Marcellus Shale Operational Frequencies

Status
Not open for further replies.

Fast1eddie

Member
Joined
Mar 4, 2004
Messages
628
Location
Crafton Pennsylvania
Hello, I am searching for operational frequencies in Western Pennsylvania. I understand at one time their was a allocated block related to energy but I have been away from the hobby and it has changed so much....Just not sure where to look and would appreciate a good starting point.

Thank you and good signals.
 

nd5y

Member
Joined
Dec 19, 2002
Messages
11,225
Location
Wichita Falls, TX
Around 20 years ago the FCC changed things on low band, high band and UHF. There are no longer separate radio services for certain types of businesses with their own blocks of frequencies. Nowdays there is only the Industrial/Business Pool frequencies with different frequency coordinators that handle different blocks of frequencies. Some frequencies are restricted to certain useage but any licensee, regardless of what type of business they are, can use any frequency coordinator and get licensed on almost any frequency.

They also did the same thing with public safety. All the older services were combined into the Public Safety Pool.

Oil, gas, well service, and other energy companies can be on almost any Industrial/Business Pool frequency or on local commercial trunked system. Some have statewide, regional or nationwide licenses on itinerant frequencies, or operate illegally with no license.
 

Fast1eddie

Member
Joined
Mar 4, 2004
Messages
628
Location
Crafton Pennsylvania
Tom, thanks for the intell....I remember a little of that when it was taking place, but could never really understand it....Had a lot going on back then, kids were little and all that. Developed the impression they could be pretty much anywhere, at one point I was able to dig into portable radio rentals discovering UHF was pretty popular considering the open spaces they set up in. I've seen some company trucks out running around and appears to be a mix of UHF and 800 freqs, judging by the antennas.

Appreciate the help and good signals.
 

HM1529

Pennsylvania DB Admin
Database Admin
Joined
Jul 16, 2003
Messages
3,087
Location
West of the Atlantic Ocean
I have seen a lot of licenses in the past couple years get issued to various companies involved in the shale drilling and many of them had emissions designators for MotoTRBO (generically known as DMR). As Chris says, you cannot monitor them with a scanner. You could potentially get a DMR radio and program it, but you'd need to know certain parameters. You can also use software on a computer, linked to the audio output of your scanner to decode the audio...not the casual armchair listening of the good ol' days, though.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top