National Incident Radio Support Cache

NATIONAL INCIDENT RADIO SUPPORT CACHE

This cache is maintained and used primarily for wildland fire, however, it may show up on any large incident such as floods, hurricanes, law enforcement (it was used for the Republican and Democratic National Conventions in 2004), and tornadoes. The cache is located and maintained by the National Interagency Incident Communications Division (NIICD) of the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) in Boise, Idaho. The use of these frequencies is coordinated by the NIICD Communications Duty Officer to avoid interference with nearby incidents.

• All frequencies listed are narrowband FM (FMN) and carrier squelch (CSQ, no PL tone) unless noted. It is possible that P25 digital mode may be used in some areas.
• Pre-assigned national frequencies are listed in Interagency Standards for Fire & Aviation Operations 2011 Chapter 15 Communications.
• Other locally assigned frequencies may also be used.

Tactical

These frequencies are authorized for use in handhelds and mobiles only. Installation in base stations is not authorized.

Frequency	Type	Description	Notes
168.0500	M	Tactical 1
168.2000	M	Tactical 2
168.6000	M	Tactical 3
164.1375	M	Tactical 4	(1)
166.7250	M	Tactical 5
166.7750	M	Tactical 6
168.2500	M	Tactical 7

• Notes
  • (1) According to this pdf document on the NIFC web site 164.1375 is no longer available for use as of April 2011.

Command

These frequencies can be used direct (simplex), but are most commonly used with repeaters. These repeaters fit in a small fiberglass case and are placed on the ground in a high place that provides coverage to all or most of the incident. Portable antennas and solar power are normally employed.

Frequency	Input	Type	Description
168.7000	170.9750	R	Command 1
168.1000	170.4500	R	Command 2
168.0750	170.4250	R	Command 3
166.6125	168.4000	R	Command 4
167.1000	169.7500	R	Command 5
168.4750	173.8125	R	Command 6
162.9625	171.7875	R	Command 7

• During wildland fires in Texas in 2011, Civil Air Patrol HIGHBIRD aircraft flew airborne command repeaters over the incident area.

Logistics New 2009

• The outputs can be used Simplex as well
• Links for Aircraft are typically dedicated to Aircraft Ops
• These frequencies may also be used for cross band repeaters and links.
• These frequenices are normally used as repeater outputs.

Frequency	Input	Type	Description
406.4000	415.4000	R	Logistics 1
406.5875	415.5875	R	Logistics 2
407.7875	417.7875	R	Logistics 3
410.2750	419.2750	R	Logistics 4
410.7750	419.7750	R	Logistics 5
408.8000	417.8000	R	Logistics 6
408.5000	417.5000	R	Logistics 7
408.9000		BM	Link - Special 2
411.2500		BM	Link - Aircraft
411.3000		BM	Link - Misc
411.4000		BM	Link - Special 1
411.4250		BM	Link - Misc
411.5000		BM	Link - Aircraft
411.5250		BM	Link - Misc
411.5750		BM	Link - Misc
411.7500		BM	Link - Aircraft
411.8000		BM	Link - Aircraft
411.9250		BM	Link - Aircraft
412.1500		BM	Link - Aircraft
412.2000		BM	Link - Aircraft
412.6000		BM	Link - Aircraft
414.6500		BM	Link - Misc
417.9000		BM	Link - Misc

Logistics Old

These are probably no longer used.

Frequency	Type	Description
414.6500	R	Logistics 1
415.4000	R	Logistics 2
415.5000	R	Logistics 3
417.3000	R	Logistics 4
417.3500	R	Logistics 5
417.5000	R	Logistics 6
417.8000	R	Logistics 7

Air VHF FM

• These frequencies are no longer being referred to as Air Tactics 1, 2, 3, etc. like the tactical, command, and logistical frequencies. They are now referred to using the frequency only. This is due to many aviation radios not being pre-programmed for incidents like mobiles and handhelds are, with frequencies being dialed in.

• Air Tactics Frequencies can also be used as Air to Ground and are normally pre-assigned by area. Other locally assigned frequencies may also be used.

• These frequencies are only approved for use in the western U.S., which starts at either 95 degrees longitude or at the Mississippi River. In the east these frequencies may be used, but with restrictions and subject to pre-approval by the National Interagency Incident Communications Division Communications Duty Officer (NIICD CDO).

• There are additional air to ground frequencies being used in local areas for initial attack. They are shown in the annual "Fire Mobilization Plan" for each Geographic Area Coordination Center (GACC). These frequency assignments are made for portions of a GACC and are somewhat permanent without much change from year to year. Many of these plans are available on the Internet, however, since 2006 this type of frequency information has not been available to the public. In addition, incidents that grow past the initial attack phase will often have a unique air tactics frequency assigned to it. This assignment is made by incident communications unit leaders using the pool of non-allocated federal frequencies in the area of the incident. This frequency may not be used on other incidents or even used in the same area in the same, or subsequent, years. Anyone monitoring a large incident that uses air support should search the federal VHF frequency band to find the VHF FM air to air tactics frequency for the incident if they do not receive air to air radio traffic from the incident on the above frequencies.

Frequency	Type	Description	Notes
168.6250	BM	National Air Guard (PL 110.9)
168.6500	BM	National Flight Following (PL 110.9)
166.6750	M	Air Tactics
166.6875	M	Air Tactics	(1)
167.9500	M	Air Tactics
169.1500	M	Air Tactics
169.2000	M	Air Tactics
170.0000	M	Air Tactics
171.1375	M	Air Tactics	(1)
164.8250	M	Air Tactics	(2)
166.9375	M	Air Tactics	(2)
168.0125	M	Air Tactics	(2)
168.7500	M	Air Tactics (PL 110.9)	(2)

• Notes
  • (1) According to this pdf document on the NIFC web site 166.6875 and 171.1375 are no longer available for use as of April 2011.
  • (2) These frequencies were used at wildland fires in Texas in 2011. It is not known if they are nationwide assignments.

Air VHF AM

Additional locally assigned frequencies are also used.

Frequency	Type	Description	Notes
122.925	BM	AA/AG/FW/RW
122.850	BM	AA/AG/RW
123.025	BM	AA/RW
123.050	BM	AA/RW/Helispots
123.075	BM	AA/AG/RW/Helispots
123.975	BM	National Air Tanker Base	(1)

AA = Air to Air
AG = Air to Ground 
FW = Fixed Winged (Airplanes)
RW = Rotary Wing (Helicopters)

• Notes
  • (1) According to this PDF cocument 123.975 is no longer a nationwide assigned air tanker base frequency.

Government Common

These are used for local tacticals in some areas, however they are common for the entire Federal government. (See Federal Government Itinerant) As of January, 2008 the NTIA Redbook contained direction that these frequencies are to be used as a repeater pair, with 168.350 being the input and 163.100 being the output. This repeater pair is to be used for temporary, or itinerant, repeater placement. It may take a few years until all federal agencies using these frequencies program their radios to reflect this change. These former simplex frequencies are most often being replaced with 163.7125 and 168.6125, which are also included in the so called "intra-crew" frequencies used below. Crews are encouraged to use Continuous Tone Coded Subaudible Squelch (CTCSS), or Network Access Code (NAC) while in digital operation, to reduce interference from other crews or other federal uses.

Frequency	Input	Type	Notes
163.1000		BM	(1)
168.3500		BM
168.3500	163.1000	R

• Notes
  • (1) Often used as air tanker base deck frequency.

Intra-Crew Communications

• Hand held use only
• These are used for local tacticals in some areas, however they are common for the entire Federal government
• Crews are encouraged to use Continuous Tone Coded Subaudible Squelch (CTCSS), or Network Access Code (NAC) while in digital operation, to reduce interference from other crews or other federal uses.

Frequency	Type	Description	Notes
163.7125	M	National Intra-Crew & Travel Net
167.1375	M	Primary Initial Attack & On-scene of Incident	(1)
168.6125	M	Secondary Initial Attack & On-scene of Incident
173.6250	M	Tertiary Initial Attack & On-scene of Incident

• Notes
  • (1) PL 192.8 noted in use during wildland fires in Texas in 2011.

Incident Command System Initial Callup

• Used as a common frequency during initial phase of an incident.
• Also used by smokejumpers as a tactical/air to ground while accomplishing jumping.

Frequency	Type
168.5500	BM