Boston MBTA radio frequencies

matt131 · #1 (**permalink**) 06-02-2009, 06:34 PM

Hello,

Can anyone tell me the radio frequencies for the Boston MBTA commuter rail? Are they VHF? are they going digital etc.

Thanks,

ecps92 · #2 (**permalink**) 06-02-2009, 06:37 PM

VHF, these are pretty accurate
NEW ENGLAND DEPOT: RR Frequencies

the MBTA is moving [Not the commuter Rail, as that is Contract] it's "T" operations to an 800 Pro-voice system from a UHF T-Band system.

Quote:

Originally Posted by matt131

Hello,

Can anyone tell me the radio frequencies for the Boston MBTA commuter rail? Are they VHF? are they going digital etc.

Thanks,

matt131 · #3 (**permalink**) 06-02-2009, 06:44 PM

Can anyone confirm the MBTA commuter rail old colony line. I have seen it as 161.490 and 160.490.

ecps92 · #4 (**permalink**) 06-02-2009, 07:00 PM

Based on an FCC license for Hingham it's 161.4900

160.4900 is not a valid authorization.
160.4850 would be valid, but not the MBTA

Quote:

Originally Posted by matt131

Can anyone confirm the MBTA commuter rail old colony line. I have seen it as 161.490 and 160.490.

omrail · #5 (**permalink**) 06-02-2009, 08:31 PM

you will find MBTA commuter rail in the rail band. i was just down there and the line that goes past the back bay station was AAR 53 i believe. you will find any commuter rail main line talk on the AAR channels as they have to be in touch with the host railways dispatcher (RTC up here in Canada).

ecps92 is the person to talk to if you need help in the Boston area.

matt131 · #6 (**permalink**) 06-03-2009, 06:39 AM

does anyone know if the old colony MBTA commuter line is using 161.490 direct or is there a repeater?

I am just not sure direct radio to radio would reach back to Boston without a repeater considering how far the line is.

Thank you for your help.

ecps92 · #7 (**permalink**) 06-03-2009, 07:54 AM

Actually the Signal is quite Good and would not need the Repeater.
Many Rail Roads use either Microwave or LandLine to remote to the various "FB" base stations to provide the needed coverage over a large area.

Have you looked at the RR Database or the RR FCC DB for your answer?
a license with FB is a Base, a License with FB2 would be the Repeater.

Think of it this way... the Dispatcher could be in Philadelphia and still hear units in Boston [just an example - Amtrak Police]

Quote:

Originally Posted by matt131

does anyone know if the old colony MBTA commuter line is using 161.490 direct or is there a repeater?

I am just not sure direct radio to radio would reach back to Boston without a repeater considering how far the line is.

Thank you for your help.

matt131 · #8 (**permalink**) 06-03-2009, 11:00 AM

so if I am correct will all this said a scanner that will scan the RailRoad service frequencies should pick up all this with no problem?

ecps92 · #9 (**permalink**) 06-03-2009, 12:25 PM

That Depends.
a.) Where you are
b.) What type of Antenna you have

Please update your profile to indicate where you are....

Quote:

Originally Posted by matt131

so if I am correct will all this said a scanner that will scan the RailRoad service frequencies should pick up all this with no problem?

matt131 · #10 (**permalink**) 06-03-2009, 12:35 PM

I am using a mobile scanner antenna in my attic. The commuter rail runs behind my house.

trainman111 · #11 (**permalink**) 06-03-2009, 04:49 PM

You shouldn't have any problem then. I imagine you should be able to hear the trains in both directions for ATLEAST 5 miles. Depending on where the dispatcher tower is, you should be able to pick that up too.

matt131 · #12 (**permalink**) 06-03-2009, 08:30 PM

I have rode the commuter rail and i have noticed that the portable radios used are Motorola HT-1000's or Motorola HT-1250's VHF. Does anyone know how they are programmed? They can't have that many channels in them because the HT-1000 units are only 16 channels.

Thanks,

matt131 · #13 (**permalink**) 06-04-2009, 08:46 PM

Does anyone know the PL tones for the Boston area RR frequencies?

Thank you

ecps92 · #14 (**permalink**) 06-05-2009, 01:09 PM

Typically RailRoad [VHF] channels don't use CTCSS or DCS.
There are a few exceptions from time-time.

Quote:

Originally Posted by matt131

Does anyone know the PL tones for the Boston area RR frequencies?

Thank you

zerg901 · #15 (**permalink**) 06-05-2009, 01:30 PM

matt131 - I sometimes hear a train engineer talking to a conductor on (160.59 IIRC). That seems to be the road channel thru Medford & Winchester. I suspect that the portable radios just reach from one end of the train to the other - thereby requiring the engineer to use his mobile radio to relay any messages to the dispatcher if required.

I once heard the gate tender at West Medford put out an emergency call - and that was on the same channel.

My guess would be that the portable radios just have a few road channels in them. Maybe there is a seperate channel lineup for north side portable radios and south side portable radios.

Peter Sz

matt131 · #16 (**permalink**) 06-06-2009, 08:41 PM

I have figured out the portable radios that the conductors have. The portable radios that are carried by the conductors are on the same frequencies at the engines that communicate with Dispatch. I was able to confirm this actually today because the train was near me and I heard the conductor call the engineer with a problem and the engineer on the same frequency called dispatch. This was on the MBTA commuter rail frequency.