Ahhh, isn't technology wonderful!!
programming San Bernardino County System 8 P25 Phase 2
- Thread starter HappilyRetired
- Start date
- Status
Ahhh, isn't technology wonderful!!
HappilyRetired
Member
My smart phone needs to go back to kindergarten. LOL.
It's jointly STAFFED
with Big Bear Fire and Cal Fire. Happily, you may be right. BFA calls it a shared station, but I don't hear CalFire much during the winter months. During summer and fall though I hear them on 2CMD5 right alongside BFA all the time.HappilyRetired
Member
It's jointly STAFFED
They should start getting active right about now. There's been numerous fires up there as well as down here where I'm at. I could hear them if they come up on 2 command 5 but I can't hear them on VHF because the mountains in the way. I did hear that Cal Fire basically has a HT and that's how they communicate with Comm Center. I know I'm the new kid in town but I got to save that that seems kind of funky. Why would San Bernardino County go to 800 and be the redheaded stepchild when Cal Fire and Forest Service are both on VHF? I don't know much but I do know that San Bernardino County used to be on VHF. I guess that's the reason for the VHF patch repeaters but I don't hear a whole lot on them. When I listen to BDC V7 for example I hear mostly stuff for the deserts instead of the mountains it isn't dispatch stuff. Most of its the high desert. I need to get back up there and give me some more hiking. I got this Corona 6 pack in the middle of my belly that needs to be worked off.
HappilyRetired
Member
What is BFA's backup frequency please?
San Bernardino County, California (CA) Scanner Frequencies and Radio Frequency Reference
Scanner Frequencies and Radio Frequency Reference for San Bernardino County, California (CA)
www.radioreference.com
Scroll down to Big Bear Lake - see BFA V1
Big Bear Valley VHF repeater update:
BDC V5 is now normally patched to 2-CMD-4 (aka county fire mountain/desert command channel)
BFA V1 is normally patched to 2-CMD-5 (aka Big Bear Fire, Running Springs Fire, Apple Valley & Victorville command channel)
I submitted an update.
Last edited:
HappilyRetired
Member
I have been listening to V7 because I can't hear V1 or V5 in Big Bear. I've noticed that V7 is mostly desert and oftentimes they patch in Lake Havasu. Or what sounds like 29 Palms. I hear very little from the San Bernardino Mountains Lake Arrowhead area. I cannot get them reliably on 800. I have a beam antenna pointed at Strawberry Peak but some days are better than others.
I can get Forest Service for Idyllwild no problem because that's right next to me. They're usually on repeat. But as we've discussed before units in the San Bernardino Mountains are usually on the output and request permission to go to repeat. I know they have multiple tones that bring up the different repeaters and I guess they stay on simplex because they have multiple incidents going on around the mountain at one time.
It's important to point out that we're discussing BFA V1 (155.3625) not BDC V1 (151.145). I pick up BFA V1 most everywhere in Big Bear (it's not very clear unless you're actually in the Big Bear valley).
BDC V7 is normally patched to the County Fire P25 command channels used from Cajon Pass to stateline and from Wrightwood East (across the mountains) to Yucca Valley and the Colorado River.
I suspect you're not hearing much from the mountains because they're not as busy compared to the desert.
Here's a neat coverage map for BDC V7 (at Heaps Pk) that I came across.
Heaps Pk coverage
BDC V7 is normally patched to the County Fire P25 command channels used from Cajon Pass to stateline and from Wrightwood East (across the mountains) to Yucca Valley and the Colorado River.
I suspect you're not hearing much from the mountains because they're not as busy compared to the desert.
Here's a neat coverage map for BDC V7 (at Heaps Pk) that I came across.
Heaps Pk coverage
Last edited:
HappilyRetired
Member
Thank you for the clarification on BFA versus BDC. I didn't know there was a difference. Where are they listed here in the database? I thought all frequencies was listed under County although I did know Big Bear Lake had their own Fire Authority. I thought Big Bear City was County. I'm actually only interested in listening there when I'm hiking that area.
As far as Heap Peak, it's my understanding that Running Springs west to Crestline primarily comes off of Strawberry Peak simulcast. What should I be programming? I do know that Lake Arrowhead which includes Crestline station's 25 and 26 through the 90s for Lake Arrowhead which includes Twin Peaks and Lake Arrowhead itself are actually busy stations. When I'm up there I hear regular traffic to include Running Springs and Arrowbear which is for some reason triple covered by Arrowbear Volunteer Fire Department Station 271 and Cal Fire which is based out of Running Springs. I follow SoCal scanner and Running Springs gets a lot of calls.
All I'm saying is that it's confusing. Big Bear is normally patched over the county system on 700/800. I only listen on VHF when I'm at home in Riverside County. That's why I can't hear Big Bear. But I can hear BDC V7. BFA V1, BDC, BDF, CDF, BLM... AAARG!
Strawberry Peak covers the entire San Bernardino mountain range over to the Big Bear Dam. Desert comes off of Quartzite above Victorville. Who uses Heaps Peak and why is there a Strawberry Peak simulcast? I'm lost.
Sorry but I don't know how to attach an image here.
Regarding your "lost" feeling... hopefully this tidbit helps:
The county 700/800mhz trunking system is simulcast over multiple sites. Strawberry Pk and Heaps Pk are both part of that system.
Regarding the VHF repeaters that are patched in: these are for cooperating agencies to use since they don't have 800mhz. There is no County fire VHF at Strawberry, only Heaps.
The county 700/800mhz trunking system is simulcast over multiple sites. Strawberry Pk and Heaps Pk are both part of that system.
Regarding the VHF repeaters that are patched in: these are for cooperating agencies to use since they don't have 800mhz. There is no County fire VHF at Strawberry, only Heaps.
HappilyRetired
Member
Okay. That I understood. I was mixing the 800 system with the VHF system. VHF is off of Heaps only.
I did look up BFA and they've got a lengthy list of frequencies that do include BDC V5 154.19. But I understand you when you tell me they've gone to BFA V1. I can't hear them anyway. There's a big mountain in the way. But talk about confusion. Now let's add even more by adding station 284 Cal Fire and BFA that apparently share a station in Baldwin Lake. I'm going to lose my freaking mind. LOL. Maybe I'll hike the Cleveland this summer. Easier to know where the tune.
Ahh yes, as noted earlier in this thread, there's lots to monitor in the SBDo Mountains. USFS, CalFire, Local FDs.
I like to caution everyone about looking up FCC licenses - there's always plenty to confuse you there. I like RadioReference because those of us who actually listen can filter out the garbage found in the licenses that aren't used anymore (such as Big Bear and 154.190) and post what you can monitor with a description:
San Bernardino County
The good folks here contribute and the admins update/format this page very well.
I like to caution everyone about looking up FCC licenses - there's always plenty to confuse you there. I like RadioReference because those of us who actually listen can filter out the garbage found in the licenses that aren't used anymore (such as Big Bear and 154.190) and post what you can monitor with a description:
San Bernardino County
The good folks here contribute and the admins update/format this page very well.
Big Bear City in unincorporated but has for my entire life had their own fire protection. First under Big Bear City Fire and now under the unified Big Bear Fire Authority (combined the former Big Bear City and Big Bear Lake fire departments). County Fire in the Big Bear Valley is now just station 96 out of Fawnskin with a area around Fawnskin and the north shore.
Fire traffic in the mountain is feast or famine. Usually quiet but it only takes one good snow storm or monsoon to change that.
Quite a bit more than that!
Everywhere outside of the Big Bear Fire Authority district is County Fire responsibility including the lake water itself.
BFA V1 is on Bertha peak
- Status
Similar threads
