Monday, October 09, 2006

173.8125 MHz and ROSS / JENA Call Sign


I recently posted that 173.8125 MHz was a mystery frequency in my home base area of Portland, OR. The frequency is P-25 digital with almost 100% of the transmissions encrypted. I was finally able to positively identify the frequency as the FBI with the help of ROSS 25.

On Monday morning, October 9th, I caught ROSS 25, an FBI observation aircraft, calling Portland International approach control, telling them they would be working over downtown Portland at 4000 feet. Shortly after that transmission, 173.8125 MHz came alive with CLEAR P-25 traffic from "25", indicating they were having a tough time following the target on the ground! So don't give up on those encrypted channels!

Speaking of ROSS aircraft call signs - A poster on the MILCOM e-mail list is reporting that in his area the FBI aircraft have started using the call sign JENA (GINA, JEANA?) for flight operations. I've also received confirmed reports from the Seattle area of an aircraft previously heard as a ROSS flight now using the JENA call sign. And a message from South Florida indicates a JENA or JEANNA flight has been heard regularly down there. Anyone else hearing this call sign change for the FBI surveillance flights?

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