St. Thomas Fire

[ST436HP]

Has anyone noticed recent radio work done or changed to FD in St. Thomas. I can hear apparatus traffic but no dispatch communications. Pretty sure their new radios went in yesterday, though.

When dispatch was on Repeater 2, no channel came up, but P25 code came on instead of DMR. Not sure if anyone knows anything or what.

 

[Forts]

Do you have an SDR by chance? That'll clear things up pretty quick.

 

[ST436HP]

Sorry I'm new to monitoring. Only been monitoring St. Thomas for a little bit. Is SDR like where you have it on your computer?

Nevermind, I know what you mean. Like scanning P25 and DMR at the same time

 

[Muxlow]

Yeah a USB device you pop into your computer and run DSDPlus on that frequency and will give you all the info needed
If its DMR, colour code, time slot, talkgroup number, radio id numbers and if its encrypted or not
Same with if its P25, give you the NAC and talkgroup/Radio ID # and if enc or not. Plus you can listen to the audio too if non enc

 

[ST436HP]

I think they may operating on a whole new frequency and channel now. Had a call by my house and nothing came through on my end. I have DMR.

 

[Forts]

Looks like you were correct @ST436HP.... Just snooping in the TAFL and see notes like this...

ST THOMAS FIRE DEPT - Mobile Fleet - Migrates to P25
141.3450
141.9150
148.9600
149.2450
149.8150
151.8800
154.4450
157.8600

Those are the licensed frequencies listed, some will be repeater pairs. Looks like it's a simulcast system.

 

[ST436HP]

Is it open?

 

[Forts]

No idea, I'm not in St Thomas to monitor.

I'd suggest putting those frequencies into your scanner and reporting back to us.

 

[Muxlow]

Program them as P25 and for the digital mode put it as NAC search

Make note of what frequency you see any activity on and what the NAC code shows

4 repeater pairs so could be a dispatch channel and 3 tac channels or something. Should hear voice over one of them if they get a call. If nothing at all over 2 days then I'd guess encrypted and the scanner just ignores the encrypted voice. Think there is a setting to make the SDS not ignore enc audio, all you'll hear is annoying garble sound.

 

[ST436HP]

I'm gonna program it manually after class. By making a favorites list. When I put it under P25 and put in the new frequencies given it says TGID not the frequencies. I'm new to the whole programming thing as this is my first making a favorites list as well. What would the next step be?

 

[Muxlow]

Manage Fav
Select the list you want or make a new fav list
Set FL Quick Key and give that a number
Review/Edit System
Select New System
Select Conventional for system type
Can edit the name of that system if you want to
Go to Edit sys options - Set system quick key and give that a number then go back and edit department
Make a new dept and name it if you want, set dept quick key and give that a number
Edit Channel - New Channel
put a frequency in and hit E then name it, set audio type to Digital Only then Search
Set service type as Fire Dispatch (or leave it as the default Custom 1)
Then go back to Select Channel and do that another 5 times

 

[ST436HP]

I just finished putting all the frequencies that @Forts listed.
I got some radio traffic, really hard to hear though. I can't tell if they were going out or accidental push. NFM NAC:392h came up and P25. Not sure the NAC:392h means though.

 

[Muxlow]

NAC is the P25 version of a PL for analog or a Colour Code for DMR

What frequency did you catch that NAC on?

 

[ST436HP]

154. 4450
141. 3450
149. 2450
148. 9600

Just caught clear transmission on 149. 3450 and somewhat clear for dispatch on 149. 2450

 

[Muxlow]

Keep an ear out. They might say what channel is what and when they get dispatched out and if they stay on that channel, or do they switch to a different one.
Also keep an eye on the NAC for each channel too it COULD be different from each other

 

[Forts]

I believe the normally do their daily radio test around 7:45-8am'ish.... So try to take a listen then if you can.

 

[ST436HP]

I believe the normally do their daily radio test around 7:45-8am'ish.... So try to take a listen then if you can.

Will do. I find they do it around 9AM. I'll have it on all weekend and give in updates

 

[Muxlow]

If you have a micro SD card in the radio you can set it to record then in the morning review the recordings to see what you missed over night. Might get lucky and get a hit on one of the other channels or they say the channel name

 

[Muxlow]

Will do. I find they do it around 9AM. I'll have it on all weekend and give in updates

Were you able to catch the morning testing?

I left my radio in scan and record overnight, plus DSD running, but couldn't pick them up from my location. Even with the band up a little bit overnight.

 

[ST436HP]

No. But caught a run last night on 141. 3450 and 149. 2450