Radio Info from CapeCodFD.com

Radio Communications Page

Updated March 28, 2010

RADIO PAGES

Cape Cod Fire Radio

(Updated Jan 2006)

Cape Cod Police Radio

(Updated Jan 2006)

Cape Cod EMS Radio

Martha's Vineyard Radio

(Updated Jan 2006)

Cape Frequencies

(Updated Jan 2006)

Island Frequencies

Plymouth Frequencies

Bristol Frequencies

Print Frequency Lists

Cape Cod (Barnstable County)

The Islands (Martha's Vineyard & Nantucket)

Plymouth County

Bristol County

Scanner

LISTEN TO CAPE COD

FIRE RADIO LIVE !

Listen to Cape Cod Scanner

Multi-Agency Live Feed

Two great ways to Listen to Cape Cod's 800 Mhz Trunked

Fire Radio Communications

while looking at

CapeCodFD.com pages.

SCANNERS I'VE LOVED

My scanner story

September 9, 2002

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Some Favorite Radio Links

APCO - Association of Public Safety Communications Officers International

Barnstable County Radio Frequencies.............Jim

Fordyce...........lots of freqs

BC780XLT Scanner.......................

...............Strong

Signals 780 Radio Club

Bob Hendricks Radio Links............................Huge sire for

radio & other info

Boston Area Live Fire Radio..........................A live 365

Live Radio Feed

Bristol County Radio Frequencies...................Jim Fordyce

Caldwell's Antena...........................................Tim's

list of radio info

Caldwell's Antena Fleet IDs............................Tim's list

of 800 mhz info

Caldwell's Capewide News............................Tim's

Emergency New Updates

Caldwell's Cape Cod Radio LIVE FD............Tim's Media Player Live Scanner

Cape Cod Info Center....................................Scanner

Freqs - Dan Hamilton

Eastern Mass Trunking System Info.................Good info on

area radio freqs

Island Radio Frequencies.................................Jim Fordyce

Jim Fryes Home Page......................................Lots of good links

Long Island Scanning Resources......................Jim Fordyce

has lots of freqs

L.I. / Barnstable County Freqs.........................Jim Fordyce

Cape Cod Freqs

L.I. / Bristol County Freqs...............................Jim

Fordyce Bristol County Freqs

L.I. / Vineyard & Nantucket Freqs..................Jim Fordyce Island Freqs

L.I. / Plymouth County Freqs...........................Jim Fordyce

Plymouth Freqs

Massachusetts Fire Freqs................................Caldwell's

Mass Freqs List

NEFNN - LIVE RADIO FEEDS....................Many Live Radio Links

Plymouth County Radio Frequencies............... Jim Fordyce site

Providence Citywide Fire Network..................To hear Providence FD Live

Public Safety Broadcasts.................................Fire,

Police, Other live radio links

Radio Shack....................................................Scanner page

Scan Boston.com.............................................Great

site for Boston Metro area

Scan Boston Trunk Tracker LIVE FEED.........Live Boston area radio

Scan Cape Cod...............................................Scott

Halligan's great site.

Scan Cape Cod LIVE FEED...........................Scott Halligan's

Live Scanner Online

Scan Cape Cod Message Board......................Scott Halligan's

Message Center

Scan Cape Cod Software Data Files................Scott Haligan's

Computer Software

Scanner Master...............................................Freqs and more

Scannerworld.com...........................................Order

Scanners & stuff

Scan Plymouth.................................................Plymouth

County Freqs

South Shore Radio Freqs..................................Mostly

Plymouth County

Strong Signals Home Page................................Great info

on scanners

The Bravest.com...............................................Live

FDNY, Boston,Prov FD radio

The Bravest Boston...........................................Live Radio

The Bravest Brooklyn........................................Live Radio

The Bravest Bronx.............................................Live Radio

The Bravest Manhattan......................................Live Radio

The Bravest Providence.....................................Live Radio

The Bravest Queens...........................................Live Radio

The Breakroom.................................................For

Public Safety radio people

Trunk Tracker.com............................................Large

Trunking data base

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CAPE COD COMMUNICATIONS

FIRE COMMUNICATIONS

Cape Cod Fire Departments have traditionally operated on the low band

in the 33 mhz range. At one time all departments were on a single

channel....33.70 mhz. As departments got busier and communications

more frequent, many departments switched to their own "fire alarm"

frequency. The 33.70 mhz channel continued to be used as a common

"county" frequency for inter-department and mutual aid communications.

By the late 1970's all departments were off the "county" frequency and

operating on their own channels. The county frequency continued to be

used, and is still in service today, for mutual aid purposes.

"Skip" used to be a very common problem on the 33. mhz frequencies,

particularly the summer. To overcome this extremely irritating

condition, all departments added PL (private line) tones (CTCSS) to

radios. The common tone in the county is 114.8. This helped greatly in

reducing the foreign noise.

As departments continued to grow in recent years, some added

additional VHF and UHF frequencies that could be used for

administrative purposes. Primary operations however, continued on the

33. mhz channels.

Today all Fire Departments utilize an 800 Mhz Trunked Radio System....See below.

POLICE COMMUNICATIONS

Cape Cod Police Departments originally operated in the high band. The

(4) channel 155. mhz police radio system was once utilized by all Cape

Police Departments. Ch.1 operated by the Sheriff's Department was used

for General Broadcasts (GBCs), General Info broadcasts (GIs), Be On

the Look Outs (BOLOs) and other countywide communications. All

departments used FCC callsigns. Each department had assigned car

designations (Able, Baker, Charlie, David, Easy, etc...).

As communications increased, some departments aquired their own police

channels, while others continued to use Ch.2, 3, and 4. Most of the

departments continued to stay on 155. Mhz frequencies.

When 800 Mhz radios became available, some departments switched to 800

Mhz "conventional" frequencies with local repeaters. Others remained

on VHF high band.

When the 800 Mhz Trunked Radio system came a couple years ago, all the

departments still on the VHF high channels joined the 800 Trunked

system. Departments which already had conventional 800 Mhz radio

channels stayed on those.

Today, all Cape Police Departments are on 800 mhz, some trunked and

some conventional.

EMS COMMUNICATIONS

Cape Cod Fire Departments have provided EMS service on the Cape for

many years. In 1975 a 400 Mhz UHF EMS CMED radio system was installed

providing ambulance to hospital communications for over 60 ambulances

operating within the region. The Cape & Islands Emergency Medical

Services System (CIEMSS) provided the system and the Barnstable County

Sheriff's Department staffs and operates it.

Barnstable CMED is a system of radios, repeater sites, and telephone

circuits which connect ambulances to (4) area hospitals. There are (6)

repeater tower sites in the area, each having multiple channels

available for "patches" to local hospitals. Channel 4 is the primary

calling channel for rescue units. Channels 2,5,7 and 8 are available

for "patching" an ambulance radio communication via phone line to the

area hospital. It is a duplex system allowing two way conversations.

Each channel has an input and output frequency. CMED is an active

system with over 35,000 incidents per year being handled.

TRUNKED RADIO SYSTEM

A few years ago, the Massachusetts State Police radio system upgrade

to 800 mhz trunking began. Cape Fire and Police Departments worked out

arrangements to join with the State Police Trunking System. The result

has been a considerable change in Cape Cod communications. While not

yet 100% completed, the system has been utilized quite reliably now

for over (2) years.

The "Trunked Radio System" is someone complex to understand and

explain, but basically it is a Motorola Type II system. It presently

utilizes a bank of (15) 800 mhz frequencies. Within these frequencies

is a "data" channel which allows user radios to track communications

by user groups known as "Talk Groups." The system utilizes several

repeater sites on the Cape. All radios must reach the repeater site to

transmit. A very sophisticated computer controls the whole system.

These frequencies are shared by all Cape Cod Fire Departments, most

Police Departments, the State Police, Environmental Police, and

perhaps more.

Mobile and portable radios issued to fire departments have (3) banks

of 16 channels each.

The "A" Bank, contains the home department's channel, a mutual aid

dispatch channel, 5 neighboring departments, the local police channel,

a Capewide Administrative channel, a CIEMSS talkgroup, and (5) common

I-Call / T-Tac channels. Channel 1 in the "A" bank is a low power,

Direct channel. Radios in the "A" Bank typically can scan the home

channel, neighboring departments, and the mutual aid dispatch channel.

The "B" Bank in each radio contains the remaining fire department

channels not included in the "A" bank.

The "C" Bank has the home channel, (3) OPS channels for major

incidents, and other channels.

The "C" Bank in each radio was designed for use at multi-department

incidents. Channel 1 is the Direct channel. The direct channel is a

conventional 800 (not trunked). This is paired with the C2 channel

which is the home department's primary channel. C1 and C2 scan each

other. If for some reason, a portable in a building cannot transmit

out (it is unable to hit one of the cape's repeater sites), the person

in the building can switch to the direct C1 position to reach command

or other units on the scene. The (3) OPS channels are similarly

paired....C3 is direct/C4 is OPS 1..........C5 is direct/C6 is OPS

2......etc.... Each pair scans itself for this "backup" for emergency

purposes. The direct channel frequency is the same in all positions.

The Cape does not utilize a "regional" or centralized dispatch center.

Each of the Cape's Fire Departments have their own dispatch centers,

each department uses its own channel (Talkgroup), and all of the

departments using the "Trunked" system simulcast radio communications

over their 33. mhz frequencies for tone activated pagers. Most

dispatch centers have (1) A fire alarm channel for dispatch and day to

day operations...simulcast over 33. mhz, (2) a countywide "Mutual Aid

Dispatch" channel used for inter-department and mutual aid dispatch

purposes. This is strictly used for station to station communications

and is not used for mobile or portable communications. Dispatch

centers then use mobile radios which can be selected as needed for

access to OPS channels during major incident.

Protocol for an incident is basically as follows. Each department

dispatches its incidents on their own "fire alarm" talkgroup (A2 and

C2 positions on their radios.) These communications, including pager

tones, are simulcast on their 33. mhz frequency. When a working fire

or major incident is encountered, the fire alarm dispatcher contacts

the mutual aid center via phone or the M/A Dispatch talkgroup, and is

assigned an "OPS channel" for fireground / incident communications.

All units responding to and operating at the incident are instructed

to switch to an OPS channel (OPS 1, 2, or 3). Units on scene will stay

on the OPS channel until the incident is concluded. Units given

coverage / moveup assignments are dispatched by the mutual aid center

on the M/A Dispatch talkgroup. As apparatus responds, it remains on

its own fire alarm channel until reaching the community to be covered.

Upon reaching that community, apparatus switches to the fire alarm

talkgroup of the department being covered and remains on that channel

for assignments. If additional moveups occur, units switch to the

talkgroup of the next community being covered. It is complex and may

be confusing to follow... but so far it works.

Monitoring fire communications on the Cape by scanner has actually

improved greatly with the 800 trunked system. Obviously, having a

newer scanner with "Trunk Tracking" capability helps to provide best

control over what you hear. Listening with older, non-trunking radios

has also improved, as the process of simulcasting communications has

made it possible to hear portable radios as well as mobiles in most

cases. Monitoring with a Trunk Tracker scanner involves programming

the (15) 800 mhz frequencies and then the 5 digit talkgroups of the

departments you wish to hear.

The trunked system is being improved on again at this time with

additional repeater sites being installed soon to provide the desired

95%/95% coverage for in building use.

Presently all Cape Fire Departments are capable of using the 800 mhz

trunked system. Mobile and portable radios, as well as dispatch center

radios are in place. Due to some concerns about "in building"

coverage, Hyannis and Yarmouth Fire Departments have not yet made the

switch to 100% use. The West Barnstable Department has shared a low

band frequency with the Barnstable Fire Department. This creates a

situation with simulcasting, so WBFD has not switched to 800 mhz yet

pending a new 33. mhz channel to put pagers on. All other departments

are on and working well.

The Mutual Aid Center for Barnstable County (Barnstable County

Control) is located at the barnstable Sheriff's Department in

Barnstable. This is the center piece of Cape Fire Communications.

COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM FAILS

A fierce early morning thunder storm is getting the blame for a rather

concerning

failure of Cape Cod's 800 mhz trunked public safety communications system today

(Friday July 2, 2004). The timing could not have been worse as the

violent storm

with numerous lightning strikes to homes and other buildings in the area was at

its height. As fire departments began to respond to fires, the

ability to dispatch

and communicate with apparatus and off duty personnel failed! The backbone

of the system, a communications site in Barnstable apparently took a direct hit,

causing circuit boards to fry. The system was down for a couple hours and was

reported to be about 80% back on at noon.

All of Cape Cod's Fire Departments, and the majority of its Police Departments

use the 800 mhz trunked radio system, which is part of the statewide

State Police

radio system. Implemented several years ago, the system enhances mobile and

portable communications by using a sophisticated repeater system that enables

radios to be heard at greater distance than the previously utilized 33 mhz

conventional radios. For the most part the trunking system has performed well.

There have however been other episodes and failures of the system since its

inception, that have brought police and fire communications to a standstill.

These problems were supposedly addressed and appropriate backups

and maintenance in place to avoid catastrophic failures. Unfortunately, the

ability to avoid a direct lightning strike has not yet been perfected.

In response to the failure of the trunking system, fire departments utilized

some of the old 33 mhz mobile and portable radios that are still in some

stations and apparatus. Most of the newer apparatus no longer have the

low band radios and few vehicles carry low band portables any more.

There really isn't a good backup to 800 mhz system. When the system

failed, apparatus was dispatched by phone and other means. Hardly

a reliable or efficient system when departments are being hammered

by lightning or other severe weather. Some departments responded to several

simultaneous reports of housefires

within their own community and mutual aid was

not available due to calls of their own. No major fires or serious injuries

have been reported at this time.

Compliments go out to all the dispatchers

who were working the night shift that handled this challenge professionally

and did the best they could to get help where it was needed.

No doubt, police and fire chiefs across the area will be looking into the

failure and demanding more improvements in backup systems for our

vital communications needs.

Several 'symptomatic' problems followed over the following days

with a static sound trailing transmissions for a brief period and a

number of 'bonk' situations, where the ability to transmit was prevented

for some reason.

Radio frequencies and information are provided for private legal

listening purposes.

Information on radio frequencies gathered from various sources.

If you see any errors or have any additions for the pages please email

them to me.

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