Department of Energy Frequencies

I decided to focus on some of the radio systems in use by the Department of Energy at several of their major facilities across the country. All of the radio system listed in this column should be able to be heard on one of the current P-25 digital capable scanners available. Some of the systems utilize encryption on some sensitive talk groups or conventional frequencies, so scanners cannot monitor those.

Here is a listing of known Department of Energy frequency allocations:

30.6500

30.3700

30.3900

30.4200

32.0100

32.0200

32.3200

32.7300

32.9900

34.0300

34.1400

34.8300

34.9800

36.0200

36.0500

36.3300

36.3900

36.9900

38.3300

40.0100

40.3100

40.4300

40.4700

40.5300

40.5700

40.6100

41.0300

41.0900

41.3100

41.6700

41.8100

41.9800

46.6100

46.8100

49.6300

49.6500

49.8000

49.8600

49.8900

49.9200

148.2750

148.3500

148.8750

150.4500

150.7750

162.0250

162.0500

162.1000

162.1250

162.1750

162.2250

162.3000

162.6125

162.6625

162.9750

163.0000

163.0250

163.0500

163.0750

163.1250

163.1750

163.2000

163.2250

163.2750

163.3250

163.3750

163.4625

163.7500

163.8000

163.8125

163.8250

163.8375

163.9000

164.0250

164.1000

164.1750

164.2000

164.2250

164.2500

164.2625

164.2750

164.3000

164.3250

164.3500

164.3625

164.3750

164.4000

164.4250

164.4750

164.5250

164.5750

164.6000

164.6750

164.7000

164.7250

164.7500

164.7750

164.8250

164.8625

164.9375

164.9625

164.9875

165.0125

165.0625

165.2625

165.3125

165.3375

165.4125

165.4375

165.4625

165.5125

165.5375

165.5875

165.7125

165.8500

166.0000

166.0750

166.1250

166.1500

166.2000

166.2250

166.2500

166.2750

166.3250

166.4875

166.6375

166.7500

166.7875

166.8000

166.8250

166.8500

167.0250

167.1250

167.6250

167.8250

167.8375

167.8500

167.8750

167.9000

167.9250

167.9750

168.0000

168.2250

168.2750

168.3000

168.3250

168.3750

168.4500

168.4750

168.5000

168.5750

168.6500

168.7500

168.8000

169.0000

169.0250

169.0500

169.0750

169.1000

169.2000

169.3750

169.5500

169.5750

169.6000

169.6250

169.6750

169.7250

169.9500

169.9750

170.0250

170.0750

170.1000

170.1250

170.1500

170.1750

170.3500

170.3750

170.4000

170.5750

170.6000

170.7250

170.7500

171.0000

171.1500

171.2000

171.2375

171.2625

171.3125

171.3375

171.3875

171.4250

171.5250

171.6250

171.7250

171.7750

171.8125

171.9500

171.9750

171.9875

172.0250

172.1375

172.2000

172.3000

172.4250

172.4750

172.5000

172.5250

172.5500

172.5750

172.6250

172.6500

172.7000

172.7250

172.7750

172.8750

172.9250

173.0000

173.0250

173.0500

173.0750*

173.1000

173.1500

173.1750

173.2750

173.3000

173.4250

173.5125

173.5625

173.6125

173.6375

173.6625

173.6875

173.7125

173.7375

173.7875

173.8125

173.8375

173.8875

173.9375

173.9625

173.9875

406.0250

406.1125

406.1375

406.1500

406.1625

406.1875

406.2250

406.3000

406.3500

406.3750

406.4000

406.4250

406.5000

406.5250

406.5375

406.5500

406.5625

406.5750

406.5875

406.6000

406.6125

406.6250

406.6500

406.6750

406.7000

406.7500

406.7875

406.8000

406.8250

406.8500

406.8750

406.9000

406.9125

406.9250

406.9500

406.9750

406.9875

407.0000

407.0250

407.0500

407.0625

407.1000

407.1500

407.1750

407.1875

407.2500

407.3500

407.3625

407.3875

407.4000

407.5500

407.5875

407.6000

407.6250

407.6500

407.7875

407.8125

407.8625

407.9500

407.9750

407.9875

408.0000

408.0250

408.0500

408.1000

408.1250

408.1500

407.1750

408.1875

408.2000

408.3500

408.3625

408.4250

408.5250

408.5500

408.7500

408.7750

408.8000

408.8250

408.8500

408.9500

408.9625

409.0250

409.1000

409.1250

409.1500

409.1750

409.2000

409.2250

409.2500

409.2750

409.3000

409.3250

409.3500

409.3625

409.3750

409.4000

409.4250

409.4500

409.4750

409.5000

409.5250

409.5750

409.5875

409.6000

409.6375

409.6875

409.7500

409.7750

409.7875

409.8000

409.8250

409.8500

409.9000

409.9500

409.9750

410.0000

410.0250

410.0500

410.1250

410.1500

410.2000

410.2500

410.3500

410.3750

410.5625

410.7750

410.8000

410.8125

411.0250

411.0750

411.1500

411.2000

411.2500

411.3500

411.5750

411.6000

411.6375

411.6500

411.6625

411.6750

411.6875

411.7000

411.7125

411.7375

411.8250

411.8500

411.8750

411.9500

412.0000

412.0500

412.1250

412.2250

412.3000

412.3500

412.3750

412.4250

412.4750

412.6500

412.7000

412.7500

413.8000

413.8250

413.8500

413.8750

413.9250

413.9500

414.7250

414.7500

414.7750

414.8250

414.8750

414.9250

414.9750

415.0750

415.1500

415.3500

415.5500

415.5625

415.6250

415.7750

415.8250

415.9500

416.0000

416.0500

416.0750

416.1000

416.1500

416.2000

416.2250

416.2500

416.3000

416.3500

416.4000

416.4250

416.4500

416.4750

416.5000

416.5375

416.5500

416.5750

416.6000

416.6250

416.6500

416.6625

416.6750

416.6875

416.7000

416.7125

416.7500

416.8500

416.9250

416.9500

416.9750

417.0000

417.1500

417.2250

417.2500

417.3750

417.4250

417.4500

417.4750

417.5250

417.5500

417.6000

417.6250

417.6500

417.6750

417.7000

417.7250

417.7500

417.8500

417.9250

417.9500

417.9750

418.1000

418.1750

418.3500

418.5000

418.5500

418.7000

419.1250

419.1500

419.1750

419.3500

419.5500

419.6500

419.6750

419.8250

419.8500

419.8750

419.9750

*The frequency of 173.075 MHz is used by the “Lojak” nationwide auto theft tracking system, but it is a shared allocation. The Western Area Power Administration (WAPA) has been confirmed as using this frequency for simplex work crew operations.

Now, here are some specific systems located at the various Department of Energy facilities around the country:

 

STRATEGIC PETROLEUM RESERVES, https://www.energy.gov/fe/services/petroleum-reserves/strategic-petroleum-reserve/spr-storage-sites

 

164.2250 N102 SPR Office, New Orleans

164.2250 N500 Bryan Mound, TX
164.3750 CSQ  Unknown SPR facility
164.3750 D315 Unknown SPR facility
164.3750 D445 Unknown SPR facility
164.3750 D532 Bryan Mound SPR facility
167.9750 N401 West Hackberry facility
167.9750 N501 Big Spring SPR facility
168.4500 N102 SPR Office, New Orleans
168.4500 N302 SPR Office, New Orleans
168.4500 N402 West Hackberry facility
172.3000 N500 DoE SPR Police?

 

NEVADA NATIONAL SECURITY SITE

https://www.energy.gov/nnsa/national-nuclear-security-administration

Formed in 2000, the National Nuclear Security Administration is a division within the Department of Energy. The NNSA is charged with the security of the nuclear weapons and nuclear materials in the United States. Several of the DoE sites I note in this column are operated under direction of the NNSA due to the materials produced and handled there.

In Nevada, the NNSA runs the Nevada National Security Site, where testing and designs of US nuclear weapons as well as testing facilities for nuclear reactor technology, https://www.nnss.gov

The Nevada National Test Site operates a wide-area UHF trunked radio system. It is currently still a Motorola SmartZone system using P-25 digital voice, so you can listen to unencrypted transmissions. System information can be found here: https://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?sid=3265

HANFORD SITE

http://www.hanford.gov/

The Hanford Site, or Hanford Reservation is an historic Department of Energy facility that helped start the atomic age. Hanford was one of the two facilities that the United States had during World War II that was able to produce enough radioactive material for the first atomic bombs. Since the height of the Cold War, Hanford has now assumed the role of a research facility dealing with the environmental problems of nuclear materials storage and disposal.

Here are some of the conventional VHF frequencies that are active at Hanford:

162.1000

164.2250

164.2750         192.8 PL         Hanford Security Operations

164.3250

164.3750         CSQ                Hanford DoE Paging

164.4000         192.8 PL         Hanford Fire

164.5250

164.7500

164.7750         110.9 PL         Hanford Fire

165.0250         192.8 PL         Hanford Fire Dispatch

167.0750

167.8250                                 Hanford Fire Tactical

167.8500

167.8750

167.9250

167.9750

168.2250

168.3000

168.3250

168.4500

169.5000

169.7250

170.0750

170.5750

171.2000

171.8250

173.1000         151.4 PL         Hanford Fire (may be Dept. of Interior Fire Net)

173.7375                                

LAWRENCE LIVERMORE NATIONAL LABORATORY

http://www.llnl.gov/

The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) is a National Security science laboratory that is part of the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) within the Department of Energy. LLNL has been managed by the University of California for the U.S. government since its formation in 1952.

The LLNL UHF trunked system is a APCO P-25 system spread out over multiple repeater sites. The system also supports communications for the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, north of San Francisco, https://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?sid=6781

BETTIS ATOMIC POWER LABORATORY

https://navalnuclearlab.energy.gov

The Bechtel-Bettis Naval Reactor facility is located near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They are using a P-25 UHF trunked system for security and operations. System information can be found here: https://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?sid=7445

OAK RIDGE NATIONAL LABORATORY

https://www.ornl.gov

Like the Lawrence Livermore facility, the Oak Ridge National Laboratory is managed for the Department of Energy by an outside group, in this case UT-Battelle. The Oak Ridge facility includes a National Security Complex called Site Y-12, http://www.y12.doe.gov/

As with LLNL, Oak Ridge is using an APCO P-25 Phase II system to serve the facility. Here is the system information: https://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?sid=10032

TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY

https://www.tva.gov

The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) is a federally owned corporation created by congressional charter on May 18, 1933, to provide navigation, flood control, electricity generation to the Tennessee Valley, a region particularly affected by the Great Depression. TVA's area of responsibility covers most of Tennessee, some portions of Alabama, Mississippi, and Kentucky, and small sections of Georgia, North Carolina, and Virginia. It was the first large regional planning agency of the federal government and remains the largest.

The TVA has recently launched a multi-site P-25 UHF trunked system with sites located at the various power generating facilities. System information can be found here:

https://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?sid=7490

In addition to the trunked radio system, the TVA operates a number of conventional VHF and UHF radio systems for operations and security patrols. Here are some of the conventional TVA channels:

168.2250         103.5 PL         Combs Knob

168.2250         110.9 PL         Oswald Dome

168.2250         118.8 PL         Thorntontown

168.5750         103.5 PL

169.6250         183 NAC         Rocky Top

169.6250         418 NAC         Pickwick

169.6250         103.5 PL         Sharps

169.6250         110.9 PL         Sewanee

169.6750         293 NAC         Greentop

169.6750         110.9 PL         Wininger

169.6750         118.8 PL         Colbert

170.0750         225.7 PL         Holston Mountain

171.7500         298 NAC         Raccoon Mountain

172.4750         293 NAC         Roosevelt Mountain

172.4750         418 NAC         Holston Mountain 2

172.4750         118.8 PL         Monte Sano

172.6500                                 Nuclear Preparedness

406.5125         103.5 PL         Chattanooga Security

406.5125         293 NAC         Knoxville Security

408.4625         103.5 PL         Chattanooga Emergency Ops

408.4625         192.8 PL         Chattanooga Facility Maintenance

415.4500                                 Chattanooga Office Complex

418.7125                                 TVA Police Vehicle Repeater 

418.7125         156.7 PL         TVA Police Link

TVA Transmission and Customer Service (TCS) operates on VHF low-band channels, and remains one of the few non-military agencies still using this band of frequencies.

40.3700           203.5 PL         TVA CH 09

40.3100           250.3 PL         TVA CH 05 - Huntsville AL

40.3700           250.3 PL         TVA CH 07 - Johnson City TN

40.4300           203.5 PL         TVA CH 10 - Memphis TN

40.4300           250.3 PL         TVA CH 02 – Cleveland TN

40.4900           250.3 PL         TVA CH 16 - Construction 1

40.5300           250.3 PL         TVA CH 03 - Chickamauga TN

40.5700           250.3 PL         TVA CH 04

40.6100           203.5 PL         TVA CH 14 - Tupelo MS

40.6100           250.3 PL         TVA CH 01 - Bowling Green KY

40.6500           250.3 PL         TVA CH 06 - Jackson TN 

40.6900           250.3 PL         TVA CH 12 - Muscle Shoals AL

40.7300           203.5 PL         TVA CH 15 - West Point MS

40.7300           250.3 PL         TVA CH 11 - Murfreesboro TN

40.7700           250.3 PL         TVA CH 08 - Knoxville TN

40.8300           250.3 PL         TVA CH 13 - Nashville TN

40.8700           250.3 PL         TVA CH 17 - Construction 2

BONNEVILLE POWER ADMINISTRATION (BPA)

https://www.bpa.gov/Pages/home.aspx

The Bonneville Power Administration, headquartered in Portland, Oregon, services the Pacific Northwest with hydroelectric, wind and nuclear power. The BPA operates a VHF repeater system for servicing their transmission lines and facilities. These repeaters are known to have telephone patch capabilities and are still analog, but P-25 digital upgrades are planned. Here are their known BPA operating frequencies:

172.5000 MHz

172.5250 MHz

172.5750 MHz

WESTERN AREA POWER ADMINISTRATION (WAPA)

https://www.wapa.gov/Pages/Western.aspx

Western Area Power Administration (WAPA) markets and delivers wholesale hydroelectric power and related services within a 15-state region of the central and western U.S. WAPA is utilizing a number of VHF conventional repeaters that are using P-25 digital mode. Here are some of the WAPA repeaters that I have logged or heard about:

164.2250         N111               South Dakota

164.2250         N293               Arizona

164.2750         N293               Arizona

164.3500         N111               South Dakota

164.3500         N222               North Dakota

164.3750         N293               Arizona

164.7750         N222               South Dakota

166.7875         N293               Arizona

167.6250

167.8250         N293               Arizona          

167.8500         N222               North Dakota

167.8500         N111               South Dakota

167.8750         N111               South Dakota

167.8750         N293               Arizona

167.9250         N111               South Dakota

167.9250         N222               South Dakota

167.9250         N555               Colorado

167.9750         N111               South Dakota

167.9750         N293               Arizona

168.4500         N293               Arizona

169.6250         N293               Arizona

170.3750         N999               Arizona

171.8125         N293               Arizona

171.9875         N999               Arizona

172.1375         N293               Arizona

173.2750         N999               Arizona

173.4250         N293               Arizona          

NUCLEAR EMERGENCY SUPPORT TEAM (NEST)

https://www.energy.gov/nnsa/nuclear-incident-response

A division within the NNSA is the Nuclear Emergency Support Team (NEST). NEST is responsible for the preparation, detection and developing response teams to deal with nuclear or radiological terrorism. NEST personnel have often been portrayed in fictional accounts of nuclear terrorism and have often responded to mock alerts across the country. Although it has always been assumed that NEST communications in the field would be secure and perhaps even spread-spectrum or some undetectable method. However, in a few publicized NEST exercises, news footage shows NEST officials with what appears to be standard issue VHF or UHF hand-held radios, plus the ever-present cell phones.

As far as NNSA Nuclear Materials Transport Convoys, they are also hard to pin down. NNSA security and communications teams accompany specially built semi tractor-trailers that may be hauling nuclear materials. I have seen some of these convoys in the field and when stopped at a truck stop, the Department of Energy personnel were very strict about keep a security zone around all their vehicles. Despite the fact these convoys have communications vans with antennas for literally every mobile communications band there is, I have yet to actually catch any confirmed VHF or UHF frequencies, clear or encrypted, from these guys.

As part of the NEST equipment that is deployed in a nuclear emergency, transportable communications gear is undoubtedly a big portion of the “go kit”. There are a number of frequencies that have been rumored to be part of a cache of radio channels available for use anywhere by NEST. Be sure and keep an ear on these frequencies at the next large event and see if anything is active:

163.1000

164.2750

164.8625

167.9750

168.4500

171.2000

171.9500

173.0000

These channels were confirmed as being in some of the DoE transportable radio systems at one time. I suspect they are still current and are P25 digital, with encryption. I also have some information on SECOM, the DoE Albuquerque based HF (shortwave) Secure Communications System, courtesy of Larry Van Horn. This system provides nationwide coverage and tracking information from DoE Nuclear Material transportation convoys:

DOE SECOM Transportation Security Detail/Safeguard Division - Frequencies are in Kilohertz (KHz)

3335.0             Channel 1

5308.0             Channel 2

5751.0             Channel 3

5947.0             Channel 4

7700.0             Channel 5

8013.5             Channel 6

9918.0             Channel 7

11555.0           Channel 8

14657.0           Channel 9

17397.0           Channel 10

Two DoE installations that I do not have any information for are the Pantex Facility in Amarillo, Texas (https://pantex.energy.gov) and the Kansas City National Security Campus in Kansas City, Missouri (https://kcnsc.doe.gov). If any of our readers has any info that they would like to share about what these facilities use for radio systems, please feel free to let me know here at The Spectrum Monitor.