Fire Readiness Plan for 10-21-2010

Here is today's fire readiness plan for North Carolina. I also monitored radio traffic that said that all open burning is prohibited in Buncombe County today.

Here is the Fire Weather Planning Forecast for parts of western North Carolina via the National Weather Service:

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
630 AM EDT THU OCT 21 2010

...VERY DRY AND GUSTY CONDITIONS THIS AFTERNOON...

.DISCUSSION...
HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD IN ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA TODAY AND WILL
REMAIN OVER THE SOUTHEAST THROUGH THE WEEKEND. THIS HIGH WILL
EVENTUALLY MOVE OFF THE EAST COAST EARLY NEXT WEEK AS DEEP MOISTURE
MOVES IN FROM THE WEST AHEAD OF A DEVELOPING STORM OVER THE CENTRAL
PART OF THE COUNTRY.

NCZ033-049-050-501-503-505-212100-
AVERY-YANCEY-MITCHELL-CALDWELL MOUNTAINS-BURKE MOUNTAINS-
MCDOWELL MOUNTAINS-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...NEWLAND...SPRUCE PINE
630 AM EDT THU OCT 21 2010

...INCREASED FIRE DANGER FROM NOON EDT TODAY THROUGH
THIS EVENING...

                      TODAY        TONIGHT      FRI

CLOUD COVER           MCLEAR       MCLEAR       CLEAR
CHANCE PRECIP (%)     0            0            0
PRECIP TYPE           NONE         NONE         NONE
MAX/MIN TEMP          65           36           61
MIN/MAX RH %          25           84           23
WND20FT2MIN/EARLY(MPH)NW 12 G29    NW 12 G31    NW  5
WND20FT2MIN/LATE(MPH) NW 17 G33    NW  6        NW  6
PRECIP DURATION       0            0            0
PRECIP AMOUNT         0.00         0.00         0.00
PRECIP BEGIN
PRECIP END
LAL                   1            1            1
INVERSION(TEMP/TIME)  45/0900      0000         44/0900
HAINES INDEX          5            5            5
DSI                   1                         1
MIXING HGT(FT-AGL)    6000                      5100
TRANSPORT WND (MPH)   W 37                      NW 16
VENT RATE (MPH-FT)    222000                    81600
ADI EARLY             84 GOOD      51 GEN GOOD  52 GEN GOOD
ADI LATE              112 VERY GOOD20 GEN POOR  66 GOOD
MAX LVORI EARLY       3            2            3
MAX LVORI LATE        1            3            1
MIN VSBY EARLY        8            10
MIN VSBY LATE         10           6 FOG

REMARKS...ADI IS ATMOSPHERIC DISPERSION INDEX BY LAVDAS.
LVORI IS LOW VISIBILITY OCCURRENCE RISK INDEX.

.FORECAST FOR DAYS 3 THROUGH 7...
.FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY...MOSTLY CLEAR. LOWS IN THE UPPER 30S.
HIGHS IN THE UPPER 60S. MINIMUM RH 32 PERCENT. SOUTH WINDS AROUND
5 MPH.
.SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY...MOSTLY CLOUDY. LOWS IN THE MID 40S.
HIGHS AROUND 70. MINIMUM RH 50 PERCENT. SOUTH WINDS AROUND 5 MPH.
.SUNDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY...MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF SHOWERS
AND THUNDERSTORMS. LOWS IN THE LOWER 50S. HIGHS AROUND 70.
MINIMUM RH 58 PERCENT. SOUTH WINDS AROUND 5 MPH.
.MONDAY NIGHT AND TUESDAY...MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF
SHOWERS. LOWS AROUND 50. HIGHS AROUND 70. MINIMUM RH 59 PERCENT.
SOUTH WINDS AROUND 5 MPH.
.TUESDAY NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY...MOSTLY CLOUDY. A CHANCE OF
SHOWERS. LOWS IN THE LOWER 50S. HIGHS IN THE LOWER 70S. MINIMUM
RH 55 PERCENT. SOUTH WINDS AROUND 5 MPH.

$$

NCZ048-053-065-507-509-212100-
MADISON-BUNCOMBE-HENDERSON-RUTHERFORD MOUNTAINS-POLK MOUNTAINS-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...ASHEVILLE...HENDERSONVILLE...LAKE LURE
630 AM EDT THU OCT 21 2010

...INCREASED FIRE DANGER FROM NOON EDT TODAY THROUGH
THIS EVENING...

                      TODAY        TONIGHT      FRI

CLOUD COVER           MCLEAR       MCLEAR       CLEAR
CHANCE PRECIP (%)     0            0            0
PRECIP TYPE           NONE         NONE         NONE
MAX/MIN TEMP          68           37           64
MIN/MAX RH %          22           83           22
WND20FT2MIN/EARLY(MPH)NW  8 G22    NW  9 G26    LGT/VAR
WND20FT2MIN/LATE(MPH) NW 15 G26    NW  5        NW  5
PRECIP DURATION       0            0            0
PRECIP AMOUNT         0.00         0.00         0.00
PRECIP BEGIN
PRECIP END
LAL                   1            1            1
INVERSION(TEMP/TIME)  45/0900      2000         45/0900
HAINES INDEX          5            5            5
DSI                   2                         1
MIXING HGT(FT-AGL)    5800                      5100
TRANSPORT WND (MPH)   W 31                      NW 13
VENT RATE (MPH-FT)    179800                    66300
ADI EARLY             64 GOOD      44 GEN GOOD  36 FAIR
ADI LATE              97 GOOD      13 GEN POOR  55 GEN GOOD
MAX LVORI EARLY       3            2            3
MAX LVORI LATE        1            3            1
MIN VSBY EARLY        8            10
MIN VSBY LATE         10           6 FOG

REMARKS...ADI IS ATMOSPHERIC DISPERSION INDEX BY LAVDAS.
LVORI IS LOW VISIBILITY OCCURRENCE RISK INDEX.

.FORECAST FOR DAYS 3 THROUGH 7...
.FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY...MOSTLY CLEAR. LOWS IN THE UPPER 30S.
HIGHS IN THE UPPER 60S. MINIMUM RH 31 PERCENT. SOUTHEAST WINDS
AROUND 5 MPH.
.SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY...MOSTLY CLOUDY. LOWS IN THE MID 40S.
HIGHS IN THE UPPER 60S. MINIMUM RH 53 PERCENT. SOUTH WINDS AROUND
5 MPH.
.SUNDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY...MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF SHOWERS
AND THUNDERSTORMS. LOWS IN THE LOWER 50S. HIGHS IN THE LOWER 70S.
MINIMUM RH 59 PERCENT. SOUTH WINDS AROUND 5 MPH.
.MONDAY NIGHT AND TUESDAY...MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF
SHOWERS. LOWS IN THE LOWER 50S. HIGHS IN THE LOWER 70S. MINIMUM
RH 62 PERCENT. SOUTH WINDS AROUND 5 MPH.
.TUESDAY NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY...MOSTLY CLOUDY. A CHANCE OF
SHOWERS. LOWS IN THE LOWER 50S. HIGHS IN THE LOWER 70S. MINIMUM
RH 58 PERCENT. SOUTH WINDS AROUND 5 MPH.

$$

NCZ303-212100-
NORTH CAROLINA PORTION OF GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK-
630 AM EDT THU OCT 21 2010

                      TODAY        TONIGHT      FRI

CLOUD COVER           MCLEAR       MCLEAR       CLEAR
CHANCE PRECIP (%)     0            0            0
PRECIP TYPE           NONE         NONE         NONE
MAX/MIN TEMP          62           33           60
MIN/MAX RH %          25           89           23
WND20FT2MIN/EARLY(MPH)W  8 G23     NW  8 G24    LGT/VAR
WND20FT2MIN/LATE(MPH) NW 12 G24    LGT/VAR      N  5
PRECIP DURATION       0            0            0
PRECIP AMOUNT         0.00         0.00         0.00
PRECIP BEGIN
PRECIP END
LAL                   1            1            1
INVERSION(TEMP/TIME)  42/0900      2000         43/0900
HAINES INDEX          4            4            5
DSI                   1                         1
MIXING HGT(FT-AGL)    4900                      4400
TRANSPORT WND (MPH)   W 30                      NW 12
VENT RATE (MPH-FT)    147000                    52800
ADI EARLY             52 GEN GOOD  41 GEN GOOD  20 GEN POOR
ADI LATE              80 GOOD      10 POOR      46 GEN GOOD
MAX LVORI EARLY       3            3            4
MAX LVORI LATE        1            4            2
MIN VSBY EARLY        4 FOG        10
MIN VSBY LATE         10           4 FOG

REMARKS...ADI IS ATMOSPHERIC DISPERSION INDEX BY LAVDAS.
LVORI IS LOW VISIBILITY OCCURRENCE RISK INDEX.

.FORECAST FOR DAYS 3 THROUGH 7...
.FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY...MOSTLY CLEAR. LOWS AROUND 40. HIGHS
IN THE MID 60S. MINIMUM RH 36 PERCENT. SOUTH WINDS AROUND 5 MPH.
.SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY...MOSTLY CLOUDY. LOWS IN THE MID 40S.
HIGHS IN THE UPPER 60S. MINIMUM RH 49 PERCENT. SOUTH WINDS AROUND
5 MPH.
.SUNDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY...MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF SHOWERS
AND THUNDERSTORMS. LOWS IN THE UPPER 40S. HIGHS IN THE LOWER 70S.
MINIMUM RH 52 PERCENT. SOUTH WINDS AROUND 5 MPH.
.MONDAY NIGHT AND TUESDAY...MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF
SHOWERS. LOWS IN THE MID 40S. HIGHS IN THE LOWER 70S. MINIMUM RH
53 PERCENT. SOUTH WINDS AROUND 5 MPH.
.TUESDAY NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY...MOSTLY CLOUDY. A CHANCE OF
SHOWERS. LOWS IN THE UPPER 40S. HIGHS IN THE LOWER 70S. MINIMUM
RH 50 PERCENT. SOUTH WINDS AROUND 5 MPH.

$$

NCZ051-052-058-059-062>064-212100-
SWAIN-HAYWOOD-GRAHAM-NORTHERN JACKSON-MACON-SOUTHERN JACKSON-
TRANSYLVANIA-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...CHEROKEE...WAYNESVILLE...SYLVA...
FRANKLIN...BREVARD
630 AM EDT THU OCT 21 2010

                      TODAY        TONIGHT      FRI

CLOUD COVER           MCLEAR       MCLEAR       CLEAR
CHANCE PRECIP (%)     0            0            0
PRECIP TYPE           NONE         NONE         NONE
MAX/MIN TEMP          66           34           64
MIN/MAX RH %          22           92           21
WND20FT2MIN/EARLY(MPH)NW  7 G21    NW  8 G24    LGT/VAR
WND20FT2MIN/LATE(MPH) NW 13 G24    LGT/VAR      LGT/VAR
PRECIP DURATION       0            0            0
PRECIP AMOUNT         0.00         0.00         0.00
PRECIP BEGIN
PRECIP END
LAL                   1            1            1
INVERSION(TEMP/TIME)  43/0900      2000         43/0900
HAINES INDEX          4            5            5
DSI                   1                         1
MIXING HGT(FT-AGL)    5600                      5600
TRANSPORT WND (MPH)   NW 30                     NW 12
VENT RATE (MPH-FT)    168000                    67200
ADI EARLY             63 GOOD      41 GEN GOOD  19 GEN POOR
ADI LATE              87 GOOD      11 POOR      50 GEN GOOD
MAX LVORI EARLY       4            3            4
MAX LVORI LATE        1            4            1
MIN VSBY EARLY        4 FOG        10
MIN VSBY LATE         10           3 FOG

REMARKS...ADI IS ATMOSPHERIC DISPERSION INDEX BY LAVDAS.
LVORI IS LOW VISIBILITY OCCURRENCE RISK INDEX.

.FORECAST FOR DAYS 3 THROUGH 7...
.FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY...MOSTLY CLEAR. LOWS IN THE UPPER 30S.
HIGHS IN THE UPPER 60S. MINIMUM RH 33 PERCENT. SOUTH WINDS AROUND
5 MPH.
.SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY...MOSTLY CLOUDY. LOWS IN THE MID 40S.
HIGHS AROUND 70. MINIMUM RH 50 PERCENT. SOUTH WINDS AROUND 5 MPH.
.SUNDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY...MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF SHOWERS
AND THUNDERSTORMS. LOWS AROUND 50. HIGHS IN THE LOWER 70S.
MINIMUM RH 55 PERCENT. SOUTH WINDS AROUND 5 MPH.
.MONDAY NIGHT AND TUESDAY...MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF
SHOWERS. LOWS IN THE UPPER 40S. HIGHS IN THE LOWER 70S. MINIMUM
RH 57 PERCENT. SOUTH WINDS AROUND 5 MPH.
.TUESDAY NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY...MOSTLY CLOUDY. A CHANCE OF
SHOWERS. LOWS IN THE LOWER 50S. HIGHS AROUND 70. MINIMUM RH
53 PERCENT. SOUTH WINDS AROUND 5 MPH.

$$

Frequencies for Monitoring the Secret Service During Bill Clinton's Visit to Asheville

Former President Bill Clinton will be in Asheville, NC to campaign for Congressman Heath Shuler, and if I had been thinking, I would have made it a point to attend, or park close by just so i could monitor the communications of the Secret Service detail protecting the former President.

Well, all is not lost. If you are in the area, you can still do this...but only if you have a scanner and a list of frequency assignments.

If you don't have a scanner, you can listen online to law enforcement and other public service agencies at Radio Reference. You won't be able to hear the Secret Service, but you'll be able to monitor law enforcement as they assist the Secret Service in keeping order and protecting the former President during his visit. There is also a good page for local frequencies for Asheville and Buncombe County.

Here are a few frequencies I've found posted online to help you out in regards to Secret Service Frequencies:

Secret Service VHF radios are set up as follows:

Channel	Designation
1	BAKER
2	CHARLIE
3	MIKE
4	TANGO
5	OSCAR
6	PAPA
7	BAKER REPEATER (165.7875/164.4000)
8	CHARLIE REPEATER (165.3750/166.4000)

Frequencies A through Z

Alpha	32.2300	WHCA-Transportation (vans) (possible DC base)
Baker	165.7875	USSS-Field Offices, President/VP/VIP security
Charlie	165.3750	USSS-Field Offices/Protection, command post coordination (Nationwide Primary)
Delta	169.9250	WHCA-Marine Security Detachment, vans
Echo	407.8500	WHCA-SAM Uplink (Air Force 1 phone patch ground uplink)
Foxtrot	415.7000	WHCA-SAM Downlink (Air Force 1 phone patch aircraft downlink)
Golf	166.4000	USSS-Field Offices
	165.7625	Input to 165.3750 repeaters
Hotel	167.9000	WHCA-V.P. Staff/White House Garage
	165.6875
	166.2125	President/VP Security
India	407.9250	USSS-Headquarters (Treasury Security Force)
	166.2000
Juliet	170.0000	USSS-Paging/Camp David
Kilo	167.8250	Duplex Phone-Pres Res/LBJ, WHCA
Lima	168.7875	Duplex Phone-Pres Res/LBJ, WHCA (voice scramblers)
Lavender	418.1250	WHCA-Transportation
Mike	165.2125	USSS-Dignitary/Former Pres Protection, Counterfeit Division
November	166.7000	WHCA-White House Staff
Oscar	164.8875	USSS-Presidential Protection Division (PPD), WHCA
Papa	164.4000	USSS-Field Offices/Protection, input to 165.2125 repeaters
Quebec	---
Romeo	166.4000	Input to 165.7875 repeaters
	164.4000	USSS-Repeater Outputs
Sierra	166.5125	WHCA-White House Staff
Tango	164.6500	USSS-Field Offices/Protection, Presidential/VP Security
Uniform	361.6000	AF-1 Communications
	165.0875
Victor	164.1000	WHCA, Presidential/VP Protection
Whiskey	167.0250	WHCA-Paging
X-ray	********	SEE BELOW
Yankee	162.6875	WHCA-Presidential phone uplink or downlink
Zulu	171.2875	WHCA-Presidential phone downlink or uplink

The Treasury Common frequency is 166.4625.

X-ray is the reserve frequency pool and is not Treasury Common. Frequencies here are used whenever a new frequency is needed.

X-ray frequencies

164.7500
164.8000
165.2625
165.3375
165.4125
165.5125
165.6500
165.6875
165.8500
165.9000
166.0500
166.2000
166.5625
166.5875
166.6375
166.8000
167.9000
The most active frequencies used before and during a presidential or vice presidential visit are Baker, Charlie, Mike, and Tango, as well as any channel designated for use by the WHCA. The frequency used most as a nationwide primary repeater channel is Charlie, followed by Baker. Former presidents' security use Mike. Oscar is used for presidential protection nationwide and Papa is used for White House perimeter patrols.

Pres Nighthawk Aircraft Fleet (HMX)

Transport	46.7500
Transport	375.0000
VIP Transport Net	34.3500
Command Post	142.7500
Squadron Common	265.8000
USMC helicopters	46.7000, 46.7500, 46.8000, 122.8500, 375.0000

Other Phone Patches

Nationwide-2	407.4750	uplink
Nationwide-2	415.8000	downlink
Limousines (Local/DC)	407.4500	duplex
Limousines (Local/DC)	408.2000	duplex

USSS Uniform Division (All repeaters use PL 103.5 Hz)

Gray	418.3500/407.7500	White House
Orange	418.7750/414.9500	White House
Brown	414.8500/418.8000	Foreign Missions
Red	415.9750/419.7250	Foreign Missions
Silver	415.6500/419.1000	Foreign Missions
Yellow	414.6750/418.1500, 415.9500 WHCA ("Boardwalk")	Foreign Missions Patrol Primary

Training Division: Beltsville, MD

Green	415.7500/407.8750
Black	415.1000/418.3250
Blue	414.8000
Violet	415.8000
Communications Division:
Gold	415.6750/419.0750
Other:
Lavender	418.1250	WHCA Transportation
White	407.6750

Technical Security Division (Special Use)

F-1	408.0000
F-2	411.0000
F-3	408.5000
F-4	408.9750

NOTES: Frequencies in 407 Mhz band are used for agents' body radios with "wristwatch" microphones.
WHCA stands for White House Communications Agency.
The PL used by the Secret Service is 103.5 Hz.
The above info was gathered from several sources. Not all sources agreed on the same frequencies.

More good lists can be found at Radio Reference and  MT FedFiles.

Product Preview: Home Patrol from Uniden

The above is a look at the new scanner from Uniden that will be released (pending FCC approval) on October 1st, 2010.


It is one of the new type of scanners that has a database [from Radio Reference] installed in the scanner from the factory. As the video above indicates, all you have to do is enter the zip code where you are at, and the scanner will presnt you with a series of menu choices that will allow you to select what type of radio traffic you are interested in monitoring. Oh, did I mention that it has no keyboard? Interaction is accomplished via a touchscreen.


IF you are interested in learning more about this scanner, please visit the website Uniden has set up [visit Home Patrol] for the scanner, complete with a blog and an online community.

WNC Scanner

I'm starting this blog as an adjunct to my tweet account @WNCscan to post frequencies, photos and recordings of public safety activity in western North Carolina and beyond. I'll post frequencies that I have gathered, frequencies that you contribute, and link to sources of frequencies and blog about gear that you can use to monitor public safety communications.


I currently have only one physical scanner, a Uniden Bearcat BC95XLT Nascar handheld scanner. I also listen to various scanner feeds that have been posted on the Internet. I'll be posting links to them as well. Perhaps I'll even be posting a feed of my own since the feed provider in Macon County has withdrawn the feed. The problem with that is that I live in a section of the county where I cannot hear much of the local radio traffic that is broadcast from Wine Springs Bald, nor can I hear the VIPER network, which the North Carolina Highway Patrol is using, and some local law enforcement and fire department traffic is migrating there as well.


So, what do you listen to, and how do you listen to it?