Actions

United States Forest Service (CA)

From The RadioReference Wiki

Revision as of 19:13, 7 November 2013 by QDP2012 (talk | contribs) (→‎Wiki Links: added link)

Repeaters

The Angeles National Forest (ANF) radio system is comprised of 14 repeater sites situated on various mountain peaks in and around the forest which are linked to the dispatch center at Fox Field near Palmdale. Each repeater site functions as both a repeater and as a receiving antenna for dispatch.

Each repeater operates on the same input/output frequency pairs but uses a different CTCSS tone on the input. By selecting different tones users may activate different repeaters, choosing the one best suited to their location and communication needs. When a user activates a repeater by keying up on the appropriate input frequency and tone, their transmission is repeated only by that repeater. Other repeaters in the forest do not repeat transmissions from other repeaters.

The nature of Bendix King radios used by the Forest Service is such that users may select a CTCSS tone by selecting a number on the radio's keypad. As a result, most users refer to the CTCSS tone by its number (e.g., "tone 9" instead of Pine Mountain or 100.0 Hz).

Channel Lineup

Most radios on the forest have the first 8 frequencies in common. The first four channels, ANF F1 through ANF F4, are the dispatch frequencies, the next three are NIFC tactical channels 1 through 3, and the 8th is USFS Region 5 Air-to-Ground. Each ranger district, and crews within each ranger district, have different channel lineups after the 8 common frequencies. The variations between ranger districts and crews on channels 9 through 16 involve frequencies belonging to other agencies such as Los Angeles County Fire, San Bernardino County Fire, the California Emergency Management Agency, and the Bureau of Land Management, as well as frequencies of adjacent National Forests.

ANF F1 and ANF F2 are called "Forest Net" and are used primarily for fire and emergency traffic. ANF F3 and ANF F4 are called "Admin" and are used for routine communications. The odd numbered channels, ANF F1 and ANF F3, are simplex frequencies and the even numbered channels, ANF F2 and ANF F4, are repeated.

When users transmit on ANF F1 or ANF F3 using tone 8 (103.5 Hz) their transmission can be received by dispatch through antennas at any of the 14 repeater sites. On the other hand, if users transmit on ANF F2 or ANF F4 the tone in use must match a repeater within range or their transmission will not be heard.

Intra-crew and tactical communications on the Angeles NF take place on several frequencies depending on the ranger district and crew. Fire crews primarily use NIFC TAC 2 for intracrew communications, and NIFC TAC 1 or 3 if TAC 2 is busy.


Sequoia National Forest (SQF - Forest #13)

Radio System

Tones

SQF Repeaters
Tone Location CTCSS Tone
1 Delilah Lookout 110.9
2 Buckrock Lookout 123.0
3 Mule Peak Lookout 131.8
4 Baker Point 136.5
5 Oakflat 146.2
6 Piute BM 156.7
7 Chimney Peak 167.9
8 Jordan Peak Lookout 103.5
9 Sherman Peak 100.0
10 Tobias Peak 107.2
11 Breckenridge 114.8
12 Parkridge 127.3
13 Converse 141.3
14 Olancha 151.4

Channels

Channel # Tone Rx Tx Description
1 8 168.6750 168.6750 Emergency Net Direct
2 1-7,9-14 168.6750 170.5750 Emergency Net Repeated
3 8 168.7750 168.7750 SQF Fire Direct
4 1-7,9-14 168.7750 170.6000 SQF Fire Repeated
5 8 168.1750 168.1750 SQF Admin
6 8 166.9000 166.9000 F1 CENCAL BLM Admin Net
7 4,6,8 166.9000 169.7250 F2 CENCAL BLM Admin Rpt
8 8 167.1250 167.1250 F3 CENCAL BLM Fire NetCENCAL
9 2-5, 8 167.1250 169.7750 F4 CENCAL BLM Fire Rpt


Angeles National Forest (ANF - Forest #01)

Radio System

Tones

ANF Repeaters
Tone Location CTCSS Tone
1 Waterman Mountain 110.9
2 Santiago Peak 123.0
3 Mount Hawkins 131.8
4 Frost Peak 136.5
5 Table Mountain 146.2
6 Oat Mountain 156.7
7 Josephine Peak 167.9
8 Frasier Peak 103.5
9 Pine Mountain 100.0
10 Burnt Peak 107.2
11 Magic Mountain 114.8
12 Mount Lukens 127.3
13 Johnstone Peak 141.3
14 Grass Mountain 151.4


Angeles National Forest Channel Lineup
Channel Tone(s) Rx Tx Alpha Tag Description
1 8 172.3750 172.3750 ANF F1 Forest Net Direct
2 1-14 172.3750 169.9500 ANF F2 Forest Net Repeat
3 8 164.9375 164.9375 ANF F3 Admin Direct
4 1-14 164.9375 170.0750 ANF F4 Admin Repeat
5 168.0500 168.0500 TAC 1 NIFC TAC 1
6 168.2000 168.2000 TAC 2 NIFC TAC 2
7 168.6000 168.6000 TAC 3 NIFC TAC 3
8 170.0000 170.0000 R5 A/GR Region 5 Air-to-Ground
To be Retired in CA on 2012.06.01
9 169.0875 169.0875 SOPS A/G R5 Southern Operations Air-to-Ground
10 1-14 168.7500 171.4250 CNF F2 Cleveland NF Admin Repeat
11 1-14 170.5500 169.9000 LPF F2 Los Padres NF Admin Repeat
12 154.3400 154.3400 LAC T18 Los Angeles County Fire TAC 18
13 154.4000 154.4000 LAC T19 Los Angeles County Fire TAC 19
14 14 154.0700 154.0700 LAC T21 Los Angeles County Fire TAC 21
15 154.3700 154.3700 VERDUGO Verdugo Fire Authority Red 1
16 155.1600 155.1600 MRA S R Sierra Madre Search and Rescue


Wiki Links




Return to DB page: United States Forest Service (CA)
Return to Wiki page: California (US), US Forest Service