UPRR on NXDN

Can anyone confirm for me that Union Pacific has gone to or uses NexEDGE, I used to hear them all the time on 160-320 and they just up and disappeared, Somebody told me the went to NXDN, I was just trying to confirm that.
Thanks!

I would guess they changed channels. If they switched to NXDN you would hear the digital noise (ie sounds like this: http://www.kb9ukd.com/digital/Nexedge478.6375control.wav).

That's a good point indeed.
I guess I'll put in all of them I can find until I hear them again... Thanks for that...

Do you have a service scan on your radio? That is the easiest way to search the RR freqs

Yes I have scanned all afternoon and found them on two channels analog.
I have not however been able to ID any PL codes.
I don't guess they use PL codes

well in sacramento UPRR is still Analog no Digital yet

I have the entire AAR system programmed into a bank on my 652 and 106 and never once have I seen any PL codes used. I don't think they are allowed to use PL codes and are only limited to analog communications.

It appears that digital was or is on the horizon for RR communications:

https://www.aar.com/aar_rf_ms_info.php

Look halfway down the page to where this appears:

"It appears that in narrowband mode, most radios are compatible. However, the FCC has stated that narrowband is just an intermediate step to very narrowband but has not set a date yet when that will be required. The AAR recommends that all new radios purchased be very narrowband (NXDN) compatible. What is very narrowband?

Very narrowband is the requirement to transmit one voice channel per 6.25 kHz of spectrum. Because all very narrowband radios are digital, it is also defined as 4800 bps of data per 6.25 kHz channel width. There are several technologies available that accomplish this goal, but the railroads have selected NXDN technology primarily because there are multiple vendors supporting it.
With the FCC saying narrowband is just an intermediate step to very narrowband, will I have to switch to very narrowband in a few more years?

The FCC generally gives about 10 years notice before requiring a new technology, but it is better to purchase very narrowband radios as old radios are replaced than to have to replace all the radios at one time. In addition, migrating to very narrowband sooner will make more channels available."

AFAIK, UP is fully NXDN capable now and I think they may be using it for some yards ops but not on the road channels. I'd think they will stay open analog on their road channels for some time. At least until anyone that may have trackage rights on certain lines are also NXDN capable.

As far as PL or coded squelch goes, I've never seen it used on any road channels although I have seen both PL and DPL used for yard ops here by BNSF.
I think I did read something that prohibits them from using coded squelch on road channels so other carriers can contact them without also needing to add in a PL or DPL tone. For some of the frequencies the railroads may use that are not AAR channels, they can do whatever they want.

BNSF has a repeater here at one of their yards on an AAR channel and that one does use PL tones but it is strictly yard ops like car loading ramps etc. I think NS may also operate a yard channel with PL tones in the cargo container loading area of a yard just across the river from St Louis.

btritch said:

Yes I have scanned all afternoon and found them on two channels analog.
I have not however been able to ID any PL codes.
I don't guess they use PL codes

Click to expand...

I'm down in SouthWest Arkansas and UP change channels as well. Moved from using two channels ARR 69 and 96 to one channel ARR 96 for Pine Bluff Sub and from one channel ARR 90 to two channels ARR 27 and 90 for Little Rock sub. Along with UP the KCS change channels here as well.

Ugh, rehash.

The UP is NOT fully NXDN compatible. It is true that most locomotive radios have been replaced with JEM radios with NXDN, but most that I have come across, they are NOT programmed to for the digital channels.

The newer issued Kenwood NX portables typically have 7 zones, and one of them does have a NXDN bank but no one anywhere on the road are using them. There is still a very large amount of HT1000's and TK-2180's out there. Many of the base stations are still analog only.

There is NO requirement for the railroads to go NXDN and NO requirement to stay analog only.

Yes there are some railroads - big and small - that may be trying or using "other than analog" freq's, but its far and few.

There is no prohibition on PL tones as well.

As a general rule of thumb, most railroads keep everything analog/standardized for now for interchange/run through operations which works 100% for everyone.