but never found anything. Shortly after seeing Curt and Tim's posts and then using the precisely correct Alpha Tag "8TAC92D" to search, I was able to find the document cited above, as well as others, including the RR page that also discusses national interoperability: https://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?aid=7742

So, my apologies for being a bit negligent in not immediately recognizing this as an interoperability situation. But in any event, thanks to everyone for the help!

 

[wa8pyr]

I had erroneously assumed comms between squad and helicopter must be taking place on a MARCS-IP talkgroup associated with medical helicopters or Miami County. I knew about the interoperability frequencies, but for whatever reason, it didn't occur to me to associate "Tac-92D" with them.

I had done some Google searches on "Tac-92D" with "MARCS" and the like prior to posting here, but never found anything. Shortly after seeing Curt and Tim's posts and then using the precisely correct Alpha Tag "8TAC92D" to search, I was able to find the document cited above, as well as others, including the RR page that also discusses national interoperability: https://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?aid=7742

So, my apologies for being a bit negligent in not immediately recognizing this as an interoperability situation. But in any event, thanks to everyone for the help!

No problem, glad to help!

Also keep in mind that not all departments use the conventional interoperability frequencies for talking to the choppers. Some do use talkgroups on MARCS, often one of the standard interop talkgroups. Personally I think using the conventional frequencies makes a whole lot of sense.

 

[AE8I]

I suppose I might have been committing a bit of scanner malpractice, as I did not have the interoperability frequencies prominently programmed. I do have them in a second-tier scanner, but apparently with a woefully lacking antenna. I'll be correcting that.

It seems that I had heard these comms in the past on MARCS talkgroups, which is why I didn't immediately pursue this more aggressively. Maybe I'm misremembering, or as you suggest, perhaps in the recent past MARCS talkgroups were used but the med flights have since changed protocol.

 

[AE8I]

It's probably 8TAC92D, 852.0125 conventional analog. The D suffix indicates simplex or talkaround mode, not repeated.
See this RR link.

This has now been confirmed.

 

[RakkFO]

Correct. State SOP calls for 8TAC92D as primary and 8TAC94D as secondary on 800 MHz; CSQ is recommended on receive but many agencies program tone on both TX and RX.

Primary on 700 MHz is 7AG88D (P25 digital, simplex, NAC 293), UTAC41D on UHF, and VFIRE21 on VHF.

https://siec.ohio.gov/Portals/0/OHIO AVIATION COMMUNICATIONS SOP 7-24-18.pdf

In addition to the most recent Aviation Communications SOP the BRICS SOP also directs users to 8TAC92D and 8TAC94D.

Select a radio channel
First choice:
Name: 8 TAC 92 D
Frequency: 852.0125 MHz
If you are aware that 8 i TAC 2 D is already busy, or if you are calling in a second helicopter to talk to a different Landing Zone Coordinator at a different location, you should use the second choice:
Name: 8 TAC 94 D
Frequency: 853.0125 MHz
Give the helicopter dispatcher the name and frequency shown above. Make sure, if they sound unclear on the channel name, that you have confirmed the frequency.
NOTE: The medical helicopters do not have BRICS talkgroups programmed into their radios. They are not capable of switching to any BC Fireground or any other talkgroup. The national mutual aid channels, shown above, are the only way they can talk to people on the ground with our radios.

Source: Medical Helicopter Guide for Dispatchers