March ARB Trunked System

There have been some changes to the March Air Reserve Base VHF P-25 trunked radio system in Riverside, California. These changes might not be obvious to listeners in the area.

The system is still P25 Phase 1, but it has had a change in some of the frequencies and now is part of the larger US Air Force 3D6 trunked system. 

Here are the specifics of the current system:

System ID : 3D6
System Name : March ARB
WACN : BEE00
Tower Number (Decimal): 1-13
Tower Number (Hex) : T010D
Tower Description : Single Site
Flavor : Phase 1

System Frequencies
138.08750
138.11250
138.13750
138.26250
138.41250
138.51250
138.61250
138.63750
138.68750
138.71250

The system information on March ARB on the Radio Reference site has not been updated to reflect these changes, but here is some information on the USAF 3D6 trunked system: https://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?sid=7769
 

FCI Sheridan TRS

I had a chance to stop by the Federal Correctional Institution in Sheridan, OR this week, so I could check on what type of radio system is in use there. It turns out to be the same system I found last time I was there 6 or 7 years ago.

Even with some federal prison facilities now upgrading or replacing systems with P-25 digital trunked systems, many are still using the Motorola type II trunking. In this case, they are still type II with digital voice. 

Here are the goods on their current trunked system:

Sheridan Federal Correctional Institution
Sys ID - A81C
Voice NAC - $1C5
 
408.8125
409.0125
409.4125
409.9500
410.5250

Scanner Band Plan
Base - 408.8125
Step - 12.5 KHz
Offset - 380

Federal Emergency Frequencies

In the April issue of The Spectrum Monitor, I presented possible frequencies that would possibly be used, particularly in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Here are some potential monitoring targets for federal agency activity in areas in which federal agencies are supporting public health issues. First is the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). While their day-to-day activity probably does not have many two-way radios involved, they do have emergency response teams and those teams do have radios. Here are the frequencies allocated to HHS;

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

Here is a listing of what was found in an HHS radio channel load at one time and may still be in use. Note the HHS National TAC channels:

409.0000         N293   K2

419.6000         N392   K3

409.2000         N447   K4

418.2000         N744   K6

409.0500         N447   K7

418.0500         N744   K9

409.3375         N447   K10

418.3375         N744   K12

412.8250         N447   K13

412.8500         N447   K14

412.8375         N447   K15

412.8625         N447   K16

412.8500         N068   HHS NTAC 1

413.0500         N068   HHS NTAC 2

413.8125         N068   HHS NTAC 3

417.7000         N068   HHS NTAC 4

In addition to the HHS channels, be sure and listen for activity on the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Here are some of the confirmed UHF channels, although FEMA has equipment that can use any VHF or UHF band channels as needed:

138.0250

138.4625

138.6625

138.8875

140.5125

140.7125

141.4500

143.4625

143.8875

148.3000

149.0250

150.4500

150.5125

150.6625

406.2625           N421     FEMA 01/02

406.4500

406.4625

406.8625                         National Disaster Medical System (NDMS)

407.0625           N421     FEMA 03/04

407.1250                         NDMS

407.2625

407.4500           N421     FEMA 11/12

407.4625

407.6625           N421     FEMA 05/06

408.0625

408.2625

408.8625           N421     FEMA Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) 01

409.0000           N447     FEMA NDMS

409.0500           N447     FEMA NDMS

409.0625           N421     FEMA 07/08

409.0750                         NDMS

409.2625                         USAR

409.3375

409.4625           N421     FEMA 11

409.6625                         USAR

409.8625           N421     FEMA 05

410.2625                         USAR

410.3375           N447     FEMA NDMS

410.4625           N421     FEMA 09/10

410.6625                         FEMA Urban Search and Rescue (USAR)

410.8625           N421     FEMA 14

412.4375

412.8250

412.8375

412.8500

412.8625

412.8750

412.8875

412.9000

412.9125

415.2625

415.4625

415.8625

416.2625

416.4500           N421     FEMA INPUT

416.4625

416.6625

417.2875

418.0625           N421     FEMA 08 INPUT

418.3375

418.4625           N421     FEMA 11 INPUT

418.8625           N421     FEMA 05 INPUT

419.2625

419.4625           N421     FEMA 02 INPUT

419.6625           N421

419.8625           N421     FEMA 14 INPUT

In addition to these frequencies, the National Telecommunications and Information Agency (NTIA) has allocated a number of VHF and UHF channels for federal agency interoperability. This allows different federal agencies some common radio channels where none had previously existed. Here are the current NTIA allocated Federal Interoperability frequencies, and these can be found in the NIFOG document I mentioned earlier:

162.0875         1FCAL-35

162.2625         1FCAL-36

162.8375         1FCAL-37

163.2875         1FCAL-38

163.4250         1FCAL-39

164.7125         1FCAL-40

165.2500         1FCAL-41

165.9625         1FCAL-42

165.5750         1FCAL-43

167.0875         1FCAL-35D

167.0875         LE-1

167.2500         1FLAW-36D

167.2500         LE-2/LE-6

167.3250         1FCAL-44

167.7500         1FLAW-37D

167.7500         LE-3/LE-7

168.1125         1FLAW-38D

168.1125         LE-4/LE-8

168.4625         1FLAW-39D

168.4625         LE-5/LE-9

169.5375         1FCAL-40D

169.5375         NC-1

170.0125         1FTAC-41D

170.0125         IR-1/IR-6

170.4125         1FTAC-42D

170.4125         IR-2/IR-7

170.6875         1FTAC-43D

170.6875         IR-3/IR-8

173.0375         1FTAC-44D

173.0375         IR-4/IR-9

           

409.9875         4FLAW-46D

409.9875         LE-10/LE-16

410.1875         4FLAW-47D

410.1875         LE-11/LE-17

410.2375         4FCAL-52D

410.2375         IR-15

410.4375         4FTAC-53D

410.4375         IR-10/IR-16

410.6125         4FLAW-48D

410.6125         LE-12/LE-18

410.6375         4FTAC-54D

410.6375         IR-11/IR-17

410.8375         4FTAC-55D

410.8375         IR-12/IR-18

413.1875         4FTAC-56

413.1875         IR-13

413.2125         4FTAC-57

413.2125         IR-14

414.0375         4FCAL-45D

414.0375         LE-B

414.0625         4FLAW-49

414.0625         LE-13

414.3125         4FLAW-50

414.3125         LE-14

414.3375         4FLAW-51

414.3375         LE-15

419.1875         4FLAW-47

419.2375         4FCAL-52

419.4375         4FTAC-53

419.6126         4FLAW-48

419.6375         4FTAC-54

419.8375         4FTAC-55

419.9875         4FLAW-46

Some areas have had National Guard units activated to provide mostly logistical support for areas heavily affected by the COVID-19 virus. In addition to their normal unit communications, they could be using the frequencies listed above, and you might consider the following frequencies, which are allocated to federal government itinerant use by any federal government agency:

163.1000

163.7125        

167.1375

168.3500

168.5500        

168.6125        

173.6250        

407.5250        

409.0500

409.0750

409.3375

412.8250

412.8375

412.8500

412.8625

412.8750

412.8875

412.9000

412.9125

416.5250

418.0500

418.0750

418.3375

National Guard and COVID-19 Operations

I have seen and heard some frequencies and radio systems that appear to be specially reserved for operations supporting response to the COVID-19 pandemic in various areas of the country. Unfortunately, many people seem to want to be given these frequencies instead of looking for them. Many of these channels, especially National Guard channels, are not well known and will have to be found by searching.

These frequencies will not necessarily involve medical calls or ambulances, but instead will be government agencies providing supplies or personnel to assist with food and equipment as needed.

Many National Guard units have access to statewide radio systems, either trunked or conventional.

For those who are interested, I thought I would post what I have found and add to it as new information comes in.

If you have any frequencies or information on COVID-19 response frequencies, feel free to send them to me on Twitter (@TheFedFiles) or email cparris2+fedfiles@gmail.com

CONNECTICUT
Statewide
Connecticut Statewide CLMRN trunked radio system
National Guard heard on talk groups 40152 & 40154

ILLINOIS
STARCOM21 Statewide trunked radio system
Illinois Terrorism Task Force (ITTF) talk groups


INDIANA
Statewide
Statewide Mutual Aid (SWMA) talk groups on the SAFE-T trunked radio system

KANSAS
Statewide
KCICS trunked system, Army National Guard talk groups
TG1924 heard active
Possible conventional frequencies:
32.1
41.7
851.0875

NEW JERSEY
Statewide
New Jersey State Police trunked system (Motorola)
NJ Army National Guard talk groups
TG57936 - 2B EOC NET

TEXAS
Houston
TXWARN Trunked Radio System talk groups:
MA-10
MA-13

CoH Special Event 10 - HPD

CoH Special Event 12 - HPD

CoH HHS Div A - virus testing

CoH HHS Div B - virus testing

OREGON
Salem?
138.5500, CSQ - Possible National Guard

WASHINGTON
Seattle - Century Link Events Center National Guard

395.4875, N014

395.6375, N016

396.3000, N197

369.3625, N197

399.2000, N293

WISCONSIN

163.4875 - Army Corps of Engineers

168.1125, N68F

168.4125, N68F

385.6875, N001 - Wisconsin National Guard

Navy Hospital Ships and COVID-19

The U.S. Navy has dispatched two hospital ships to New York City and Los Angeles to support medical efforts during the Coronavirus pandemic.


The USNS Mercy arrived in Los Angeles harbor on Friday, March 27th and the USNS Comfort departed Norfolk, VA on Saturday, March 28th for New York.


Originally no reports on what the USNS Comfort is using for radios after her arrival in NYC. However later posts indicate there is possibly activity on 385.1875 MHz, N401 that is related to the Comfort.

Here is a link to the thread on Radio Reference about the Comfort:

https://forums.radioreference.com/threads/usns-comfort.404034/


The USNS Mercy has been reported to be using an on-board UHF DMR radio system for their operations. The system is NOT using frequencies in the normal federal/military radio bands, but instead is using what are public safety allocations here in the United States in the UHF band. Here is a quick rundown of what is known so far:


DMR Motorola Capacity+

LCN 1 458.225, CC 1

LCN 2 458.325, CC 2

LCN 3 458.425, CC 3

LCN 4 458.525, CC 4

LCN 5 458.625, CC 5


Note the unusual use of the 453 MHz channels as inputs and 458 MHz channels as repeater outputs. This is often done in maritime applications of floating repeater systems.


You can find a thread on the Mercy radio system on Radio Reference here: https://forums.radioreference.com/threads/las-floating-hospital.403924/

Federal Agencies & COVID-19

Here is a graphic that shows which federal agency is doing what during the COVID-19 pandemic response:

https://www.hstoday.us/subject-matter-areas/airport-aviation-security/coronavirus-responsibilities-which-agency-is-tasked-with-doing-what/

Here is a link to the poster that can be downloaded directly:

https://www.hstoday.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Pandemic-1.pdf

New vendor awarded $8.5M to service Coast Guard’s failing VHF sites

This is in reference to VHF Marine Remote sites in Alaska:

https://www.ktoo.org/2020/01/06/new-vendor-awarded-8-5-million-to-service-coast-guards-failing-vhf-sites/

The Passing of Uniden's Paul Opitz

Word began spreading last night about the death of Paul Opitz, otherwise known as "UPMan" on the scanner forums on Radio Reference.

Paul was the product manager for radio scanners at the Uniden Corporation in the U.S. He was instrumental in the design and development of all the recent models of radio scanners made and sold by Uniden.

https://forums.radioreference.com/threads/sad-news-about-paul-opitz-upman.399210/

Paul discovered he had cancer very suddenly in 2017 and decided to blog about it. It shows how determined he was to fight and provided some interesting insight to the man that many radio hobbyists knew, but had never met;

http://massivelyuninformed.me/category/throat-blog/?order=asc

Memorial information for Mr. Rodney Paul Opitz, R.I.P. -

https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/fort-worth-tx/rodney-opitz-8977535

January 2020 TSM Corrections

Well, I somehow managed to fat-finger some frequencies in the January 2020 edition of Federal Wavelengths and wanted to post some corrections.

In my January column I spoke about where to look for federal radio traffic. Here are the ranges as I intended to list them:

Most of the active federal radio systems near you are going to be in two distinct bands of radio frequencies. The federal VHF Hi-band runs from 162.0 MHz to 174.0 MHz, with the channels being assigned in 12.5 kHz steps. The federal UHF band runs from 406.0 MHz to 420.0 MHz, also in 12.5 kHz steps. There are some additional ranges of frequencies that are sometimes used by federal and military operations that might be active in your area. The VHF lo-band from 30 MHz to 50 MHz is often used by military aircraft and ground units in the FM analog mode. The ranges of 138.0 MHz through 144.0 MHz and 148.0 MHz through 150.875 MHz are often used by military land mobile and aircraft operations. They can be AM (for aircraft) or FM (for land mobile) mode and may be digital as well. There is a small piece of radio spectrum above the federal UHF band that runs from 400.0 MHz to 406.0 MHz, that is normally assigned to radio astronomy use, but there are exceptions for military and federal use. There have been several examples of federal operations being heard in this range of frequencies, but it’s rare."

Army Flights Over DC

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-12-13/army-s-secret-flights-over-washington-now-an-enduring-mission

Another 380 MHz Trunked System and Garage Doors

Another story has  emerged about people having trouble with their garage door remote controls likely due to interference from a government 380 MHz trunked radio system:

https://www.fauquiernow.com/fauquier_news/article/fauquier-feds-admit-radios-interfere-with-garage-door-openers-11-5-2019

These systems have been blamed in other areas for causing issues, but since the garage door openers are FCC Part 15 devices, they have to accept any interference from licensed users. The door opener remotes are often built with poor selectivity and get de-sensed from the legitimate radio systems nearby.

VHF P-25 DoD System Near Pittsburgh?

A recent posting over on Radio Reference indicates that a new VHF P-25 multi-site radio system is being heard in the Pittsburgh area, in southwestern Pennsylvania.

System information was posted as shown below:

Pittsburgh Area VHF P-25 DoD System?

Network: BEE00.8A8

Bandplan #4:

Base=136.

Offset=+0.9

Spacing=12.5

BW=12.5 

Site: 1.1 NAC=8A0

Neighbors: 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5 

Channel 4-179: 138.2375 CC 

Channel 4-215: 138.6875 CC SCC 

Site: 1.2 NAC=8A0

Neighbors:1.1, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5 

Channel 4-163: 138.0375 CC SCC 

Channel 4-205: 138.5625 CC SCC VOICE 

Channel 4-255: 139.1875 VOICE DATA 

Channel 4-495: 142.1875 VOICE DATA 

Site: 1.3 NAC=8A0

Neighbors: 1.1, 1.2, 1.4, 1.5 

Channel 4-181: 138.2625 CC 

Channel 4-217: 138.7125 SCC 

Channel 4-291: 139.6375 VOICE 

Channel 4-519: 142.4875 VOICE 

Site: 1.4 NAC=8A0

Neighbors: 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.5 

Channel 4-203: 138.5375 CC 

Channel 4-243: 139.0375 SCC 

Site: 1.5 NAC=8A0

Neighbors: 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4 

Channel 4-201: 138.5125 CC 

Channel 4-219: 138.7375 CC SCC

Anyone have any information on the system being heard and where it might be?

There is already a VHF P-25 system at the Pittsburgh Air Reserve Station at the Pittsburgh International Airport. This system is part of a US Air Force system covering many bases:

Site 1-015

Pittsburgh Air Reserve Station  Allegheny, PA      

138.5875          

140.6625               

141.4875               

143.0125               

143.0625        

 

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