Madison Heights Police (unpublished freqs)?

MacombMonitor · #1 (**permalink**) 03-04-2006, 12:20 PM

I've being told by reliable sources that the City Of Madison Heights Police Department are using new, unpublished frequencies for undercover, and drug sting operations. Is there any truth to this, and if so, do you know what the new frequencies are? Supposedly they can not be monitored by any scanner. (Don't know how reliable that comment was.)

Thanks!

DISCLAIMER: No, I'm not a drug dealer!

seamusg · #2 (**permalink**) 03-04-2006, 01:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MacombMonitor

I've being told by reliable sources that the City Of Madison Heights Police Department are using new, unpublished frequencies for undercover, and drug sting operations. Is there any truth to this, and if so, do you know what the new frequencies are? Supposedly they can not be monitored by any scanner. (Don't know how reliable that comment was.)

Thanks!

DISCLAIMER: No, I'm not a drug dealer!

If they are on Oakland's opensky system they can't be monitored. As far as being unlisted, I thought that was Federal only. As far as being able to hide they could be on Nextel or a user on some business system.

MacombMonitor · #3 (**permalink**) 03-04-2006, 04:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by seamusg

If they are on Oakland's opensky system they can't be monitored. As far as being unlisted, I thought that was Federal only. As far as being able to hide they could be on Nextel or a user on some business system.

Good point...I forgot they're Oakland County. I didn't think the Opensky system was functional yet?

seamusg · #4 (**permalink**) 03-04-2006, 04:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MacombMonitor

Good point...I forgot they're Oakland County. I didn't think the Opensky system was functional yet?

I don't think it will ever become fully functional, but there are some users.

KMA367 · #5 (**permalink**) 03-04-2006, 04:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by seamusg

I don't think it will ever become fully functional...

LOL ;-)

Quote:

Originally Posted by seamusg

...As far as being unlisted, I thought that was Federal only.

No, under Part 90 (47 CFR 90.20) it applies to state/local police too, with just a few conditions:

"A Police licensee may use, without special authorization from the Commission, any mobile service frequency between 40 and 952 MHz, listed in paragraph (c)(3) of this section, for communications in connection with physical surveillance, stakeouts, raids, and other such activities. Such use shall be on a secondary basis to operations of licensees regularly authorized on the assigned frequencies. The maximum output power that may be used for such communications is 2 watts. Transmitters, operating under this provision of the rules, shall be exempted from the station identification requirements of § 90.425."

They can get on a frequency, do their thing, and then disappear without having to ID themselves. Makes sense, I suppose, for those kinds of sensitive comms.

If anyone cares, it's on page 271 at http://tinyurl.com/bmtwl

seamusg · #6 (**permalink**) 03-04-2006, 07:48 PM

Actually I think it is most likely they went to the Oakland system since no one knows what the TG's (they are unpublished) are and no scanner can receive them.

dsw760 · #7 (**permalink**) 03-04-2006, 07:52 PM

Begfore my city switched to a trunked radio system, undercover units would often use the citys public works frequencies at night for surveillance operations. FCC Licensed (and listed in frequency guides) for city public works use, so technically an “unpublished” police frequency.

seamusg · #8 (**permalink**) 03-04-2006, 08:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dsw760

Begfore my city switched to a trunked radio system, undercover units would often use the citys public works frequencies at night for surveillance operations. FCC Licensed (and listed in frequency guides) for city public works use, so technically an “unpublished” police frequency.

Actually that is the norm. But if you want to have a truly unplublished system have an Opensky one. Even if someone gives out all the talkgroups, no one can monitor it.

toydriver_det · #9 (**permalink**) 03-04-2006, 10:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MacombMonitor

I've being told by reliable sources that the City Of Madison Heights Police Department are using new, unpublished frequencies for undercover, and drug sting operations...

Now that you mention it I have not heard any Mad Hts undercover or surv in some time. Have to put the old R7000 in search mode. They have mentioned about going to the "800 MHz" system in some past council meetings this spring and summer so maybe it has started.

rjschave · #10 (**permalink**) 03-04-2006, 10:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by toydriver_det

Now that you mention it I have not heard any Mad Hts undercover or surv in some time. Have to put the old R7000 in search mode. They have mentioned about going to the "800 MHz" system in some past council meetings this spring and summer so maybe it has started.

What do you think of the old R7000?

I use to have an AOR 5000, but sold it when my monitoring activity dropped to nill. Now that I'm back into the hobby again, I would like to get a nicer receiver.

(Is this what hijacking a thread means?)

seamusg · #11 (**permalink**) 03-04-2006, 11:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rjschave

What do you think of the old R7000?

I use to have an AOR 5000, but sold it when my monitoring activity dropped to nill. Now that I'm back into the hobby again, I would like to get a nicer receiver.

(Is this what hijacking a thread means?)

Hi Jack

Maybe Oakland had to get someone to use there new system, I've heard roomers it has a lot of coverage troubles and there is no more frequencies and not that much money available

toydriver_det · #12 (**permalink**) 03-04-2006, 11:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rjschave

What do you think of the old R7000?

I use to have an AOR 5000, but sold it when my monitoring activity dropped to nill. Now that I'm back into the hobby again, I would like to get a nicer receiver.

(Is this what hijacking a thread means?)

Yes but that's ok here!
I love it. It does not do trunking or digital and someday TV will even be digital.
With full freq coverage and AM and real SSB and hooked up to a really good roof top antenna (won't say what kind cause I don't want to get that one going again :-) There is not much it won't pick up. I use SSB a lot for searching as I will get that whistle on weak signals or carriers that I might miss in FM. I bought the TV module but have not really used it that much.

bigbluemsp · #13 (**permalink**) 03-04-2006, 11:14 PM

I can make contact with my buddy at MHPD and find out forsure what the skinny on this radio matter is. Thats if y'all want me to.

seamusg · #14 (**permalink**) 03-04-2006, 11:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigbluemsp

I can make contact with my buddy at MHPD and find out forsure what the skinny on this radio matter is. Thats if y'all want me to.

It would be nice to know what Bill's source thinks unlisted frequencies are!

MacombMonitor · #15 (**permalink**) 03-05-2006, 12:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigbluemsp

I can make contact with my buddy at MHPD and find out forsure what the skinny on this radio matter is. Thats if y'all want me to.

Sure, if you can that would be great!

Thanks!

MacombMonitor · #16 (**permalink**) 03-05-2006, 12:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by seamusg

It would be nice to know what Bill's source thinks unlisted frequencies are!

Well he's actually one of the guys involved in the operations, and is a neighbor of mine. But he doesn't discuss such details. Can't say as I blame him! I know he's not using any of the frequencies I can find for Madison Hts.

seamusg · #17 (**permalink**) 03-05-2006, 09:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MacombMonitor

Well he's actually one of the guys involved in the operations, and is a neighbor of mine. But he doesn't discuss such details. Can't say as I blame him! I know he's not using any of the frequencies I can find for Madison Hts.

Maybe you could ask him what model of radio he's using. If it's MA/COM it's Oakland, if it's Mot digital it could be Warren or COMET. Warren UC is often heard outside of Warren (6Mi and VanDyke area and Madison Hgts.) Madison Hgts is only across the street from Warren.

MacombMonitor · #18 (**permalink**) 03-05-2006, 10:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by seamusg

Maybe you could ask him what model of radio he's using. If it's MA/COM it's Oakland, if it's Mot digital it could be Warren or COMET. Warren UC is often heard outside of Warren (6Mi and VanDyke area and Madison Hgts.) Madison Hgts is only across the street from Warren.

He's not real willing to give up information, as he really doesn't want people to be able to monitor their operations. He's a super neighbor, and we get along great! He just doesn't mix business with friends. Considering the type of work he's involved in, I can understand.

As for working with Warren, that's probably unlikely. Not sure if it's still going on, but there was a long time riff between Warren PD, and Madison Hts PD. I can't remember which way it went, but one department arrested an officer from the other department, not even sure what for, but it got ugly!

toydriver_det · #19 (**permalink**) 03-19-2006, 09:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigbluemsp

I can make contact with my buddy at MHPD and find out forsure what the skinny on this radio matter is. Thats if y'all want me to.

Did you find anything out? I noticed that I can not seem to pick up body mic's when they do traffic stops ether. I live on a street that has a lot of speeders so there are lots of traffic stops near my house but even thou the lights are flashing my Pro-83 is not picking anything up in CloseCall mode and I am really really close sometimes.