[Scan-DC] BLUE KNOB INCIDENT & FREQUENCIES

[johnson at cpcug.org]

Opportunities to scan, unfortunately, usually occur when something is
wrong and this morning at Blue Knob, near Bedford, PA, was no exception. 
At approx 1000 the uphill wheel bearing for one of the guide wheels on
lift 1, pylon 18 decided to die stranding a number of skiers on the lift.

Very quickly the repair guys were able to replace the wheel in the near
blizzard conditions (is there any other time such things occur?).  At
first there was much discussion about trying to evacuate all the skiers
but eventually the ski patrol decided to run the lift and offload the
skiers at the top.  Once this was done a repair crew with a cherry picker
on a snocat moved in, lifted the cable off the wheel, yanked the bad wheel
and, after finding the first replacement wheel was not good, got a second
wheel and repaired the lift.  After testing, the wheel ran as it should.

Actually it was very easy to do but in the very windy, near blizzard
conditions I had a lot of sympathy for the repairman about 15’ off the
ground replacing the wheel without, at times, any gloves.  Temperatures
were not very cold, only a few degrees below freezing, but the very strong
wind created a severe wind chill.

In the meantime I double checked the published frequencies for Blue Knob
ski patrol.  During the repair the patrolmen were instructed to use
another frequency which allowed me to update and confirm what I had. 
Channel 1 is 154.5400 [77.0?] and Channel 2, the usual patrol frequency,
is 155.2800 [77.0].  I also have 154.34 from a non-FCC database but
observed no activity and 155.2200 from the same non-FCC source is an
Altoona EMS frequency and presume Blue Knob may use it to talk in any
required ambulances.  I confirmed the CTSS of 77.0 for Channel 2, but did
not confirm it for Channel 1.

About one mile south of Bedford (10 miles south of Blue knob) is the
swanky Bedford Springs Resort.  During season rooms are about $350/night. 
We checked and prices are now $189/night in the off-season!  We were
thinking of having dinner there but their earliest reservation opening was
9:30 p.m.  No thanks.  It is a place where if you ask you can’t afford it.
 Just hand over the plastic.  Nonetheless, while we were there I caught
their very active general frequency as 467.8500 but did not check for any
CTSS.

Ralph Johnson