SBCO simulacast 800 meg?

[mtnmadman]

I know the simulcast freq. for 8fire1 has been shut off. Now, I have heard other FD using the VHF trying to contact 800meg depts, but no contact. Any one know why they cut the simulcast freq? Budget cuts?

 

[f40ph]

No, not budget cuts. They installed more sites (where there was only one previously). If they were to keep that one site (Heaps Pk) always patched, that would cause interference should another agency want to contact via a different repeater. Plus, it now allows them to patch to a 800mhz dispatch channel OR an 800mhz tactical channel. Bottom line = more flexibility.

 

[tomasG]

Not quite. I can hear SBCOF very well out here in Lancaster. SBCOF is moving TO VHF for primary dispatch. 800 will remain active but has proven ineffective in the mountains. Just recently Angelus Oaks rolled on a vehicle over the side and using their HT's they were unable to communicate with a paramedic and fire fighter at the bottom of a ravine. They sent down a VHF HT with AMR. Forest Service and CALFIRE use VHF and it makes no sense to be on 800 and have to switch when working with other agencies by carrying two radios.

County 2 is not just on Heaps. It is also on Oyyx, Little Mountain and at the Big Bear Sheriff's Station. This went active initially when Big Bear City joined Big Bear Lake and county Station 49 on VHF. Big Bear Lake also uses a public works frequency of, IIRC, 155.325. Baldwin Lake is still on their own frequency but also dispatched on County 2 when it is active again. CDF dispatches Crest Forest units on CALFIRE. Arrowbear used the VHF patch extensively and is now in a bit of a lurch. Running Springs 50 and 51 used both. Lake Arrowhead almost always used the VHF patch.

 

[rolncode2892]

What VHF frequencies is the county using or going to be using now?

 

[tomasG]

County 1 and 2 will remain and they have added two additional VHF for dispatch. They already have others for tactical. County 3 & 4 are in the database here I think. Things have gone all whacky since Apple Valley, Victorville, Rialto and several other agencies have decided to leave the county 800 system. They are all moving to VHF where most fire departments are at.

 

[f40ph]

County 1 and 2 will remain and they have added two additional VHF for dispatch. They already have others for tactical. County 3 & 4 are in the database here I think. Things have gone all whacky since Apple Valley, Victorville, Rialto and several other agencies have decided to leave the county 800 system. They are all moving to VHF where most fire departments are at.

Just a point of clarification: Apple Valley and Victorville left the "non-county" EDACS system a couple years ago, however, they use the SBCO 800mhz system daily on "system 1". Rialto has always been 800mhz since the early 1990s and have not left - they are on "system 6" daily. The County 1, 2, 3, 4, VHF repeaters are for mutual aid responders to communicate with Comm Center when responding and going on scene. The VHF system is dead quiet 90% of the time. Some dispatchers seem to be multi-selecting / simulcasting the dispatcher audio portion on both VHF and 800 but that appears to be personal preference rather than "policy". Should a tactical be needed, they will patch the VHF repeater for that area into the 800mhz tactical "fireground" talkgroup for that incident.

<Here's my opinion based on my "insider" knowledge:>
No agencies are moving from SBCO 800mhz to VHF at the present time. There is always talk about the monthly cost and how it would be less expensive on VHF, but that does not factor in several issues. For example, the SBCO 800mhz folks also maintain the VHF backup repeaters for no cost. Presently, the only way for a contracting agency to move from 800mhz to VHF would be to contract with a different dispatch center (i.e. CalFire). SBCo (Comm Center) has previously told agencies interested in contracting with them that they are an 800mhz only dispatch center who also provides pre-arrival instructions to 911 callers. This is the package deal they offer for a "specific" cost - take it or leave it.

 

[rolncode2892]

So what do I need to program in order to hear the valley, mountain, and desert fire dispatch calls?

 

[f40ph]

Go to the database page for SBCO:
San Bernardino County, California (CA) Scanner Frequencies and Radio Frequency Reference

Scroll down a little bit. Click on each radio system that you think you can receive (8-system is the mountain system for example) click on "San Bernardino, County of (Public Safety) 08" to go to the page for the mountain trunked system.

Program in the trunking radio frequencies per your scanner's directions for Motorola type II 800mhz.

 

[rolncode2892]

Thanks!!!!!

 

[tomasG]

So when you see that I am correct based on first hand knowledge rather than "insider knowledge" you're buying lunch? No NcDonald's.

 

[rolncode2892]

If they switch to VHF, are they going to dispatch on those county 1-4 frequencies? Or are they going to dispatch on different frequncies? And when is this suppose to occur?

 

[Duster]

So, who dispatches 29 Palms Fire now? When I was with them in the late 80's, we were on VHF Desert Yellow. When Comm Center went 800, they switched to CDF to stay VHF. I've been gone for a while, and am curious if they jumped on the 800 bandwagon with Comm Center or stayed with CAL FIRE on Local West.

 

[mtnmadman]

not sure, had same prob. her in Mtns.... They killed the simulcast, now gone to total 800, Been a BIG prob, on the mtn. Other depts. cant hear , and cant talk....... Typ. SBCO B.S.

 

[f40ph]

I'm missing something here - all of us with an old trunktracker1 scanner can hear SBCO just fine, yet other depts "can't hear"? CHP solved this years ago - just last week I saw they still have old uniden scanners in many of their cars... there's an easy solution here...

 

[RobertW1]

I'm missing something here - all of us with an old trunktracker1 scanner can hear SBCO just fine, yet other depts "can't hear"? CHP solved this years ago - just last week I saw they still have old uniden scanners in many of their cars... there's an easy solution here...

f40ph informed me that the VHF patch (County-1, 151.145) that used to be used in the Wrightwood area on Frost Peak to patch into the 800Mhz System is no longer there. There is only 800Mhz on Frost now. It is the frequency that used to be used by Wrightwood Fire as "direct", 867.8625. It is a "conventional" frequency on Frost that patches into the SBCo trunked 800Mhz system.

I've confirmed that this is indeed the case this last weekend. I have trouble hearing Wrightwood dispatches from my cabin on my BC-396xt with the standard rubber ducky antenna, but we are blocked from Frost Peak by some mountains and ridges. As I move down toward Hwy 2 and "downtown" Wrightwood, the transmissions are easily heard. I could also easliy hear the transmission throughout that part of the Angeles National Forest from Wrightwood to Vincent Gap and all along Big Pines Hwy.

Like the CHP "fix", I'll just have to take my scanner along, tuned to that frequency, 867.8625, when patrolling for the USFS. I suspect that the LACo Sheriff's 260 Roberts units will do the same this winter season. Many times SBCo gets the call and dispatches on an injury before it comes through "Angeles" Dispatch.

 

[f40ph]

So, who dispatches 29 Palms Fire now?

Comm Center does via the 800mhz "4-system" (same as Yucca Valley & Joshua Tree) on "4-Fire-1"

 

[mtnmadman]

SBCO 800 disp changes

Wondering if there is other changes on SBCO disp. I know BBL/BBC fire went from desert com, to com center. Any other changes out there? (Why BBL/BBC was ever on desert com is beyond me?)