Effingham 800 News

Apparently, there were some problems with the Effingham Site of the Chatham-Effingham TRS today that were effecting the analog talkgroups but not digital ones. During what sounded like troubleshooting of the system, it changed control channels a couple of times to what is probably the secondary control channel:

857.2375 Primary Control Channel
860.9375 Secondary Control Channel

Additionally, I caught some I-Tac activity in Effingham County today. I've had the I-Tac frequencies in my scanners for several years now, but I never heard any activity on them until this afternoon. There were several units (they weren't using callsigns, but it sounded like Effingham Fire/Rescue) doing radio checks on I-Tac 1 (866.5125) from various places in Effingham County. I was inside and had half-strength signal on them, so I am pretty sure it was through a repeater and not simplex activity.

Mac McCormick, KF4LMT
kf4lmt@comcast.net

Boaters Must Not Operate 121.5/243 MHZ EPIRBs After 31 December 2006

The following article is from the United States Coast Guard District 7 public information website:

https://www.piersystem.com/go/doc/586/140163/

Keep in mind that even though 121.500/243.000 will stop being used for EPIRBs, it is still a good idea to keep both programmed in because they are still in use as aviation "guard" or distress frequencies.

By the way, if anyone knows of a source for a 406mhz EPIRB audio sample file, please email me and let me know.

Mac McCormick, KF4LMT
kf4lmt@comcast.net

http://www.examiner.com/a-441762~Vets_acknowledge_defeat__sink_dream_of_bringing_USS_Forrestal_carrier_to_Baltimore.html

It is truly a shame that the United States Navy cannot find a way to save the USS Forrestal. This ship should be saved as a museum for several reasons. The Forrestal was the first of the "supercarriers," the precursor to Nimitz class carriers that the Navy depends upon today for power projection. The USS Forrestal should also be preserved as a museum in the memory of the 134 who died in the 1967 explosion and fire. We can save multiple submarines, battleships, and aircraft carriers from World War II, but we can't save the first "supercarrier" and memorialize her dead? It seems that our government can find ways to do less than this, but they can't find a way to help a nonprofit organization save such an important ship?

If this disappoints you as much as it disappoints me, I urge you to write the Secretary of the Navy about this and urge the Navy to reconsider:

Secretary of the Navy

1000 Navy Pentagon

Washington, DC 20350-1000

Savannah Chatham Metro Fire Dispatch Revisited

Back on 14 December, I wrote about hearing what seemed to be changes in how Savannah-Chatham Metro was dispatching the fire departments. Well, everything has since gone back to normal. I guess it all had to with how they had talkgroups and VHF repeaters patched that day because I haven't noticed that pattern of activity in the last few days.

The Metro Fire Dispatch pairings continue to be TG 3568/154.385 for everyone but Pooler FD and TG 5424/154.145 for Pooler FD.

Mac McCormick, KF4LMT
kf4lmt@comcast.net

FCC Ends CW (Morse Code) Testing for Amateur Radio Licensing

Thanks to Chris Corley, KI4JPG for this link:

http://www.arrl.org:80/news/stories/2005/07/20/100/?nc=1

Yesterday, the ARRL reported that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has decided to end the CW requirement in amateur radio testing. Additionally, the FCC will give Technician Plus privileges to Technician class licensees in order to equalize the two license classes.

At this point, I will pass this on without much comment. All I'll say right now is that I'm not sure that this is such a good idea. Before you jump to any conclusions, consider that I am a "no code" Tech licensee. I'll consider this change some more and maybe opine on it after some more thought.

Mac McCormick, KF4LMT
kf4lmt@comcast.net

Savannah Fire New Battalion Chiefs and Westside Station Plans

The Public Safety Summary in today's Savannah Morning News has some information on Savannah Fire and Emergency Services:

http://savannahnow.com/node/197732

Savannah Fire has promoted 3 Captains to Battalion Chief. These 3 new Chiefs will head up the Battalion that covers the westside of Savannah including the new subdivisions that are being built around the airport and the Jimmy Deloach Parkway area. Additionally, permanent stations are being planned for westside to replace the temporary stations such as Station 14 and 15. A new station is also being planned for Hutchinson Island.

The Future of Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort

It looks like the community around MCAS Beaufort is working to protect the base from future cuts. It is even a possibility that the Air Station could grow, absorbing squadrons from NAS Oceana. This is great news for MilCom monitors in the SC/GA/FL area, as it helps ensure future F/A-18 activity to monitor and offers the possibility of even more activity in the future.


http://www.beaufortgazette.com/local_news/story/6276551p-5475899c.html


South Carolina lawmakers are trying to lure the F/A-18E/F Super Hornets from NAS Oceana to MCAS Beaufort. It is looking like the Super Hornets are short lived at NAS Oceana due to the area's inability to meet BRAC standards for keeping the base open. Two of the front runners for relocation of NAS Oceana's aircraft are Cecil Field in Florida and MCAS Beaufort. During the November elections, the voters in Jacksonville overwhelmingly voted down an attempt to reopen Cecil Field as a Naval Air Station.


http://www.beaufortgazette.com/local_news/story/6281374p-5479552c.html


Beaufort County and municipalities surrounding MCAS Beaufort, on the other hand, have just approved a buffer zone around the Air Station that will protect it from the type of encroachment that has endangered NAS Oceana. This buffer zone can be enlarged in the event the more powerful (and therefore noisier) Super Hornets move to MCAS Beaufort. Stay tuned for more information and hope for the best!

New 169th Fighter Wing Air-to-Air

Recently, I have been unable to find an air-to-air frequency when some 169 FW (SC ANG) flights, HEAT flights in particular, have been working Townsend Range. This has usually been while I was mobile and was unable to search. This afternoon, HEAT 61/62 flight worked Townsend Range and I wasn't hearing anything on the usual 169 FW air-to-air frequencies. A search discovered them on 135.125. As yet I don't have a designator for 135.125, but I have programmed it in the scan banks and will be listening for one.

Savannah Chatham Metro Fire Dispatch Changes?

Over the last two days, I've noticed something different about how Savannah-Chatham Metro Dispatch has been dispatching the municipal fire departments. In the past, Bloomingdale, Garden City, Isle of Hope, Port Wentworth, and Thunderbolt Fire Departments were dispatched over talkgroup 3568 of the Chatham-Effingham TRS with Dispatch being multicast on the 154.385 repeater. Pooler Fire Deapartment was dispatched on talkgroup 5424 with Dispatch multicast on the 154.145 repeater. During several incidents today, I heard Garden City Fire Department and Pooler Fire Department dispatched on talkgroup 5424 with all traffic but dispatch tones (both Metro and the fire units) multicast on the 154.385 repeater. I'm not sure how long this has been in effect, but it bears watching.

Additionally, I have noticed that Metro Dispatch has been patching the Fire Dispatch talkgroup and the EMS Dispatch talkgroup together during complicated incidents so that the fire departments/first responders and EMS units (particularly Med Star) could communicate easier.

First Post

After seeing the Monitoring Times staff and other create blogs on radio monitoring, I decided to start one myself. I'm not going to post logs here like I do on the email groups, but I do plan on posting some of the more interesting things I find such as exercises, new finds, and news stories related to monitoring. You may not always find radio related posts here either. I am also a motorsports and football fan, so expect related posts (especially once racing season arrives!) I am also a voracious reader, so there will be posts on what I happen to be currently reading. One thing I'll try to stay away from is politics, there is enough of that in the "blogosphere" already!

There are photos of my monitoring posts to the right. The home Monitoring Post consists of a BC-780, BC-796, PRO-2006, PRO-2052, and DX-394. Portables such as an Alinco DJ-X10, a BC-250, and a Sporty's Pilot Shop JD-100 round them out. The mobile Monitoring Post consists of a Yaesu FT-8800, BC-780, and PRO-95.

I ask everyone reading this to bear with me, as I'm just getting started with this sort of thing. Hopefully I won't make to much of a fool of myself as I get started.