Texas Federal monitoring

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texasemt13

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Not much gets mentioned in the Texas Forum on federal monitoring, I was wondering how many of ya'll monitor the known frequencies on a regular basis?

I can say that fedcomms are some of my favorite, and I'm fortunate enough to live in an area where I get to hear a myriad of different agencies.

With a bunch of skip this morning I was getting some unusual hits in my federal banks, I wanted to know if any of ya'll have experienced the same, or know of where this is coming from. Hopefully with the hotter weather coming we'll have more chances to hear some VHF skip.

163.6250MHz- CBP Primary DC 025; I thought this tone was interesting, but this was very typical CBP chatter about a vehicle, running plates, CCH, etc. I also got OTAR on this freq. with the same tone. I probably got about 20-25 transmissions loud and clear, each one analog with DC 025.

170.6750MHz- CBP Tactical NAC 051; Now this is not a known NAC for Customs, but this frequency has been well established in its use by CBP. I have heard this frequency on about 10 different occasions, each time with this NAC 051. It has always sounded like digital garbage (almost like encryption, but not quite, and not quite the garbled digital noise of a weak signal). Monitoring on my friend's RACAL this sounded like a weak digital signal though, all just the buzz. I've heard this enough now to suspect it is being used somewhere in Texas (I really only get it during skip conditions in Central Texas) and each time brought up the NAC 051.

If some of ya'll haven't tried listening to federal agencies, I would (I was surprised how much is still analog, in the open, in San Antonio). I always have a bank of the common frequencies open, running in the background.

Let me know what ya'll are hearing, as our Texas federal database page is lacking, especially since we are have such a long border, bad drugs, huge airports, etc., etc., etc.
 

ecps92

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From a Traveling Scannist:

Early this month was in the DFW Area and logged:

165.3750 P25 $001 - Secret Service - Dick Cheney Detail
170.6750 167.9 Hz - FBI
173.1750 167.9 Hz - most likely FBI
406.1500 Trunk CTRL SysID 761F Dallas VA Hospital
406.3375 P25 $482 - US Postal Service
406.6625 P25 $293 - Federal Reserve Bank [Unk PD or Maint]
407.0500 Trunk CTRL SysID A82F Bureau of Prisons
407.7250 P25 $482 - US Postal Service
408.2500 Trunk CTRL SysID A82F Bureau of Prisons
408.4000 D-343 US Postal Service
411.5375 Trunk CTRL SysID 761F Dallas VA Hospital
413.8250 Trunk CTRL SysID 761F Dallas VA Hospital
413.8750 D-343 US Postal Service [408.100 might be input]
414.6500 167.9 Hz Open Carrier. Might the FBI still use 406-420 for Links?
415.8750 P25 $293 saw on a list as BEP Facility Security ?What is BEP ?
416.1000 D-116 US Postal Service.



Not much gets mentioned in the Texas Forum on federal monitoring, I was wondering how many of ya'll monitor the known frequencies on a regular basis?

I can say that fedcomms are some of my favorite, and I'm fortunate enough to live in an area where I get to hear a myriad of different agencies.

With a bunch of skip this morning I was getting some unusual hits in my federal banks, I wanted to know if any of ya'll have experienced the same, or know of where this is coming from. Hopefully with the hotter weather coming we'll have more chances to hear some VHF skip.

163.6250MHz- CBP Primary DC 025; I thought this tone was interesting, but this was very typical CBP chatter about a vehicle, running plates, CCH, etc. I also got OTAR on this freq. with the same tone. I probably got about 20-25 transmissions loud and clear, each one analog with DC 025.

170.6750MHz- CBP Tactical NAC 051; Now this is not a known NAC for Customs, but this frequency has been well established in its use by CBP. I have heard this frequency on about 10 different occasions, each time with this NAC 051. It has always sounded like digital garbage (almost like encryption, but not quite, and not quite the garbled digital noise of a weak signal). Monitoring on my friend's RACAL this sounded like a weak digital signal though, all just the buzz. I've heard this enough now to suspect it is being used somewhere in Texas (I really only get it during skip conditions in Central Texas) and each time brought up the NAC 051.

If some of ya'll haven't tried listening to federal agencies, I would (I was surprised how much is still analog, in the open, in San Antonio). I always have a bank of the common frequencies open, running in the background.

Let me know what ya'll are hearing, as our Texas federal database page is lacking, especially since we are have such a long border, bad drugs, huge airports, etc., etc., etc.
 

SCPD

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From a Traveling Scannist:

Early this month was in the DFW Area and logged:

165.3750 P25 $001 - Secret Service - Dick Cheney Detail
170.6750 167.9 Hz - FBI
173.1750 167.9 Hz - most likely FBI
406.1500 Trunk CTRL SysID 761F Dallas VA Hospital
406.3375 P25 $482 - US Postal Service
406.6625 P25 $293 - Federal Reserve Bank [Unk PD or Maint]
407.0500 Trunk CTRL SysID A82F Bureau of Prisons
407.7250 P25 $482 - US Postal Service
408.2500 Trunk CTRL SysID A82F Bureau of Prisons
408.4000 D-343 US Postal Service
411.5375 Trunk CTRL SysID 761F Dallas VA Hospital
413.8250 Trunk CTRL SysID 761F Dallas VA Hospital
413.8750 D-343 US Postal Service [408.100 might be input]
414.6500 167.9 Hz Open Carrier. Might the FBI still use 406-420 for Links?
415.8750 P25 $293 saw on a list as BEP Facility Security ?What is BEP ?
416.1000 D-116 US Postal Service.

170.6750 167.9 Hz - FBI Nationwide Surveillance, Tac-2 I am more heavily leaning twords Northern Collin Co. as I get a Solid 6 bars every time this thing keys up. Some of the communications are in the clear too.

408.2500 Trunk CTRL SysID A82F Bureau of Prisons I don't get this, I hear NO activity on this system what-so-ever, But I hear routine "Count time" and "Count Clear" on BOP-Primary 170.8750 CSQ.

168.7125 EMWIN get Like Data hits off this All the time. (Emergency Managers Weather Info Network)

406.3375 NAC 482, not as busy lately but I hear it too.

169.1625 NAC 128 TSA-D/FW International Airport
172.9000 NAC 128 TSA-Love Field Airport

164.6000 CT: 100.0 Listed as a USMS Channel but USMS doesn't use 100.0 tone. is Encrypted but Busy.
162.8125 CT: CSQ Again USMS and active right now, Open analog.

167.4375 CT: 167.9 FBI Southern Oklahoma (Ardmore) Operates both modes and is QUITE busy.
163.4375 CT: 167.9 FBI North Texas (Also very busy)
167.3125 CT: 167.9 FBI Nationwide Ch-1 (This channel is so noisy I have to lock it out most of the time) Hearing Mic clicks on it now it might be a Repeater Input.
167.6125 CT: 167.9 FBI Nationwide Ch-3 (Another nuisance on my scanner)
167.4500 CT: 167.9 FBI Nationwide Ch-2 (Sometimes active)
407.5000 NAC 293 Bonham VA Hospital (Security, Maintenance, Pizza Delivery)

Some stuff I am loading to listen to are:

163.2000 BOP
163.8125 BOP
165.4125 BOP
165.8250 BOP
165.8750 BOP
165.9250 BOP
168.8250 BOP
168.9250 BOP
169.0500 BOP
170.6250 BOP
170.6500 BOP (CH-03) (Nationwide) (Emergency)
170.8750 BOP (CH-01) (Nationwide) (Primary) (Getting someone's count info on this)
170.9250 BOP (CH-02) (Nationwide) (Escape's)
171.2625 BOP
171.5000 BOP
171.9750 BOP
172.2500 BOP
172.5750 BOP
172.6250 BOP
173.0500 BOP
173.1250 BOP
173.6125 BOP
173.7875 BOP
173.8375 BOP
173.8625 BOP
173.9625 BOP

And

162.7125 USMS (Nationwide) (to: 170.8000)
162.7875 USMS (Nationwide)
162.8250 USMS
163.0750 USMS
163.2000 USMS (CH-01) (Nationwide) (163.8125)
163.8125 USMS (CH-02) (Nationwide) (Simplex) (Aviation)
164.6000 USMS (CH-03) (Nationwide) (163.8125) (Vehicular Rptrs)
164.6000 USMS (CH-04) (Nationwide) (Simplex)
166.4625 USMS (Nationwide)
168.8625 USMS (Nationwide) Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force:
170.7500 USMS
170.8000 USMS (Nationwide)
170.8500 USMS (Nationwide)
170.8750 USMS (Nationwide)
170.9250 USMS
408.5250 USMS (417.5250)
411.0000 USMS (Nationwide) Simplex
411.0500 USMS (Nationwide) Simplex
411.1000 USMS (Nationwide) Simplex
411.1500 USMS (Nationwide) Simplex
411.1750 USMS (Nationwide) Simplex
412.6500 USMS (Nationwide) Simplex
412.7000 USMS (Nationwide) Simplex
414.0500 USMS Simplex
414.5750 USMS Simplex
417.1000 USMS (408.1000)
417.1750 USMS (408.1750)
417.7000 USMS (408.7000) (Nationwide)
419.5750 USMS (410.5750)

And this

168.8625 FBI Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force:
 

davidbond21

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If only illicit drug manufacturers would comply with CFR 21 Parts 210 and 211, we wouldn't have these kinds of problems.

Seriously though, I might have to plug in some of those USMS frequencies and see what pops up around here. I know they're busy, what with the Lone Star Fugitive Task Force just receiving national honors for their work in this area.
 
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texasemt13

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Seriously though, I might have to plug in some of those USMS frequencies and see what pops up around here. I know they're busy, what with the Lone Star Fugitive Task Force just receiving national honors.

I agree. I have never seen a list of USMS frequencies that long, the only ones I had seen were these.
 

hiegtx

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Most likely. The paper currency printing facility is in Fort Worth.
Probably hit that in the nose, David. The plant is in Ft Worth, & the post first mentioning this as "BEP", over on the DFWScan Yahoo group, stated that it was received over in Fort Worth.

I've started building a Fed group for my 396XT. Like that better than the PSR500, since it mutes encryption, and thus gets less notice if I try to do a little monitoring (low speaker volume) at work. May try doing search/logging/recording, though, with the PSR500, on a rooftop antenna at home. That may help on new (to me) or unidentified users.
 

hiegtx

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408.2500 Trunk CTRL SysID A82F Bureau of Prisons I don't get this, I hear NO activity on this system what-so-ever, But I hear routine "Count time" and "Count Clear" on BOP-Primary 170.8750 CSQ.
Max,
The 408.2500 frequency is used at the Fort Worth facility.
 

SCPD

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Max,
The 408.2500 frequency is used at the Fort Worth facility.

Makes sense why I can't hear it. I wonder which facility I'm hearing on BOP-1? Bowie maybe? Can't be Segoville, Could it?

I have a North Texas FBI list I'll toss out later this morning. I'm not sure how accurate it is, but its very comprehensive. I was surprised at the USMS stuff too. I was always led to believe they only had 5 or 6 channels assigned to them. I have that line-up scanning hoping to hear and ID some new stuff.
 

SCPD

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OK, here is Some Dallas / North Texas Specific FBI/Fed stuff I am scanning also. And with Good hits on some of this FBI stuff. However the majority of it is Encrypted ....

D/FW FEDERAL

167.21250 167.9 FBI
167.23750 167.9 FBI
167.26250 167.9 FBI
167.28750 167.9 FBI
167.31250 167.9 FBI - C-5/C-6 Collin/Denton/Grayson
167.33750 167.9 FBI - B-2
167.36250 167.9 FBI - Hurst/Euless/Bedford
167.38750 167.9 FBI - A-3 / SIMULCAST WITH 173.8125
167.41250 167.9 FBI - A-1 GRANDBURY/GLEN ROSE/COMANCHE
167.43750 167.9 FBI - A-2 DALLAS PRI / SIMULCAST WITH 167.7875
167.46250 167.9 FBI
167.48750 167.9 FBI - Glen Rose/Stephenville/Grandbury
167.51250 167.9 FBI - WICHITA FALLS
167.53750 167.9 FBI - D-5 RPT/D-6 DIRECT ERT/SWAT
167.56250 167.9 FBI - SURVEILLANCE
167.58750 167.9 FBI - WICHITA FALLS/GRAHAM
167.61250 167.9 FBI
167.63750 167.9 FBI - MINERAL WELLS RPT.
167.66250 167.9 FBI
167.68750 167.9 FBI - SURVEILLANCE
167.73750 167.9 FBI - B-5 MID CITIES
167.76250 167.9 FBI
167.78750 167.9 FBI - A-7 NORTH
164.55000 167.9 FBI - OCDTF COMMON
170.67500 167.9 FBI - SURVEILLANCE
170.82500 167.9 FBI
173.10000 167.9 FBI
173.17500 167.9 FBI
173.81250 167.9 FBI
173.98750 FBI
170.72500 DOJ - INTER-AGENCY EAST
171.43750 DOJ - INTER-AGENCY WEST
164.65000 1 USSS (T) DALLAS FIELD OFFICE PRIMARY
163.70000 31 ICE DALLAS-1
165.95000 001 IRS CID
 

Armadillo5

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I thought I would share some info since this subject has come up. Last fall I made 3 trips to Texas traveling thru the mid-west. While traveling I did some searching and found something of interest.

Most of the FBI channels seem to still be in analog mode but a few places like East Texas and St Louis have switched to digital. As a mater of fact one trip to Texas I heard St Louis all analog. A month later, all digital with a few analog tied to the digital. And by the way, ENC in full use.

Also worth noting, while traveling thru 5 states I heard various FBI repeaters all keying up with the same type of "key up/cur-chunk". If I was in Texas, I would hear it. If I was in OK I would hear the same thing as well as in St Louis.

Unsure if the switch from analog to digital has made these channels key up with "sound burst/cur-chunk" from one type of radio trying to handle, let's say digital.

Also, worth noting, I found these in use in the Abilene area.

163.9625
167.4375
167.4625
167.5375
167.5875
171.6875

Happy scanning.
 

SCPD

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I thought I would share some info since this subject has come up. Last fall I made 3 trips to Texas traveling thru the mid-west. While traveling I did some searching and found something of interest.

Most of the FBI channels seem to still be in analog mode but a few places like East Texas and St Louis have switched to digital. As a mater of fact one trip to Texas I heard St Louis all analog. A month later, all digital with a few analog tied to the digital. And by the way, ENC in full use.

Also worth noting, while traveling thru 5 states I heard various FBI repeaters all keying up with the same type of "key up/cur-chunk". If I was in Texas, I would hear it. If I was in OK I would hear the same thing as well as in St Louis.

Unsure if the switch from analog to digital has made these channels key up with "sound burst/cur-chunk" from one type of radio trying to handle, let's say digital.

Also, worth noting, I found these in use in the Abilene area.

163.9625
167.4375
167.4625
167.5375
167.5875
171.6875

Happy scanning.

I am hearing that exact same sound on Dallas A-3 click's almost muffled maybe kinda data sounding. Not a clue what it is either. Thanks for adding that.
 

SCPD

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OK, got these this Morning.

163.7000 NAC-031 ICE Dallas Primary (Partial Encryption)
165.2375-100.0 (MIXED) (Law Enforcement running 28's - returns out of Plano - Dispatcher was in the clear)
163.6250-NAC-056 (Encrypted but motor mouths) (had a 151.4 tone on it too)
163.6750-100.0-Mexican & DES
166.7250-100.0-Mexican
168.8750 NAC-055 (MIXED)
167.3625

These Dallas Area FBI repeaters are Kicking off left and right. Can't hear squat, but they are Active!
 

Armadillo5

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Something else to consider, there have been some post's on the Fed Forum about those "cur-chunk's/bursting sounds" from other places like NY, PA, etc.

Sometimes you can hear those sounds on one repeater but yet when you listen to another repeater nearby that repeater only keys up with open carrier no sounds.

I like your listing. Helpful and the list for this state is outdated and needs some work.
 

davidbond21

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OK, got these this Morning.

163.7000 NAC-031 ICE Dallas Primary (Partial Encryption)
165.2375-100.0 (MIXED) (Law Enforcement running 28's - returns out of Plano - Dispatcher was in the clear)
163.6250-NAC-056 (Encrypted but motor mouths) (had a 151.4 tone on it too)
163.6750-100.0-Mexican & DES
166.7250-100.0-Mexican
168.8750 NAC-055 (MIXED)
167.3625

These Dallas Area FBI repeaters are Kicking off left and right. Can't hear squat, but they are Active!

Those mostly look like CBP frequencies to me, especially since they are using PLs common to them(100.0 and 151.4), but I can't really speak for north Texas.

I have been hearing that same keying up of the FBI repeater here in SA, on 170.9, that y'all have been describing, though I've mostly heard analog traffic over it. Months ago, it was being keyed up and held like that for minutes at a time, and then would make some beeping noises and let up. Had to lock it out for a while because of that.
 
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