MercyONE Unit/Radio IDs

[radioboy75]

Does anybody have a list of MercyONE unit or radio IDS (RID/UID)? I don't mean talkgroups, but that would be an interesting discussion too. I found somewhere that the Sioux City helicopter is supposedly called "AirMed 2" but I can't find a RID for it. All the RIDs that have shown up in the last year or so on my local tower (Rock Rapids, so as far northwest as you can go), from the audio, have all been either dispatch, or some form of AirMed 4 (the Des Moines bird). Either in-flight, the pilot, or crew. No one ever says "AirMed 2," which I would expect them to, since Sioux City is the closest MercyOne air base to me.

I have heard:
10779541 Called self "AirMed 4" but haven't heard this ID since October
10779550 Believe to be Airmed 4 pilot from traffic
10779552 Believe to be Airmed 4 crew from traffic
10779553 unknown. Only ever heard very short calls.
10779572 Dispatch (obvious by traffic)
10779576 Called self "AirMed 4"

I also have these in my notes, but I don't know where I came across this information:
10779536 is supposedly AirMed3
10779575 is supposedly AirMed4 ???
10779528 is supposedly base (dsm?)
10779577 is supposedly a heli.

Very interesting that I only ever hear AirMed4, especially considering the significant distance from here to Des Moines.

Can anyone tell me what RIDs they hear from Mercy?

 

[timsheff]

Does anybody have a list of MercyONE unit or radio IDS (RID/UID)? I don't mean talkgroups, but that would be an interesting discussion too. I found somewhere that the Sioux City helicopter is supposedly called "AirMed 2" but I can't find a RID for it. All the RIDs that have shown up in the last year or so on my local tower (Rock Rapids, so as far northwest as you can go), from the audio, have all been either dispatch, or some form of AirMed 4 (the Des Moines bird). Either in-flight, the pilot, or crew. No one ever says "AirMed 2," which I would expect them to, since Sioux City is the closest MercyOne air base to me.

I have heard:
10779541 Called self "AirMed 4" but haven't heard this ID since October
10779550 Believe to be Airmed 4 pilot from traffic
10779552 Believe to be Airmed 4 crew from traffic
10779553 unknown. Only ever heard very short calls.
10779572 Dispatch (obvious by traffic)
10779576 Called self "AirMed 4"

I also have these in my notes, but I don't know where I came across this information:
10779536 is supposedly AirMed3
10779575 is supposedly AirMed4 ???
10779528 is supposedly base (dsm?)
10779577 is supposedly a heli.

Very interesting that I only ever hear AirMed4, especially considering the significant distance from here to Des Moines.

Can anyone tell me what RIDs they hear from Mercy?

I've updated the following pages with the UIDs I've picked up on ISICS in the East part of the state. This should help some...

UNTY PT DES MOINES - The RadioReference Wiki

wiki.radioreference.com

MERCY HEALTH - The RadioReference Wiki

wiki.radioreference.com

 

[kayn1n32008]

Does anybody have a list of MercyONE unit or radio IDS (RID/UID)? I don't mean talkgroups, but that would be an interesting discussion too. I found somewhere that the Sioux City helicopter is supposedly called "AirMed 2" but I can't find a RID for it. All the RIDs that have shown up in the last year or so on my local tower (Rock Rapids, so as far northwest as you can go), from the audio, have all been either dispatch, or some form of AirMed 4 (the Des Moines bird). Either in-flight, the pilot, or crew. No one ever says "AirMed 2," which I would expect them to, since Sioux City is the closest MercyOne air base to me.

I have heard:
10779541 Called self "AirMed 4" but haven't heard this ID since October
10779550 Believe to be Airmed 4 pilot from traffic
10779552 Believe to be Airmed 4 crew from traffic
10779553 unknown. Only ever heard very short calls.
10779572 Dispatch (obvious by traffic)
10779576 Called self "AirMed 4"

I also have these in my notes, but I don't know where I came across this information:
10779536 is supposedly AirMed3
10779575 is supposedly AirMed4 ???
10779528 is supposedly base (dsm?)
10779577 is supposedly a heli.

Very interesting that I only ever hear AirMed4, especially considering the significant distance from here to Des Moines.

Can anyone tell me what RIDs they hear from Mercy?

Keep in mind, the call sign 'AirMed4' is likely used by multiple helicopters, based on airframe availability. The specific RID in use can potentially vary as well with in a specific airframe if they are using a Technisonic air certified LMR that has multiple RF units in it.

Technisonic has one aircertified LMR radio that can have up to 6 APX8000 portable radio chassis with in it. In theory, tye medical crew and pilot could use 2, or more different RID, even when talking on the same talk group, with in the same airframe.

Just a couple varibles to keep in mind when trying to tie RID to callsign.

Your best bet is to ALSO track by tail number on Flight Radar 24 or ADS-B while collecting RID, then you can connect RID with a specific airframe.

 

[kayn1n32008]

Also, they may also be using portable radios by the crew members when not in flight. I believe my local HEMS crews also carry portable radios to be able to communicate amongst themselves when not in the air.

 

[radioboy75]

I have a new theory. Callsigns cannot be connected to RIDS. I found another RID, 10779576, and listened to the archived audio coming from that RID. The people transmitting have identified as "AirMed 3," "AirMed 4," and "AirMed 2." So yeah. Not very useful for me. I just wanted to know when the Sioux City bird was in the air without actually having to hear the traffic. Seems like the only way of doing that is with FlightAware or something like it.

 

[radioboy75]

Now I am completely flabbergasted. The resource I found a few weeks ago (wish I remembered where) said Sioux City was AirMed 2. Now I've found this on Mercy's OWN site and it says Sioux City is AirMed4. OOOKKK RHM - MercyOne Air Med

 

[n0esc]

I have a new theory. Callsigns cannot be connected to RIDS. I found another RID, 10779576, and listened to the archived audio coming from that RID. The people transmitting have identified as "AirMed 3," "AirMed 4," and "AirMed 2." So yeah. Not very useful for me. I just wanted to know when the Sioux City bird was in the air without actually having to hear the traffic. Seems like the only way of doing that is with FlightAware or something like it.

This is accurate. The reason is that the RID probably belongs to a portable radio that is "assigned" to a crew member. The crew has a "home" base but will work and fly from all locations and rotate across the state as needed, sometimes quite often if they are willing to pick up or cover staffing needs. Since the pilots and helis are contract from Air Methods, you'll probably see overlapping RIDS between UnityPoint Life Flight and MercyOne frequently as far a pilots/airframes. The medical patient care crew would stick to individual hospital networks.

 

[mws72]

Be lucky you can hear them. My local bird encrypted their comms when they switched to ISICS. At least I know if I hear the scrambled voice I know they are in the air. I have been able to somewhat tie up RIDs because they have to talk to other entities in clear voice.

 

[radioboy75]

Be lucky you can hear them. My local bird encrypted their comms when they switched to ISICS. At least I know if I hear the scrambled voice I know they are in the air. I have been able to somewhat tie up RIDs because they have to talk to other entities in clear voice.

Yeah encryption is the bane of scanner listeners and it will probably only get worse. One of the two birds that commonly fly in my area has blocked its tail numbers from FlightAware, so I can ONLY hear them on the radio (at least that's not encrypted yet, although across the border in SD, when on the SD TRS, they probably do encrypt, since that's becoming the norm in Sioux Falls [PD, FD, EMS]).

 

[n0esc]

Yeah encryption is the bane of scanner listeners and it will probably only get worse. One of the two birds that commonly fly in my area has blocked its tail numbers from FlightAware, so I can ONLY hear them on the radio (at least that's not encrypted yet, although across the border in SD, when on the SD TRS, they probably do encrypt, since that's becoming the norm in Sioux Falls [PD, FD, EMS]).

Less "pretty", but you can use ADSBExchange to see stuff unfiltered since they don't block or filter tail numbers that way. As long as someone in the area is feeding data to ADSBx, you'll see a live tail number and any other transmitted data.

ADS-B Exchange - track aircraft live

ADS-B Exchange - track aircraft live - aircraft flight history

globe.adsbexchange.com

 

[radioboy75]

Less "pretty", but you can use ADSBExchange to see stuff unfiltered since they don't block or filter tail numbers that way. As long as someone in the area is feeding data to ADSBx, you'll see a live tail number and any other transmitted data.

ADS-B Exchange - track aircraft live

ADS-B Exchange - track aircraft live - aircraft flight history

globe.adsbexchange.com

Thanks! This is the first I've heard of that!

 

[timsheff]

I'm not 100% sure, but I believe ADSBExchange also blocks tail numbers.

Supposedly, Airplanes.Live does not....

Globe - Watch Airplanes Live

Globe - Watch Airplanes Live

globe.airplanes.live

 

[radioboy75]

I tried it last night and saw some Sanford aircraft on adsbexchange.com. So it works at least somewhat.

 

[RaleighGuy]

I'm not 100% sure, but I believe ADSBExchange also blocks tail numbers.

Supposedly, Airplanes.Live does not....

Globe - Watch Airplanes Live

Globe - Watch Airplanes Live

globe.airplanes.live

ADSB Exchange and Airplanes Live both do not filter traffic or block tail numbers.

 

[RaleighGuy]

I have a new theory. Callsigns cannot be connected to RIDS. I found another RID, 10779576, and listened to the archived audio coming from that RID. The people transmitting have identified as "AirMed 3," "AirMed 4," and "AirMed 2." So yeah. Not very useful for me. I just wanted to know when the Sioux City bird was in the air without actually having to hear the traffic. Seems like the only way of doing that is with FlightAware or something like it.

Oftentimes (like EMS in my county) radios are issued to the first responder, not the unit, and crews rotate on a frequent (or daily) basis.

 

[radioboy75]

Oftentimes (like EMS in my county) radios are issued to the first responder, not the unit, and crews rotate on a frequent (or daily) basis.

I guess that makes sense. They're high enough in the air that coverage shouldn't be a problem even from a handheld! LOL

 

[n0esc]

I guess that makes sense. They're high enough in the air that coverage shouldn't be a problem even from a handheld! LOL

If anything it's usually a problem in reverse with having too much coverage. If ISICS is set up anything like your great lake covered neighbor to the north does with ARMER, the talk group they are on is pretty locked down to keep it from affiliating traffic to a bunch of towers all over the state any time they are in the air.

The crew members are generally supposed to avoid any scanning of multiple talk groups and should have radios on some type of roam or statewide one that has less priority. Our ground units that do long distance state transfers are supposed to do the same thing so they don't affiliate big metro talk groups with some of the small city or rural county towers that have far less capacity and can saturate a tower and available channels in a hurry when someone is behaving badly. I can always tell when our ground EMS or air services hit our local tower and have a medic that forgot to change radio settings shows up as my node will spike with a ton of metro or regional traffic I'd otherwise never be picking up.