Fed Files Contest Deadline

For those who are interested in the Monitoring Times Fed Files drawing, the deadline for your entry is coming up quickly. Please have your entry emails in to us by February 15th. For more information, you can see the original post here:

http://mt-fedfiles.blogspot.com/2007/01/fed-files-contest.html

Miami Super Bowl Updates

I will be working at the Super Bowl telecast in Miami for the next week. I am fairly sure that there will be tons of interesting communications to scope out while we are there. I hope to provide some interesting federal logs after the event, so watch the Fed Files blog for updates!

SoCal Federal Searching

Had some time while in the Anaheim / Orange County area of Southern California to search some, and found these frequencies active. I'll update them as I have time:

162.2250, 103.5 pl - Sounds like US Postal Service
163.1500
163.1750, unknown repeater
163.6250, P-25 - ICE repeater
164.4000, P-25 - USSS PAPA
164.9375, 103.5 pl -
165.3125
165.9500
166.8750, P-25 - likely input to 163.6250 repeater
166.9125, P-25 - Clear and encrypted, the clear tansmissions have been mobile units checking in with milages to a dispatcher.
166.9500, P-25 - encrypted
167.2250, P-25 - encrypted
167.4125, 167.9 pl - FBI, unit was "10-8 from Bank of America"
168.8250, P-25 - DHS
169.4250, 141.3 pl - Unknown, data bursts at LAX
169.5500, 100.0 pl - DHS CBP / ICE
169.8750, 123.0 pl
170.7500, P-25 - COMM CENTER with ROBERT units, Federal Courthouse Security
171.0000, 118.8 pl
171.8250, 186.2 pl - Unknown repeater, lots of spanish language, maybe getting tripped from Mexico.

JIWN Update

I had a chance to gather some new frequency data for the Justice Integrated Wireless Network P-25 trunked system. This system has started to expand and is the model for more systems that will start appearing in other parts of the country.

I haven't been able to update my logs for all the system sites yet, but here is what I was able to update over the holidays:

Site 106 [T106] – Seattle South
167.2875 - CC
167.3875
167.4625
167.7125

Site 107 [T0107] – Seattle North
167.6875 - CC
167.0000
167.3375
170.9375
172.0625

Site 108 [T0108] – Unknown location
167.6125 - CC
167.2625
167.3625
168.8500
169.4125

Site 112 [T010c] – Baw Faw Peak, WA
171.6875 - CC
167.7375
169.9125
167.2625
167.4375

Site 114 [T010e] – Kalama, WA
170.6750 - CC
171.9875
168.8875

Site 115 [T010f] – Vancouver, WA
167.4625 - CC
168.8250
169.4125

Site 118 [T0112] – SeaTac Area
172.6375 - CC
170.6250

Site 119 [T0113] – Portland, OR – Mount Scott?
172.0625 - CC
170.7250
170.8375
170.9125
170.9375
172.2125
172.4125

Site 120 [T0114] – Portland, OR – Germantown Road?
168.5875 - CC
167.6625
168.9125
169.2375
171.9625
167.5125

Site 121 [T0115] – Portland, OR – Unknown Site
171.6625 - CC
169.9375

Site 122 [T0116] – Portland, OR – Unknown Site
171.6125 - CC
170.0625
172.1875

Site 123 [T0117] – Portland, OR – West Hills Site?
170.9875 - CC
167.6125
168.8500
171.3250
171.4375

Traffic on this system has been mostly encrypted, but I suspect when the interoperability features that will be linked to local public safety systems start showing up, more traffic may be in the clear.

Also, despite the availability of this system, most federal agency conventional channels continue to be used.

NYC Federal Interop Tests

I've received some information about weekly testing of the New York City federal interop radio channels. Reports are that 167.7875 MHz, 407.7750 MHz and 414.7500 MHz are all used in these weekly check-ins with various local, state and federal agencies. The input to the 167.7875 MHz P-25 repeater is believed to be 164.7375 MHz and 407.7750 MHz is most likely the input to the 414.750 MHz repeater. The control operator appears to be the FBI New York Communications Center. I also heard a story that even though 414.7500 MHz is a nationwide US Postal Inspectors frequency, two Postal Inspector units who were trying to use this repeater in New York City were chased off the air by the FBI communications operator. I wonder if they leave these frequencies patched all the time, or someone forgot to drop the patch after the interop test?

For more information on the participating agencies and the radio systems involved:
http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/topics/commtech/25cities/newyork.pdf

MT Reader Only Access

A new feature of the Monitoring Times website is a "Reader Only" access area. Look for a password in each issue of Monitoring Times for access to this area.
I have started uploading some Fed Files documents that you may find interesting, so check the Reader Only area for new files.
For more information, click the link to the MT web site:
http://www.monitoringtimes.com/ and look for the key icon!

SFO DHS Update

On a recent stopover at San Francisco International Airport (SFO), I was searching the federal bands and found that the DHS CBP/ICE repeater on 170.6250 MHz has as an input of 166.2500 MHz!

Anyone for NAC's?

I've been getting some requests from readers for information about the federal use of Network Access Codes or "NAC"s on P-25 digital channels. So far there are few ways for the monitoring hobby to actually read or use NAC's, but since CTCSS or PL tones are going away when radio channels turn digital, maybe a pattern of NAC assignments by particular agencies will reveal itself.

If you are able to decode NACs on federal P-25 systems, consider starting a federal NAC database here at the Fed Files!

Fed Files Contest

As announced in the January Fed Files column, we are having a contest to celebrate 25 years of Monitoring Times magazine. The prize is an original copy of Monitoring Times Volume 1, number 4, pictured above. All you have to do to be eligible for the drawing is send us your name and contact information (email or postal address - how to get in touch with you in case you win). And, if you like, please let us know what you would like to see in future Fed Files columns. You can e-mail it to me at chrisparris@monitoringtimes.com, or you can mail an entry to Monitoring Times Magazine, 7540 Highway 64 West, Brasstown, NC 28902-0098. The deadline for entries is February 15th. We'll announce the winner shortly after that.

DHS Releases National Interop Assessment

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) today released scorecard assessments of interoperable communications capabilities in 75 urban and metropolitan areas nationwide. Interoperable communications involve policies, technology and training that enable law enforcement, fire and emergency medical services from multiple jurisdictions in a common community to effectively communicate within one hour of an incident.

http://www.dhs.gov/xnews/releases/pr_1167843848098.shtm

http://www.dhs.gov/xprepresp/gc_1167770109789.shtm

http://www.dhs.gov/xlibrary/assets/grants-scorecard-report-010207.pdf

Durango Dispatch USFS Info

A source passed along this link to the Durango Dispatch Center firefighting information packet. These PDF files occasionally show up on line sometimes, but then they can dissapear just as quickly:

http://www.fs.fed.us/r2/fire/drc/2006briefguide.pdf

The Durango Dispatch Center (DRC) is an interagency dispatch center responsible for incidents and resource mobilization coordination for the San Juan Public Lands (San Juan NF - USFS and San Juan Field Office -BLM), Ute Mountain Ute Reservation, Southern Ute Reservation, Mesa Verde National Park, Southwest Colorado counties, and Colorado State Forest Service.

Federal Air Marshals Communications

Recent posts on the AirCommSouthwest Yahoo group were concerning the Federal Air Marshals Service and an incident involving an Air Marshal on a recent flight. After the incident, in which a passenger was subdued by an Air Marshal, the FAM requested the pilot call in a report of what happened. The pilot was heard on an ARINC VHF air-to-ground frequency calling in the incident. Some wondered about what the Air Marshals have to communicate with while on duty.

Although there have been reports of some type of satellite or world-wide communications system, the Federal Air Marshals most likely just have cell phones. One list member posted a link to this document that mentioned the TSA and Federal Air Marshals Service using satellite communications:

http://www.house.gov/hasc/schedules/6-21-06CavossaTestimony.pdf

However, further searches on the subject of the Air Marshals Service and satellite communications reveals this story:

http://blogs.abcnews.com/theblotter/2006/06/air_marshals_bo.html

It seems that if they have a satellite communications system, it doesn't work as advertised.

I also received some anonymous information regarding the Federal Air Marshals and a UHF radio system that was installed for the New York Field Office:

F1 408.050 (418.050, input)

F2 418.075

F3 418.575

F4 418.400

It's not known if these are used nationwide or only in the NYC area.

Coast Guard MSST Activity

I recently received some loggings of some USCG MSST activity in the Southeast US...

From an anonymous source:

"Within the last year, I have had two opportunities to monitor what I believe is MSST 91108 (King's Bay). They have done security zone operations on the Savannah River at Georgia Ports in both March and December. On both occasions they have used 25' RB-S Defender Class boats using 2548# hull numbers. I can only make an educated guess that they are from King's Bay, but they are certainly an MSST, as they were addressed as such by the civilian police boats working on the river. They operated on 157.050, Ch. 21 with guard through Sector Charleston rather than Station Tybee. They ID'd variously by hull number, THUNDER ### (last 3 digits of hull number), and VENOM ### (last 3 digits of hull number). They used 157.075, Ch. 81 and 157.175, Ch. 83 for internal / boat-to-boat communications. They used hull number / THUNDER/VENOM callsigns here as well as COYOTE, SUNCOAST, and VOODOO (these last 3 I think may have been coxswain or crew related and not boat-assigned)."

Thanks to my anonymous source for passing that information along...

For those not familiar with the Marine Safety and Security Teams, you can read more about them here:

http://www.uscg.mil/hq/g-cp/comrel/factfile/Factcards/MSST.htm

What's Up in MT?

The January Monitoring Times Fed Files covers a number of topics, including our Fed Files drawing for an original issue of Monitoring Times, and information regarding MT "Reader Only" access to areas of the MT web site. We also cover a number of federal agency frequencies, including the US Postal Inspectors, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and a close look at the Justice Department's "25 Cities Project". And we get a view of Oklahoma City federal scanning with the help of a Monitoring Times reader!

A Very Merry Fed Files Christmas!

Sorry for the lack of new blog entries these days, but between traveling for work and getting up to speed on the holidays, I've just not had the time for posting things lately.
However, I can offer some federal monitoring nuggets as stocking stuffers:
418.9000, 156.7 pl - DEA repeater with OTAR data, heard in the area of LAX.
167.3375 MHz, P-25 - Interesting FBI surviellance operation in the Los Angeles area on Friday, December 22. Airborne observers were in a helicopter and the P-25 vocoder had an interesting time with the whine of the turbines in the backround.
166.9125 MHz, P-25 - Unknown agency in the Los Angeles area, with both encrypted and clear traffic.
163.2125 MHz, P-25 and 163.6375 MHz, P-25 - Both of these frequencies were reported as being used by some sort of simplex operation in the Portland, Oregon area this past week. No idea who the agency is yet.

Little Rock Federal Scanning - Updated

I'm set up in Little Rock, Arkansas for the weekend and will have some time for searching the federal bands. Here's some of what I've been hearing:
163.8125, 131.8 - US Marshals
163.8125, 136.5 - US Marshals
166.7125, 146.2 - Unknown repeater, sounds like maintenance types
168.3625, 146.2 - Unknown repeater
168.5250 - Paging, McClellan VA Medical Center
169.5875, P-25 - Little Rock Air Force Base Security Police
173.1375, P-25 - Unknown, likely Little Rock AFB
173.4375, P-25 - Little Rock Air Force Base, sounds like base security police
173.5375, 118.8 - Unknown repeater
173.5875, P-25 - Little Rock Air Force Base, Fire / Crash Net
406.1625, P-25 - Motorola SmartNet trunked system 4628
406.3625, P-25 - Motorola SmartNet trunked system 4628
406.5625, P-25 - Motorola SmartNet trunked system 4628
406.7625, P-25 - Motorola SmartNet trunked system 4628
406.9625, P-25 - Motorola SmartNet trunked system 4628
407.1625, P-25 - Motorola SmartNet trunked system 4628
407.3625, P-25 - Motorola SmartNet trunked system 4628
409.7625, P-25 - Motorola SmartNet trunked system 4628
409.7375, D664 - US Postal Service
415.2000, 103.5 - DHS Federal Protective Service
418.7375, D664 - US Postal Service, input to 409.7375
418.9500, 156.7 - DEA
419.1750, 210.7 - DHS Federal Protective Service, input to 415.2

The UHF trunked system noted above was originally reported as being located at Little Rock Air Force Base. However, I was unable to detect any of these or any other 406-420 MHz signals radiating from the base as I drove around the base perimeter today. The control channel on 406.1625 MHz started to come in very weakly as I drove back south to Little Rock, and was still very weak at my hotel. Since all the radios using this system are running encryption, I'm calling this "Unidentified" for now.

CBP Comm Center Alert

Apparently a suspicious white powder was discovered in a package delivered to the Customs & Border Protection National Law Enforcement Communications Center in Orlando. You can read about the incident here:
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/newsletter/mu-html/orl-bk-powder120406,0,5204040.story

Although the powder turned out to be harmless, I wonder who would be sending such things to the NLECC.

Note that the CBP NLECC is not the same dispatch center as the US Postal Inspectors NLECC. You'll be able to read more about the USPS NLECC in the January Fed Files.

The Customs and Border Protection NLECC (Pre-9/11 and DHS, known as SECTOR, now heard on their radio frequencies as CHARLIE 100) continues to operate the nationwide communications network for the CBP as well as some other federal agencies that don't maintain their own national communications networks. Other agencies you might hear on the CBP channels include the ATF, Coast Guard, Department of Defense, ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement), NOAA and the Department of Agriculture. For a fairly current list of the CBP nationwide radio nets, check the Fed Files blog here: http://mt-fedfiles.blogspot.com/2006_05_28_mt-fedfiles_archive.html

MT Blog Subscription Offer!

Monitoring Times is offering a discount on new or renewed MT Express subscriptions that mention the MT Blogs!

MT Express is the electronic version of the printed magazine. If comes to you in your email as a PDF file that can easily be read, printed and searched on your computer.

You can get a 1-year subscription to MT Express for $14.95 if you mention that you read about it here on one of the Monitoring Times Column Blogs. This offer is good for new subscritions or renewals that are ordered by December 31st 2006 and can be used only once.

To order your MT Express subscription visit http://www.grove-ent.com/MT.html or call 800-438-8155 (US and Canada). Be sure and mention that you read about it here on the Fed Files Blog!

Tampa Federal Monitoring - Updated

I'm located in the Tampa, Florida area for this week, so here is what I've been picking up. I'll update this list as new things are heard:
162.0250, CSQ - US Coast Guard
162.1250, CSQ - US Coast Guard
163.0625, P-25 - Unknown, heard at Tampa airport
163.0875, 131.8 - VAMC Maintenance?
163.3625, 131.8 - VAMC Security
165.2375, 100.0 - CBP Customs NET 1
166.4375, 100.0 - Input to 165.2375 MHz
167.4625, 167.9 - FBI DES
167.5875, 167.9 - FBI DES
168.5250, CSQ - Paging, VAMC?
168.8500, 151.4 - DHS ICE
169.4750 - Unknown
170.1250, D371 - USPS
172.1500, P-25 - DHS TSA simplex at Tampa Int'l
172.9000, P-25 - DHS TSA repeater
345.0000, AM - USCG Air Operations
406.1375, D371 - US Postal Service - Truck operations
406.5625, P-25 - MacDill AFB TRS
406.7625, P-25 - MacDill AFB TRS
406.9625, P-25 - MacDill AFB TRS
407.1375, P-25 Encrypted - possible USPS Inspectors new freq
407.3625, P-25 - MacDill AFB TRS
407.5625, P-25 - MacDill AFB TRS
407.7625, P-25 - MacDill AFB TRS
407.9625, P-25 - MacDill AFB TRS
408.1625, P-25 - MacDill AFB TRS
408.3625, P-25 - MacDill AFB TRS
408.5625, P-25 - MacDill AFB TRS
408.8500, D506 - ?
409.1625, P-25 - ?
409.4750, CSQ - ? Repeater
414.7000, 136.5 - ?
415.0500, USPS Inspectors
415.1375, D371 - US Postal Service - input to 406.1375 repeater
415.7625, P-25 ? - Possible input to 406.7625

National Parks Going Digital - Updated!

A number of reports have come across my desk about the National Parks Service switch to APCO P-25 digital, and that change appears to be in full swing. Here is a sample of what’s being heard:

Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area
168.4750
170.0500

Gettysburg National Memorial Park
164.7250

Great Smokey Mountain National Park
167.1500
169.0875
169.5500
170.5125
171.1625

Hopewell Furnace National Historical Site
172.4000

Independance National Historical Park
164.1250
164.7250
164.7500
171.6500

Shenandoah National Park
169.9250
171.7000
173.6750

Valley Forge National Historical Park
164.4250
165.4375

If you have any other National Parks frequencies that have switched to P-25 digital, let us know at the Fed Files!

Special thanks to those folks who have helped pass along this information!