Border Patrol Communications

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N7LQR

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Dec 21, 2014
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Maricopa, AZ
I live in Maricopa, Arizona and have recently noticed more Border Patrol activity here in the city than usual. The surrounding area is a "hot bed" of activity for BP and BLM Law Enforcement. I would enjoy listening to the radio communications in this area for BP, but am wondering if any traffic is still broadcast in the clear? I have available a Realistic Pro-96, a Bearcat BC 780 XLT, and a Radio Shack Pro-2055. Any information would be most appreciated!!!


John N7LQR
 

AZScanner

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Take a drive down I-10 or I-19 in southern AZ sometime. Lots of encryption, yes but there's lots to hear that's not encrypted also! I've heard plenty of good stuff on those channels, including the Blackhawk as it chased down a bunch of UDA's running across the desert. Good times. ;)

-AZ
 

KB0VWG

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Lyford, Texas
Same here in the Rio Grande Valley a lot of BP traffic is encrypted but I do pick some that is not encrypted, There is some comms between the Border Patrol and the DPS that is not encrypted.
kb0vwg
wqoi992
 

KB7MIB

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Peoria, AZ.
If you're using one of the modern Uniden scanners, they automatically mute encrypted transmissions, and allow unencrypted transmissions through. So you can listen to CBP frequencies, without being annoyed by the encrypted transmissions.
You may only hear one side of a transmission, or only one agent, or the helicopter, out of a group of agents, however.

If you're using GRE/Whistler scanners, you're going to be annoyed by the encrypted transmissions, while trying to listen for the unencrypted ones.

John
Peoria
 

N7LQR

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Thanks to all who have replied to my BP query. I have older scanners (see original message for types) and therefore am not sure if I will hear any "in the clear" transmissions. I would appreciate it if you could specifically list some frequencies to program into my scanner in which you have heard "in the clear" transmissions. I never travel on I-10 or 19 south of the Tucson area. Again, many thanks.

John
 

fredva

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If you're using GRE/Whistler scanners, you're going to be annoyed by the encrypted transmissions, while trying to listen for the unencrypted ones.

John
Peoria

Except for the PRO-18 and PSR-800, which allow you to mute encrypted transmissions. I assume their corresponding Whistler-made models will do the same.
 

ecps92

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When you say Older, did you mean Analog Only ? aka Non Digital Scanners ?

If so, then the Freqs will be of no use, as BP, ICE and CBP have migrated to P25 (Digital)

Thanks to all who have replied to my BP query. I have older scanners (see original message for types) and therefore am not sure if I will hear any "in the clear" transmissions. I would appreciate it if you could specifically list some frequencies to program into my scanner in which you have heard "in the clear" transmissions. I never travel on I-10 or 19 south of the Tucson area. Again, many thanks.

John
 

N8IAA

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When you say Older, did you mean Analog Only ? aka Non Digital Scanners ?

If so, then the Freqs will be of no use, as BP, ICE and CBP have migrated to P25 (Digital)

Bill, in the OP, he states he has a Pro-96. So that would work for what he wants.
Larry
 

AZScanner

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Thanks to all who have replied to my BP query. I have older scanners (see original message for types) and therefore am not sure if I will hear any "in the clear" transmissions. I would appreciate it if you could specifically list some frequencies to program into my scanner in which you have heard "in the clear" transmissions. I never travel on I-10 or 19 south of the Tucson area. Again, many thanks.

John

Hi John,

Here's what I've got for the Border Patrol in my scanner currently, courtesy of another member here - I haven't heard activity on ALL of these, and what you do hear oftentimes IS encrypted, at least at one end if not both. That PRO-96 will drive you nuts with all the noise it'll make on the encrypted transmissions, but you'll at least be able to hear the stuff that's not encrypted. Hope this helps!

Florence Rptr 163.7750
South Mtn Rptr 163.6500
Lemmon 1 163.7250
Lemmon 2 168.9750
Yuma 163.6250
Quijota Peak 173.6875
Surveillance 165.8750
A1/2 NET-1 Prim 165.2375
A3 Homeland Sec. 166.4625
A4 NET-2 Border 169.4500
A7 NET-5 Rep 164.6000
A8 NET-29 169.5500
A9 NET-30 163.2250
A10 TAC-26 Air 165.7375
A11 OCDE Repeat 164.5500
A12 Phoenix Ops 163.7000
NET 4 164.4000
No Tag 164.2875
Ch A4 165.5375
3 Car to Car 166.4375
No Tag 165.5875
Ch A6 NET 4/24 165.6875
Ch A7 165.6375
Alliance Repeat 169.4900
UNIFORM 282.4250
No Tag 132.9500
No Tag 303.8250
No Tag 413.4500
No Tag 364.2000
No Tag 162.9000
No Tag 168.8250
No Tag 170.3500
ICE Ben 1 165.9500
ICE Ben 2 170.7000
ICE Black Mtn 168.8625
ICE Graham/Helio 166.8500
ICE Red MTN 165.9750
ICE Yuma 168.925 168.9250
ICE Yuma 169.000 169.0000
ICE Net 7 165.4625
ICE Net 8 165.4875
ICE Net 10/35 163.1250
ICE Net 11 165.7625
ICE Net 12 166.5875
ICE Net 13/32 165.4125
ICE Net 14/45 165.4375
ICE Net 15 162.0500
ICE Net 16 164.7750
ICE Net 19 163.6750
ICE Net 26 166.3000
ICE Net 27 166.2000
ICE Net 28 163.1750
ICE Net 31 170.1000
ICE Net 36 170.7250
ICE Net 38 166.1250
ICE Net 42 166.5125
ICE Net 44 165.6625
ICE Net 46 164.1000
ICE Net 48 169.4125
ICE Net 50 162.2500
ICE Net 51 163.3000
No Tag 173.9375
No Tag 169.9375
No Tag 170.4375
No Tag 173.1875
No Tag 168.0875
Air 4 169.1625
No Tag 172.2375
No Tag 171.1875
No Tag 170.3375
ICE DHS Common 165.8375
ICE National Direct 163.7250
ICE National TAC 1 163.7000
ICE National TAC 2 168.5875
ICE National TAC 3 163.1125
ICE National TAC 4 164.7875
Air 1 168.8375
Air 2 168.9625
Air 3 169.2625
Air 4 169.1625
Air 5 169.3875
CBP Analog 163.1250
CBP Analog 163.6250
CBP Analog 163.6750
CBP Analog 165.4125
CBP Analog 166.2000
CBP Analog 169.5500
CBP Analog 170.1000
CBP Analog 170.7250
CBP Digital 163.1250
CBP Digital 163.6250
CBP Digital 163.6750
CBP Digital 165.4125
CBP Digital 166.2000
CBP Digital 169.5500
CBP Digital 170.1000
CBP Digital 170.7250
Tactical 1 Analog (Net 1) 165.2375
Tactical 1 Digital (Net 1) 165.2375
Tactical 2 Analog (Net 2) 169.4500
Tactical 2 Digital (Net 2) 169.4500
Tactical 3 Analog (Net 4) 165.6875
Tactical 3 Digital (Net 4) 165.6875
Tactical 4 Analog (Net 5) 164.6000
Tactical 4 Digital (Net 5) 164.6000
Tactical 5 Analog 165.4625
Tactical 5 Digital 165.4625
Tactical 6 Analog 165.4875
Tactical 6 Digital 165.4875
Air Interdiction - Blue 1 282.4250
Air Interdiction - Blue 2 308.3500
Air Interdiction - Blue 3 350.0250
Air Interdiction - Blue 4 376.0750
Air-to-Air/Air-to-Base 136.3750
168.8250
Avjo Far East Arizona 170.4375
Helio-1 169.9375
Lemmon-1 171.3250
Lemmon-2 173.5000
Lemmon-3 173.1875
Nogales Area 170.3500
Red Mountain 168.8250
'Scan 3', May be input or simplex 173.6125
Tubac Area *(1-19) 169.5500
Unknown Location 171.0375
Unknown Location 171.1875
Unknown Location 172.0625
Unknown Location 172.7625
Unknown Location 173.1750
Unknown Location 173.1875
Unknown Location 173.7375
BP 170.6250
BP East 162.3125
BP West 162.0625
Florence (Pinal County) 163.7750
Heliograph (Graham) 166.8500
Mule 2 (Cochise) 168.9000
Multiple Locations 163.6750
Multiple Locations 165.9000
Phoenix (Maricopa County) - Gila Bend 163.7750
Phoenix (Maricopa County) - South Mountain 163.6500
Phoenix (Maricopa County) - White Tanks 163.7000
Red Mountain (Santa Cruz) 165.9750
Tucson (Pima County) - Lemmon 1 163.7250
Tucson (Pima County) - Lemmon 2 168.9750
Tucson (Pima County) - Quijotoa Peak 173.6875
Yuma 163.6250


-AZ
 

DanRollman

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Atlanta, GA
121.500MHz last I knew was used for aircraft distress beacons.

Aircraft emergency frequency - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

121.5 is also a frequency federal law enforcement aircraft typically monitor and try to get unidentified aircraft to contact them on. Printing "121.5" on the side of the aircraft is simply formalizing what pilots of federal law enforcement aircraft have done for a long time - approaching an unidentified aircraft that is in a place it shouldn't be and holding up a sign (often hand-made!) that reads "121.5" so that the two aircraft can initiate direct radio contact and the CBP pilot can give the other pilot instructions that are typically - ahem - "stern".

See, for example:

U.S. revisits policy on errant planes - Spokesman Mobile - May 31, 2005

Dan
 

N7LQR

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Joined
Dec 21, 2014
Messages
9
Location
Maricopa, AZ
Many thanks to "AZscanner" for the large list of potential frequencies on which Border Patrol communications may be heard. I greatly appreciate this comprehensive list and am already monitoring a number of the frequencies you have provided. Unfortunately, I have heard no activity to date, but will continue monitoring.


73',
John N7LQR
 
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