Scanning the forest fire near Estacada

[Pro94Pdx]

Anyone have any suggested frequencies for scanning the 36 Pit Fire near Lazy Bend Campground off Hwy 224? It's grown to 1,000 acres. Might be interesting to hear the radio traffic from the fire fighters on the ground and air. They have a helicopter doing water drops as well.

Does anyone know which frequencies they'd be using for the helicopter and the ground crews? I suspect there are multiple agencies involved. Media is also stationed nearby with their vans that have the satellite dishes on top, so they can provide live reporters on the scene during newscasts. I've never been able to find the frequencies for their conversations with producers back at the station right before they go on air. I'd like to head up there today or tomorrow to see what I can pick up, for any of the above. Suggestions are welcome if anyone has ideas. Thanks in advance for your help. Happy scanning to all.

 

[robm79]

estacada forest fire

i found this link : National Incident Radio Support Cache , i too am wanting to know also ! i was camping out at Mchiver park this weekend when i woke up to smoke and ash everywhere , the frequencies below is from that link , not sure how old they are though.

Rpt Out/ Rpt In

Simplex
168.050 Forest Service Tactical 1
168.200 Forest Service Tactical 2
168.600 Forest Service Tactical 3

166.725 Interior Tactical 1
166.775 Interior Tactical 2
168.250 Interior Tactical 3

168.700 170.975 Command 1
168.100 170.450 Command 2
168.075 170.425 Command 3
166.6125 168.400 Command 4
167.100 169.750 Command 5
168.475 173.8125 Command 6

168.025 Forest Svc Law Enforcement
163.100 Gov't Wide
168.350 Gov't Wide
168.550 ICS Call-Up

168.625 Air Guard
168.650 Standard Flight Following
166.675 Air Tactics 1 (Air to Air)
169.150 Air Tactics 2 (Air to Air)
169.200 Air Tactics 3 (Air to Air)
170.000 Air Tactics 4 (Air to Ground)
167.950 Air Tactics 5 (Air to Air)

169.350 FAA


UHF


414.650 410.775 Logistics 1
415.400 411.400 Logistics 2
415.500 411.500 Logistics 3
417.300 411.750 Logistics 4
417.350 411.925 Logistics 5
417.500 412.150 Logistics 6
417.800 412.200 Logistics 7


Aircraft


122.850 Air to Air, Air to Ground
122.975 Air to Air
123.025 Air to Air, Air to Ground
123.050 Air to Ground
123.075 Air to Air, Air to Ground
122.925 Air to Air, Air to Ground

there is this link too , http://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?aid=4736 not sure if up to date , if the moderator is looking at this , please verify if up to date please ! thanks

 

[Pro94Pdx]

Thanks very much for the info. I'll try entering those, and see how it goes. I appreciate your help. They've closed Hwy 224 about a mile before the fire, but that should be plenty close enough to pick up the radio traffic, even if it's simplex or localized handheld radio transmissions. Hope you get the chance to pick up some good scanning too. The rains are coming soon so the window to listen won't last long.

 

[mikepdx]

36 Pit Fire

I've been listening to activity on these:

170.525 MHNF Forest Net - Clackamas River District
168.2875 A/G 50

151.205 ODF North Cascades
151.340 ODF Red

These are the official Air Ground-Air/Air Freqs for NW Oregon:
A/G-50 168.2875
A/G-09 166.9125
A/A-01 134.725
A/A-02 132.875
A/A-03 133.375

Visit Inciweb for the latest on the fires:
http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/state/38/

 

[Pro94Pdx]

Thanks, Mike, I'll try these as well. Good to know it can be picked up as far away as Corbett. That should lead to good reception where I am as well. It's great of you to post these.

 

[radiotweester]

Clackamas County 800 TRS Channel Ops 27 (51184 / c7f) is also being used as an Operations channel.

 

[V_A_R_I_A_B_L_E]

Interesting mish-mash of channels being used. For someone who has never monitored fire, can anyone give a quick rundown of what sort of activity can be heard on the few above listed channels that are being used for this incident?

 

[Pro94Pdx]

Clackamas County 800 TRS Channel Ops 27 (51184 / c7f) is also being used as an Operations channel.

Thanks for the info, I appreciate that. Do you happen to know what the alpha tag for that TG is? In case my "scanner linguistics" are off, what I'm asking is this: I'm wondering what TG 51184 translates to in terms of the name of the talk group. My PSR 800 EZ Scan software doesn't let me program by TG number... and I have to select the name of the talk group (the alpha tag) instead. For example, rather than selecting TG 64912 / fd9 in the software, I have to click on "CCOM Law 1" instead if I want to program the channel for the urban area Clackamas County Sheriff's Office dispatch.

There is probably a way to make the software enter things by TG IDs, but if so, I haven't figured it out yet. So if you happen to know what the main Operations channel you have mentioned above is called.... like ODF Red Net, or USFS Law, or whichever interagency channel they are using.... please let me know.

I greatly appreciate all the feedback I've gotten on my original question, and thank you to everyone for all the great help. Happy scanning!

 

[PMJ2kx]

Thanks for the info, I appreciate that. Do you happen to know what the alpha tag for that TG is?

They actually put it in their post, right before the TGID (see bold/underlined below)

Clackamas County 800 TRS Channel Ops 27 (51184 / c7f) is also being used as an Operations channel.

 

[dkf435]

Just heard activity on 151.445 listed as FIRE CACHE NET 2 REPEATER on the HomePatrol

David Kb7uns

 

[Pro94Pdx]

They actually put it in their post, right before the TGID (see bold/underlined below)

Thanks, PMJ2kx, I see that now. LOL, thanks for pointing that out, I definitely missed that one.

 

[SCPD]

i found this link : National Incident Radio Support Cache , i too am wanting to know also ! i was camping out at Mchiver park this weekend when i woke up to smoke and ash everywhere , the frequencies below is from that link , not sure how old they are though.

Rpt Out/ Rpt In

Simplex
168.050 Forest Service Tactical 1
168.200 Forest Service Tactical 2
168.600 Forest Service Tactical 3

166.725 Interior Tactical 1
166.775 Interior Tactical 2
168.250 Interior Tactical 3

168.700 170.975 Command 1
168.100 170.450 Command 2
168.075 170.425 Command 3
166.6125 168.400 Command 4
167.100 169.750 Command 5
168.475 173.8125 Command 6

168.025 Forest Svc Law Enforcement
163.100 Gov't Wide
168.350 Gov't Wide
168.550 ICS Call-Up

168.625 Air Guard
168.650 Standard Flight Following
166.675 Air Tactics 1 (Air to Air)
169.150 Air Tactics 2 (Air to Air)
169.200 Air Tactics 3 (Air to Air)
170.000 Air Tactics 4 (Air to Ground)
167.950 Air Tactics 5 (Air to Air)

169.350 FAA


UHF


414.650 410.775 Logistics 1
415.400 411.400 Logistics 2
415.500 411.500 Logistics 3
417.300 411.750 Logistics 4
417.350 411.925 Logistics 5
417.500 412.150 Logistics 6
417.800 412.200 Logistics 7


Aircraft


122.850 Air to Air, Air to Ground
122.975 Air to Air
123.025 Air to Air, Air to Ground
123.050 Air to Ground
123.075 Air to Air, Air to Ground
122.925 Air to Air, Air to Ground

there is this link too , US Forest Service Scanner Frequencies and Radio Frequency Reference not sure if up to date , if the moderator is looking at this , please verify if up to date please ! thanks

It looks like this fire started on a local jurisdiction or ODF jurisdiction. It then quickly burned on to National Forest land. I wouldn't think there are any ODF frequencies in use now. Since a federal interagency incident command team is in charge now, the NIFC incident support radio system is likely in place. The forest or district nets on the Mt. Hood National Forest likely carry dispatch to incident command post traffic that is usually logistical or "housekeeping" in nature. By housekeeping I am referring to communications concerning resource orders, ETA's for aircraft, crews, engines, shower units, etc.traffic. The real action will be on the NIFC system frequencies.

The page you have provided a link to and the information on it is several years out of date. The BLM and Forest Service frequencies were merged into one system about 10-15 or more years ago.

I've written and am maintaining a page on the Wiki using the best Information I can find or is passed on to me by the human sources I have. It is as current as the information I receive. You will find it here:

National Incident Radio Support Cache - The RadioReference Wiki

Try the 400 MHz frequencies at some point. Sometimes VHF AM aviation frequency remote bases are linked with UHF frequencies as well, if that applies to a particular fire. Sometimes you can be at some distance from a fire and are able to receive the link frequency you will hear everything the remote base is receiving. The complexity of the communications system installed for an incident depends on the complexity, terrain and type of resources used on the fire.

The NIFC incident support radio system frequencies are used very frequently on large incidents. Sometimes for reasons not always clear to me, frequencies from a local pool of frequencies assigned to any federal agency but currently unused will be assigned to an incident. These are not listed anywhere because the authorization to use them lasts for the term of the incident only and can change if any agency starts to use their frequencies in a locale this year or in the future. It is futile to collect information about these frequencies because the list changes so often. Not only are the authorizations temporary, they are issued for a very limited area. Frequencies authorized for use on a fire in Montana are not likely authorized in Oregon the same year or at any point in the future. Authorizations for an earlier incident in the same area can change even when they are just weeks apart. The slate is wiped clean each year and new requests for authorizations are required . Authorization are issued by the Communications Duty Officer (CDO) at NIFC.

FM air to ground, air to air FM tactical, air to air AM tactical and air to ground AM frequencies used on incidents are not those pre assigned for initial attack use. Once a fire burns on a second day it enters the extended attack stage and if it is significantly growing in size an incident management team will assume command of the fire. Unless the team is a local one, the NIFC incident support radio system will be used. When a fire enters the extended attack phase all those pre assigned frequencies are not used. The Geographical Area Coordination Center (ten for the U.S.) has some pre assigned frequencies it can give to the fire. If not, the NIFC CDO has more that can be assigned.

It is becoming more infrequent for new frequencies to be announced over the air as frequency use information is confidential now. Finding out the frequencies in use, if the standard list of NIFC frequencies is not used, can be challenging. You have to park out of the way, but relatively close to the fire and set up searches. If you are close enough to use the signal stalker or sweep function of a scanner, you are too close to the fire and have become one of those annoying "Looky Lou's" that often have to be moved, tying up people that need to be doing more important work. You can also put yourself in a risky situation if you are too close.

All in all, listening to a fire might be a mixed bag effort. In a lot of cases the listed NIFC frequencies will suffice.

I hope this helps.

 

[oregontreehugger]

Thanks Exsmokey for chiming in, always nice to see your detailed posts and info.

 

[SCPD]

Thanks Exsmokey for chiming in, always nice to see your detailed posts and info.

Thanks for the kind words.

The first portion of my post was deleted somehow. I meant to say that the first page posted with information about the NIFC Incident Radio Support Cache should be disregarded. It is about 20 years out of date. The USFS and BLM large incident systems were merged in the early or mid 90's to make the entire system available for use by any federal agency. The primary use of it is on large fires, however, it is available for all types of incidents managed by the federal land management agencies. It is used when Type I and Type incident management teams are deployed to assist on hurricane and major tornado responses. It has been used at national political party conventions. It is used when the president visits National Parks, National Forests and BLM managed public lands. Some of its frequencies are used for management of the annual national "Rainbow Family Gathering."

All of the frequencies in some categories are not used anymore, while others are not used in the same fashion.

Let's run those down. The BLM tacs have become Tacs 5, 6, & 7. A Tac 4 existed for several years and was removed as the authorization for it was rescinded. Another frequency has not been obtained to replace it. The command frequency list is correct as shown, however, Commands 7-12 were added several years ago. Subsequently, just like Tac 4 the authorization for Command 7 was terminated and a replacement frequency has not been found. Commands 8-12 were adopted from the National VHF Incident Response (IR) Federal Interoperability Channel Plan. Additional command frequency pairs have been reported, such as Commands 16, 19, 37 and more. However, these have not been verified as being used over a several year time period and may have been temporary, one time authorizations. Further work needs to be done to determine status.

The list of government wide frequencies should also include 163.7125, 167.1375, 168.6125, 173.6250. These frequencies, as well as 163.1000 and 168.3500 can be used anywhere in the U.S. by any federal agency at any time without any additional authorization. The first 4 are used for intra crew communications. Further details are available on the Wiki page, the link to which as been provided in my last post.

168.5500 has not been used as listed for several years. It has been given nationwide authorization for two purposes only, which are both aviation related. It is "National Smokejumper Air to Ground" and uses a 123.0 CTCSS tone on Tx and Rx. It is also used for helicopter as an air to ground for helicopter rappel operations with a 110.0 CTCSS tone, Rx/Tx. These are exclusive assignments and as such cannot be used by any other federal agency or by any other federal land management agency.

The frequency listed as "FAA" has never been verified nor reported by anyone on this website as being used.

The UHF channel plan was revised, in full, in 2005. The frequencies listed are no longer in the NIFC large incident plan. The new plan is available on the previously referenced Wiki page.

The Wiki page should be used for current VHF AM frequency use. These frequencies are authorized by the FAA and are only authorized on an annual basis. The uses shown on the outdated list are not correct. Again consult the referenced Wiki page.

 

[mikepdx]

Air Tankers and Scooper Planes on 123.6
working the 36 Pit Fire today Sun the 21st.

Scoopers filling up in the Columbia River.
back and forth over my house at low altitude.
Quite a show!

 

[DickH]

Air Tankers and Scooper Planes on 123.6
working the 36 Pit Fire today Sun the 21st.

Scoopers filling up in the Columbia River.
back and forth over my house at low altitude.
Quite a show!

So let's see the photos.

 

[thomasbillman1]

fire

what link is the fire streaming on ?

 

[OregonScanner]

I'm hearing comms on these freqs:

151.2050 [179.9 PL] ODF N Cascade Dispatch
151.3400 [156.7 PL] ODF Red Net
151.3100 [156.7 PL] ODF White Net
159.2625 [156.7 PL] ODF Blue Net
151.2500 [156.7 PL] ODF Fire Tac 2
151.4750 [156.7 PL] ODF Fire Tac 7
151.4000 [131.8 PL] ODF Fire Cache Net 1 Repeater

154.2800 State Fire Net

168.6500 [110.9 PL] National Flight Follow