NNSA DC Overflights

News reports are circulating that the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) is doing radiation monitoring flights around the Washington, DC area over the next couple of weeks.

http://nnsa.energy.gov/mediaroom/pressreleases/dcflyover122612

These flights will be using NNSA helicopters equipped with sensors designed to monitor normal background levels of radiation. The NNSA’s Remote Sensing Laboratory (RSL) out of Joint Base Andrews will be performing the assessment for local law enforcement of D.C. area.

As far as active frequencies, the NNSA has assignments all over the federal spectrum, so searching might reveal something new. However, I'm not sure how much radio chatter there will be during these flights. You might catch the helicopter on some of the VHF low-altitude VFR aircraft frequencies, possibly using the ENERGY call sign.

Merry Christmas From The Fed Files!

Merry Christmas to all the Fed Files and Monitoring Times fans out there!

406.9125 P25 Mystery in TN

A poster on Radio Reference has linked to a video showing a trunking control channel that was being received in the Springfield, TN area (north of Nashville). The video can be seen here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ik2GFMKF6sc&feature=youtu.be

There is all manor of speculation over what this is. It is clearly a P25 signal, probably a control channel for a P25 trunking system, but the radio is not displaying the System ID or Site. This is not uncommon on federal P25 trunked sites, as they sometimes utilize a message format that scanners cannot display properly. The trunking information is still viewable with a program like Unitrunker or PRO96COM.

406.9125 MHz is the only site information available, and it's showing a P25 NAC of N005. One posted on the thread seems to indicate that it comes in full strength north and east of Nashville. One suggestion is the Old Hickory dam, but I'm not sure the Army Corps of Engineers would be running a UHF P25 trunked system. Others have suggested a federal prison facility, but there really aren't any near Nashville.

UPDATE!
Further information reveals that this is most likely part of a new P-25 UHF trunked system being built out for the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). The control channel mentioned above reveals the following:

406.9125 MHz
System ID = 372
WACN = 00001
Site = 505

Reports are that Harris is building this new system throughout the TVA area of responsibility.

FPS Updates

A couple of updates on the Federal Protective Service, part of the Department of Homeland Security.

The FPS had been active on 417.2000 MHz in the Los Angeles area for some time, but recently the frequency went silent. They have moved to 410.8000 MHz, 127.3 PL, part of the reorganization of the federal 406-420 MHz band. They still have not moved to P-25 digital as of this week, when I heard them on the new frequency. Other cities in the Southern California area are reported to be using 406. 2000 MHz, also in analog. The inputs to these new repeater frequencies are +9 MHz, part of this new organization of the UHF band.

In the Pacific Northwest, the FPS has long been active on 408.2000 MHz, in P25 digital and not encrypted. At some point last week, nearly all the transmissions in the Portland, OR area on the FPS primary frequency have been encrypted. An occasional unit will transmit in the clear, but the response from the FPS MegaCenter dispatcher is encrypted.

Word was out that encryption was coming for some time. Some mobile units were occasionaly using encryption, but the dispatchers would usually respond in the clear. Some areas of the country have had encryption on the FPS channels since the switch over to new frequencies or P25 digital. But some areas remain in the clear.

Atlantic City NJ - Sandy Recovery

I just spent some time in the Atlantic City, NJ area after Hurricane Sandy went through a couple of weeks ago. I was able to spot some debris and beach cleanup operations south of the hotels and casinos.

On the way into Atlantic City, I did catch some traffic from FEMA on 407.6625 MHz, N421. And as with the FEMA communications I heard in New York City, some were in the clear.

Once in the city, I came across several trucks with federal government license plates that were apparently with the Western Area Power Administration (WAPA). In addition to the WAPA vehicles, there were some additional power service trucks that were contractors working to restore power. All the vehicles carried VHF-hi band antennas, but I was never able to catch any radio transmissions from them.

But things must be getting back to normal, as both the FBI and the DEA were busy in the area during my time on the boardwalk!

UHF Changes in Oak Ridge?

A recent posting in the Radio Reference forums has some information on what appears to the an additional P25 UHF trunked site from the National Nuclear Security Administration facility in Oak Ridge, TN. You can see the posting here:

http://forums.radioreference.com/tennessee-radio-discussion-forum/252895-i-found-p25-trunked-system-i-cant-identify.html

The original poster did not list any system information, other than it is reporting as Site 002. The control channel frequencies he was hearing were 408.7125 & 410.1125 MHz. He also reported a voice channel of 408.2250 MHz. My suspicion is that this is an additional site to the already existing Oak Ridge DoE NNSA P25 trunked system:

http://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?sid=4446

If anyone has any additional information you want to pass along, please do!

UHF Changes in Pittsburgh?

I recently spotted an entry to the Radio Reference database showing a "new" federal UHF trunked system. You can check out the entry here:

http://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?sid=7445

The system is not new, and for you Fed Files readers, it appeared in the March, 2006 column. It belongs to the  National Nuclear Security Administration Bechtel Bettis Navy Reactor Facility in West Mifflin, PA a suburb of Pittsburgh. You can see more about this facility at these web sites:

http://www.nnsa.doe.gov/siteoffices.htm#pittnaval 

http://www.bettislab.com/

The entry in the Radio Reference database indicates that they may have changed some frequencies in the system since I last monitored it. Originally I had it using these channels:

406.9750 MHz

407.1375 MHz

407.3875 MHz

407.7875 MHz

408.1750 MHz

New new listing has added a frequency of 406.3375 MHz and deleted the 407.1375 MHz channel. Probably some additional re-shuffling of the federal UHF assignments.

Sandy Recovery NYC Area

I have been in the Brooklyn/Staten Island area for the last few days have have been monitoring some of the federal recovery efforts. Federal agency activity has started to increase on Saturday, with FEMA finally setting up some communications along with some DoD assets. Some FEMA communications were heard in the clear.

I have been monitoring mostly from the Ft. Wadsworth area on Staten Island. Ft. Wadsworth is the location of the US Coast Guard Sector New York. They have had numerous fly overs by USCG helicopters and have been landing some at the baseball field on Ft. Wadsworth. I've also been seeing many other military and other helicopters flying over the area over the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge.

The National Guard and active duty military units have begun to arrive and are staging at various locations, one of which is Floyd Bennett Field in Brooklyn. I have not been able to confirm any military or National Guard communications yet, but the National Parks Police are very busy supporting operations in their areas.

Here is what has been busy:

-->

162.3250	N293	USCG NET 111
164.3125 164.4000	N293 N001	USCG NET 115 USSS PAPA
165.1750	N225
165.2375	N301	DHS CBP DNET 1
166.0500	100.0	FORT WADSWORTH NPS OPERATIONS/SECURITY
166.3250	136.5	US PARK POLICE - NEW YORK AREA F1
167.7875	N653	FEDERAL I/O
168.9125	N935
169.7250	N824
169.8250	N225	NATIONAL PARK SERVICE, GATEWAY NATIONAL RECREATION AREA
173.6625	N167	FBI
345.0000	AM	USCG AIR OPERATIONS
406.3375	N482	USPS POSTAL INSPECTORS
407.6625	N421	FEMA
408.2000	N270	FEDERAL PROTECTIVE SERVICE
408.8625	N421	FEMA DMATS

UPDATE:
During the evening I heard multiple communications on 123.1 MHz from "AVIATION BASE". They were apparently directing inbound helicopters to landing and parking areas somewhere. There was mention of parking on a baseball field near a flight line. I thought it might have been at the old airfield at Floyd Bennett, but haven't been able to confirm that. Reports on Radio Reference have 242.2 MHz and 283.0 MHz being used by the National Guard helicopters operating in the area.

And I forgot to include in the list above the Red Cross frequency of 47.42 MHz, which I caught some transmissions Saturday.

167.2500 At LAX

I was near the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) for a few days this past week, and was hearing someone using 167.2500 MHz, 100.0 PL for some sort of general communications. The traffic appeared to be simplex, construction related and occurred over several days. Finally on Sunday, while waiting at LAX for a flight, I heard traffic that indicated they were painting the edge lines on new taxiways at LAX.

I have no idea who this might be and why they are using this frequency. This frequency is part of the federal interoperability pool of channels set aside for federal/local communications. This particular frequency is known as "LE-2", if a repeater, or "LE-6" if simplex.

This frequency is part of the federal interoperability channel plan found in the DHS National Interoperability Field Operations Guide (NIFOG), which can be found here: http://www.dhs.gov/national-interoperability-field-operations-guide

Post IWN, Justice Moves On

Here is an article about what the Justice Department intends to with updating their communications systems, now that they have cancelled the Integrated Wireless Network (IWN) project;

After IWN's cancellation, DOJ continues to push for radio modernization - FierceGovernmentIT

Contained in the body of the article is a link to a PDF file that was obtained from the Justice Department with some related (and some redacted) information on the future of DoJ communications.

Denver Presidential Debates

The first of a series of debates between the presidential candidates is tonight in the Denver, Colorado area. An anonymous source sent me an interesting photo taken at the debate site. This trailer has sprouted quite a few interesting antennas!

A similar setup has appeared at other large Presidential events, including political conventions and such. No indication as to who it belongs to, but the trailer itself appears military. I suspect the White House Communications Agency (WHCA) is probably involved.

LightSquared Continues Spectrum Quest

The broadband company that was thwarted by the FCC in its efforts to utilize spectrum near the GPS frequency band is now requesting permission to share some federal government spectrum.

http://www.pcworld.com/article/2010843/lightsquared-asks-to-share-weatherballoon-spectrum-for-its-lte-network.html

"What LightSquared wants to do is take one 5MHz band that it already uses for its satellite service (at 1670-1675MHz) and combine that with the next band up (1675-1680MHz), which is used for federal purposes including National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration weather balloons."

http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2012/10/lightsquared-still-wont-give-up-on-spectrum-near-gps-band/

http://www.scribd.com/doc/108594377/Lightsquared-Response

More Mexican Cartel Radio Towers Dismantled

An AP story on the discovery of more drug cartel radio towers in Mexico:

http://www.toledonewsnow.com/story/19671161/mexico-finds-cartel-radio-network-300-foot-tower

Rumor had it that the cartels were being supplied by radio communications dealers in Texas, but I haven't found any information to support that yet.

UPDATE:
Another interesting and more detailed story about this has appeared here:

http://www.borderlandbeat.com/2012/10/can-you-hear-me-now.html

NYC Activity

I'm in New York City and noted a marked increase in radio traffic on known Secret Service and Department of State Diplomatic Security channels this weekend. It is most likely due to the arrival of Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, here to speak at the United Nations. Unknown if this radio traffic is related to any other VIPs in for this event. If you in the area, search the VHF & UHF bands and see what pops up...

UPDATE:
I now see that the UN General Assembly is gathering this week, as well as the "Global Initiative" with the Clintons happening today. So a true monitoring extraviganza in New York City this week!

Dallas Area DEA

As reported previously, there are a number of VHF frequencies in use around the Dallas/Ft. Worth area that are reported to be used by the DEA. All are using APCO P-25 and encryption, but all are using a P25 NAC of N156. Today I see reports of 163.2000 MHz, N156 being active, possibly being the input to the repeater on 173.7250 MHz.

I have updated the DEA frequency page, which you can find at the top of the Fed Files blog home page.

Portland TSA Off of IWN?

A while back I discovered that the TSA at Portland International Airport (KPDX) seemed to have moved their primary radio operations to 4 talk groups on the federal Integrated Wireless Network or IWN. I was able to confirm the TSA was using this system by scanning the IWN site at the airport in conjunction with some Close Call captures of transmissions at the same time.

Sometime over the last month of so, they seemed to have moved off of the IWN for their main operations and have gone back to 172.1500 MHz, N001 and 172.9000 MHz, N001, (The Icom analog radios have always been on 169.3000 and 172.1500 with voice inversion). 172.9000 is set up as a wide area repeater that covers the Portland metro area. I have heard some encrypted traffic on this repeater, as well as clear traffic that seems to be supervisors at PDX airport.

Why this move has taken place is unknown. Perhaps the TSA was being billed for the use of the system and it was eating up more system capacity than they expect.

More information as it becomes available.

USCG Astoria Using UHF

I recently caught one of the US Coast Guard helicopters out of Astoria, Oregon using 412.9750 MHz, N293 for position and ops normal traffic. This is the first time I've encountered the Astoria helos using the new USCG UHF nets. In this case, 412.9750 MHz has been identified as NET 409.

For the latest US Coast Guard channels, check the frequency page at the top of the Fed Files Blog home page.

DNC Convention Begins

The Democratic National Convention begins today in Charlotte, NC.

Some reports of convention related communications are filtering in. Many are posting on Radio Reference, but reports are mostly of convention traffic on the local and state 800 MHz trunked systems.

http://forums.radioreference.com/north-carolina-radio-discussion-forum/248168-official-dnc-char-meck-verified-monitoring-thread.html

Got any interesting federal frequencies related to the DNC? Send them along to the Fed Files!

Ryan Secret Service Code Name Revealed

News outlets are now reporting the Secret Service code name for GOP VP candidate Paul Ryan. The code name for Ryan is reported as "Bowhunter" and his wife Janna Ryan is reported as "Buttercup". The reports apparently originated with GQ Magazine.

As reported previously, Mitt Romney has the code name of "Javelin".

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/04/paul-ryan-secret-service-_n_1854019.html

http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/247279-report-paul-ryans-secret-service-code-name-is-bowhunter-

http://dailycaller.com/2012/09/04/paul-ryan-selects-bowhunter-as-secret-service-codename/

New BoP Radio System - Atwater?

I recently saw a note on Radio Reference about a new UHF federal trunked radio system being heard on the air in central California. Listeners have stated that this is most likely the US Penitentiary Atwater. It is is located on a portion of what was Castle Air Force Base, approximately 130 miles from San Francisco.

Previously the Atwater facility was using a Motorola Type II trunked radio system:

System ID: 6a37

Base: 408.3500 / 412.4750 

Step: 12.5 / 12.5 

Offset: 380 / 612 

408.3750, 411.1750, 412.4750, 413.6750, 414.3000

The new radio system is now a pure P-25 digital system:

System ID: 4C7    
WACN: BEE00
408.3250,  409.0125,  409.2125

Tampa RNC Updates

As the powers that be mull a possible delay in the start of the 2012 Republican National Convention in Tampa, due to Hurricane Isaac, some frequencies have been reported as active.

Secret Service and Coast Guard channels have been reported as active with both encrypted and clear communications.

I will not be in attendance this year, so hopefully some local monitors can pass along some active federal frequencies. And interesting updates will be posted here.

UPDATE:
I know it's a little late (but I tend to wait for these events to be over before posting), but here are a few active federal channels that were submitted by anonymous listeners in the Tampa area;

123.1000, AM - Intercepted civilian aircraft being warned out of restricted airspace
163.0500, N293 - USCG NET 112
163.0875, 131.8 PL
163.3125, N653 - Input to 171.6875 MHz
163.3625, 131.0 PL - VA Medical Center Police
164.3250, NE01
164.4000, N001 - USSS PAPA
164.4750, N167
164.6500, NAC 001 - USSS TANGO
164.8875, N001 - USSS OSCAR
165.2125
165.3750, N001 - USSS CHARLIE
165.5875
165.6375, N611
166.1875, N293  - USCG NET 124
166.4375, 100.0 - DHS CBP, input to 165.2375 MHz
166.4750, 94.8 PL - US Capitol Police
167.0375, N001 - USSS
167.0500, N1AF – Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
167.2500, N68F - Federal Interoperability LE-2/LE-6
167.4625, N167 – Tampa FBI
167.5375, N167 - FBI
167.5625, N167 - FBI
167.5875, N167 – Tampa FBI
167.6875, N167 – Tampa FBI
168.3500, 77.0 PL - US Capitol Police
168.4250, N001
168.5875, N001
168.8500, 151.4 PL - US Capitol Police
169.4500, 100.0 PL - DHS CBP NET 2
169.5125
170.3375, NF00
170.4375, NF00
170.5875, N131
170.8000, N293
170.8500, N864
170.8625
171.2000, N293
171.5750, 146.2 PL
171.6875, N653 - Federal Interoperability, TAM FIO
171.9500, NE01
172.9000, N001 - TSA @ Tampa International Airport
173.0125, N650 - BATFE Tac 3
173.8750, 94.8 PL - US Capitol Police
406.1375, D371 - US Postal Service
406.5625, N4A0 - USCG Base
407.0000, N201
407.1375, N482 - USPS Postal Inspectors
409.0000, N293 - USCG
409.3375, N293
410.6500, 100.0 PL
410.8000, N201
411.8500
413.2125, 167.9 PL - Nationwide Interoperability, IR14
417.5500, N254
417.6125, D165
418.2000, N744 - Federal Protective Service

Las Vegas, Southern Nevada List

In the September Fed Files, I listed frequencies from my scanning trip around Las Vegas and Southern Nevada. Here is the list as published, so if you have any updates or corrections, please feel free to pass them along.

118.3000, AM            Creech AFB Tower

119.6750, AM            DoE Mercury Airstrip AWOS

134.1000, AM            DUDLEY 62 (UAV) inbound Creech
135.1000, AM

138.3750, AM            Air-to-air

139.9250, CSQ           Creech AFB, alarm data

143.8250, AM            Air-to-air

162.7875, N167          FBI

163.1250, N4CE         Hoover Dam Police

163.2125, N100          Unknown agency

163.6250, N169          DHC ICE

163.7000, N169          DHS ICE

163.7500, N300          DHS ICE

163.8125, N167          FBI, input to167.6625?

163.9125, N167          FBI, input to 167.2125

163.9625, N167          FBI

163.9875, N167          FBI, input to 167.4375 MHz

164.4500, 114.8          Possible US Postal Service truck operations

164.6250, 146.2          BLM - Bumblebee Site (NV or AZ?)

164.6500, CSQ           Secret Service TANGO, body wire on someone doing surveillance near my location.

165.2375, 100.0          DHS CBP Net 1 - OTAR

165.2875, N650          BATFE NET 1

165.3750, N001          Secret Service CHARLIE

166.2375, 114.8          BLM, Mt. Charleston

166.2875, N002          TSA at LAS airport

166.3000, CSQ           Bureau of Reclamation, Lake Meade

166.3750, 100.0          Unknown agency, mentioned Kingston Wash

166.4625, N001          TSA at LAS airport

166.7875, N293          Unknown dispatch with radio checks

166.9000, CSQ           Lake Meade National Recreation Area

167.1250, 123.0

167.2125, N167          FBI

167.2625, N167          FBI (repeater on Mandalay Bay Hotel?)

167.3625, CSQ           Open carrier, with some P25 (N167) key ups

167.4375, N167          FBI

167.6625, N167          FBI

167.7625, N167          FBI

168.0875, N002          TSA at LAS airport

168.1625                     Unknown agency

168.5250, 107.2          BLM, Unknown Site, Weather Reports

168.6500, 110.9          USFS National Flight Following

168.4375, 114.8          Unknown agency

168.4875                     Unknown agency

168.5250, 107.2          USFS Fire/Weather reports

168.9625, N001          TSA at LAS airport

168.9625, N002          TSA at LAS airport

168.9625, N003          TSA at LAS airport

169.3000, N001          TSA at LAS airport

169.4000, 186.2          BLM, Southern Nevada - Hayford Peak

169.5500, N930          Unknown agency

169.6625                     Unknown agency

169.8000, 173.8          Lake Meade National Recreation Area (input to 170.050 MHz)

169.8750, 110.9          USFS Toiyabe NF, Mt. Charleston with LAS VEGAS (USFS HQ)

169.9125                     Unknown agency

170.0500, CSQ           Lake Meade National Recreation Area

170.0750, D051

170.1000, N300          Possible ICE operations

170.1000, NC03         Unknown

170.4750, 156.7          USFS, input to 169.8750 MHz

170.6250, N167          FBI

170.6625, N167          FBI

170.6750                     Unknown agency

170.7500, N293          US Marshals, Federal Courthouse Security

170.8000, N293          Unknown agency

171.3625, 88.5            Unknown agency

172.3500

172.6000, 173.8          Lake Meade National Recreation Area

172.6125, 156.7          Zion National Park South (analog)

172.6125, N637          Zion National Park South (digital)

172.7625, N301          Unknown, 14-xx units talking about heading to the office

172.9000, N001          DHS TSA at LAS airport

172.9000, N013          DHS TSA at LAS airport

173.2000, NCA6        Unknown agency

173.6750, N47C         BLM - “700” & “BLM Radio Maintenance” testing on “GRASS” or “BASS”

173.9875, CSQ           Data bursts

234.3250, AM             Air tactical, COYOTE Area

243.2750, AM             Creech AFB, approach?

281.0250, AM             Blackhawk helicopter departing Creech AFB

288.2250, AM

290.0000, AM

290.4500, AM             Creech AFB ATIS, mentioned 254.4 & 119.35 for Nellis Control

291.0500, AM

327.8000, AM

360.6250, AM             Creech AFB Tower

361.0250, AM

367.4000, AM             May be UAV Operations

377.8000, AM             UAV operations at Creech AFB

406.9375                     Las Vegas VA Medical Center, TRBO digital mode

407.3125, CSQ           Unknown, open microphone with PA in background

407.5250, D023          Unknown, conventional repeater

409.1125

409.1875, 100.0          Unknown agency

409.4000, N940          Federal Protective Service, Las Vegas

410.1000

410.3000, CSQ           Data bursts

410.9500, CSQ           Data bursts, LAS airport

413.6000, 103.5          US Postal Service

413.8000, CSQ           Data bursts

414.5250, 103.5          US Postal Service sorting facility

415.2750, 186.2          Unknown agency

415.5750, 186.2          US Postal Service, input to 418.1000

415.6500, CSQ           Possible DoE paging

416.0000                     Open carrier

418.6875

418.1000, 186.2          US Postal Service truck operations

418.7500, 156.7          DEA F3

418.9000, 156.7          DEA F2, OTAR data

419.5000, 156.7          DEA, Las Vegas local operations

NNSA Trunked System

Motorola Type II, System ID: 7526 NAC: 264

Site 01 - Mercury

406.5000, 406.7875, 407.1875, 407.3000, 407.5000, 407.8625, 408.1500, 409.1125, 409.5625

Site 02 - Red Mountain, Checkpoint Pass

406.9875, 407.3500, 408.3625, 409.3125, 409.5250, 409.9125, 410.1625

Site 03 - Yucca Pass

406.1375, 407.3625, 408.1875, 409.1250, 409.3500, 409.5500, 409.7875

Site 04 - Las Vegas DOE Facility

406.4000, 406.9875, 407.3625, 408.3625, 409.5250, 409.9250, 410.1625

Site 05 - Skull Mountain

406.1500, 406.9750, 407.5500, 408.1000

Site 06 - Angel Peak

406.1125, 406.5500, 407.4250

Site 07 - Rainier Mesa

407.1625, 407.4000, 407.7875, 408.3875

Site 08 - Shoshone Mountain

407.3875, 407.8125, 408.4250, 409.3750, 410.1750, 410.6500

Nellis AFB System

System ID: 00F WACN: 58544 NAC: 00F

Site 01 - Nellis AFB

406.5000, 406.7875, 407.1875, 407.3000, 407.5000, 407.8625, 408.1500, 408.9625, 409.1125, 409.5625, 409.7125, 410.6500

Site 02 - Creech AFB

406.3625, 407.0750, 407.5875, 408.1750, 408.7000

Site 10 - Angel Peak

409.3000, 409.6000, 410.5500

NTTR EDACS Trunked System

Site 01 – Tonopah

[1] 406.5625 [2] 409.5625 [3] 410.7000

Site 02 – Antelope Peak

[1] 406.1500 [2] 407.2500 [3] 407.9500 [4] 408.5875 [5] 410.1500

Site 03 – Cedar Peak

[1] 406.9625 [2] 407.5625 [3] 407.7625 [4] 408.1250 [5] 409.1625 [6] 409.8875

Site 04 – Halligan Mesa  

[1] 406.7625 [2] 409.3625 [3] 409.7625

Site 05 – Bald Mountain

[1] 406.7750 [2] 407.8875 [3] 408.9625 [4] 410.3500 [5] 410.7625

Site 06 – Papoose Mountain

[1] 406.1875 [2] 408.1625 [3] 408.5625 [4] 409.5875 [5] 410.7000

Site 07 – Angel Peak

[1] 406.5625 [2] 408.0500 [3] 409.0250 [4] 409.9625 [5] 410.9000

Site 08 – Black Mountain

[1] 406.3625 [2] 407.0750 [3] 407.5875 [4] 408.1750 [5] 409.6375

Site 09 – Creech AFB

[1] 406.1500 [2] 407.2500 [3] 407.9500 [4] 408.5875 [5] 410.1500

Las Vegas, Nevada Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center

System ID: 49D WACN: BEE00 NAC: 490

407.83750 408.23750 409.51250

TSA Frequencies - One Stop Shopping!

While preparing some information for an upcoming Fed Files column, I noticed that I had some "competing" blog posts with different updates on the various TSA frequencies used throughout the US. I decided to combine them all into one list, which can be found by clicking the "TSA Frequency Updates" button on the red bar running across the top of the Fed Files blog. From now on I will be updating that paget with any TSA updates.

CBP Inks Deal for Covert Antennas

According to this recent item, the CBP has signed a deal for "covert" mobile antennas with Antenna Authority, Inc., of Douglasville, GA.

http://www.gsnmagazine.com/node/27026?c=border_security

Both the CBP and Antenna Authority are apparently reluctant to reveal exactly what the contacted antennas are to be used for, (see photo below).

Joint Base Charleston

I've been in Charleston, SC for over a week for work, and finally had some time to search around for military activity in the area. I stumbled across something interesting concerning the Naval Support Activity Charleston (NSAC) and their 380 MHz trunked system.

As some may be aware, the US Navy is installing sites for the Enterprise Land Mobile Radio System (ELMRS) trunked radio network at bases across the country and around the world. These P-25 trunked sites can be found in the 380-400 MHz band of DoD controlled radio spectrum. And until now, all the sites of the ELMRS system were in that band.

But apparently now that both NSAC and the Charleston Air Force Base are now one base, called Joint Base Charleston, they made the CAFB 400 MHz trunking system a site on the ELMRS system. This is the first time I have run into a site on the ELMRS system that is NOT in the 380 MHz band. Both sites are using the same System ID of 14C, and both using a P-25 NAC of N140. Neither site shows the other as a neighbor, or any neighbors for that matter, so not sure if any roaming takes place between the two.

Here is what I found active:

System ID             : 14C

System Name           : Enterprise Land Mobile Radio System (ELMRS)

WACN                  : BEE00

Tower Number (Decimal): 206

Tower Number (Hex)    : T0206

Tower Description     : Joint Base Charleston, Naval Support Activity Charleston (NSAC)

Control Capabilities  : Data,Voice,Registration

-Tables

#Format: Table ID,Base Freq,Spacing,Input Offset,Assumed/Confirmed,BandWidth,Slots

00,851.00625,0.00625,-45.00000,"Confirmed",0.00625,1

01,762.00625,0.00625,30.00000,"Confirmed",0.00625,1

02,380.00000,0.00625,10.00000,"Confirmed",0.01250,1

03,406.00000,0.00625,9.00000,"Confirmed",0.01250,1

-Frequencies

#Format: Channel,Usage,Frequency(/Slot),Input Frequency(/Slot),Hit Count

"02-0012","a",380.07500,390.07500,0

"02-0044","c",380.27500,390.27500,0

"02-0068","vd",380.42500,390.42500,337

"02-0092","vd",380.57500,390.57500,297

"02-0116","vd",380.72500,390.72500,318

"02-0150","vd",380.93750,390.93750,314

"02-0162","vd",381.01250,391.01250,306

"02-0188","vd",381.17500,391.17500,331

"02-0198","vd",381.23750,391.23750,343

"02-0210","vd",381.31250,391.31250,301

And here is the Charleston Air Force Base site:

System ID             : 14C

System Name           : Enterprise Land Mobile Radio System (ELMRS)

WACN                  : BEE00

Tower Number (Decimal): 270

Tower Number (Hex)    : T0246

Tower Description     : Joint Base Charleston, Charleston Air Force Base (CAFB)

Control Capabilities  : Data,Voice,Registration

-Tables

#Format: Table ID,Base Freq,Spacing,Input Offset,Assumed/Confirmed,BandWidth,Slots

00,851.00625,0.00625,-45.00000,"Confirmed",0.00625,1

01,762.00625,0.00625,30.00000,"Confirmed",0.00625,1

02,380.00000,0.00625,10.00000,"Confirmed",0.01250,1

03,406.00000,0.00625,9.00000,"Confirmed",0.01250,1

-Frequencies

#Format: Channel,Usage,Frequency(/Slot),Input Frequency(/Slot),Hit Count

"03-0026","vd",406.16250,415.16250,2

"03-0090","d",406.56250,415.56250,0

"03-0122","d",406.76250,415.76250,0

"03-0186","v",407.16250,416.16250,1

"03-0218","c",407.36250,416.36250,0

"03-0250","a",407.56250,416.56250,0

"03-0282","a",407.76250,416.76250,0

"03-0314","a",407.96250,416.96250,0

FEMA Moves From Nextel

As we have known, many federal agencies were heavy users of the Nextel "Direct Connect" push-to-talk radio and mobile phone service. With the demise of the Nextel network, at least one agency is moving to Sprints newest version of the Direct Connect service:

http://www.kansascity.com/2012/08/10/3755321/fema-moves-from-nextel-to-sprints.html

El Paso, Texas Federal Scanning

A few months ago I spent a few days in El Paso, Texas. As expected, the frequencies for CBP Border Patrol and Field Operations were hopping with activity. Here's what I was able to log over my stay there:

162.7250         N931   DHS CBP International Bridge, input to 169.5500

163.6250         151.4   DHS CBP Border Patrol

163.7000         D223   DHS CBP Border Patrol

163.7250                     DHS CBP

163.7750         D223   DHS CBP Border Patrol

164.6000         100.0   DHS CBP Field Operations

165.2875         N650   BATFE

165.6875         100.0   DHC CBP Field Operations

165.8250         D223   DHS CBP Border Patrol

166.2875         N002   TSA @ ELP - Backscatter X-RAY Operators

167.2375         N167   FBI

168.9500         151.4   DHS CBP Border Patrol

169.5500         N930   DHS CBP International Bridge, Field Operations repeater

170.6250         151.4   DHS CBP Border Patrol

170.6750         151.4   DHS CBP Border Patrol

170.7500         N293   US Marshals, Federal Courthouse

170.8625         N167   FBI

171.2250         N653   Unkown - P25 NAC used on Federal Interoperability systems

172.1500         N001   TSA @ ELP

406.8125                     Motorola Control Channel, SYS A516 - BOP 

407.1375         N482   US Postal Inspectors

407.8125         N164   Voice channel, SYS A516

408.2250         D226   CBP Link

408.2270         D226   CBP Link

409.3000         N2D0  P25 Control Channel, SYS 2D2, WACN BEE00 - Ft. Bliss

409.4750         N2D0  Voice channel, SYS 2D2 - Ft. Bliss

409.5125         N2D0  Voice channel, SYS 2D2 - Ft. Bliss

409.8250         N156   DEA Surveillance

409.8875         N2D0  Voice channel, SYS 2D2 - Ft. Bliss

409.9500         N156   DEA

410.1750         N2D0  Voice channel, SYS 2D2 - Ft. Bliss

410.3250         N2D0  Voice channel, SYS 2D2 - Ft. Bliss

410.8000         N709   Federal Protective Service

410.8125         N156   DEA

413.7250         151.4   CBP Link

418.8500         100.0   CBP Link

Pacific Northwest IWN System

In the July 2012 Fed Files column, I published the most recent compilation of the Integrated Wireless Network (IWN), the federal VHF P-25 trunked radio system.

I will update this list as further information comes in.
 ----
-->

Integrated Wireless Network, US Justice Department

System ID – 715

WACN – BEE0A

SITE 1 (101, 01) – Lookout Mtn., Bellingham, WA

167.0000

167.2375

167.6375

168.8375

172.8000

SITE 2 (102, 02) – Blaine, WA

167.3125

167.4625

167.7625

170.9375

SITE 3 (103, 03) – Bahokas Peak, Neah Bay, WA

167.7375

SITE 4 (104, 04) – Octopus Mtn., Forks, WA

171.6125

172.4125

SITE 5 (105, 05) – Striped Peak, Port Angeles, WA

170.7875

170.8875

171.6125

SITE 6 (106, 06) – Bank of America Building, Seattle, WA

167.2875

167.3875

167.4625

167.7125

SITE 7 (107, 07) – Gold Mtn., Bremerton, WA

167.3375

167.6875

170.9375

172.0625

SITE 8 (108, 08) – Grass Mtn., Enumclaw, WA

167.2625

167.3625

167.6125

168.8500

169.4125

SITE 9 (109, 09) – Marysville SR-9, WA

168.9125

170.6375

172.4125

SITE 10 (110, 0a) – Tacoma Fire Training Center, WA

167.2125

168.8875

167.3125

167.4875

SITE 11 (111, 0b) – Capitol Peak, Olympia, WA

167.5875

168.8750

170.6625

167.4875

SITE 12 (112, 0c) – Boisfort/Baw Faw Peak, WA

167.4375

167.7375

169.9125

171.6875

SITE 13 (113, 0d) – Naselle Ridge, WA

167.4125

167.7625

SITE 14 (114, 0e) – Green Mtn., Kalama, WA

168.8875

170.6750

171.9875

SITE 15 (115, 0f) – Portland International Airport, OR

167.4625

168.8250

169.4125

SITE 16 (116, 11) – Unknown (Never heard on air), WA

167.7375

SITE 17 (117, 12) – Keelers Corner, WA

171.1875

171.4375

SITE 18 (118, 13) – Cougar Mtn, WA

170.6250

170.9125

172.2125

172.6375

SITE 19 (119, 14) – Mt. Scott, Portland, OR

170.7250

170.8375

170.9125

172.0625

172.2125

172.4125

SITE 20 (120, 15) – Germantown Road, Portland, OR

168.5875

168.9125

169.2375

171.9625

SITE 21 (121, 16) – Metro Portland, OR

169.9375

170.6625

171.6625

SITE 22 (122, 17) – Lookout Mtn., Gresham, OR

170.6250

170.8625

171.6125

172.1875

SITE 23 (123, 18) – KGW-TV, Portland, OR

167.6125

168.8500

170.7875

170.9875

171.3125

171.4375

SITE 25 (125, 19) – Seattle Tacoma International Airport, WA

170.3375

170.4875

172.2375        

SITE 26 (126, 1a) – Eugene, OR

168.7625

168.9250

171.1875

SITE 27 (127, 1b) – Reedsport, OR

167.5125

167.6625

168.5875

SITE 28 (128, 1c) – Coos Bay, OR

167.6125

168.8250

169.4125

SITE 29 (129, 1d) – Oregon Coast, OR

172.2375

SITE 30 (130, 1e) – Mt. Spokane, WA

172.0125

172.1875

172.6375

SITE 31 (131, 1f) – Mica Peak, Spokane, WA

168.5875

168.8750

SITE 32 (132, 20) – Sprague Lake

171.1875

SITE 33 (133, 21) – 5 Mile, Spokane, WA

168.8250

168.9250

171.6125

SITE 34 (134, 22) – Stampede Pass, WA

167.5125

168.9875

171.9625

SITE 35 (135, 23) – Sky Meadows, Elum, WA

172.2625

SITE 36 (136, 24) – Whiskey Dick Mtn., George WA

172.6375

SITE 37 (137, 25) – Terrace Heights, Yakima, WA

167.5875

170.6750

SITE 38 (138, 26) – Sunnyside Slope, Yakima, WA

170.8375

172.2375

172.4125

SITE 39 (139, 27) – Jump Off Joe Butte, Richland, WA

168.9750

171.3250

172.0625

SITE 40 (140, 28) – Salem, OR

168.8750

170.3375

171.2500

SITE 41 (141, 29) – Eagle Point, Cottage Grove, OR

170.6625

172.2375

SITE 42 (142, 2a) – Roseburg, OR

167.5875

168.8500

169.2375

SITE 43 (143, 2b) – King Lake, Monroe, WA

167.0000

167.4125

167.6625

168.7625

SITE 44 (144, 2c) – Burlington Hill, WA

171.4625

SITE 45 (145, 2d) – Sumas Mtn., WA

169.6375

167.3375

168.0000

168.9625

170.1625

171.6125

SITE 46 (146, 2e) – Burch Mtn., Wenatchee, WA

171.6625

SITE 47 (147, 2f) – Goat Mtn., Pateros, WA

167.6625

170.9875

SITE 48 (148, 31) – Waitsburg, Walla Walla, WA

171.3000

SITE 49 (149, 32) – Monument Hill, Ephrata, WA

168.7625
170.6375

SITE 50 (150, 33) – Monumental Mtn., Colville, WA

170.8125

171.5875

SITE 51 (151, 34) – Mt. Defiance, OR

170.9625

172.2875

SITE 52 (152, 35) – Rattlesnake Mtn., North Bend, WA

168.5875

170.5375

172.6625

SITE 53 (153, 36) – Roosevelt Mtn., WA

168.8250

170.3375

SITE 54 (154, 37) – Schrag, Warden, WA

172.2875

SITE 55 (155, 38) – Skamania Mtn., WA

170.6375

172.0125

172.6625

SITE 56 (156, 39) – Haystack Mtn., The Dalles, OR

170.4375

172.5625

SITE 57 (157, 3a) – Steptoe Butte, WA

169.4125

SITE 58 (158, 3b) – Mt. Hebo, OR

168.7625

171.1875

SITE 59 (159, 3c) – I-5, Southern Oregon, OR

167.5875

SITE 61 (161, 3d) – Ashland, OR

167.6125

170.3375

SITE 62 (162, 3e) – Medford, OR

167.5125

171.6625

SITE 63 (163, 3f) – Grants Pass, OR

168.8875

172.6375

SITE 64 (164, 40) – ValleyCom, Kent, WA

170.7875

170.9625

171.6125

SITE 65 (165, 41) – Unknown location, north central Oregon

168.8250

SITE 66 (166, 42) – Possibly Emigrant Hill, WA

171.4375

171.6125

SITE 67 (167, 43) - Warm Springs, OR
171.4375

SITE 68 (168, 44) - Unknown location, north central Oregon
170.8125

Happy Independence Day!

Happy 4th of July to all from The Fed Files!

Sandy Hook NPS Frequency Change

Reports on Radio Reference indicate a change of radio frequencies used by the Sandy Hook unit of the Gateway National Recreation Area in new Jersey. The new frequencies are reported as:

169.7500 MHz, N225 - Law Enforcement/Park Wide Communications
166.7750 MHz, N225 - Lifeguards
168.4750 MHz, N225 - Maintenance?
164.9500 MHz, N225 - Input to 169.7500 MHz repeater

State VHF TRS Using NTIA Frequencies

On a recent trip to Northwest Arkansas, I was noticing many weak hits on 171.4375 MHz, N1CC. After a while I figured out this was a P-25 trunked control channel. I then monitored the control channel data and discovered that this was a trunked site that was part of the Missouri statewide radio system called MOSWIN. The site I was hearing was Site 12, using the frequencies of 161.8375 & 171.4375 MHz. It is reportedly located in St. Claire County, Missouri (well north of my location at the time). The system data can be found here:
http://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?sid=6847.

The system consists of both 800 MHz and VHF trunked sites to provide statewide coverage. What is interesting is that the state has taken not only FCC controlled spectrum, but has a number of channels from the federal spectrum as well. My guess is that since VHF public safety allocations are getting difficult to find, they were able to get some VHF federal channels as a cooperative effort with the feds.

There were indications that the next deployment of the now unfunded, federal IWN trunked system would be in the Midwest. So it seems that giving the frequencies over the state of Missouri and letting them build the radio system (probably with federal grants), then getting federal agency access to the system is another method of getting what the Justice Department wanted in the first place.

Also, I have noticed a similar situation with the Nebraska state VHF trunked radio system, called the N-WIN: http://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?sid=6699 .

The WYOLINK system in Wyoming has only one site in Cheyenne that is using federal VHF channels, and I assumed that was for interoperability with the F.E. Warren AFB there:
http://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?sid=3939.

The Montana Statewide Interoperable Public Safety Radio System (MSIPSRS?), a VHF P-25 trunked system, features only 1 site (so far) that is using a single federal allocation - Site 44:
http://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?sid=3825

UPDATE 1 -
I was advised that the new State of Maine VHF P-25 trunked radio system is planned to utilized frequencies in the federal VHF band. The system is not yet built out, but planners are acquiring VHF frequencies from as many sources as they can.

Also, the State of Wisconsin is utilizing some VHF allocations in the 138 - 150 MHz bands that were given over in a cooperative agreement with the Department of Defense.