NASA JSC Shooting

News reports indicate a suspect fired two gun shots then barricaded himself in Building 44 at the Johnson Space Center campus in Houston, Texas. As of the time of this blog entry, the situation was still unfolding.

For those wondering about monitoring the situation at JSC, the best bet would be listening to the Houston police conventional UHF frequencies for any activity. The Johnson Space Center does have a UHF federal trunked system for all of it's radio communications, but at last check all the radios were using P-25 digital mode with encryption enabled full time.

For future reference:

NASA Johnson Space Center

Motorola Smart Zone

System ID B32C

406.2375 MHz
407.0375 MHz
407.2375 MHz
407.4375 MHz
407.6375 MHz
408.5500 MHz
409.5125 MHz
409.7125 MHz
409.9125 MHz

VAMC Pittsburgh Radio Updates

I've received some information about changes to the Pittsburgh VA Medical Center radio frequencies. It appears that they are in the process of moving frequencies around and are actually simulcasting on old and new frequencies at the same time.

Here's what is reported as active these days:

171.0125 - PL 103.5 - Transports

173.9375 - PL 103.5 - Transports

172.6875 - P25 - Police

169.0125 - P25 - Police

166.2500 - P25 - Police Input

171.2625 - PL 127.3 - Emergency

170.5875 - PL 127.3 - Emergency

169.5875 - PL 114.8 - Maintenance

171.1875 - PL 114.8 - Maintenance

163.2375 - Paging

New Low Profile Federal Radios

A few years ago I saw this request for information from the Department of Homeland Security regarding a "low profile", cell-phone look-alike radio:

http://www.cbd-net.com/index.php/search/show/575529

A recent posting on the "Batlabs" board indicates that Motorola has come out with just what DHS wanted, and they are calling it the XTS4000:

http://batboard.batlabs.com/viewtopic.php?p=313386&sid=1896dc86ad52bb7b6e99d3773ecc31f2

While there is some speculation that these were developed with the IWN trunked system in mind (since they will do P-25 VHF trunking), I would guess that any federal agency using VHF systems would be interested in a radio like this. This model covers VHF frequencies, but could a UHF version be in the works?

Some additional information on the radio can be found at these links to the FCC web site:

Photos:
https://gullfoss2.fcc.gov/prod/oet/forms/blobs/retrieve.cgi?attachment_id=738677&native_or_pdf=pdf

https://gullfoss2.fcc.gov/prod/oet/forms/blobs/retrieve.cgi?attachment_id=738678&native_or_pdf=pdf

Operator manual:
https://gullfoss2.fcc.gov/prod/oet/forms/blobs/retrieve.cgi?attachment_id=738680&native_or_pdf=pdf

https://gullfoss2.fcc.gov/prod/oet/forms/blobs/retrieve.cgi?attachment_id=738682&native_or_pdf=pdf

IWN Redux - It's Growing Again! UPDATED!

Reports are being posted on RadioReference.com that a new IWN site has shown up in the Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan area. It is broadcasting a P-25 control channel on 167.8125 MHz and is showing the IWN System ID of 715 with a tower number of 12015 (looks like they are expecting a lot of tower sites!). Here are some additional site frequencies as recently posted on RadioReference:

167.8125 - Primary Control Channel
167.9375 - Voice
168.1875 - Alternate Control Channel
170.9375 - Voice

This comes despite information in the recently released OIG report about the IWN Project. In that report it was stated that the next phase of the IWN deployment would be in the Southwest US:

http://www.usdoj.gov/oig/reports/OBD/a0725/final.pdf

The IWN has recently grown from the initial "testbed" system in Western Washington State down in to Northern Oregon and is expected to continue to grow as the project continues. Listeners in the Northeren Michigan area should keep an ear out for additional control channels and voice channels that go with them!

Los Angeles BoP MDC

For a while I have been seeking information on the Los Angeles Metropolitan Detention Center, operated by the US Bureau of Prisons. I just stumbled on several P-25 voice channels and a Motorola trunked control channel that I think may be located at the LA MDC in downtown Los Angeles.

I think I have picked up this control channel on my last visit to LA, but the frequency is also used by the Camp Pendelton UHF trunked system, and I may have ignored it.

Still working on more system information but here is what I have so far:

Motorola Type II

System ID - ca0b

406.8125 - P25 voice

409.4125 - P25 voice

409.9500 - Control channel

Fed Files Contest Winner!

Congratulations to David Stearns of Overland Park, Kansas. He won the drawing for an original copy of Monitoring Times, volume 1, #4. That issue of MT featured a front page story about the NTIA classifying the federal frequency Master File.

Thanks to everyone who entered the Fed Files drawing. We'll do it again when we come up with another prize!

CBP Border Patrol Update

After my recent trip to Arizona, I decided to dust off my listings for the DHS Customs & Border Protection Border Patrol. The Border Patrol continues to use its legacy VHF frequencies that are in blocks assigned to the Justice Department.

Currently the CBP Border Patrol doesn’t have a national channel plan like some agencies, but assigns their frequencies as needed locally. Along both the northern and southern border areas (except for southern California), the 163 MHz frequencies are the “backbone” repeaters with multiple input frequencies, from the 162 MHz, 165 MHz and 168 MHz blocks of frequencies. These frequencies can be used as repeaters or “local” simplex frequencies as well.

In areas not near the US borders, the former US Immigration agents, now part of DHS as the Immigration and Customs Enforcement may use frequencies from these blocks for local use.

162.8250
162.8500
162.8750
162.9000
162.9250
162.9500
162.9750

163.0500
163.1000
163.3750
163.5500
163.6000
163.6250
163.6500
163.6625
163.6750
163.7000
163.7250
163.7500
163.7750
163.8250
163.8875
163.9625

164.0500
164.5500

165.8000
165.8250
165.8500
165.8625
165.8750
165.9000
165.9250
165.9750

166.5875
166.8500

168.3500
168.8000
168.8250
168.8500
168.8625
168.8750
168.9000
168.9250
168.9500
168.9750

170.3500
170.6250
170.6750
170.7000
170.7250
170.7375
170.7500
170.7750
170.8250
171.3125
171.7250
172.5250
173.6875
173.7750

Besides the frequencies listed above, most CBP Border Patrol units have access to the national CBP Customs radio nets listed in a previous blog entry:

http://mt-fedfiles.blogspot.com/2006/06/dhs-cbp-channel-lineup.html

Phoenix Federal Scanning

Just finishing up a weeks work in the Phoenix, Arizona area and found quite a bit of federal activity. Despite the use of encrypted P-25 in southern California Border Patrol activity, southern Arizona remains a mix of analog and DES encryption.

163.6500 DHS CBP DES

163.7750 123.0 DHS CBP BORDER PATROL

164.6000 100.0 DHS CBP

165.2375 100.0 DHS CBP NET 1

165.6375 P-25 TRUNKED SYSTEM 534 SITE 107- PRIMARY CC

166.3250 ?

166.7000 P-25 TRUNKED SYSTEM 534 SITE 107- ALTERNATE CC

167.6250 127.3 TONTO NF?

167.8250 P-25

168.9750 100.0 DHS CBP BORDER PATROL

169.4000 CSQ REPEATER - USFS?

169.4500 100.0 DHS CBP - DES

171.7500 123.0

172.8250 P-25 FAA PHOENIX

173.6875 123.0 DHS CBP BORDER PATROL

173.7125 P-25 ? ENC

173.8375 P-25 UNKNOWN - KEYS UP WITH NO VOICE

411.6750 ?

418.9500 156.7 DEA F6

The trunked sites listed are part of the Phoenix Metro P-25 800 MHz Public Safety system. They've been on the air for a couple of years now, but I don't know if anyone has actually heard them used yet.

Justice IWN Update - The Next Move?

As I have been reporting both on the Fed Files blog and in the Fed Files column in Monitoring Times, the Justice Integrated Wireless Network or IWN continues to grow and progress towards it's goal of being a nationwide digital trunked system for federal agencies. However, a recent audit of the systems shows there are some troubles for the IWN Project:

http://www.usdoj.gov/oig/reports/OBD/a0725/final.pdf

The above link contains some interesting information about the project and its use by various agencies so far.

The IWN expanded it's coverage from Washington State down in to Oregon and the Portland metro area in late 2006. It now appears to be in full use by Portland area federal agencies. We've been monitoring a LOT of activity on the system in the last month or so, almost 24/7. Several talk-groups on the system are showing the majority of the activity, but since the radios have been set up with the encryption selected automaticaly, I haven't heard any clear transmissions since the radio techs finished with their installation tests. But remember - systems are not encrypted, talk groups are not encrypted, but it is the individual radios that are encrypted.

So where will the IWN show up next? Information in the above referenced audit report confirms that the southwest US is the next region to start the build out. I am currently in the Phoenix area (more on that in another blog entry) and have noted there is a P-25 control channel on 165.6375 MHz. It is part of the Phoenix area P-25 trunked system that allows federal VHF users to tie directly in to the 800 MHz system without patches.

Here is some budget information for the IWN project:

http://www.dhs.gov/xlibrary/assets/mgmt/e300-dhs-iwn2008.pdf

So keep a lookout for P-25 control channels showing up in the VHF federal band in your area!

NOAA UHF Weather Links

Some listeners may not know that the NOAA has some UHF frequencies that are used for "links" between the NOAA Weather Offices and the VHF weather transmitters that are located across the country. Sometimes, depending on the location of the NOAA offices, you can hear the weather broadcasts better on the UHF link frequency. And if the VHF Weather transmitter is off the air for some reason, you still might be able to catch the feed on the UHF frequency!

Here are some UHF frequencies that are allocated for use by the NOAA:

410.1000 - Weather Link
410.1750
410.4750
410.5500
410.5750 - Weather Link
410.6750
410.7250
410.8500
410.8750
412.3250
415.8500
415.9000 - Weather Link
416.3750 - Weather Link
416.9750 - Weather Link

I have noted where I have heard the NOAA weather being linked to VHF transmitter sites.
So if you have trouble hearing the normal VHF NOAA Weather frequencies, give the UHF federal band a search!

National Marine Fisheries Service

I received some frequencies that are reported to be used by the National Marine Fisheries Service, a division of NOAA:

http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/

These are reported as being used in hand-held radios. I haven't confirmed these personally, but hope someone can!

NOAA NMFS Portlables

410.7000

410.7250

410.8750

410.9750

FBI Aircraft Call Signs

This past year we have seen reports of FBI aircraft operations using a new call sign. Previously the call sign of ROSS was used by aircraft being used in FBI operations. This call sign was used on the FAA air traffic control channels in order to identify them as a law enforcement aircraft to flight controllers. The ROSS call was followed by numbers, sometimes related to the aircraft FAA registration, or "N" number.

However, some have reported that the ROSS call has been replaced by the call sign JENNA. Some have reported the call pronounced with a long E, as "jean-ah", others have heard it as "gen-na", with a short E sound. Most recently JENNA 85 (N6317T) was heard landing at Paine Field in Everett, Washington.

I have also received reports that this new JENNA call sign is actually an addition to the ROSS call. The JENNA call is supposed to be used by non-FBI aircraft and non-FBI flight crews being used on FBI operations, where the ROSS call is still used for FBI owned aircraft with FBI flight crews.

As a possible related side note, I recently heard a "JENNA 01" on the ATC channels over Colorado or Utah. Where were they headed?

BTW, the original FAA document that had all the assigned federal aircraft call signs has been modified, and the table with the call signs has been eliminated;

http://www.faa.gov/ATPUBS/FSS/fss1401.htm

The document linked above used to have a table of assigned call signs for federal law enforcement and military aircraft for use while communicating with FAA air traffic control. I have a printed copy of the original document that contains the call sign table 14-1-51.

Anyone know anything more? Let us know at the Fed Files!

IAD BETWEEN FLIGHTS

I had a little time between flights at Dulles International Airport near Washington, DC this week. Here's a little of what I was able to scan from Terminal D:
162.3500 MHz - FAA, Wind Shear data?
165.8250 MHz, P-25 - "409 to Command Center..."
168.9250 MHz, P-25 - DHS Customs & Border Protection at IAD
171.2375 MHz - Paging data
172.9000 MHz, P-25 - TSA at IAD - The TSA seems to be encrypted most of the time here. Very unusual for TSA, but I've heard reports they are encrypted full time in San Diego also.
407.8625 MHz, P-25 - Close Call hit on this frequency, sounded like "SIDE DOOR" calling Patrol Units.
408.6000 MHz, P-25 - Another Close Call hit. Active, but unknown who it is.
409.7125 MHz, P-25 - Yet another Close Call hit. Also active and unknown.

Maybe some of the folks who regularly monitor the DC area can fill me in on who all the UHF P-25 frequencies belong to!

Coast Guard Covers DC

A recent post on the SCAN DC list pointed to this press release about the recent move from Customs and Border Protection to Coast Guard helicopter assets patroling the National Capitol District:

http://www.piersystem.com/go/doc/651/145886/

The Coast Guard is using HH65-C Dolphin helicopters to patrol the DC area and intercept wayward aircraft.

167.8625 MHz Anyone?

For over a year now I have been catching a lot of voice and digital paging data on 167.8625 MHz in different areas of the country. Despite this frequency falling in to the "normal" range used by the FBI, I am 99.9% sure that this is being used by the Department of Veterans Affairs for medical paging at VA Medical Centers across the country . I'm hoping some Fed Files readers can help confirm if this frequency is used in your area. So give this frequency listen and let us know if you catch some paging data or someone calling for a doctor to X-ray!

Super Bowl 41 Fedcom Sweep - Updated!

Back from Miami with some frequencies used at Super Bowl 41. A more detailed list with some additional information will be coming soon in the Fed Files column. These frequencies were monitored while on location at Dolphin Stadium over a 5 day period, including Super Sunday:

163.1000, P-25 - Federal Common

163.8625, P-25 - Input to 167.5375 repeater

163.8875, P-25

163.9000, P-25 - Input to 171.4375 FIO repeater

164.4000, P-25 - DHS USSS "Papa"

164.5375 - Unknown analog repeater

164.6500, P-25 - DHS USSS "Tango"

164.9625, 100.0 - Primary DHS Customs Air Marine Division helicopter operations

165.2375, 100.0 - DHS CBP Operations NET 1

165.2875, P-25 - ATF Operations at Dolphin Stadium

167.2625, P-25 - Radio checks at Dolphin Stadium

167.4375, 167.9 - FBI repeater

167.5125, P-25 - FBI simplex operations at Dolphin Stadium

167.5375, P-25 - FBI Interoperability repeater, possibly called "Tactical 2". Heard many radio checks between agencies and even heard "Atlanta" checking in with "Jacksonville".

167.6125, P-25 - FBI

167.6625, P-25 - FBI

167.7625

168.0125

168.8250

168.8750

169.4500. 100.0 - DHS CBP Operations

169.5750

170.8250 - FBI

171.0250

171.4375, P-25 - Primary Interoperability repeater. Links to various agencies heard here, including Metro-Dade Fire Rescue units. Keep an eye on this frequency as it has shown up as a Federal Interop repeater in other major US cities.

173.0750

413.2750, D4431 - US Air Force Thunderbirds Comm Cart at Dolphin Stadium

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.