MultiCoupler Update

 

A few months ago, I mentioned in my column that I was using a powered RF multicoupler for some of my scanner setups while on the road. The unit I purchased was made and sold by Cross Country Wireless out of Manchester, England. I have been very happy with the build and performance of the unit and would recommend it.

However, I recently learned that Cross Country Wireless no longer appears to sell much on eBay, where I initially found the company. You can find them at the company web site, https://www.crosscountrywireless.net/ And they appear to have a channel on YouTube as well.

The multicouplers are still shown on the web site as being available, but they seem to refer buys to the eBay listing, even though it is shown as "Out of Stock" on eBay. 

I still would like to purchase additional items from Cross Country at some point, so I will have to see how they want to handle small quantity purchases outside the UK now. And if you have any information on anything you have purchased from Cross Country recently, please let me know!

FBI Washington HQ To Move

 

News reports have the Washington, DC headquarters of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) moving to a new site in Greenbelt, Maryland. This will involve a move of about 7,500 people from the FBI’s headquarters to the new Greenbelt facility, and the GSA is planning to keep up to 1,000 FBI employees in a federal facility in downtown Washington. 

 There is controversy in the move, of course. The cost appears to be headed north of $26 million just for the 60-acres of land acquisition and preparation.  You can read more about this proposed move in various on line news sites. Here is one that is not behind a paywall:

 https://www.fcnp.com/2023/11/09/fbi-headquarters-move-to-maryland-faces-new-headwinds-from-agency-and-congress/

US Marshals Upgrading JPATS Aircraft

 

The US Marshals Service JPATS program is soliciting bids for an upgraded Boeing 737 aircraft to be used for prisoner transports. 

http://dcnewsroom.blogspot.com/2023/08/us-marshals-service-to-purchase-boeing.html?m=1

https://forums.radioreference.com/threads/us-marshals-service-to-purchase-boeing-737-jet-for-prisoner-transport.462009/#post-3887037

http://www.usmarshals.gov/jpats/index.html

Usually "JUSTICE" call signs are monitored on typical Air Traffic Control VHF aeronautical frequencies where the aircraft are operating. I have not seen any reporting of any special aero or land mobile frequency being used for the JPATS aircraft. On the ground, the US Marshals units will probably be using radios to coordinate prisoner loading and unloading.

Gulf Islands National Seashore

 

 

 

I recently received some information regarding a controlled burn taking place at the Gulf Islands National Seashore, located along the Gulf Coast of Mississippi and the Florida panhandle.

The communications used during this controlled burn were using 168.6125 MHz, in P-25 digital mode, using a Network Access Code (NAC) of N293.

For more frequencies used by the National Park Service, check out the NPS page on the blog site:

http://mt-fedfiles.blogspot.com/p/national-park-service.html

BLM LE USING SATCOM

 On my recent travels through Arizona, I spotted a Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Law Enforcement vehicle that had a large SATCOM antenna on the roof. There was also what appeared to be a multi-band land mobile radio antenna as well.

The large, platter shaped antenna is on the left side, over the drivers head. It is labeled with a number of warning emblems, probably telling you to not touch the antenna while in use.

 

I did not know that BLM had satellite capabilities, but it makes sense as they often operate in very remote areas, many miles from cell sites.

This is an additional agency that has been confirmed to have access to satellite voice and data communications. This list includes other Department of the Interior agencies, such as US Geological Survey, Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), FEMA, Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the Army Corps of Engineers and Health & Human Services. 

There are likely more agencies that can use mobile satellite gear. The NIFOG does list some federal interoperability channels/networks that are available on satellite.