BoP Update

I recently received some information on a Bureau of Prisons trunked system at the Federal Correctional Institution in Loretto, Pennsylvania. It has been tough to come up with information on some BoP facilities, as many of them are located in remote areas of the country with not too many listeners around to send in reports. As with most BoP facilities, they are using a Motorola trunked system. Here is the information that I received:


FCI Loretto
Motorola Type II
System ID: 744b
Base: 406.2000
Step: 12.5
Offset: 380
406.2125, 407.0125, 409.0125, 409.2125, 409.7375, 410.9000

NOTE: I know I promoted the updated BoP list as being available on the Monitoring Times web site, but the site is undergoing some re-design and the Readers Only area is no longer an option. As for now, if you wish to receive a copy of the latest Bureau of Prisons update, pleasase drop me an email at the Monitoring Times address at the top of the blog.

UPDATE - 169.6 MHz NYC

A couple of weeks ago, some listeners in the New York City area reported some clear, P-25 traffic on this previously un-heard frequency. Reports were that they were hearing 169.6000 MHz, NAC 169 repeating traffic from the Federal Protective Service UHF repeater. Then it appeared to be carrying traffic from a New York PD Citywide channel, and later traffic from Newark PD was heard.

A poster on Radio Reference has indicated this was being used by a group from the Department of Homeland Security as a test project. Although saying it was DHS still leaves a lot of speculation as to what the specific agency and purpose was, this frequency is definitely worth keeping an ear on.

I'll hopefully have more information after a couple of trips I'm scheduled on to NYC over the next few weeks.

UPDATE - 409.4 MHz is Las Vegas FPS

Back in mid-September I reported on some activity on 409.4000 MHz, NAC 940 in the Las Vegas, NV area. Listeners had reported sporadic, clear activity on this frequency and had not been able to identify who it was.

I was in Las Vegas for a week and listened to that frequency when I could. I was only able to copy a few transmissions, but they all occurred in the mornings between 07:30 and 08:00 AM each day. A unit would call in to "DENVER" and report in service. DENVER would then acknowledge, and nothing else was heard by me. Others have reported hearing traffic stops and requests for backup from LV Metro PD units on this repeater.

Some have suggested this is the Federal Protective Service. At first glance that might make sense, but I have some concerns:

A) The frequency is not one used by FPS in any other region or city that I have found.

B) Every other FPS Region does regular check ins with units during shifts.

C) The total lack of traffic other than checking in each morning is also baffling. And only seems like one or possibly two units on duty.

Still not enough information to positively identify the agency yet, but we'll keep listening.

UPDATE - I have received some reliable information that this is indeed the Federal Protective Service repeater for the Las Vegas area. The FPS apparently has a very small presence in the LV Metro area and that explains the lack of radio traffic and the lack of roll calls. FPS MegaCenter in Denver is indeed the dispatch point for the LV repeater.

166.4625 MHz Las Vegas TSA?

I've been hearing numerous transmissions in the area of McCarren Airport in Las Vegas on 166.4625 MHz, P-25 with a NAC of 001. It appears to be the Transportation Security Administration operators working with the full body scanners at the security checkpoints. The operators are apparently in a different area from the scanners themselves, and are calling out when the subject being scanned is clear and if there are any anomalies detected by the scanner. The transmissions are all simplex and low-powered.

The frequency is assigned as Treasury Common as well as DHS Common in many federal agency radios. This frequency and P-25 NAC is known to be Channel 13 in the standard TSA channel plan. I have heard similar traffic in other locations, specifically at the Tampa airport during the Super Bowl last year.

169.6000 MHz NYC

I've received some reports of a mystery P-25 frequency active in the New York City area.

169.6000 MHz, NAC 169 was first reported as being a patched simulcast of the Federal Protective Service UHF channel, 417.2000 MHz. I was first wondering if this might be the reason some FPS vehicles have been seen with VHF antennas on them.

But further reports have come in that say this frequency has been heard repeating various NYPD Citywide channels and Newark NJ PD channels as well.

The frequency itself has been used by many different federal agencies, including the Department of Agriculture, US Coast Guard, Customs and Department of Energy, to name a few. It's unknown who is using this frequency for what purpose, but further monitoring may give us a clue.

World Series Game 3

I was working in Philadelphia for game 3 of the World Series baseball game between the Phillies and the Yankees on October 31st. I was pretty busy with getting the TV coverage of the game on the air, but just before the rain-delayed start of the game, I spotted a motorcade of 6 black SUVs and a limo headed into the stadium. So I thought I'd better get the scanner fired up.

It turned out that our VPOTUS, Joe Biden was in attendance. The Secret Service was in the stadium providing protection for the VP. During the game, TANGO (164.6500 MHz) was in use, but just prior to the departure, CHARLIE (165.3750 MHz) became active, and both frequencies seemed to be busy when the motorcade left the stadium. All communications were encrypted P25, with a NAC of 001.

There is a marked difference between the protection details the Vice President gets versus the POTUS, although there was still a large Secret Service detail, complete with counter-sniper teams all over the stadium.

FPS moving from ICE to NPPD

As was rumored to be the case, DHS announced today that the Federal Protective Service (FPS) will be moved from Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) to the National Protections and Programs Directorate (NPPD). The announcement can be found here:

http://www.dhs.gov/ynews/releases/pr_1256829032272.shtm

More information on the NPPD can be found here:

http://www.dhs.gov/xabout/structure/editorial_0794.shtm

"The realignment allows FPS to focus on its primary mission—securing General Services Administration (GSA)-owned and leased federal buildings by performing building security assessments and deploying appropriate countermeasures—while enabling ICE to focus on the smart and effective enforcement of immigration and customs laws."

SoCal UHF

I've been down in the Orange County, California area the last week and have come across some active channels that remain a mystery.

408.4000 MHz, 412.6500 MHz and 417.4000 MHz are all being heard in P-25 with a NAC of $167. It appears that 417.4000 MHz might be the input to 408.4000 MHz. Others have reported some surveillance and radio checks on the 408.4000 frequency, but what agency?

The 408.4000 frequency used to be a federal agency common, but that assignment changed at the beginning of 2005 when the UHF federal band began to be re-channeled. Many military bases have been heard using the 408.4000 frequency in the past. The 412.6500 frequency has some Justice Department assignments, as well as the 417.4000 frequency.

Some would probably look at the $167 NAC as proof of being the FBI, but there are plenty of other possible agencies that might use this NAC. And I still haven't seen enough evidence hat the FBI routinely uses their UHF assignments for surveillance operations, but things might be changing.

Further monitoring will be required. If anyone in the SoCal area has any further information on this activity, let me know!

Interoperability Channel Names

APCO International has released a draft copy of it's "Proposed Standard Channel Nomenclature for the Public Safety Interoperability Channels". The draft can be viewed here:

http://apcointl.org/new/commcenter911/documents/APCO-NPSTC-ANS-1-104-1DraftPRC.pdf

This is to help standardize the channel names for the federal and non-federal interoperability frequencies through out the US. The document also provides a complete list of the frequencies for reference.

USCG San Francisco - Update

While passing through SFO (San Francisco International Airport) recently, I had some time to search the federal bands. I came across Coast Guard Sector SF working with craft in the bay on 171.3500 MHz, P-25 with a NAC of 293.

This seemed to be their normal operations channel for the area, and several times I heard them refer to this as "LE-6" on their radios. Previously "LE-6" has been part of the federal interoperability channel plan as 167.2500 MHz. Could it be that this is a repeater with LE-6 as the input? Or could this be a different LE-6?

The 171.3500 MHz is a Coast Guard allocation, and I have heard it used at CG Air Station Astoria as a helicopter maintenance channel.

UPDATE: I was informed by some good folks from the Bay Area that this is a long established Coast Guard "L-E" frequency that is still being used, but now in P-25 mode. The "L-E" repeaters (short for Law Enforcement) were common in some areas that the Coast Guard operated. In theory, the old LE repeaters should be superseded by the new CG NET channels as the RESCUE 21 system is expanded.

FPS Operation Shield

I heard some Federal Protective Service units on roll call this morning report that they were participating in "Operation Shield" activities. Roll call was on 408.2 MHz here in the Portland, OR area.

A quick search of the Internet told me that Operation Shield is an ongoing program that is part of the FPS operation. Here is a link to see what they are up to:

http://www.ice.gov/doclib/pi/fps/pdf/fps_02_08_newsletter.pdf

Pittsburgh G20 MACC Operational

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette featured a story on the start up of the G20 Multi-Agency Command Center in Pittsburgh:

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09266/1000178-482.stm

So far lots of G20 related action on the federal, state and local frequencies, including many of the national interoperability channels. Among the federal agencies that are participating are the Coast Guard, Secret Service, State Department and aviation units probably with Customs & Border Protection Air Marine division. I'll have more later on as information comes in.

409.4 MHz - Las Vegas

A while back, a poster on Radio Reference asked about who might be using 409.4000 MHz, P-25 in the Las Vegas area. Several suggestions were posted about is possibly being part of the NNSA UHF trunked system, federal contractors, etc..

The UHF federal band, 406.1 to 420 MHz, is pretty saturated in southern Nevada. The NNSA trunked sites, as well as the NTTR EDACS sites take up a lot of available channels, and there are some conventional users as well. But I had never logged any activity on this frequency in my past visits to Las Vegas.

One poster on Radio Reference says that one party on a previously heard transmission may have used DENVER as their call sign. That made me think of the Federal Protective Service dispatch center in Denver. But, this frequency has not been previously associated with FPS operations in any other areas. The frequency itself has been used as part of many federal and military UHF trunked systems, as well as conventional assignments to the VA and Department of Energy.

I purposely set up one scanner just on 409.4 during my visit to LV this past week. I only caught two brief transmissions, and was able to confirm a P-25 NAC of 940. This indicates to me that this is not a normal FPS dispatch channel, as they often run routine check ins and units are always calling in service.

Anyone want to see if they can figure out who is using 409.4 in the Las Vegas area? Let me know what you hear!

FAA Porcupine

While running between terminals at San Francisco International Airport (KSFO), I spotted a van literally covered with antennas. The van carried federal GSA license plates, but when I got along side, it had well worn FAA decals on the doors.

You probably can't tell by the cell-phone camera photo I snapped, but the van had 12 to 15 antennas cut to almost every radio band you can think of, including what appeared to be a CB antenna. I'm sure this van is used by the FAA electronics support technicians, but it sure looks like they enjoy radio of all types & frequency bands.

The smallish SUV in front of the radio van was also an FAA vehicle, but carried no antennas that I could see.

TSA Encryption

I've started noticing some changes in the TSA communications in my area and wondering if the same is happening in other areas as well.

Until recently, all of the TSA P-25 communications at my home airport of Portland, Oregon (KPDX) have been unencrypted. Simplex communications at all the security checkpoints has been on 172.1500 MHz, with different NAC's for each, and some administrative type communications have been heard on a repeater on 172.9000 MHz, N001 (169.3000 MHz input). About three weeks ago, I started hearing a lot more activity on the 172.9000 MHz repeater, but it was all encrypted. Until that time, I was only catching some random, brief encrypted traffic when someone accidentaly switched the secure mode on.

With some exceptions, most TSA traffic seems to be in the clear. San Diego has been encypted for quite a while now, and perhaps others.

While I'm not sure if this might be related, but I recently spotted some marked TSA vehicles that indicate they are operating more than just baggage screening and passenger checkpoints. The new-looking trucks were marked "EXPLOSIVE DETECTION K-9 TEAM", and were parked on the ramp area of a major aiport. Could these secure communications be tied into more activity by TSA activity not normally seen by the public?

Another Federal Mototrbo User

On a recent trip to the Chicago area, I discovered that the Federal Reserve Bank in Chicago is using Mototrbo radios on 406.6625 MHz.

Mototrbo is a product line of digital radios marketed by Motorola. It is not compatable with any of the digital scanners available today.

The Federal Reserve seems to have a habit of doing their own thing when it comes to radios. Each branch of the FRB has something different, some analog, some digital and now some are Mototrbo. It still amazes me that they would go against the APCO P-25 standards the have been championed by the federal government for interoperability. But on the other hand, who would they have to be interoperable with?

406.6626 MHz is a common frequency used by Federal Reserve facilities across the country, along with 410.4875, 413.9250 and 415.6625.

Pittsburgh G20 Summit - New Frequencies?

With a little more than 5 weeks until the G20 Summit in Pittsburgh starting, I've started to receive reports of unusual activity across the radio spectrum in the area.

Reports are that multiple frequencies were transmitting APCO P-25 digital, with many unusual frequencies for the area and many using a NAC of 167. Here is what was recently reported as active with apparent testing:

150.5625 NAC 167 - Frequency is a Civil Air Patrol assignment
150.6000 NAC 167
153.2225 NAC 167
157.6425 NAC 167
163.9500 NAC 173
165.9750 NAC 167
168.5000 NAC 100
168.8250 NAC 167 - Previously known Pittsburgh FBI
169.4000 NAC 167
171.3875 NAC 167

Besides these previously unknown frequencies, here are some that were heard active, but may not be related to the G20:

169.0125 NAC 357 - VAMC Police
169.8000 NAC 389 - DHS ICE wide area network

We will see what else comes alive as the G20 approaches. Past events such as this often reveal unusual frequencies being used by some of the foreign security details. Stay tuned!

"Axe Men" Production - 168.050

While searching the federal bands at home in northwest Oregon, I recently came across some unusual radio traffic on 168.0500 MHz. It sounded like someone in a helicopter (I could hear the turbine whine in the background), talking with someone on the ground (unheard by me). The conversation seemed to be from a producer with the "Axe Men" TV reality show, working on shooting and getting some particular topics on the audio track. I believe it is the "Axe Men" show based on some of the logging company names that were heard on the radio traffic, companies that were featured in the past shows.

The frequency of 168.0500 MHz is often used by the US Forest Service and National Interagency Fire Center as a tactical channel. Why these folks were using it at this time is unknown. Perhaps there were working with the Forest Service and had a USFS helicopter, and that frequency was handy to talk to the folks on the ground.

The "Axe Men" TV show airs on The History Channel and is produced by Original Productions, http://www.origprod.com/.

Colville National Forest

Although many of the US Forest Service web sites have had the frequency data for the radio systems scrubbed from the available documents, occasionally some still get posted.

If you are interested in frequencies used by Colville National Forest in Washington State, you can find this document on their web site, at least for the time being:

http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/colville/newicc/documents/Colville2009_Radio_UserGuide.pdf

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