Gatesville PD and FD frequencies

I have followed the gatesville pd and fd for a number of years now. About 8-12 months ago the GVFD went to a separate channel that i can't figure out. Not their dispatch (154.965), but truck to truck. Also about 3 days ago the GVPD went off the air on its normal (154.995) frequency. I know the PD is P25 and i have P25 and have been monitoring them and everyone else till just the other day. Im not sure if they are now using talk groups, a different frequency, or what they are doing. CCSO made the switch to P25 a while ago and I'm still getting them, they haven't messed with their channel YET.

Can anyone out there help me out if your running a scanner or have picked them up recently?
Thanks everyone.

19dsniper said:

I have followed the gatesville pd and fd for a number of years now. About 8-12 months ago the GVFD went to a separate channel that i can't figure out. Not their dispatch (154.965), but truck to truck. Also about 3 days ago the GVPD went off the air on its normal (154.995) frequency. I know the PD is P25 and i have P25 and have been monitoring them and everyone else till just the other day. Im not sure if they are now using talk groups, a different frequency, or what they are doing. CCSO made the switch to P25 a while ago and I'm still getting them, they haven't messed with their channel YET.

Can anyone out there help me out if your running a scanner or have picked them up recently?
Thanks everyone.

Click to expand...

Do you have a NAC programmed in? If not try SEARCH. Last year I picked them up on two different NAC's so maybe they've changed. A lot of PD/FD's use analog for their talkaround channels. Program to where you can pick up digital & analog.

Mike

NAC codes

Yes, i was running the correct NAC codes for the last 2+ years. When it dropped off a few days ago i kept monitoring to see if anything would come up. Still nothing. I have since switched my NAC codes to F7E which is receive all. Still nothing.

Thanks for the question. Still looking for some help.

What are 155.82 and 155.085 used for? FCC lists these as repeaters licensed to Gatesville. Also, what is 155.6325? It looks like a mobile to mobile channel or a repeater input.

Gatesville FRN 0001669936

Coryell County (just for quick access)

Have the antennas on the cars changed? Could they have joined the Copperas Cove system?

Russell,
Thank you for the links. I have used those in the past and seeing how they were not using all of those frequencies in the past, i only had the actual channels that they would use. I am not sure what 155.82 and 155.085 are used for. I didn't notice these frequencies as belonging to them until a few days ago. I have programmed those frequencies along with all of the others listed and I'm using the $F7E until i can at least find what frequency they are now operating on.

The antennas haven't changed that i can tell. I did notice however that our county vehicles now have UHF antennas on their vehicles in addition to their current VHF antennas. They are still operating in the clear on VHF P25 and I can still get them, so im guessing that the UHF antennas are for mutual aid.

I seriously doubt that they have been able to switch over to the Copperas Cove radio system. They just received grant money about 2 years ago to switch everything over to P25 Narrow band. They took until the last minute of the deadline to get everything switched over to the new requirements.

I have noticed that I'm getting some type of inaudible signal on the 155.8200. I can only tell that there is something there because every once in a while the light will come on, but no audio will come across. This is occurring in almost the same interval every time. Im guessing that it may be some type of station identifier. I have not heard it yet which is confusing to me because i have $F7E programmed in, so i set up an identical channel only with $000, and another one with their previous $101 and I'm still getting nothing. I have done the same on a second radio just to make sure that my radio isn't acting up for some crazy reason.

Thanks again for all your help and in getting my wheels turning on how to figure this out. Those links are invaluable.

I forgot to add that i did notice that in the last week or two that the GVFD has added a new radio tower outside the FD. I don't know how tall it is but i will get a closer look at it when i drive past it in a little while. I wish i knew more about the towers themselves that would maybe clue me in incase they have migrated to a new system. Im positive that they haven't switched to UHF though as they JUST got all these new radios because their last ones were not P25 or narrow band. So these radios that they have now are only about 1 year old.

I drove by a little earlier and noticed that they have their new antenna up and running. Its literally just outside the FD in the grass next to the sidewalk for the building. Its probably around 80 feet tall, I'm guessing. It has 2 j poles on it and 2 directional antennas similar to a Yagi. they also have a single VHF antenna that is center at the top. There are multiple antennas on this new tower and I'm interested to find out more. They are doing a food drive today and i will be up there soon. I will see if i can find out more information on their antenna system.

Encrypted

encryption

OTTER,

Do you know for a fact that they have moved to encryption? I'm sure it's possible for them to have encryption, I just find it a little hard to believe that Gatesville could afford it without help. Between the cost of a key loader and everything else, I just can't see our little town paying that. I could be very wrong with that statement as I've been afraid from day one that they were going to move to encryption. I just don't know how they could afford it or justify it for our small town. If they were to find someone else in another town or larger city close by with a key loader what would an encryption key cost them?

I hate that I'm the only one replying to my own post, but i figured i would update this in case there are others that are still interested.

I do not believe that they are using any type of encryption because i am not getting any traffic at all other than the station identifier (morris code) on their primary dispatch frequency. Im am not getting any of the scrambled voice transmissions that are normally heard. Im starting to wonder if they have possibly switched to a different frequency all together. I am monitoring all of their FCC assigned frequencies at least 16-18 hours a day and I'm still getting nothing. Im not even hearing the FD test page anymore. There just seems to be no traffic. I do however see that there is some type of traffic somewhere on certain frequencies as at the specific times for the test page, 6pm daily, the radio will light up showing traffic, but nothing will come across the radio. I have multiple channels programmed with the original $101, $000, and just for kicks $F7E. and I'm still getting nothing.

Wouldn't i at least hear the encrypted voice if they were running encryption? Im starting to think that they have changed to some off channel that isn't listed under the FCC database.

19dsniper said:

I hate that I'm the only one replying to my own post, but i figured i would update this in case there are others that are still interested.

I do not believe that they are using any type of encryption because i am not getting any traffic at all other than the station identifier (morris code) on their primary dispatch frequency. Im am not getting any of the scrambled voice transmissions that are normally heard. Im starting to wonder if they have possibly switched to a different frequency all together. I am monitoring all of their FCC assigned frequencies at least 16-18 hours a day and I'm still getting nothing. Im not even hearing the FD test page anymore. There just seems to be no traffic. I do however see that there is some type of traffic somewhere on certain frequencies as at the specific times for the test page, 6pm daily, the radio will light up showing traffic, but nothing will come across the radio. I have multiple channels programmed with the original $101, $000, and just for kicks $F7E. and I'm still getting nothing.

Wouldn't i at least hear the encrypted voice if they were running encryption? Im starting to think that they have changed to some off channel that isn't listed under the FCC database.

Click to expand...

Depends on your scanner, and the type of encryption used (if, in fact, that is the case). The Uniden scanners are more consistent at skipping over encrypted transmissions than the GRE designed and manufactured units.

Have you tried scanning the Copperas Cove system in ID Search mode (Uniden) or with a group wildcard (GRE's OOS type scanner)?

If your scanner has Close Call or Signal Stalker, then use that if you're close enough to a squad car whose occupant is using the radio.

Analog Encryption

Steve,

Thanks for the reply. I am using one of my old police radios in receive only. I don't own a real scanner. I need to get one, but now it may be useless in my area. I realized that i had been scanning all the channels in P25 so this morning i started scanning the same frequencies in analog.

Sure enough, they are running an analog encryption, most likely DES. This blows my mind that gatesville could afford that. Even at a discount, our little town doesn't NEED encryption, much less can they really afford it. Maybe they bought a key loader off of ebay for a huge discount and were able to work some sort of deep on the encryption keys. who knows.

So much for being able to listen to them anymore. I always liked listening to them to be able to keep tabs on whats going on around town.

Thanks to everyone for all their help.

FD encrypted, too???

Just a quick correction. DES is digital, not analog. I use it and even though it is no longer recommended for top secret comms it sure is good enough.

Russel, Im not sure if FD is running encrypted or not. I believe they have been running encryption for a long time now. Apparently the fire chief got pissed off at county one day and made some comments over the radio to the other fire fighters. Turns out that county fire was monitoring city fire and heard the whole thing. This created problems between City and county fire chiefs. The city fire chief then told some of the other firefighters that he was going to set up their own private channel that no one else could listen to. I do know that he has bragged to other fire fighters after the change that no one else could possibly listen into them now when they were on their talk around channel. This leads me to believe that they have been running encryption on a different channel if what i was told is correct information, which i believe to be true as it came from one of their firefighters that i trust.

So yes, i believe that the FD has been running encryption a lot longer than the PD.


Shaggy, thanks for the clarification. I would love to get a key loader and run some encryption on my own radios if i could ever afford it. I have 6 radios that i use for coms between family and friends in case of emergency. I have programed them on P25 channels with some far out there NAC codes. I know its no where near perfect, but it would keep someone with a cheap Boufeng or similar from hearing our coms. Nothing a scanner couldn't pick up I'm sure. But its the best i can do.

How much did it cost you to get your radios set up with encryption?

I use old Sabers that were surplus from FEMA. My keyloader is DES only and is from the same time period as the radios. My next purchase will be APX 7000 dual band portables with either a KVL 3000 or 4000. Decisions decisions.

I know I'm getting off topic on my own thread, but... I'm currently running ASTRO Sabers as well, and a few EFJ 5100 and 51 SL radios. I would love to be able to find a key loader for the Astros! Could you tell me a little more about them? What's a good price, where to get them, how do you get a encryption key, etc. Thanks for your time. I tried to send you a PM about it but you currently have your PM's turned off. Sorry to hijack my own thread guys.

I would recommend a Motorola KVL 3000. Cheaper than the 4000, which is the latest greatest. Search Motorola KVL or Motorola Key Variable Loader. Here is a sample that will program Astro. They are not cheap. Other than a cable between KVL and radio this is all you need. You can make your own keys, store and load to radios. I just turned on PM's if you want to use it.

Motorola KVL3000 Plus Keyloader KVL 3000 3 Levels 2 Modes | eBay

A little late here but man, I hate reading this!! My In-laws live in Gatesville and we drive up frequently on the weekends. I always take my scanner have enjoyed listening to PD, FD and SO in Gatesville. The small town feel really comes across some of the radio traffic. Living in the burbs of SA, I'm used to the bigger depts. going encrypted (hate that too) but would never have thought a small town like Gatesville would go encrypted.

GatesOfHell

FrankieD210 said:

A little late here but man, I hate reading this!! My In-laws live in Gatesville and we drive up frequently on the weekends. I always take my scanner have enjoyed listening to PD, FD and SO in Gatesville. The small town feel really comes across some of the radio traffic. Living in the burbs of SA, I'm used to the bigger depts. going encrypted (hate that too) but would never have thought a small town like Gatesville would go encrypted.

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After working in this city for many years, I can assure you there are many people with distinct personality disorders including government officials, ranking TDCJ-ID officers, & many more. I believe a large part of the negativity that oozes from this eyesore of Texas comes from the prison system. In other words, I hate this city with a purple passion.

But, when elected and/or hired first responders act like four year old children, it really disgusts me. "Let me take my toys and go home, I'm not playing anymore,"

I am still hearing Coryell SO where I work in Temple and at home in Waco. SO P25 comes in like gangbusters.

Sometimes, when first responders start the use of encryption, there is usually a fire behind the smoke. In other words, I believe some of these people are walking vermin and have something to hide. How can citizens expect so-called mature adults in law enforcement to coordinate their efforts to find the crooks out there? Why would Gatesville need any MA channels when cooperation doesn't exist?

I would like to find a final answer to this mystery. But, my 436HP skips over encryption. When I get my GRE PSR 500 back from G&B, provided they will ever return it in working order, I will investigate this mystery. I suspect digital encryption is being used since I can see my scanner lock onto a frequency with the associated LED illlumination wihout any background light being activated.

More later.