Primer article/post on radio communications

Very nicely done - thanks for the hard work!

Ironically, I also have an Icom 2730 in my vehicle. A major feature is the ability to separate the controls ("control head") from the radio. I have the control head stuck into the groove shelf in the dash of my Toyota Highlander 2015 Limited. The radio is under the passenger seat. I do use a lip mount on the hood, but no damage - probably because the antenna (a dual bander with a coil in the middle) is low drag.

My loose group of chasers uses FRS radios for car-to-car. They are so inexpensive that I always carry a spare to hand to a follower who doesn't have one. And, the 2730 can monitor them.

I don't use the 2730 for much on the chase part of the chase. The workload for the navigator (which I usually am) is too much to have time for fiddling with scanners. I do sometimes put it in weather band mode to hear NWS radio, but that's about it. I have given up on submitting Skywarn reports in the Midwest after several bad experiences with unprofessional and rude Skywarn net control stations in Tx. If I see a TOR and nobody's around, I'll have to call NWS or 9-11, since too many Skywarn folks won't talk to outsiders, even when I give my Skywarn ID (MAA0040). Instead, I'll just call NWS Phoenix Skywarn and they can relay to the appropriate office.
 
One of the best things about the newer scanners is that, if set up properly, no fiddling is required. The new Uniden lines can utilize a GPS puck, and when the scanner is programmed, GPS info can be entered. It changes it's own scanning, based on where you are.
 
Road Channels

The use of common calling channels, sometimes called "Road Channels" in other industries is great for reaching out and contacting other chasers. Whether this is for help/assistance, confirmation, maybe to get a different angle on the same storm, or just to have someone to talk to, making contact on a road channel can keep you somewhat accounted for, and it's something to do on the plains (or wherever you are) when you're bored.

Having been mentioned before, I'll again post the "chaser simplex" frequencies, relabeled as "Road Channels", and a couple of added notes, along with a proposed new Road Channel.

The first note to make is that, in much of the country, a CTCSS tone of 114.8Hz has been added to the transmit side of the frequency in recent years, with the general thought that if interference is too high, the same tone can be applied to the receive side of the channel. Having seen this with public safety agencies before, I believe that the 114.8 CTCSS will be standard on both sides of the chaser/Road channels in the coming years.

Proposed Road Channel Bank
(New information/changes in bold)

Road 1 - 146.550 - CTCSS 114.8 on transmit - Consider CTCSS 114.8 on receive
Road 2 - 146.460 - CTCSS 114.8 on transmit - Consider CTCSS 114.8 on receive
Road 3 - 223.520 - CTCSS 114.8 on transmit - Consider CTCSS 114.8 on receive
Road 4 - 446.100 - CTCSS 114.8 on transmit - Consider CTCSS 114.8 on receive
Road 5 - 446.075 - CTCSS 114.8 on transmit - Consider CTCSS 114.8 on receive
Road 6 - 52.510 - CTCSS 114.8 on transmit and receive
Road 7 - 1294.550 - CTCSS 114.8 on transmit - Consider CTCSS 114.8 on receive

Proposed New Simplex/Road Channel

The new channel I have proposed is a simplex frequency of 52.510MHz with a CTCSS tone of 114.8Hz on both transmit and receive. This new channel is in the bank of generally used simplex channels in the 6-Meter ham band, which shares some fairly interesting qualities. Firstly, 6-Meters is less-used than the VHF/UHF channels, so there won't be as high a noise floor, nor will there be a ton of people already talking. While the 23cm band channel "Road 7" also shares this scarceness, the noise floor at that range is high, and the talk radius is very limited. 6-Meters is in the "low band" section of VHF, and the lower you go, the more propagation characteristics are shared with HF, meaning that your signal arcs higher and travels further. To cap it all off, most 6-Meter operations are performed with mobile radios, and 6-meter mobile radios generally have higher output power ratings, usually starting at 50 watts. A 6-Meter road channel will provide the biggest bang for the buck.
 
Diplexers and Triplexers

I've been seeing more diplexers and triplexers in public safety vehicles lately, but they are standard pieces of equipment that have been around the Ham world for a very long time. Sometimes erroneously called duplexers, diplexers and triplexers are small items of filtering equipment that can isolate frequencies in both directions. Diplexers and triplexers make it possible to route 2 or 3 different radios to a single multiband antenna, or to route a multiband radio to 2 or 3 different mono-band antennas. It's even possible to re-feed leads with these devices.

For example, I will be completely refitting my car soon. My plan is to use the 6-Meter (50-54MHz), 2-Meter (144-148MHz), and 70cm (430-450MHz) bands of a quad-band mobile radio, but I'm getting limited on space for antennas. I'll be running a triplexer to split the multi-band radio into 50MHz, 144MHz, and 440MHz leads. The 50MHz lead will go straight to a 6-Meter antenna, while the VHF and UHF leads will be tied back into a diplexer, to combine those leads for a dual-band VHF/UHF antenna.

Loss is minimal with these filtering devices, and attempting to do this with just coax and splitters will damage radios and result in bad transmit patterns.

I will post photos and a video when I refit the car in the coming months.
 
Yeah I'm bumping this 18m.o. thread too because it's been a worth of knowledge. Image links aren't working for me, but in general this has helped me do further research on my own.
 
B. Dean Berry said:
Diplexers and Triplexers

I've been seeing more diplexers and triplexers in public safety vehicles lately, but they are standard pieces of equipment that have been around the Ham world for a very long time. Sometimes erroneously called duplexers, diplexers and triplexers are small items of filtering equipment that can isolate frequencies in both directions. Diplexers and triplexers make it possible to route 2 or 3 different radios to a single multiband antenna, or to route a multiband radio to 2 or 3 different mono-band antennas. It's even possible to re-feed leads with these devices.

For example, I will be completely refitting my car soon. My plan is to use the 6-Meter (50-54MHz), 2-Meter (144-148MHz), and 70cm (430-450MHz) bands of a quad-band mobile radio, but I'm getting limited on space for antennas. I'll be running a triplexer to split the multi-band radio into 50MHz, 144MHz, and 440MHz leads. The 50MHz lead will go straight to a 6-Meter antenna, while the VHF and UHF leads will be tied back into a diplexer, to combine those leads for a dual-band VHF/UHF antenna.

Loss is minimal with these filtering devices, and attempting to do this with just coax and splitters will damage radios and result in bad transmit patterns.

I will post photos and a video when I refit the car in the coming months.
Click to expand...

Still waiting on those photos :)
 
B. Dean Berry said:
Frequency Guides

Where can you hear chasers or spotters? Aside from the multitudes of Skywarn repeaters, many of which can be found at www.repeaterbook.com, there are some pretty popular simplex channels where they may be heard as well.

Ham -

146.550
146.460
446.100
446.075
223.520
1294.550

Note that all channels are used in "CSQ" or open squelch (no CTCSS or DTCSS tones), and sometimes, 146.460 and 446.100 may be cross-patched in some areas, and simply within some chase vehicles.

Additionally, in the Wakefield VA CWA, and in some areas of Pennsylvania, traffic may be heard on the following channels:

147.510, DTCSS code 255
147.585, DTCSS code 255

If you are familiar with different digital modes on ham radio, the Wakefield CWA also recognizes these frequencies:

441.0375 - DStar digital voice
441.0625 - DMR digital Tier I, Color Code 7, Talkgroup 1

GMRS -

These are a little different, and not as widespread, but storm chasers may be using any of the FRS/GMRS channels, with the following being most popular:

462.5625 (FRS/GMRS channel 1), CSQ or CTCSS tone 67.0
462.675 (GMRS channel 13/20), CTCSS tone 141.3

Additionally, in the Wakefield VA CWA, and in some areas of Pennsylvania, traffic may be heard on the following channels:

462.550 (GMRS channel 8/15), CTCSS tone 127.3
462.700 (GMRS channel 14/21), CTCSS tone 156.7

Other potential channels to plop into your scanner, if it interests you:

Project Vortex - The following channels have been used throughout the evolution of the various Vortex projects:

163.225
171.9375
161.100
163.275

Doppler on Wheels -

158.400 - Voice comms between pack vehicles
151.940 (MURS 3) - Telemetry data

Militia/Volunteer Group Disaster Comms -

155.160 - Used for ground SAR in many places, Federal interop channel
154.340 - Event medical comms/hospital interop
155.400 - Event medical comms/hospital interop
151.940 (MURS 3) - Prepper/militia calling channel

Statewide Law Enforcement channels -

Oftentimes, general chit-chat between various police agencies can be heard on these channels. They can be very active during severe weather. Assume these to be FM, CSQ. If otherwise, it will be noted beside the agency name.

37.100 - Arkansas EMA 3
37.200 - Arkansas EMA 2
37.240 - Arkansas EMA 1
37.260 - Tennessee Statewide
37.280 - West Virginia Sheriff's Net
38.500 - Nebraska EMA 1
38.600 - Nebraska EMA 2
38.700 - Nebraska EMA 3
38.800 - Nebraska EMA 4
39.100 - Maryland State Police
39.180 - Arizona IOP
39.500 - Louisiana State Police Common
39.540 - Virginia SIRS
39.580 - Kansas Law Interop (CTCSS 156.7)
39.760 - New Jersey EMA Statewide
39.900 - Nebraska Law Interop
39.980 - West Virginia Statewide Mutual Aid
44.700 - Oklahoma State Police car-to-car
45.320 - Mississippi Statewide
45.360 - Illinois ILSIRN (CTCSS 103.5)
45.520 - Vermont EMA (CTCSS 118.8)
45.560 - Illinois NWS Spotters (CTCSS 210.7)
47.500 - Maryland Civil Defense
145.170 - Arkansas ARES comms van
151.445 - South Dakota Statewide
151.475 - Iowa IOWA (CTCSS 167.9)
151.460 - Wisconsin State Police Common (CTCSS 146.2)
152.285 - Illinois IWARN-1 (CTCSS 88.5)
153.755 - California OES/CALFIRE (CTCSS 192.8)
153.905 - Montana EMA (CTCSS 156.7)
154.085 - North Dakota Civil Defense
154.130 - Kansas MERS/EMWIN (CTCSS 151.4)
154.680 - Missouri MTAC (CTCSS 156.7), Ohio LEERN 2, New Jersey SPEN-1 (CTCSS 131.8)
154.695 - Colorado State Police (CTCSS 136.5)
154.710 - Maine Statewide
154.725 - Idaho DPS Statewide (P25 digital)
154.755 - Tennessee Statewide Mutual Aid
154.875 - Wyoming MAT, New Mexico Northwest Interagency (CTCSS 146.2)
154.905 - Georgia Intercity
154.920 - California Law Enforcement (CTCSS 156.7), New Mexico Statewide Emergency (CTCSS 127.3)
154.935 - Oklahoma State Police car-to-car (CTCSS 114.8), Ohio LEERN 1
154.950 - Texas Statewide Calling (CTCSS 156.7)
155.010 - Alabama Law Enforcement Statewide
155.025 - Utah Civil Defense, Illinois ESMARN, Indiana EMA (CTCSS 91.5)
155.055 - Illinois IREACH
155.190 - Rhode Island RISPERN, North Carolina Intercity
155.235 - Oklahoma EMA Statewide
155.370 - New Mexico Intercity, North Dakota Law Command (CTCSS 146.2), Kansas Intercity, Missouri State-to-Sheriff, Wisconsin Point-to-Point (CTCSS 146.2), Kentucky Police Intercity, Tennessee Police Intercity, Michigan Police Intercity, Ohio Police Intercity, Indiana Police Point-to-Point, New York Interagency, Florida Point-to-point
155.475 - Nationwide Law Enforcement Interop, Oregon Statewide, Nevada Statewide, Iowa Law Aid, Missouri MOLEEN, Illinois ISPERN, Kentucky KLEEN, Tennessee NLEEF, Indiana ILEEN, New Hampshire NLEEF (CTCSS 136.5),
155.490 - Nebraska Region 26 EMA (DTCSS 432), Oklahoma Statewide (CTCSS 156.7)
155.505 - Utah Common
155.550 - New Mexico Car-to-Car (CTCSS 127.3)
155.730 - Kansas Statewide Law, Missouri Sheriff's Net
155.790 - Montana State Police (CTCSS 156.7)
155.805 - Ohio EMA Statewide
155.955 - Massachusetts EMA Statewide (CTCSS 100.0)
155.970 - Washington Statewide
156.750 - Wyoming Interagency
157.545 - Illinois IWARN 3
158.835 - Pennsylvania EMA
158.970 - Rhode Island Intercity
453.150 - Western Kentucky Emergency Network (CTCSS 127.3)
453.300 - Kentucky Statewide (CTCSS 162.2)
453.525 - Pennsylvania EMA
453.875 - Illinois Statewide EMA (CTCSS 103.5)
460.025 - Idaho Statewide Mutual Aid, Vermont Statewide Mutual Aid (CTCSS 118.8)
460.225 - Arizona State Police (CTCSS 100.0)
460.400 - Tennessee Statewide Law
460.425 - Colorado CLEER
460.525 - Idaho Car-to-Car (CTCSS 100.0)
855.9875 - Oklahoma State Police direct (CTCSS 77.0)
858.2625 - Connecticut Statewide Police (CTCSS 156.7)
Click to expand...
Nicely done, Are you an Ham Radio operator? anther thing is listen to SKYWARN nets. I am a Ham Radio Op. and try to help in doing SKYWARN nets
 
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