October 2014 Federal Wavelengths Correction

A sharp-eyed reader just brought it to me attention that there were a couple of errors in my listing of the frequencies used by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the October issue of The Spectrum Monitor magazine.

By all means, if you spot something with any frequency lists either here on the Fed Files blog page or in the pages of The Spectrum Monitor magazine, please feel free to let us know about it.

Here is the corrected list showing the correct EPA repeater input and output frequencies:

ZONE 2 – EPA Repeaters

Repeater Output   Repeater Input    Channel Name

173.8750, D731    166.4750, D731    EPA REPEATER

170.9750, CSQ     168.7000, CSQ     NI/CG REPEATER 1

170.4500, CSQ     168.1000, CSQ     NI/CG REPEATER 2

170.4250, CSQ     168.0750, CSQ     NI/CG REPEATER 3

168.4000, CSQ     166.6125, CSQ     NI/CG REPEATER 4

169.7500, CSQ     167.1000, CSQ     NI/CG REPEATER 5

173.8125, CSQ     168.4750, CSQ     NI/CG REPEATER 6

170.9750, CSQ                       NI/CG SIMPLEX 1           

170.4500, CSQ                       NI/CG SIMPLEX 2

170.4250, CSQ                       NI/CG SIMPLEX 3   

168.4000, CSQ                       NI/CG SIMPLEX 4

169.7500, CSQ                       NI/CG SIMPLEX 5

173.8125, CSQ                       NI/CG SIMPLEX 6

South Florida FPS Changes

In addition to the upgrades to the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) radio network in Florida, it appears that the Federal Protective Service (FPS) has also upgraded to P25 digital.

410.8 MHz, N201 is now being used by the FPS in the Miami area. The same frequency is most likely used through out this FPS region. Some sites may have different NAC's.

You can read more about the CBP upgrades and frequency changes in the latest edition of The Spectrum Monitor, http://www.thespectrummonitor.com/index.aspx

CDC Frequencies

Some questions regarding the use of radios by the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have been posted in regards to the confirmation of Ebola in the Dallas, Texas area.

I know that the CDC uses federal UHF trunking at their fixed facilities around the Atlanta area. But a while back I posted possible CDC field use frequencies that might have been in use for the Swine Flu outbreak:

http://mt-fedfiles.blogspot.com/2009/04/swine-flu-frequencies.html

Department of Health & Human Services (All frequencies are in MHz);

30.420
30.430
34.050
36.180
36.220
36.250
36.270
36.350
36.750
38.830
40.370
41.350
41.390
41.430 (Nationwide)
41.470 (Nationwide)
41.530 (Nationwide)
41.650 (Nationwide)
41.690 (Nationwide)
41.790 (Nationwide)
41.830

163.0000
163.0750
163.1750
163.2500 (Nationwide Medical Paging Allocation)
163.3000
163.3750
163.7000
164.3000 (Nationwide)
164.5250
164.7000
164.8000
164.9625
164.9875 (Nationwide)
165.0625
165.2625
165.3125
165.3375
166.1000
166.8250
168.0000
168.3250
168.5250
169.6250
170.1250
171.2375 (Nationwide – shared)
171.7250
172.3000
172.7750

407.7000 / 416.7000
408.0500 / 417.0500
409.0000 / 418.0000
410.0250 / 419.0250
410.2000 / 419.2000
410.2250 / 419.2250
410.4000 / 419.4000
410.4250 / 419.4250
411.2250 – Simplex
411.4500 – Simplex
411.8250 – Simplex
413.4500 – Simplex
413.8750 – Simplex
415.4000 / 406.4000
415.8250 / 406.8250
415.9250 / 406.9250
416.9750 / 407.9750
417.6500 / 408.6500
417.7000 / 408.7000
419.1500 / 410.1500
419.6000 / 410.6000
419.6250 / 410.6250
419.8000 / 410.8000

Email Apologies To All

To anyone and everyone who might have been sending me emails to the chrisparris@thefedfiles.com address - I realized that I have not been seeing any emails from that address for a while and just assumed no one was sending me anything. But a Fed Files fan on Twitter asked about an email he sent that I hadn't seen on any of my computers or email devices. I discovered that my emails were just sitting there and I wasn't seeing them. I've been trying to catch up on these as I can. 

Please continue to use this email address for future communications: chrisparris@thefedfiles.com

CBP Florida Makes The P25 Switch

Over the last couple of years I have heard that the CBP was coordinating and installing new P25 digital gear in the state of Florida.

I just spotted a post on Radio Reference that indicates the Customs and Border Protection radio systems in Florida have finally moved towards the digital domain after being analog for many years:

http://forums.radioreference.com/federal-monitoring-forum/297786-news-flash-florida-bp-throws-p25-switch.html

There are what appear to be some of the new CBP DNET channels in the +170 MHz end of the band, so I will list them as they can be ID'd in the CBP Frequency Update area on the blog main page.

Air Force One Phone Systems

An interesting post has appeared on line about the new phone systems in use aboard Air Force One. It's an interesting read:

http://electrospaces.blogspot.com/2014/07/new-phones-aboard-air-force-one.html

There is also an story on something I've always wondered about, how they got a secured Blackberry for President Obama:

http://electrospaces.blogspot.com/2013/04/how-obamas-blackberry-got-secured.html

NIFC NATIONAL AIR-TO-GROUND FREQUENCIES

The National Interagency Fire Center maintains a standard issue of nationwide air-to-ground (A/G) channels for use in firefighting and other incidents on federal lands. I have been asked for some time if I had the complete list of these A/G channels, so I decided to sit down and go through all the materials I had access to and see if I could come up with a good list.

What I discovered is that there are some variations of these A/G frequencies, and even some official US government publications don't agree. So keep in mind that this list is not cast in stone, but may have some variations...

-->

A/G 01            154.3100

A/G 02            166.6375

A/G 03            166.6750

A/G 04            159.3450

A/G 04            166.6875

A/G 05            166.7500

A/G 06            166.8000

A/G 07            166.8500

A/G 08            166.8750

A/G 09            166.9125

A/G 10            166.9375

A/G 11            166.9500

A/G 12            167.0750

A/G 13            167.4250

A/G 14            167.5000

A/G 15            167.5250

A/G 16            167.9500

A/G 17            167.9875

A/G 18            168.0125

A/G 19            168.1250

A/G 20            168.1750

A/G 21            168.1500

A/G 22            166.6125

A/G 23            166.7625

A/G 23            168.5500

A/G 24            168.6375

A/G 25            168.7250

A/G 25            168.7500

A/G 26            166.6875

A/G 26            169.8750

A/G 27            166.8250

A/G 27            169.9500

A/G 27            172.2750

A/G 28            170.0000

A/G 29            170.5250

A/G 30            171.1375

A/G 31            171.5250

A/G 32            166.9625

A/G 32            166.9625

A/G 32            171.5500

A/G 33            171.5750

A/G 34            167.1750

A/G 34            171.7875

A/G 35            167.2250

A/G 35            172.2250

A/G 36            172.2500

A/G 37            167.3000

A/G 37            172.2750

A/G 38            167.3750

A/G 38            172.3250

A/G 39            172.4000

A/G 40            167.4500

A/G 41            167.4750

A/G 42            167.5500

A/G 43            167.6000

A/G 44            167.6250

A/G 45            167.6500

A/G 46            167.7000

A/G 47            167.7250

A/G 48            167.8875

A/G 49            168.0375

A/G 50            168.2750

A/G 50            168.2875

A/G 51            168.3125

A/G 52            168.3875

A/G 53            168.4875

A/G 54            168.5375

A/G 55            168.5625

A/G 56            168.6625

A/G 57            168.0875

A/G 57            168.7250

A/G 58            168.0875

A/G 58            169.0875

A/G 59            169.1125

A/G 60            169.1250

A/G 61            169.2875

A/G 62            169.3625

A/G 63            171.4250

A/G 64            171.4750

A/G 65            172.3750

A/G 66            166.6750

A/G 67            159.2250

A/G 68            159.3900

A/G 69            159.4500

A/G 70            167.9500

A/G 71            168.6750

A/G 72            169.1500

A/G 73            169.2000

Some additional information on these and other NIFC assignments can be found on the Radio Reference wiki page here:

http://wiki.radioreference.com/index.php?title=National_Incident_Radio_Support_Cache&diff=98706&oldid=98699

USFS Air Tanker Base Frequency Updates

The US Forest Service has released some frequency updates for the various air tanker bases around the country. Here is the link to the update:

http://www.fs.fed.us/fire/av_safety/promotion/Information_Bulletins/IAIB%202014-01%20AT%20Base%20Freq%20changes.pdf

NIFOG 1.5 Available

The latest version of the National Interoperability Field Operations Guide (NIFOG) is now available for downloading. You can find links to the various formats of downloads here:

http://www.dhs.gov/national-interoperability-field-operations-guide

This new version contains updated information as well as new information that anyone interested in communications monitoring will find useful.

WHCA Blog

I just stumbled upon a blog page that I haven't seen before. It has some interesting information about the White House Communications Agency (WHCA) history and some interesting facilities and photos. Check it out here:

http://whcacannonball.blogspot.com

BATFE Update

Just as the May issue of The Spectrum Monitor came out, with my column concerning the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (BATFE), I received an update regarding the channel usage by this agency.

For as long as I've been listening to federal stuff, the ATF has always used 165.2875 MHz as their primary channel. However, with the eventual refarming of the VHF 162-174 MHz federal band to make a standard repeater offset (see the January Federal Wavelengths column for more information), this was bound to change. Information is that at least one major metro area, the ATF has already changed their primary repeater output to 170.9625 MHz, N650 with 165.2875 MHz as the input frequency. I have not run into this change in my travels yet, but will definitely keep an eye out for it.

SoCal DEA going VHF?

I just caught some traffic on a VHF channel with some radio techs regarding receive sites and signal strengths as well as a radio interface bridge. The conversation was on 173.1625 MHz, N156, and I only heard one side of the conversation most of the time, but did hear a couple of replies from a field unit. I also heard one person ask if they were on the "APX" radio. APX is the Motorola radio series that features multi-band operation in a single radio.

This joins the frequencies of 170.6500 MHz and 170.9500 MHz that are most likely VHF DEA channels that have been heard in the Southern California area.

SoCal CBP Marine Common?

While in the Los Angeles area for work, I was picking up some of the many VHF P-25 frequencies being used throughout the southern end of the state by the CBP wide area system. This system is technically separate, but fiscally part of the Integrated Wireless Network (IWN). These are not trunked, but likely a vote-scan system used mainly by CBP Field Operations and Border Patrol. I have noted what is probable use by other agencies as well, such as Coast Guard and likely ICE.

I was checking what I was hearing against what I think is a pretty good source for the area, the SoCal Fedcom Blog, http://socalfedcom.blogspot.com. Among some of the updated frequencies, there is a reference to something the blog author is referring to as the MCS or Marine Common System. I would presume this refers to a common radio system for CBP, Coast Guard and other agencies working the various maritime operations.

Here are the frequencies noted as being part of the MCS:

162.6250 MHz, N820 - common input
171.3250 MHz, N820 - Mt. Solidad repeater
172.0625 MHz, N820 - Santa Ynez repeater
172.7125 MHz, N820 - San Pedro repeater

Reports indicate a fourth repeater located on San Nicolas Island, but the frequency is unconfirmed.

I'm still researching and trying to find more information on this system. 

UPDATE!

While searching early one morning in LA, I found 171.1875 MHz, N820 active with encrypted voice. This might be the missing San Nicolas Island repeater, as I had a nice marine layer working the day I found this!

New BoP System Near Philadelphia?

I'm monitoring a P25 trunking control channel in the Philadelphia area that doesn't match up with what I've heard in the past and is not listed on Radio Reference.

The control channel is currently on 410.0000 MHz, shows a System ID of 4C6, WACN of BEE00. The only system frequencies I have heard so far are 406.8125, 409.2125 and the control channel on 410.0000 MHz. The voice channel NAC is N4C1. These frequencies have been used in other Bureau of Prisons trunked systems in other parts of the country.

Anyone have any information on this one? I am guessing that the Federal Detention Center in Philadelphia has upgraded their Motorola Type II trunked system to a P25 system on some new frequencies.

Harlingen TX Logs

I received a few frequencies logged from a friend on a trip down to South Padre Island and Harlingen, Texas. Here is what was picked up:

162.2875, NAC A50 - New CBP Border Patrol
163.1375, NAC 293 - US Coast Guard NET 113
163.4750, NAC A61 - New CBP Border Patrol
169.2625, NAC 293 - CBP OAM AIR 3
171.2375, NAC 293 - US Coast Guard NET 127
172.7125, NAC A60 - New CBP Border Patrol
410.4125, NAC 156 - DEA, new F11

Here are some additional CBP Border Patrol Rio Grande Valley area frequencies that have been posted previously:

163.0625, NA40
163.5250, NA10
163.6500, NA60
163.9750, NA21
164.4375, NA51
164.7375, NA41
166.9875, N310
168.3875, N312
169.5750, NA80
169.6000, NA20
169.6375, NA31 - CBP WESLACO 2
169.6625, NA30 - CBP WESLACO 1
170.1250, NA40
170.3375, NA50
170.4375, NA61
170.5375, NA40 - CBP HARLINGEN 1
170.9875, NA60
171.1875, NA20 - CBP McALLEN
171.1875, NB20
171.3250, NA11 - CBP RIO GRANDE CITY 2
171.3250, NA41 - CBP HARLINGEN
171.6625, NA12 - CBP RIO GRANDE CITY 1
171.6625, NA51
171.7125, NA22 - CBP McALLEN 2 
171.9625, NA10 - CBP RIO GRANDE CITY
171.9875, N311
172.2375, NC20
172.2625, NA21 - CBP McALLEN 1

Houston Federal Activity

I came across a couple of interesting posts regarding federal activity in the Houston, Texas area.

The first was some security detail activity on 168.3500 MHz, N100. Over the years I have caught several security details using this common federal frequency. In at least two cases it was the US Capitol Police providing security for members of Congress. However, I was not able to confirm the P25 NAC on those catches.

Best guess is that this Houston activity was the protective detail for Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Sebelius. The original poster also mentioned the code name FLOODGATE was associated with this detail.

Second catch from Houston was on 170.8500 MHz, N864, with some testing in the clear that identified this as "USMS Channel B", with USMS being the US Marshals Service. The P25 NAC of N864 has been speculated as being the US Marshals for a while, but not much has been provided for proof. This catch helps tilt the scales a bit towards confirmation.

New Federal VHF TRS

Some recent postings on Radio Reference are providing some details of a new VHF P-25 trunked system somewhere in northern Virginia. Here are the system details that are known;

System ID - 00A
WACN - 0000A
System NAC - 01F
Tower - 101

Main CC - 170.46250
Alt CC - 171.17500
Alt CC - 172.35000
Alt CC - 173.51250

All traffic has been encrypted so far, and no other towers appear to be a part of this system. Some have indicated the information gleaned from running the PRO96COM software package on this system show that it has APCO P25 Phase II TDMA capabilities.

I have noted that the System ID of 00A has shown up on several new trunked systems around the country and I had heard that this System ID is the "default" ID for Harris P25 systems.

I will post more information when it comes in!

US Capitol Police Trunked System

I saw a posting from Alan Henney about the new VHF trunked system in use by the US Capitol Police. The system is apparently in limited use and Alan was able to watch the system activity using PRO96COM software during the State of the Union speech on January 26th. Here's what he found:

System ID = 582
WACN = BEE00

Frequency       Input Frequency        Hit Count
172.6875        165.0875        193
172.3875        164.8125        184
172.9625        165.5375        183
173.1625        165.7750        12 (alternate control)
173.8125        166.4250        79 (alternate control)
170.1375        162.8000        199
169.5750        136.0000        191
173.4750        166.2250        42 (alternate control)
169.8375        162.6125        189
170.3750        163.1625        202
171.7875        164.6125        212
171.4125        164.3250        199
171.0000        164.0125        171
170.5750        163.6000        0 (primary control)

Alan also posted that the new system is being used along with the old, analog repeaters as well. So it appears that the USCP has not moved all operations to the new system full time yet.

Super Bowl XLVIII CAP Flights

It appears that the expected combat air patrol flights will begin with some training on Wednesday, the 29th;

"Individuals in and around the East Rutherford area can expect flights to begin Jan. 29 around 4:30 a.m. EST and continue for approximately one hour.
Exercise Amalgam Virgo 14-01, a NORAD air-defense exercise, will be conducted Wednesday in the greater East Rutherford area so interagency partners can practice procedures for responding to airspace violations."

http://www.norad.mil/Newsroom/PressReleases/tabid/3993/Article/7695/conr-to-fly-air-defense-exercise-in-preparation-for-super-bowl-xlviii.aspx

Super Bowl XLVIII

Things are starting to ramp up at Super Bowl XLVIII in E. Rutherford, New Jersey. The Department of Energy began doing aerial surveys of nominal radiation over most of northern New Jersey this week. Today (1/23) they were operating in the vacinity of MetLife Stadium, where the game will take place on February 2nd.

Happy 2014

I'm a few days late, but wanted to wish all the Fed Files fans a very Happy New Year!

This year marks the start of my Federal Wavelengths column that appears monthly in The Spectrum Monitor e-magazine. If you haven't checked it out yet, you can click on the link below and see what it is all about. You can subscribe to the magazine or purchase a single issue if you like:

http://www.thespectrummonitor.com