Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg - Arggh! Help Please

[JimD56]

Coming up to Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg for a week and I am seeing all sorts of conflicts on the frequency database.
What are the NO Sh*t places in the database for Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg Fire/EMS?
I am seeing county, local, city, Encrypted, Non-Encrypted, NXDN, Simulcast systems, what is what?
Thanks
Jim D

 

[zachgallop]

Coming up to Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg for a week and I am seeing all sorts of conflicts on the frequency database.
What are the NO Sh*t places in the database for Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg Fire/EMS?
I am seeing county, local, city, Encrypted, Non-Encrypted, NXDN, Simulcast systems, what is what?
Thanks
Jim D

All Sevier County Fire and Rescue Departments are Paged out on 464.225 MHz with a PL of 136.5. Gatlinburg Fire and EMS is also paged out on 453.850 with a PL of 100.0. Sevier County Ambulance Service is paged out on 462.950 MHz with a PL of 127.3. You will not hear them there for Primary comms unless they have issues with NXDN or need to talk to Lifestar. You can also hear the different dispatch centers communicate on Interagency; it is 460.500 with a PL of 100.0. Central E911 Dispatch is on that channel; they answer the 911 calls initially; if it requires LE, they transfer it to LE dispatch centers. Central Dispatch only Dispatches Fire and EMS. 100 is Sevier County Sheriff Dispatch, 500 is Gatlinburg Police Dispatch, and 700 is Pigeon Forge Police Dispatch. You can also monitor Seymour Fire on 154.310 with a PL of 103.5. That is the Seymour Fire dispatch channel, and they cover parts of Sevier, Knox, and Blount Counties. Sevier County Central, Blount Comm Center, and Knox Fire (Knox AMR/Rural Metro Dispatch) all communicate with them on that frequency. They also use TACN for secondary communications. Pigeon Forge Police is on TACN for primary communications. All other agencies within Sevier County operate on Land Air Trunking System for Primary Comms, and they are completely encrypted on that system. They are also encrypted on the conventional NXDN frequencies. NPS operates on VHF P25 with very little encryption and also use their TACN talkgroup (Linked with VIPER). Also, if you have any interested in monitoring Dollywood they are currently still on their LTR system, but it appears like they are transitioning to NXDN trunking.

 

[JimD56]

Thanks zachgallop. I'm on it and will be programming my SDS100 as such.

 

[surfacemount]

Considering all the vacationers that go there, this really should be considered for a sticky. Lock it, and let him update it as it changes

 

[jblackst]

A good portion of Sevier County is difficult to scan, at best. Just the way those good 'ol boys like it.

 

[KN4EHX]

THP District 5 Dispatch 1 and District 1 Dispatch 1 are clear. Sevier is District 1 but occasionally District 5 can run into District 1. Both are dispatched from Knoxville.

A fair amount of NPS P25 VHF is encrypted but still worth listening. They have stupid good coverage, but I heard there was some damage from a storm - they also use TACN and VIPER as Zach stated.

TACN LE 7, 8, and 9 you might hear someone on occasion. They aren’t super busy TG in that area but in the event of a large incident it can be

National Guard TG are also possible to hear from there but they are typically quite.

TEMA is also a possibility. They tend to check in to work on their radios and will also say when they have arrived home or if they are headed to an emergency. TEMA uses about everything under the sun including cell phones so it is hit or miss if you hear them or not. Most district coordinators cover about 5 counties each so you really never know what you’ll hear.

University of Tennessee Lifestar is always chatting. You should hear them on TACN a few times each day.

W4GBI and W4KEV repeaters never sleep. W4KEV has some repeater identifiers that are very memorable. A few DMR UHF repeaters in that area. TN Statewide has high tide and low tide.

Other than that, Zach covered the main bases. We’re surely leaving out something. You’ll probably be in range to hear Jefferson and Cocke County too.

 

[medic9351301]

Jim,
please give us a update with how it worked out.
will be heading up there very soon . trying to decide if its even worth taking a radio
thanks

 

[surfacemount]

W4GBI and W4KEV repeaters never sleep. W4KEV has some repeater identifiers that are very memorable.

GBI may or may not be functioning. The Blount County tower fell not very long ago; people have been donating funds to him and I *think* a temp tower has gone up.

 

[N1XDS]

Jim,
please give us a update with how it worked out.
will be heading up there very soon . trying to decide if its even worth taking a radio
thanks

When i was there eight months ago I couldn't pick up the county system at all for that area...I just listened to the Park Rangers their fully active

 

[zachgallop]

You might also want to program USMS KNOX, LE MUTAID4, LE MUTAID5, LE MUTAID6, 1TNDIST2, 2TNDIST2, 3TNDIST2, and 4TNDIST2 they are all used heavily by law enforcement agencies in the District 1 area. Some agencies that use them are the TBI, ATF, DEA, USMS, HSI, KCSO, LCSO, BCSO, ACSO, and TDOC Taskforce Units. I also believe National Guard Counterdrug is another thats occasionally on there from what I heard.

 

[JimD56]

Jim,
please give us a update with how it worked out.
will be heading up there very soon . trying to decide if its even worth taking a radio
thanks

NOT worth it. Very little action. Just some EMS/Ambulance stuff. Booorrring.

 

[Gsquared]

A good portion of Sevier County is difficult to scan, at best. Just the way those good 'ol boys like it.

I noticed that a few years ago when I had the BCD396XT. Our cabin is less than a mile from Pigeon Forge Fire Department and I never heard a thing whenever I heard the sirens and same for PF Police. I take it they've been encrypted for a long time?

 

[Gsquared]

All Sevier County Fire and Rescue Departments are Paged out on 464.225 MHz with a PL of 136.5. Gatlinburg Fire and EMS is also paged out on 453.850 with a PL of 100.0. Sevier County Ambulance Service is paged out on 462.950 MHz with a PL of 127.3. You will not hear them there for Primary comms unless they have issues with NXDN or need to talk to Lifestar.

Sorry for the noob question but what does paged out mean? I'm guessing not able to monitor?

 

[W4EMS]

Basically dispatched, with "pager tones" so others not involved with the call don't have to listen to it. Andin many rural areas they are literally paged out on pagers.

 

[Gsquared]

When i was there eight months ago I couldn't pick up the county system at all for that area...I just listened to the Park Rangers their fully active

Whenever I used to go to Cades Cove, I could see the rangers and volunteers talking on their radios and I wanted to hear their bear talk when one was causing traffic jams. I was scanning the Rangers group but never picked up any conversation. Plus, I figured the volunteer rangers were on a different frequency that I didn't have. I tried Close Call but you know how that usually goes.

 

[Gsquared]

Basically dispatched, with "pager tones" so others not involved with the call don't have to listen to it. Andin many rural areas they are literally paged out on pagers.

Wow! So 1990s

 

[KN4EHX]

Sorry for the noob question but what does paged out mean? I'm guessing not able to monitor?

Play the second video around your firefighter friends for a good time. This is a good example of a Unication pager in use for toning out the cavalry. Although more common throughout the US would be the Motorola Minitor V.

 

[KN4EHX]

NOT worth it. Very little action. Just some EMS/Ambulance stuff. Booorrring.

What kind of secret squirrel stuff do you hear at home? Probably why I opt to use my cellphone for the juicy stuff. Most of our information also gets pushed through our MDTs.

 

[zachgallop]

I noticed that a few years ago when I had the BCD396XT. Our cabin is less than a mile from Pigeon Forge Fire Department and I never heard a thing whenever I heard the sirens and same for PF Police. I take it they've been encrypted for a long time?

Pigeon Forge Police Main is completely unencrypted on TACN. Their TAC 1 and TAC 2 channels have selectable encryption. They affiliate with the Greentop Site and Newport Site (English MTN). They use to be on their own P25 system but now they are on TACN. They repeat pretty much everything Fire and EMS is responding to in their jurisdiction. Central 911 raises PFPD Dispatch on Interagency to tell them usually which is 460.500.

Whenever I used to go to Cades Cove, I could see the rangers and volunteers talking on their radios and I wanted to hear their bear talk when one was causing traffic jams. I was scanning the Rangers group but never picked up any conversation. Plus, I figured the volunteer rangers were on a different frequency that I didn't have. I tried Close Call but you know how that usually goes.

If you every go again you should be able to hear them on the VHF P25 frequencies for GSMNP in the Federal Section for Tennessee. The P25 System is linked parkwide. There is a little encryption in use but not much. Only the LE Rangers have it. They also talk on “local” a lot which is 167.150 and it is a simplex frequency that is also p25. It is in use a lot in Cades Cove. There will be another set of p25 repeaters too for emergency service use soon, they just raised enough money about a month ago for radio upgrades. The whole system is getting redone because it honestly has not been in good shape for awhile the links constantly go down, they have to relay traffic, and a lot of traffic is broken. The NC side LE Rangers now use VIPER a lot and it is linked to TACN. So if you ever come back you should be able to hear them on those.

 

[Gsquared]

Pigeon Forge Police Main is completely unencrypted on TACN. Their TAC 1 and TAC 2 channels have selectable encryption. They affiliate with the Greentop Site and Newport Site (English MTN). They use to be on their own P25 system but now they are on TACN. They repeat pretty much everything Fire and EMS is responding to in their jurisdiction. Central 911 raises PFPD Dispatch on Interagency to tell them usually which is 460.500.

If you every go again you should be able to hear them on the VHF P25 frequencies for GSMNP in the Federal Section for Tennessee. The P25 System is linked parkwide. There is a little encryption in use but not much. Only the LE Rangers have it. They also talk on “local” a lot which is 167.150 and it is a simplex frequency that is also p25. It is in use a lot in Cades Cove. There will be another set of p25 repeaters too for emergency service use soon, they just raised enough money about a month ago for radio upgrades. The whole system is getting redone because it honestly has not been in good shape for awhile the links constantly go down, they have to relay traffic, and a lot of traffic is broken. The NC side LE Rangers now use VIPER a lot and it is linked to TACN. So if you ever come back you should be able to hear them on those.

Thank you so much for taking the time to break it all down. Think I'm going to bite the bullet and get the Uniden BCD325P2. I mostly follow Knox County Rural Metro FD which is analog and was gonna get the BC125AT at the recommendation of others in the General forum but, with your update (at least for me) for GSMNP and PF, I'll benefit from a less expensive digital scanner. I'd love the 436HP for easy programming but I've had a few Uniden scanners over the years and understand the programming so I can save $150.

I've been using a Baofeng UV-5r for Rural Metro monitoring but in the car while driving, the picket fencing and dropouts are horrible. I've recently learned in the RR threads that those have a AT1846S transceiver chip that isn't designed to handle signals while driving. Plus, I really miss how Uniden scanners well, scan. The UV-5r only has one "bank" and is way too slow scanning through the freqs. Thanks again.