San Antonio AMR freqs

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bigjnsa

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I programmed my 246T with the AMR (ambulance) frequencies. Interesting part is that all I'm picking up are tow truck drivers using that system. I picked up a conversation last night on AMR North where the guy was going to a car to pick up. To my knowledge ambulances don't pick up cars ;)

Anyway, I just thought I'd see if AMR had changed to a new system and sold their old one to some tow truck company.
 

mr_hankey

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AMR primarily works off 451.3000 Mhz, which should be in LCN 3 in your scanner.

their dispatch talkgroup is 0-03-061, although some others are used sometimes.

one thing you COULD do is program all the frequencies in Logical Channel Numbering order and then lock out everything but Channel 3 (451.3000) and then scan it as a trunked bank - you should then only pick up any user whose "home" channel on that system is channel 03 (which is mostly AMR unless the repeater load gets heavy).

for those who don't know, AMR responds to everything in and around Bexar County that the San Antonio Fire Department won't/can't respond to. AMR will usually tone out at about the same time Bexar County Fire Alarm does for major accidents and incidents.
 

precoislen

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AMR doesn't operate any TG's on the LTR system on the North tower. I believe they have the ability to do so if need be, but 90-95% of thier comms are on 451.300 on the South tower as Hankey stated.

All I have ever heard on the North system as you described is that one towing company. I have stopped listening to that tower a long time ago, unless I hear AMR talk about going to their "alternate" frequency. I have yet to figure out what their "alternate" frequency/channel is. You hear that once in a while.
 

mr_hankey

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yeah, i think AMR "Activations" take place on that other tower.

at least, that's how Sanscanman reported it once.
 

precoislen

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You know unfortunately, when I have heard them mention going to "alternate", I have never heard anything from AMR on the North tower. I am not absolutely positive that they are in trunking mode at that point. They could very well be on an conventional channel that we are unaware of.

Because of the type of radios that they carry, they have the ability for 16 conventional personalities/channels in a zone. So they could easily operate on an conventional UHF channel.
 

bigjnsa

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precoislen said:
AMR doesn't operate any TG's on the LTR system on the North tower. I believe they have the ability to do so if need be, but 90-95% of thier comms are on 451.300 on the South tower as Hankey stated.

All I have ever heard on the North system as you described is that one towing company. I have stopped listening to that tower a long time ago, unless I hear AMR talk about going to their "alternate" frequency. I have yet to figure out what their "alternate" frequency/channel is. You hear that once in a while.

The 2nd question would be how to program the TalkGroups. Since I want to keep AMR North and AMR South, mr_hankey tends to think that I should program the TalkGroups into both systems.

This brings me to another topic, why isn't programming the BC246-T logical? I want to create a group and have multiple systems in that one group. Example, I wanted to have a San Antonio group where I'd have the Gold Site, the various universities, water, etc... But no, I have to create a system of Conventional, EDCS, MOT or LTR. Then groups inside of those. But I can't have a conventional group inside of an LTR group.

So confusing...
 

precoislen

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It doesn't hurt to have the talk groups programmed for both systems. I have never heard them operate on the North system, but that doesn't mean that they won't ever use it. Better to have it just in case, so mr._hankey advice will previal there. He is more in tune with the ins and outs on the LTR systems in the area than most others.

As far as programming the BC246, I can't help. Deal with Radio Shack scanners myself, even though for the functionality and price, I might break down and buy my first Uniden scanner.
 

INDY72

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Here is a lil trick for AMR...


Since they are primarily using the LTR as CH 1.... and are on UHF, program in all 10 MED freqs.... they might be using one of them as CH 2... Also see if they are liscensed for any of the VHF HEARN freqs. And also remember if there are any local non trunked FG/Tac freqs.. AMR is usually able to talk directly to the local FD/VFD's on those... I would also suggest monitoring any local TRS stuff.. but since that area is mostly on the evil Provoice EDACS with ESK area.... that kills that...

Hope that helps.
 

precoislen

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Houston, TX
The local AMR units carry 2 different types of radios. They have the HT1250 LS portables, and CDM1550? mobiles on the local LTR system. Those radios carry the brunt of thier communications needs.

They also have an mobile VHF radio that they use to communicate with all the local VFD's & Airlife if need be.

Hospital communications is carried out via cell phone.

I doubt seriously that they talk on VHF because that band stinks around here. Will have to check out the 10 Med Channels. Never really thought about that because I doubted they were in use, as all the hospitals are on the SA EDACS Provoice system.
 

SABRAVEST

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Feb 2, 2004
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Fire Alarm communicates with amr all the time on the vhf's to get ETA and sometimes to see if they got the word that the scene was secure. I hear all of there traffic on 451.3000. Where i volunteer at medic 202 is the primary responder and they are also the primary responder for fort sam.

Our Asst Chief works with 202 so that helps out alot
 

mr_hankey

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hey precoislen, there IS activity on one MED channel...

unfortunately, i am so far away from the hospital using it that i could not identify the units (could it have been skip?)

definitely talking about "the hospital" and "transport", blah blah (not an LTR)
 
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