TSA UHF - UPDATES

 

The rollout of the new UHF radio systems for the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) appears to be proceeding at a fast pace. 

So far we have found the frequencies of 406.7375/415.7375 MHz, P-25 using various NAC's. The P25 radio IDs are in the 8xxxx or 9xxxx range so far, but some radios are just showing a RID of 1.They appear to be using a repeater at the airport, but I have identified a simplex channel of 411.4875 MHz, using the same NAC at one of the airports listed below. More are likely to be found as I get more time at the airports to monitor. I suspect that the simplex channels will be available with multiple NACs in different zones of the radios, similar to what they used in the VHF channel plans.

Lots of questions regarding encryption - Yes the TSA has always had AES encryption available in their radios and the new APX radios are no exception. And like the other radios, the encryption is not forced on, so you will get some clear transmissions. 

(NOTE: Corrected the frequency pair listing above which started out as incorrect!)

Here is a list of what we have found active so far. I will update the list as new finds come in.

Airport                           P-25 NAC

AUS - Austin Bergstrom            N061

BOS - Boston Logan                N01C

BUR - Hollywood Burbank           N06A

COS - Colorado Springs            N076 

DAL - Dallas Love Field           N07C

DEN - Denver International        N016 

DFW - Dallas/Ft. Worth Int'l      N02A

EWR - Newark                      N03D

GJT - Grand Junction, CO          N243

HOU - Houston Hobby               N028

HPN - Westchester Co NY           N1CB

JFK - New York JFK                N02B

LAX - Los Angeles Intl            N031,N032

LGA - New York LaGuardia          N03A

MCO - Orlando Intl                N040

MDW - Chicago Midway              N070

ORD - Chicago O'Hare              N010

PHX - Phoenix Sky Harbor          N046

SAN - San Diego Intl              N0E0

SAT - San Antonio Int             N0DB

SFO - San Francisco Intl          N049

TUS - Tucson Intl                 N0F0  

NOTES:

 In addition to the repeater paired frequencies, here are simplex channels that have been confirmed:

409.4875

411.2875

411.4875

411.5375

414.6125 

414.6375 

414.9125

415.7375 

418.4875

419.6875

These channels may be used with multiple NACs at the various airport locations.

UPDATES!

On my latest trip through San Diego, the TSA at SAN airport were using 414.6375 MHz, with a NAC of N0E0. Encryption was not forced, so some clear traffic was heard.

I just noticed a posting from CARMA Chicago that they heard a tone on 406.7375 MHz, N293. Unknown if this is testing for a TSA repeater, but odds are that it is. Also unknown if this is O'Hare or Midway airport.