Statewide Interoperability Freqs

[jaolson101]

Does anyone know what the plan is for utilizing these frequencies? http://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?aid=5505

In particular, are there going to be any repeaters implemented - especially for the VHF and UHF interop stuff?

 

[Grog]

Most of that looks like the national available stuff, somewhat curious why it was listed in NC unless there is some proof of it's use.

The state is basically giving up on hi-band for conventional (style, not radio type) law enforcement yet 154.680 is listed as "Statewide Command Post" so I'm wondering just who is going to be using that.

Like all lists of mutual aid frequencies, it's always good to have programmed in case of "the big one" but I would not expect to see many of those used for quite some time.

The new VHF frequencies are meant for simplex use only as you can see by the way of no inputs.

V-CALL 155.7525
V-TAC 1 151.1375
V-TAC 2 154.4525
V-TAC 3 158.7375
V-TAC 4 159.4725

 

[msigmon3306]

You can find pretty much any of the information you're looking for on the interop frequencies here:

http://www.ncdhhs.gov/dhsr/EMS/pdf/NIFOG.pdf

The VCALL-VTAC, UCALL-UTAC, and 8CALL/8TAC frequencies are non-federal mutual aid frequencies available for use in various incidents--large scale, regional, state, multi-state, etc. Guidelines for their use can be found in the field operations guide.

There are also a number of non-federal frequencies designated specifically for fire, EMS, and Law mutual aid in addition to the frequencies mentioned above.

Also, if anyone knows where I can buy a National Interoperability Field Operations Guide that is already printed, please let me know. The only one I've found so far is this .pdf version that you have to print off then cut down to size yourself.

 

[ecps92]

Many of the States are actually licensing the Frequencies and Testing, so there has been activity.
VT as an example has licensed for it's uses and CT has begun to move agencies from those channels
to new allocations so they won't get killed when/if the channel goes live for an event.

For the original poster, your best bet is contact your State EMA Liason who can CONFIRM the planned use better than us Scannists.

Most of that looks like the national available stuff, somewhat curious why it was listed in NC unless there is some proof of it's use.

The state is basically giving up on hi-band for conventional (style, not radio type) law enforcement yet 154.680 is listed as "Statewide Command Post" so I'm wondering just who is going to be using that.

Like all lists of mutual aid frequencies, it's always good to have programmed in case of "the big one" but I would not expect to see many of those used for quite some time.

The new VHF frequencies are meant for simplex use only as you can see by the way of no inputs.

V-CALL 155.7525
V-TAC 1 151.1375
V-TAC 2 154.4525
V-TAC 3 158.7375
V-TAC 4 159.4725

 

[CCHLLM]

The frequencies listed are valid in NC because they are in the VIPER interops plan, and the state is definitely NOT giving up on high band. They are refarming some of their VHF frequency wealth, and the VIPER interops sites will have these and many other freqs available for use with the ACU-1000 (old version) and ACU-2000 (new version) units installed in those interops sites. The frequencies to be patched are programmed into mobile radios rack mounted beneath the ACU, and these radios are controlled and selected to be patched system-to-system from the comm centers and other control points through the digital microwave system. There's presently at least one VIPER interops site available to each SHP com center with more to come. The system isn't fully operational yet because the comm center consoles aren't all updated yet, but the ACU-1000s and ACU-2000s and accompanying radios in their racks are in place. I know because I have seen them while at those sites, and helped put some in place when I was working for the state.

Yes, there will be changes and additions to what's in the racks as each jurisdiction's systems go through the narrowband and digital evolutions, but the three 154.680 repeater channels are definitely a part of the 1st responder mutual aid plan in NC. The VHF and UHF interops channels will be there for those jurisdictions that will not be joining the 800 MHz bandwagon and will be going 150 and 450 narrowband. With the existing 800 and future 700 mutual aid channels, there will be provisions for non-matching 800 systems until they can get all the interops channels into their systems.

 

[Grog]

As far as the SHP, they have pretty much given up on hi band as they phase out the mobile extenders and the 154.680 repeaters. That's where my statement was meant, plus SBI has gone as well. I guess we have DNR, marine fisheries, forest service...anyone else of the state using much VHF?


Everything I see points to the state wanting as many people to jump on 800mhz as is possible, seems they are getting some to move and others are just going to stay where they are for as long as they can. Setting up patches from local channels to 800mhz TGs is great if the locals can pay for it, I just don't see some areas having a lot of extra money for it.


Sorry guys, trying not to be cynical Smurf


P.S. I miss the mobile extenders, haven't heard one in months Guess I could always pick up a pyramid svr 200 to link a 440 HT to 2 meters

 

[CCHLLM]

You mean you're skeptical because you think local governments can't afford the cost of a few mobile units to place in the interops racks at VIPER interops sites? As I stated in my post, most of them are already in place, just not online yet, and those that don't have radios yet will be eligible for the equipment through interops grants. There won't be much of a budget issue over that at all.

The three 154.680 repeater channels that were SHP high band repeater frequencies are the very same 154.680 repeater channels now listed as Interops repeater channels, and these will be coming back online with new equipment capable of narrowband operation. That's a long way from being phased out. There'll be a lot more frequency sharing under the new interops band plans because it's dictated by emergency management plans under homeland security. The equipment will definitely be in place and available for use. The holdup will come from all the little turf wars generated by the same pompous, self important local types that inhibit progress now.

Just as an example from a few years ago, one local blowfish made the statement that none of his agency's radios would have any frequency in them that he couldn't control, and nobody, not even the state or federal government could make him do so. He went further to say that he wasn't sharing any of "his" frequencies, and if he found out that any other agency had "his" frequencies in their radios, he would make sure they removed those frequencies from their radios. He was forced to retire later that year, BTW.

What I'm going to miss will be the good old days of low band and high band freqs in SHP service, but the high band channels will eventually be in way more radios than ever.

 

[Grog]

You mean you're skeptical because you think local governments can't afford the cost of a few mobile units to place in the interops racks at VIPER interops sites? As I stated in my post, most of them are already in place, just not online yet, and those that don't have radios yet will be eligible for the equipment through interops grants.

I have no idea where all the interop sites will be located, so I can't really say anything about that. If there will be a site close enough that a county can patch one of their radios to a viper TG, so much the better.


I just hope they don't patch 155.280csq from a mountaintop site into a viper TG

 

[Grog]

Just as an example from a few years ago

<snip>

He went further to say that he wasn't sharing any of "his" frequencies, and if he found out that any other agency had "his" frequencies in their radios, he would make sure they removed those frequencies from their radios. He was forced to retire later that year, BTW.

Sounds like the usual local government bureaucrat and one reason I am glad that I am not involved in any public safety agencies anymore :lol:

 

[Grog]

453.2125 458.2125 156.7 U-CALL INTEROP

Where is that located? Who does it belong to?

155.445
154.680

Just curious, when was the last time you have heard anything on high band 3? I'm not getting too many hits of 445 since I've moved to Gaston County.

 

[reconrider8]

i keep getting just noises on 154.4525 and like the mores code ive been hearing that all day like 3 1 sec noises then it just goes dead

 

[Grog]

Are you hearing it clearly? It might be adjacent channel interference from a wideband user.


Your county uses 154.445 203.5PL as it's Fire Dispatch. If they have a strong signal it might be them bleeding over and your scanner hears it on 154.4525



Thinking outside the littler box, I wonder if the same thing would happen if someone in Cleveland County tried to use V-CALL (155.7525) since their EMS is on 155.745 with a very strong signal.

 

[reconrider8]

i think it is but i dont hear all the noise on the fire channel cause i heard the pager test

 

[jeffmulter]

WX4CBH - your comments about the Viper interop sites make me curious. Is there a site in-place in Catawba County ... Anderson Mtn, Baker Mtn, or on Hwy 16 N in Conover ?

Around the beginning of the year, I began noticing Catawba Co Fire's dispatch channel (154.415 / 131.8) occasionally bleeding through on 154.680 / 131.8. I originally wondered if SHP had moved a 154.680 rptr to Anderson Mtn, but I presume the same result might occur if they had setup a VHF interop site at one of the 154.415 rptr sites. BTW - I'm atleast 30-35 miles from Anderson Mtn., which would be the closest Catawba Co rptr site.

>> i keep getting just noises on 154.4525 and like the mores code ive been hearing that all day like 3 1 sec noises then it just goes dead

Reconrider - your description sounds like a local commercial pager channel may be overloading the receiver, and you end up hearing the paging on unintended frequencies. In some cases, a hobbyist may be adding to the problem by using a pre-amp, or by using an antenna mismatched to the target frequencies.

Attenuating the frequency may help. In some situations, setting a PL / DPL tone may also help. 158.700 is a common paging frequency nationwide. Give it a listen, and compare it to what you're hearing on 154.4525 MHz.

>> 159.4200 151.2500 131.8 UWHARRIE FOREST RANGERS

Derek - Are you hearing the Uwharrie National Forest rangers using the state parks channel, or were you referring to the state rangers assigned to adjacent Morrow Mountain State Park ? I occasionally pay a visit to the NC corrections facility in Troy - where the "wild" women are kept, according to Barney Fife - but I never get a chance to monitor along the way. (Also, I'm still trying to confirm Troy Fire is using 151.4 Hz on its fire channel, if anyone knows).

Thanks, all, for any comments.

 

[CCHLLM]

Can't say as to whether there's a VIPER interops site on Baker Mtn or not, but that would be a great location. I wasn't in on anything west of Troop D at that stage. I'll see if I can come up with where they'll be located. That may be something they don't want known for security reasons, and in which case I won't get the info out of 'em, but I'll see.

The 159.420 is a state frequency not a national freq, and in that area it would likely be the state park at Morrow Mountain. The UNF repeater on Buck Mtn is 168.725 with 110.9 PL. As far as I know there are no Uwharrie NF radios with 159.420 in them. They interop on mutual aid frequencies, not the state parks channels.

Troy fire, well, I've had that freq and PL programmed forever and never heard transmission one on it. That would be the case if the PL is incorrect, and if it's only a tac frequency, there's a good chance I wouldn't have heard it anyway since I'm usually goingTHROUGH Troy, not TO Troy for any amount of time.
Bulletin: if you like Italian food, stop at Zeno's in the Food Lion strip shopping center on 24/27 south of town. Cheap and good. They have things other than Italian, too. Yum-yum...

The 154.4525 mystery with a transmission sequence like that is probably a narrowband SCADA telemetry transmitter in the Halifax area, and SCADA in those freq ranges are 12.5 digital or analog or 6.25 digital channels. Don't know what service it's in or who it belongs to or where it's located, but I've heard it heterodyne with the 154.445/203.5 of Halifax fire when the data burst coincides with a transmission from Halifax and I'm apparently in the right spot. If it's a 12.5 conventional SCADA channel, it may be 154.45000. There are several of those narrowband telemetry channels in use around where you wouldn't expect it. 154.45625 is quite common. They can be water/sewer utilities, industrial, power utilities, stream monitoring, etc., and it may be across the border in VA. My guess is that wherever it's located, it relates to the Gaston Dam and the lake.

155.280. Brother..... Considering its original intent as a mutual aid frequency, the long-term free-for-all usage in this state is an unmitigated disgrace.

Grog, your comment about being glad to not be involved with public safety anymore rings true with me, too. I really have no problem with the state, but I recently resigned from all public safety involvement and I'm damn glad to be out of the business. I still like to listen as much as ever, but 40+ years was enough of the turf wars, pompous self-importance and trash talking about other organizations as if they were "competition." The majority of the people in emergency services and public safety are damn fine people, but there are a few in every organization who seem to enjoy making everyone else in the business want to be elsewhere.

 

[msigmon3306]

Thinking outside the littler box, I wonder if the same thing would happen if someone in Cleveland County tried to use V-CALL (155.7525) since their EMS is on 155.745 with a very strong signal.[/QUOTE]


I've got VCALL10 programmed in our administrative vehicles and I can pick up Cleveland Co EMS units on it pretty clearly.

Been picking up unknown comms on UCALL40, a little scratchy, in Hickory. But even more interesting, I've been hitting a repeater on an 800 mhz calling channel in Hickory. Can't hit it from Newton, but it comes through pretty good in Hickory.

 

[reconrider8]

yea i have the gaston/roanoke rapids dam programmed in and all you hear out of one of them is just random noises lol ... fyi gaston dam is a radio controled dam so i dont know if that has anything to do with anything or now

 

[reconrider8]

http://rapidshare.com/files/145190392/power.WAV.html a lil catch of the audio comming from the dam

 

[jaolson101]

Thanks to all for the responses. The basis for my question was that I have a cache of older VHF and UHF portables (pre-Viper days) and was developing a codeplug to be used for deployments, etc. both in and out of NC in addition to our 800Mhz equipment. It's good to read that these frequencies have progressed past the "list on paper" stage and will actually be used in a productive manner at some point in time.

 

[CCHLLM]

The licensing for these particular channels in NC got started with NCEM going forward and obtaining a license that was coordinated for statewide coverage. These frequencies are a way to allow the USAR teams to utilize all the fire and emergency services mutual aid channels without having to license each individual team for the freqs. Since the USAR teams are made up of local departments grouped to form teams, each member department would have been required to acquire a license of its own. That type of individual coordination would still only allow the individual departments the use of these freqs in their own districts and adjacent mutual aid areas, and would have been cost prohibitive overall. However, the NC Dept of Crime Control and Public Safety has enough hanging meat to get freqs coordinated statewide, so there it is.

In the meantime, Homeland Security became a reality as an agency and "mutual aid interoperability" took on a new face in the radio side of the business. It took the realization on the part of Homeland Security planners and EM administrators that "interoperation capability" wasn't interoperation until you had communication interoperation as one of the meats in that interagency club sandwich. That started the big push to equip all of us USAR peeps with radios that will actually interoperate, and the result is a national acceptance of the band plan that this list is a part of.