I live in Lakeway Texas (suburb of Austin, near Lake Travis) and like to monitor fire and police. Lakeway Police use GATRRS and I receive them fine. Travis County Fire dispatches on 154.175 and I hear the dispatches for the fire stations in my area, ESD 6 (Engines 601 thru 605). But I have been unable to figure out how they communicate once they have been dispatched. There are no talkgroups in GATTRS for ESD6 or Travis County Fire or Lake Travis Fire. There must be a channel somewhere where they report the status of the incident, ask for additional resources if needed and eventually make themselves available for new calls. I can't find it after much searching. Someone must know how this works. Help!
Travis County Fire Frequency
- Thread starter mike4951
- Start date
- Status
Firecom West for small fire responses. Fire Tacs for major fire incidents. MedCom West for EMS calls.
Any of y'all still around? I have a new Uniden BCD536HP and I'd love some in person help getting it setup? I live in Lakeway. Coffee or beers on me? (512) 413 - 6953
rbarker
Robert
I'm on the other side of the lake but the 536HP is easy. First updates are sent every Monday so the data base was just updated yesterday. Plug it in and be sure the Firmware and Database are up to date. then if you are new I would suggest putting in your Zip code and set the range to 2 miles or a low number and then let it scan. when you hear something you don't want to hear you have 2 lockout options. If you hit the avoid 1 time it will lock out that talkgroup only until you turn the radio off. When you turn it back on again that tallkgroup or freq will be unlocked. If you do not want to ever hear it again then press the Avoid twice and it will be locked out until you go back into the software to unlock it or go into the radio and unlock it (very hard to do)
rbarker I'd make the drive...lol.
I did the firmware update...entered my zip...and I still can't get the FIRETac channels to pop up...I have the list of Dec trunked whatever...but I have no idea how to focus in on them and dispatch only?
I did the firmware update...entered my zip...and I still can't get the FIRETac channels to pop up...I have the list of Dec trunked whatever...but I have no idea how to focus in on them and dispatch only?
Braden,
Check which service types you have enabled. By default, when the scanner is shipped, it only has the Dispatch types active: Law Dispatch, Fire Dispatch, EMS Dispatch, Multi-Dispatch. You should also turn on the Tac & Talk service types for public safety, IE: Fire Tac, Law Talk, EMS Tac, etc.
In Sentinel, that's under the Profile Editor. Either select that from the Edit drop-down menu menu, or click on the Profile Editor icon (looks like a pencil over a tablet or piece of paper) that's under the V of the View drop-down menu on the top line.
On the scanner itself, press the Menu key on the front of the scanner.
At the first page of the Menu, scroll down to Select Service Types, and select it by pressing the E (yes) key. The various service types are listed there. You can see which are turned on, or off. If, instead of on or off, you see a short dotted line, that means that there are no channels with that specific service type being scanned in the current Favorites list, or there are none based on the location setting in use, along with the range, accessing the main database. Make sure that the talk or tac types are enabled, as well as dispatch. Note that if you only change it on the scanner, the next time you write from Sentinel to the radio, for either a database, or Favorites list, update, the service types would reset to whatever is shown in Sentinel. So be sure to change on Sentinel as well as the scanner (or 'read' the scanner back into Seninel after changing on the radio, so that both are on the 'same page'.
Hi hiegtx.
Thank you.
Yes all of those have been on. None of the actual FIRETAC channels are coming over.
Thank you.
Yes all of those have been on. None of the actual FIRETAC channels are coming over.
rbarker
Robert
You will hear them tone out calls say on 154.965 or talkgroup 1147; and they will tell what channel to respond on: usually Firecom West or F Tac 201 or one of the other F Tac numbers. When they talk, you will hear them come up on those talkgroups. The biggest mistake most new listeners make is that they are monitoring way way too much. So you could lock out all APD dispatch and all Travis County Dispatch.
That's why you have to lock out the other stuff. Lakeway is in ESD 6 so all the calls will be in boxes 6xx such as 601, 602, 603, etc EMS calls in Lakeway will usually be on Medcom West. right now there are a lot of extra radio talkgroups being used due to SXSW and The Rodeo you can lock those out too. There is not always a lot of radio traffic once they get on the scene. Usually it occurs when they are first responding or talking to units not yet on the scene.
That's why you have to lock out the other stuff. Lakeway is in ESD 6 so all the calls will be in boxes 6xx such as 601, 602, 603, etc EMS calls in Lakeway will usually be on Medcom West. right now there are a lot of extra radio talkgroups being used due to SXSW and The Rodeo you can lock those out too. There is not always a lot of radio traffic once they get on the scene. Usually it occurs when they are first responding or talking to units not yet on the scene.
rbarker true.
But FWIW I’m sitting at a fire station and monitoring the radio
A fire just got dispatched on FIRETAC 201 and a medical on TCLOU and a wreck.
The audio for the medical dispatch came through. But none of the fire com traffic on either West or FireTAC201 came through.
But FWIW I’m sitting at a fire station and monitoring the radio
A fire just got dispatched on FIRETAC 201 and a medical on TCLOU and a wreck.
The audio for the medical dispatch came through. But none of the fire com traffic on either West or FireTAC201 came through.
rbarker
Robert
Right now this is a large grass/brush fire working on Fire Com 204 off FM969 on the east side.
rbarker true.
I can hear it just fine on my handheld ... scanner, nothing but static.
I can hear it just fine on my handheld ... scanner, nothing but static.
If you are using the main database & location, instead of a Favorites list, be sure that your correct location is set in the scanner, and re-check your range. It sounds like maybe your scanner does not have the correct site enabled for the traffic you are "missing". Your location should be where you are are now, not your home.
If you are using a Favorites list, make sure it has the correct site & talkgroup(s) enabled & being scanned.
I think so?
So I’m 99% sure that I am.
But it’s very weird. So I work for the FD and I live in ESD6. So I am with my scanner where I need to be? I’m using the right zip code...I suppose I could switch to lay long but I think it’s something else. The scanner was purchased by the fire fighters association so I really need to get it working.
I’m open to paying someone for their time if they can meet with me and set it up.
PM, DM, or just text me. 512-413-6953
I also run the firefighters Facebook just search #LTfirefighters send a message there too?
Thanks for your advice. I’ve just hit the wall with this thing. Spend so many days trying and getting nowhere.
So I’m 99% sure that I am.
But it’s very weird. So I work for the FD and I live in ESD6. So I am with my scanner where I need to be? I’m using the right zip code...I suppose I could switch to lay long but I think it’s something else. The scanner was purchased by the fire fighters association so I really need to get it working.
I’m open to paying someone for their time if they can meet with me and set it up.
PM, DM, or just text me. 512-413-6953
I also run the firefighters Facebook just search #LTfirefighters send a message there too?
Thanks for your advice. I’ve just hit the wall with this thing. Spend so many days trying and getting nowhere.
Braden,
Try using the actual latitude & longitude instead of zip code. Zip code uses the approximate geographic center of the code. In a highly populated location, that's probably reasonably close. But in more rural, or less populated areas, the size of the zip code could be much larger, and thus not accurate enough in some cases.
Since you hearing some things, especially on your issued radio, that are not coming across the scanner, I'd still lean to the theory that possibly you are not getting the correct site for the activity that is missing, or the related talkgroups are coming up as 'out of range'.
Confirm for me whether you are using a Favorites list, with or without location control, or simply using the main database and location. Also, if using a Favorites list, are you using systems that were appended from the main database, or have you manually entered some sites or talkgroup ID's that are not yet in the master database? Note that if you manually entered a site or department, unless you also manually entered the correct location, the location, as far as the scanner is concerned, is at 0" for both the latitude and longitude. That location, 0" latitude/0" longitude, is in the Atlantic Ocean, off the northwest coast of Africa. Needless to say, the scanner would treat that as out of range. Also, if you manually entered a talkgroup (as opposed to appending it's system from the main database), it's service type defaults to Custom 1, unless you change it.
Just an FYI - I live in Round Rock - and had the BCD536HP and HP-2 running right next to my Unication G4 - and I was amazed at how many missed conversations from the Scanners that my G4 picked up. HP2 the worst / BCD536HP still missed out on a few.
GATTRS Simulcast is just simply tough for these scanners. The G4 clarity and signal was far superior. Still will not give up my scanners...but was amazed at the difference.
GATTRS Simulcast is just simply tough for these scanners. The G4 clarity and signal was far superior. Still will not give up my scanners...but was amazed at the difference.
So I finally made some headway here.
Thanks to a user who contacted me and went over everything.
I had everything right EXCEPT that the GATTRS system was having my scanner scan a few hundred frequencies that weren't in range. Once I avoided or deleted them my signal strength jumped up and everything works.
Thanks to the forum and all for their help.
My channels are organized...now I just need to get my PC in order.
Again. Many thanks to all.
Thanks to a user who contacted me and went over everything.
I had everything right EXCEPT that the GATTRS system was having my scanner scan a few hundred frequencies that weren't in range. Once I avoided or deleted them my signal strength jumped up and everything works.
Thanks to the forum and all for their help.
My channels are organized...now I just need to get my PC in order.
Again. Many thanks to all.
Back to the top on this. I am working on updating the Travis County page and the GATRRS page as it relates to Travis County and others. Could someone that is local there take a look at the page and see what VHF/UHF/800 conventional frequencies are actually still used? Many were still in FM mode in the database, although it looks like VHF is only used for pagers these days. A few things that would help me tie everything together better:
What TGs are linked to what VHF freqs? Human dispatcher or locution? Used for what? Who is dispatched?
153.9500 MHz
154.1750 MHz
154.9650 MHz
154.2050 MHz
All the ESD Tac Channels?
Local PD VHF/800 (Lakeway for instance)
Lots of people in the Austin Metro these days could use some more current info.
What TGs are linked to what VHF freqs? Human dispatcher or locution? Used for what? Who is dispatched?
153.9500 MHz
154.1750 MHz
154.9650 MHz
154.2050 MHz
All the ESD Tac Channels?
Local PD VHF/800 (Lakeway for instance)
Lots of people in the Austin Metro these days could use some more current info.
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