Federal Protective Service Wiki Update - Your Help Needed!

[skipshark773]

Hey all,
I am trying to update the FPS Wiki Page with current frequency information. This will provide a great "point of contact" to find frequency information, without having to comb through countless database pages.

Here is what I have so far (from the database, listed by MegaCenter and Region):

Philadelphia, PA MegaCenter Dispatch (Regions 1, 2, 3)
Region 1 (New England)
417.2000 Unk - Boston (P25 & Partial Encryption, Dispatch in the clear)

Region 2 (Northeast)
417.2000 NAC 293 - New York City

Region 3 (Mid-Atlantic)
413.8750 CSQ - Pittsburg, Philadelphia, Baltimore (PL 123.0 reported for Philadelphia)
*Operations in Virginia may be on a JNCR Trunked System

Battle Creek, MI MegaCenter Dispatch (Regions 4, 5, 6)
Region 4 (Southeast)
417.2000 Unk - Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach (P25 & Partial Encryption, Dispatch in the clear)
415.2000 192.8 - Miami
415.2000 Unk - Louisville
415.2000 Unk - Memphis
*Atlanta operations are on the Atlanta Federal TRS

Region 5 (Central)
407.0000 NAC 201 - Cleveland, Toledo
415.2000 Unk - Indianapolis (P25)
407.0000 NAC 201 - Minneapolis/St. Paul
408.2000 NAC 201 - Detroit
406.7000 NAC 201 - Chicago, Milwaukee
406.2000 NAC 201 - Milwaukee, Chicago

Region 6 (Heartland)
417.2000 Unk - St. Louis (P25 & Partial Encryption, Dispatch in the clear)

Denver, CO MegaCenter Dispatch (Regions 7, 8, 9, 10)
Region 7 (Greater Southwest)
415.2000 103.5 - Austin
415.2000 CSQ - Dallas/Fort Worth
415.2000 Unk - El Paso (Analog?)
415.2000 103.5 - Houston
407.1750 Unk - San Antonio (P25?)
415.2000 103.5 - Oklahoma City
*The Texas Federal page lists a plethora of FPS frequencies with no real description. They are:
415.2000
417.6500
419.1500
419.6500
No PL's or NAC's are listed for these.
*In addition the Dallas page lists the following frequencies:
413.9500
407.1750
408.1750
410.0250
All of these are listed with a PL of 103.5

Region 8 (Rocky Mountain)
410.8000 DCS 125 - Fort Collins, Loveland, Greeley
*Denver and Boulder Operations are on the Front Range Federal TRS
*Salt Lake City Operations are on the Hill AFB TRS

Region 9 (Pacific Rim)
417.2000 127.3 - San Fransisco, Sacramento, Southern California
419.1750 103.5, 118.8 - Southern California?

Region 10 (Northwest/Arctic)
417.2000 Unk - Seattle (P25)
408.2000 NAC 107 - Portland
408.2000 Unk - Anchorage

Suitland, MD MegaCenter Dispatch (Region 11)
Region 11 (National Capitol)
415.2000 NAC 201 - Washington, DC CH 1/2 (Partial Encryption)
417.2000 NAC 201 - Washington, DC CH 3/4 (Partial Encryption)
414.4750 NAC 203 - Washington, DC CH 5/6 (Partial Encryption)


That's all I have been able to discover so far.

Before I start changing the Wiki page, I'd like your help trying to confirm the following:

-Frequencies (especially the Southeast & Heartland regions, where info is lacking)
-Cities and areas covered (special attention to the Greater Southwest Region, where there is alot of conflicting info)
-CTCSS, DCS, and NAC codes

As more posts gather here I will update this listing. With your help, hopefully we will be able to submit a comprehensive list to the wiki.

Please spread the word back to your respective state forums too! Everyone's help will be needed to try to map out this nationwide radio system!

[edit]: Here's the region map from the FPS website to help you figure out what region your state might be in.

[ecps92]

Great work, info added for Region 1

Originally Posted by skipshark773

Hey all,
I am trying to update the FPS Wiki Page with current frequency information. This will provide a great "point of contact" to find frequency information, without having to comb through countless database pages.

Here is what I have so far (from the database, listed by MegaCenter and Region):

Philadelphia, PA MegaCenter Dispatch (Regions 1, 2, 3)
Region 1 (New England)
417.2000 Unk - Boston (P25 & Partial Encryption, Dispatch in the clear)


As more posts gather here I will update this listing. With your help, hopefully we will be able to submit a comprehensive list to the wiki.

Please spread the word back to your respective state forums too! Everyone's help will be needed to try to map out this nationwide radio system!

[edit]: Here's the region map from the FPS website to help you figure out what region your state might be in.

[SOFA_KING]

Skipshark773,

Great post. I like to see "the big picture".

I live just north of West Palm Beach, and I have not heard 417.2000 used. I have it in scan with PL 192.8 full time. I do scan it from time to time with P25 NAC Search, but I only do that every once in a while just to check my local channels to see if they are converting to P25. It slows the scan down if I scan too many channels. I have heard mobiles up here on 415.2000 with PL 192.8. I scan several other common channels used by these guys and get nothing else but 415.2000. I also search...nothing new from them.

Where did you hear this info on 417.2000 in WPB? I added P25 mode on this and also changed the PL mode to search. I'll keep an ear on it and let you know if I get something.

Phil

[W9NES]

Region 5 Indianapolis FPS is on 406.200 P25.

[KB1JHU]

I get activity on 417.200 with NAC 293 and 295. (Southwest CT)

The signal on 293 is a little weaker, so I'm thinking that's NY
295 is a fairly strong signal and there is some encryption. Not certain, but this could be New Haven.

And I just now picked up PL 114.8 but have not yet heard any locations. Just about as weak as the signal with NAC 293

[ecps92]

Rumor had it that the HIGH sites [Wide Area] were using $295 and
a local area [Building Specific] might use $294 or $293 so as to not
drive the "Mega-Center" crazy

Originally Posted by KB1JHU

I get activity on 417.200 with NAC 293 and 295. (Southwest CT)

The signal on 293 is a little weaker, so I'm thinking that's NY
295 is a fairly strong signal and there is some encryption. Not certain, but this could be New Haven.

And I just now picked up PL 114.8 but have not yet heard any locations. Just about as weak as the signal with NAC 293

[rvictor]

I can confirm 406.2000 NAC 201 in Milwaukee with a 2:00 p.m. CDT net rollcall.

Dick

[nd5y]

Originally Posted by skipshark773

*The Texas Federal page lists a plethora of FPS frequencies with no real description. They are:
415.2000
417.6500
419.1500
419.6500
No PL's or NAC's are listed for these.
*In addition the Dallas page lists the following frequencies:
413.9500
407.1750
408.1750
410.0250
All of these are listed with a PL of 103.5

I haven't been able to hear them for almost 4 years now since I moved.
This is what they had 4 years ago
415.200 / 413.950 simulcast at both Dallas and Ft Worth (CSQ on output)
419.150 / 408.175 Dallas secondary channel
419.650 / 410.025 Ft Worth secondary channel
417.200 / 419.175 unknown location I never figured out
417.650 / 407.175 unknown location I never figured out

Again, we're talking four years ago. What is listed in the DB page linked above has the inputs and outputs backwards.
I don't know if that is an error or if they really switched due to the realignment of the 406-420 band.
If I remember right they all had CSQ on the output and 103.5 on the input.
They also had a VHF car-to-car frequency 163.125. I don't know if that is still good either.

[skipshark773]

This is great you guys! I'm going to start moving this information into the wiki tonight, that way everyone can get directly involved in maintaining the information and updating it. Let's keep the discussion going on in here though, you all have some great information!

I can confirm Region 8's use of 410.8000 DCS 125 for Northern CO and the Front Range Federal TRS for Metro Denver. I am unsure if there are any units or frequencies assigned to Cheyenne, WY for FPS duties, but I will keep an ear on the UHF Fed band to see what comes up.

sofa_king: the info for that 417.2000 frequency came from an older forum post that I turned up with a search. There was no solid evidence for the use of the frequency, just some speculation. Perhaps it is used in Orlando, if not WPB or Ft. Lauderdale?

Here's the current list, with your contributions (items marked with [C] are confirmed):

Originally Posted by skipshark773

Region 1 (New England)
417.2000 Unk - Boston (P25 & Partial Encryption, Dispatch in the clear)
[C]417.2000 NAC 295 - New Haven (Partial Encryption)
417.2000 114.8 - Unknown (Heard in CT)
*Wide area sites may use NAC 295, local sites (building specific) may be using NAC 294 or 293 in this region.

Region 2 (Northeast)
417.2000 NAC 293 - New York City

Region 3 (Mid-Atlantic)
413.8750 CSQ - Pittsburg, Philadelphia, Baltimore (PL 123.0 reported for Philadelphia)
*Operations in Virginia may be on a JNCR Trunked System

Battle Creek, MI MegaCenter Dispatch (Regions 4, 5, 6)
Region 4 (Southeast)
417.2000 Unk - Unknown, may be Fort Lauderdale or West Palm Beach (P25 & Partial Encryption, Dispatch in the clear)
[C]415.2000 192.8 - Miami, West Palm Beach
415.2000 Unk - Louisville (PL may be 192.8)
415.2000 Unk - Memphis
*Atlanta operations are on the Atlanta Federal TRS

Region 5 (Central)
407.0000 NAC 201 - Cleveland, Toledo
[C]406.2000 Unk - Indianapolis (P25)
407.0000 NAC 201 - Minneapolis/St. Paul
408.2000 NAC 201 - Detroit
406.7000 NAC 201 - Chicago, Milwaukee
[C]406.2000 NAC 201 - Milwaukee, Chicago

Region 6 (Heartland)
417.2000 Unk - St. Louis (P25 & Partial Encryption, Dispatch in the clear)

Denver, CO MegaCenter Dispatch (Regions 7, 8, 9, 10)
Region 7 (Greater Southwest)
415.2000 103.5 - Austin
415.2000 CSQ - Dallas/Fort Worth
415.2000 Unk - El Paso (Analog?)
415.2000 103.5 - Houston
407.1750 Unk - San Antonio (P25?)
415.2000 103.5 - Oklahoma City
*The Texas Federal page lists a plethora of FPS frequencies with no real description. They are:
415.2000
417.6500
419.1500
419.6500
No PL's or NAC's are listed for these.
*In addition the Dallas page lists the following frequencies:
413.9500
407.1750
408.1750
410.0250
All of these are listed with a PL of 103.5

Region 8 (Rocky Mountain)
[C]410.8000 DCS 125 - Fort Collins, Loveland, Greeley
[C]*Denver and Boulder Operations are on the Front Range Federal TRS
*Salt Lake City Operations are on the Hill AFB TRS

Region 9 (Pacific Rim)
417.2000 127.3 - San Fransisco, Sacramento, Southern California
419.1750 103.5, 118.8 - Southern California?

Region 10 (Northwest/Arctic)
417.2000 Unk - Seattle (P25)
408.2000 NAC 107 - Portland
408.2000 Unk - Anchorage

Suitland, MD MegaCenter Dispatch (Region 11)
Region 11 (National Capitol)
415.2000 NAC 201 - Washington, DC CH 1/2 (Partial Encryption)
417.2000 NAC 201 - Washington, DC CH 3/4 (Partial Encryption)
414.4750 NAC 203 - Washington, DC CH 5/6 (Partial Encryption)

[SOFA_KING]

Roger that ~

I get Orlando too on band openings, so I'll be listening.

Phil

[davidbond21]

Originally Posted by skipshark773

407.1750 Unk - San Antonio (P25?)

You can trash this frequency for San Antonio. That frequency is used in a military Smartzone(with digital voice) system here and I'm not sure who got that submitted to the database. You'll see a NAC of 310 on it, but if you listen to the other military Smartzone frequencies conventionally, they all come up with the same NAC. The same goes for most of the frequency pairs listed in the Texas-Federal Agencies DB page; for a long time I thought I was listening to FPS in P25 but I got suspicious after a while of hearing them talking about getting planes off the runway and plane maintenance, and did a little research and the above little experiment.

Now I will say that I've had 415.2 come up with a PL of 103.5 which seems to match what is being used by FPS, and that 415.2 and its 9MHz offset of 406.2 don't seem to be in use by the above mentioned Smartzone system, but I've heard precious little voice on this frequency and certainly not enough to identify who is using it here. Maybe somebody else in the area has, and I'd hope they'd share it here, but this has just been my experience with trying to monitor this agency.

[JoeH]

Originally Posted by SOFA_KING

Skipshark773,

Great post. I like to see "the big picture".

I live just north of West Palm Beach, and I have not heard 417.2000 used. I have it in scan with PL 192.8 full time. I do scan it from time to time with P25 NAC Search, but I only do that every once in a while just to check my local channels to see if they are converting to P25. It slows the scan down if I scan too many channels. I have heard mobiles up here on 415.2000 with PL 192.8. I scan several other common channels used by these guys and get nothing else but 415.2000. I also search...nothing new from them.

Where did you hear this info on 417.2000 in WPB? I added P25 mode on this and also changed the PL mode to search. I'll keep an ear on it and let you know if I get something.

Phil

Phil,

I have heard Miami units on 415.2000 with PL 192.8 calling the megacenter and advising that they are enroute to West Palm Beach and will be switching channels. I live too far south to even think about trying to find that other frequency. I've also heard them mention a West Palm Beach repeater.

Is your local repeater also on 415.2000 with PL 192.8?

Joe

[SOFA_KING]

Originally Posted by JoeH

Phil,

I have heard Miami units on 415.2000 with PL 192.8 calling the megacenter and advising that they are enroute to West Palm Beach and will be switching channels. I live too far south to even think about trying to find that other frequency. I've also heard them mention a West Palm Beach repeater.

Is your local repeater also on 415.2000 with PL 192.8?

Joe

What local repeater? Maybe I should search UHF more, huh? I spend most of my time on VHF.

The only FPS I hear is in Miami (same as you hear) and direct mobiles on the same freq with the same PL up here. It is possible I have the wrong PL in scan. I am opening the freqs I have to PL Search. Also, I may be just a little too far north to hear the UHF from WPB. That is good to know though. I will make more effort to see if I can get something confirmed on that. Thanks for the info!

Phil

[skipshark773]

Originally Posted by davidbond21

You can trash this frequency for San Antonio...

...Frequency trashed.

I've moved all the info you guys have provided into the Wiki: Federal Protective Service - The RadioReference Wiki

Take a look, if anything is missing or looks out of place let me know and I'll fix it. Thanks again, you guys are awesome! Lets keep the thread going, hopefully we can map out how this nationwide system works!

Edit:

Originally Posted by W9NES

Region 5 Indianapolis FPS is on 406.200 P25.

W9NES did you happen to get a NAC to go along with this? I would assume that it is 201, since that seems to be what Region 5 is using, but I don't want to add it to the wiki until it can be confirmed.

[W9NES]

Skipshark 773 Yes it is confirmed that FPS Indianapolis is using 406.200 P25. I do not know about the NAC.I hear Battle Creek calling roll call for all Indianapolis units and then I hear Mega center clear.I am using a Uniden 996T.

[trainman111]

I'm not sure how accurate the assumption that FPS is using the JNCR system in VA. Maybe in Northern VA but I doubt statewide. I'll have to plug the above frequencies in and see if I can receive anything.

[skipshark773]

Originally Posted by trainman111

I'm not sure how accurate the assumption that FPS is using the JNCR system in VA. Maybe in Northern VA but I doubt statewide. I'll have to plug the above frequencies in and see if I can receive anything.

Indeed, the information I had that indicated that was tenuous at best. From what I've gathered, Virginia FPS is not using the 413.875 frequency found in use elsewhere in Region 3. I'm guessing that another frequency exists, I just haven't heard tell of it yet. Its possible that any operations in Virginia/Northern Virginia are covered by Region 11.


More Wiki Magic! I went ahead and did a complete overhaul of the old FPS wiki entry. I preserved all the old information that was previously in there, but went ahead and re-organized it.

I'm sure you all know the address by now...
Federal Protective Service - The RadioReference Wiki

Let me know what you think, and as always keep the info coming in! This has been one of the most productive projects I've undertaken, thanks to you all!

[JoeH]

Originally Posted by SOFA_KING

What local repeater? Maybe I should search UHF more, huh? I spend most of my time on VHF.

The only FPS I hear is in Miami (same as you hear) and direct mobiles on the same freq with the same PL up here. It is possible I have the wrong PL in scan. I am opening the freqs I have to PL Search. Also, I may be just a little too far north to hear the UHF from WPB. That is good to know though. I will make more effort to see if I can get something confirmed on that. Thanks for the info!

Phil

My mistake. When you said that you monitored them on 415.200 MHz PL 192.8, I thought that it was from your location up there and I assumed there was a duplicate repeater in your area. I'm going to reprogram my radio to be able to monitor their known frequencies in analog and P25 and see what happens. I hope that I may be able to hear some Palm Beach stuff when I am in North Broward. I'll keep everyone posted if I get any new info.

[ChrisP]

Originally Posted by skipshark773

Take a look, if anything is missing or looks out of place let me know and I'll fix it. Thanks again, you guys are awesome! Lets keep the thread going, hopefully we can map out how this nationwide system works!

Skipshark, here is what I have for Region 10. This came from an FPS radio, but I've not confirmed what come of the channel names stand for yet.

Channel Name,Rx Frequency,Rx NAC
Direct, 417.2000,N114
EGWW Gar, 407.0000,N114
Everett, 408.2000,N114
E-WA Gd, 413.4750,N114
FL Ward 1,411.0375,N114
Guard Tac,415.1750,N114
GuardTac, 413.9500,N114
Issaquah, 410.8000,N114
Issaquah, 417.2000,N114
JunoFBks1,413.9500,N114
ODS Ptnd, 413.9500,N293
Olympia, 410.8000,N114
Olympia, 417.2000,N114
Portland, 408.2000,N107
Portland, 417.2000,N107
Regional, 408.2000,N114
Regional, 417.2000,N114
SpokaneFB,407.0000,N141
Tacoma, 408.2000,N114
Tacoma, 417.2000,N114
TacomaSSA,415.2000,N114

Note that all the areas still have 417.2 in the radios, but I have not heard it used since early last year when they moved to the 408.2 frequency...

- Chris

[skipshark773]

That is amazing, Chris. I'll go ahead and drop them into the wiki tonight. I'll try to decode the channel names as best i can.

Thanks again for all the info, the wiki page is looking better and better everyday with your help!

You guys rock!

[edit]: nevermind, I answered my own question.

Here's what I worked out for some of those channel names:

EGWW = Edith Green/Wendel Wyatt Federal Building (I would guess the "Gar" to be Guards)
E-WA = the only thing I could come up with was East Washington, again I would guess the "Gd" to be Guard.
FL Ward 1 = no idea
JunoFBks1 = Juno-Fairbanks Ch 1?
ODS Ptnd = ODS Tower, Portland? I'm not too sure about this, but its the only thing google could find that fit.
SpokaneFB = Spokane Federal Building
TacomaSSA = Tacoma Social Security Administration