Federal Aviation Administration frequencies?

[Lynch_Christopher]

I happened to come across the following Federal Aviation frequencies and was curious as to what they are used for since I don't believe that they are used between controllers and aircraft.

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA):

172.9250 R - Channel 1 - P25 Digital
172.9500 R - Channel 2 - P25 Digital
172.9750 R - Channel 3 - P25 Digital
172.8500 R - Channel 4 - P25 Digital
172.8750 R - Channel 5 - P25 Digital
166.1000 R - Channel 6 - P25 Digital
172.8250 R - Channel 7 - P25 Digital
172.9125 R - Channel 8 - P25 Digital
162.1375 R - Channel 9 - P25 Digital
167.9375 R - Channel 10 - P25 Digital
166.3875 R - Channel 11 - P25 Digital
171.7125 R - Channel 12 - P25 Digital
172.1750 S - Channel 13 - P25 Digital
166.1750 S - Channel 14 - P25 Digital

Thanks

[rvictor]

Although not on your list, 172.1500 and 172.9000 are in the same range of frequencies and are used at the Milwaukee, WI airport. 172.1500 is in the clear and carries voice traffic consistent with the passenger security screening operation. 172.9000 has always been encrypted when I've heard it so I can't really confirm what it's used for.

73
Dick

[ChrisP]

Originally Posted by Lynch_Christopher

I happened to come across the following Federal Aviation frequencies and was curious as to what they are used for since I don't believe that they are used between controllers and aircraft.

These frequencies are used by the FAA for facilities maintenance, remote radio site maintenance and various land-mobile agency use. In some areas I have heard the FAA control tower using one of these channels for backup communications with an air-route traffic control center.

The 172.15 and 172.9 frequencies used to be part of the FAA NARACS system, but were given over the the TSA (Transportation Security Administration) after they were made part of the Department of Homeland Security.

- Chris

[Lynch_Christopher]

Thanks for the info. I am currently located in Nashua,NH between Boston Center and the Boston Consolidated TRACON, I take it that I should be able to hear some activity on these channels? The channels that I listed are those the correct ones that they use and do they use any others?

[ecps92]

After 2001, not much activity has been heard [New England] on any of those channels [except those given away to TSA].

It was good in years gone-by to hear the 136.5 Hz tone and the various phone patches [Yup, each site had a Phone Patch] as they worked on the FAA owned equipment at the Airports.

What is missing is the FAA Center in Nashua and the DOT Center in Cambridge [Nothing ever reported for Nashua]

Reported from years ago for Cambridge are:

165.6375 173.8 last heard in 1994
166.1750 136.5 last heard in 1997
170.4000 131.8 last heard in 2001

At the Cambridge Complex [DOT] they have a UHF Rptr
418.5000 103.5 Hz - Maint and 114.8 Hz Security

Originally Posted by Lynch_Christopher

Thanks for the info. I am currently located in Nashua,NH between Boston Center and the Boston Consolidated TRACON, I take it that I should be able to hear some activity on these channels? The channels that I listed are those the correct ones that they use and do they use any others?

[SOFA_KING]

I have heard a few with P25 NAC 293 in S. FL. Not much traffic, but I'm out of normal range and only get the SE FL stuff on band openings.

Phil

[ChrisP]

Originally Posted by Lynch_Christopher

Thanks for the info. I am currently located in Nashua,NH between Boston Center and the Boston Consolidated TRACON, I take it that I should be able to hear some activity on these channels? The channels that I listed are those the correct ones that they use and do they use any others?

The frequencies you listed are a common set of frequencies available to all FAA facilities across the country. There are other FAA allocations that may be used, but they are assigned locally or by region. And there have been only a handful of reports of these new P-25 systems in use. I think the rollout is slow, but sure...

- Chris

[Lynch_Christopher]

That's interesting so some facilities around the country may use these while other facilities haven't implemented them yet. When do they expect to complete the roll-out across the whole country?

[rvictor]

Originally Posted by ChrisP

The 172.15 and 172.9 frequencies used to be part of the FAA NARACS system, but were given over the the TSA (Transportation Security Administration) after they were made part of the Department of Homeland Security.

- Chris

Chris,

Thanks for the clarification on those frequencies.

73
Dick

[wayne_h]

The standard NAC is 293 but there are some sites setup for multi-NAC operation. Based on what I've learned so far the repeaters are typically at RCAG facilities.

Also, these repeaters are tied in to the FAA network and provide access to a phone patch among other things.

[CORN]

There are NO digital FAA frequencies/comms at the ever dull/behind the times Nashville, TN airport but when i was down in Huntsville last year for the airshow (Sat) i came across some interesting comms that i haven't heard used at airshows before.

I came across 172.85, yes in P-25 with a NAC of 293 and it was an FAA representative in the control tower coordinating with the air boss at the airshow. Coordinating scheduled departure/landings to not conflict with the airshow performances and vice versa. Kind of neat.

[Wilrobnson]

I've confirmed FAA activity on the following, but only in analog:

408.825
410.300
413.600
416.875
419.025

[ecps92]

Voice activity ? which is what we are talking about, the only activity I have ever caught on these UHF frequencies is Telemetry

PS, where? Please update your profile

Originally Posted by Wilrobnson

I've confirmed FAA activity on the following, but only in analog:

408.825
410.300
413.600
416.875
419.025

[ChrisP]

Originally Posted by Wilrobnson

I've confirmed FAA activity on the following, but only in analog:

408.825
410.300
413.600
416.875
419.025

These frequencies in the FAA allocation pool are used for data, but they are also used for voice at FAA facilities, such as TRACON or ARTCC. I haven't found a standard channel plan for them yet, but they tend to be low-power or simplex.

- Chris

[Wilrobnson]

Originally Posted by ecps92

Voice activity ? which is what we are talking about, the only activity I have ever caught on these UHF frequencies is Telemetry

PS, where? Please update your profile

1- Analog voice. If they were digital or telemetry, I would've said so.

2- Heard in the Western Washington area at FAA facilities.

3- My profile is intentionally vague for work reasons, and "etc" because I travel a lot. Your profile doesn't have a location either.

[ecps92]

Mine is not and have never been.

We return you to our regularly scheduled NET

Must be Bad Oxygen this week

Originally Posted by Wilrobnson

3- My profile is intentionally vague for work reasons, and "etc" because I travel a lot. Your profile doesn't have a location either.

[Wilrobnson]

Originally Posted by ecps92

Mine is not and have never been.

We return you to our regularly scheduled NET

Must be Bad Oxygen this week

Yeah, sorry BIll, I was for some reason looking at Chris Lynch's post. Not bad oxygen, just bad day dealing with the oxygen thieves on the streets.

[FireBuff44]

I heard activity on a p25 FAA repeater today while I was in manhattan (NY) on 172.825 nac 293. I heard this before a couple months ago also, but not regularly used that often.

[ChrisP]

FYI, I have received some updated information about the FAA land-mobile radio channels and posted it to the Fed Files blog:

MT Fed Files: New FAA Radio Update

- Chris

[SOFA_KING]

Originally Posted by ChrisP

FYI, I have received some updated information about the FAA land-mobile radio channels and posted it to the Fed Files blog:

MT Fed Files: New FAA Radio Update

- Chris

Hey Chris,

I looked at those two radio zones. The only sense it makes is some possible compatibility with older radio equipment that might still be floating around, otherwise it doesn't make any sense to revert back to the old freqs that are now TSA. Does that make sense?

Phil