Super Bowl XLV

Things are starting to ramp up for federal activity related to Super Bowl XLV in Arlington, Texas this February. There were rumors of the possible installation of some sites of the federal IWN (Integrated Wireless Network) in the Dallas Metroplex prior to Super Bowl. However it appears that money and time issues got the best of the proposal.

170.6250 MHz, N167 and 170.9375 MHz, N167 have both been noted as "new" frequencies for the area. They very well may be additions to the are for the Super Bowl, but will remain in place after the big game is over. Also, there have been reports of activity on 171.4375 MHz, a nationwide federal interoperability channel. 170.6625 MHz, N167 had been noted before the new year in Dallas, also a new channel for the area.

I will try to provide updates prior to the big game, and a complete wrap-up will appear in the May 2011 Fed Files column in Monitoring Times magazine.

DEA Updates

Some additional information has surfaced about the new UHF federal frequencies used by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). As we have previously reported in the Fed Files blog, the DEA will be re-channeling their UHF frequencies and have started using these new frequencies in Texas and other southern US areas.

The frequency of 409.8250 MHz, N156 has been heard from the Houston area, but reports were that it is most likely a repeater in the outlying areas and not in Houston. 409.9000 MHz, N156 has been confirmed as a repeater, referred to as "Channel 9" on the west side of Houston.

Also, New Orleans now has a new P-25 DEA repeater on 409.6250 MHz, N156. This is the first confirmation of the new DEA channels being used outside of Texas.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year from the Fed Files! Once again I was working at Times Square in New York City on New Years Eve helping broadcast the event. I had some time to scan and got a few hits on federal frequencies. Some were most likely normal New York City area frequencies, but a few were new. Here is a quick look at what I was able to log. Most of the communications were encrypted, but a few bits and pieces were in the clear. Quite a few radio checks were heard on the 167.7875 MHz Federal Interoperability repeater.


162.0250 MHz
162.3375 MHz
162.7375 MHz, N167
164.4000 MHz, N001 - USSS PAPA
164.7750 MHz, N167*
165.2375 MHz, N310 - CBP
165.9250 MHz, N167* Used at All Star Game simplex
167.4625 MHz, N207
167.7875 MHz, N652 - NYC Federal Interop VHF
167.7875 MHz, N94C
168.2250 MHz, N167 - NYC FBI G1/G2
168.3000 MHz, N167 - NYC FBI H3/H4
168.8250 MHz, N167 - NYC FBI H1
169.7250 MHz, N864*
170.3750 MHz, N167*
170.4250 MHz, N167 - FBI G3/G4
170.6250 MHz, N167
170.6250 MHz, N730
170.9000 MHz, N167
171.1750 MHz, N653 - Perhaps the input to 167.7875 MHz repeater?
171.2000 MHz, N293
171.5500 MHz, N167*
171.6875 MHz, N9C5 - DHS ICE Network
171.7250 MHz, N159
172.6625 MHz, N615
173.6625 MHz, N167 - NYC FBI A1

The frequencies noted with an asterisk were heard last year in Times Square as well. I'm not sure if these are normal NYC area FBI frequencies or not. Perhaps some local listeners can confirm these. But things were definitely hopping this New Years.