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Search & Rescue freq. list
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TUNING IN ON SEARCH & RESCUE OPERATIONS
Source: Popular Communications, Nov. 1990
By: Thurston Wainwright, KRL4PN
Reprinted by: Lori Jordan
For: The Hotline BBS, John Johnson, KWV8BP
It's a big, Dangerous World out there so keep these Frequencies Handy!
Seems like every day you learn about people who turn up missing while camping, skiing, hiking, boaor flying. That invariably kidks off a intensive land or sea search for the missing persons, foloe pby the rescue operations, starting with transporting any required emergency medical attentio t te cee. After that, the persons must be quickly and safely removed, often while they are in sockor avebroen bones or other problems requiring further medical attention.
Sometimes, there isn't as much need for search as there is for rescue because the general location e victims is known. This would be the case in a high-rise building fire, during a storm or floo,i h aftermath of an earthquake, explosion, or major transportation accident, for example. Someims,lagenumbers of victims must be transported to safety. In all cases, time is of the essence.
Search and rescue (SAR) operations lie within the realm of specialists trained in this dangerous, bfe-saving, art. The tools of their trade may include bolt cutters, ropes, high intesity lights,sis ircraft, scuba equipment, axes, cutting torches, skis and many other aids, depending upon th ntue f he task at hand. The one universal aid used in every instance is communcations equipmen. t i usd t summon, to coordinate, and to advise.
You, as a person with a communications receiver and/or a scanner, may already know same of the plac tune to hear this action while it's taking place. Your area fire and emergency frequencies arecrany a good place to begin. But, there's more.
For starters, you may be interested in knowing the frequencies usually used to summon aid when ther problem. At sea, larger vessels communicate in CW on 500kHz, or mighr use voice (SSB) on 2182kz Alvessels within about 50 miles of shore will probably summon aid on 156.80MHz. Lifeboats opeat o 864Hz(CW), and voice on 156.80 and 157.10kHz.
Most aircraft are equipped with Emergency Locator Transmitters (ELT's), and some vessels carry Emer Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) transmitters. These emergency devices manually or autmtcly transmit a (non-voice) distress signal when necessary that triggers an SAR response. The nis peat on 1221.5, 156.75, 156.80, 243.0, and 406.025MHz. Personal units for use have not beenappove, bt hve been suggested and several frequencies are under consideration for such use at soe pont i thefutue.
LAND SAR'S
Area police, fire, and emergency services frequencies should be the backbone of all monitoring effowith extra attention given to searching the band 155.16 to 155.295MHz, as these are popular withrsu quads, with 155.16 and 155.22MHz being especially popular.
The National Ski Patrol, throughout the USA, operates on 155.175, 155.22, 155.235, 155.265, and 155z. If you live in ski country, these are certainly channels to watch during the time of year whe itrsports prevail.
Aircraft are frequently pressed into service for SAR operation, with the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) ofttively involved. On your communications receiver, listen on 4585kHz (SSB) for the CAP. On scanes r 122.9, 123.1, and 148.15MHz. Helicopters operations of various agencies might show up on 13.25 13.5, and 123.075 MHz.
In the event an SAR operation is required within an area under the control of the Department of Therior (such as National Park, or a National Forest), you'll want to monitor 132.0125 MHz for the icatof this agency. Likewise, US Army personnel participating in SAR's sometimes turn up on 13875MH.
The Nuclear Emergency Search Team (NEST) is a federal activity that can be called in during any sitns implied by its rather ominous name. NEST operates on 149.22, 150.5, 163.00, 164.025, 164.10,1427, 164.225, 164.775, 166.225, 167.825, 167.85, 167.95, 169.60, 169.675, 172.30, and 410.80MHz
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has many channels, but good ones to try on your commtions receiver are 5212.5, 10494.5, and 17650.5 kHz (SSB). On your scanner, try 164.8625 and 16562 H.
SAR's at sea in the coastal waters of the USA will usually kick off activity on many frequencies, iing the CAP previously mentioned. These operations will also provide communications on various FVFad UHF frequencies, especially those used by units of the US Coast Guard and the US Coast Guad uxliry
In the HF bands, listen for SSB traffic on 3023, 4125, 5680, 5692, 5696, 6215.5, 8257, 8564, 12392,16522kHz. Scanner owners can monitor 156.30,
157.05, 157.075, 157.15, 157.175, 157.20, 164.30, and 282.8MHz for the action.
Frequencies set aside for SAR missions looking for manned spacecraft are 10000.3, 14993, and 19993
SAR activities are triggered by alerts issued by various local, state, and federal agencies. The Ust Guard coordinates SAR missions within its jurisdictional area. Aircraft that are overdue or eotddown are handled by the FAA, also the US Air Force Rescue Coordination Center at Scott AFB, n llnos.
At that point, several SAR units may be activated, including the CAP, Air National Guard, National , Coast Guard and Coast Guard Auxiliary, plus local, county, state, and private organizations. n cie SAR unit is the New York Air National Guard's 106th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Group, satond n esthampton Beach, NY. SAR missions in the northeast very often produce activity on thei opratng reqencies, 251.9 and 287.5 MHz.
There are any number of private ham-staffed groups utilizing frequencies in the Amateur Radio Servispecially in the 2 meter (144 Mhz) band. Furthermore, there are also private groups operating i h eeral Mobile Radio Service (GMRS) band, 462.55 to 462.725 MHz. A favorite here is 462.675 MH.
Lastly, don't overlook the CB channels for SAR activities as we have heard some of them being run onnel 9 (27.065MHz) and other channels. Very often, before a formal SAR mission can be organizedadtaned personnel dispatched, an impromptu SAR operation is immediately set up with local volunter wo rereadily equipped for CB operation.X-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-==-==-==-==-=-=-X
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