Circuit of the Americas (F1 race in Austin) frequencies

[glassjaw1704]

Hey guys the inaugural circuit of the americas F1 race is this weekend in Austin and I wanted to start this thread so everyone can post up any track or race team frequencies they find throughout the weekend. If anyone has an advanced copy of what the track and driver frequencies are post them up so we can all listen in!!

[mtindor]

I know CoA has a trunked system license.

WQOE549 (CIRCUIT OF THE AMERICAS LLC) FCC Callsign Details

RACE TRACK. RADIOS WILL BE USED TO COORDINATE DAILY MAINTENANCE, SAFETY, SECURITY, TRAFFIC, RACE CARS, CONCESSIONS AND ADMINISTRATIVE OPERATIONS AND ACTIVITIES

Emission Types:
11K2F3E -- narrowband analog
4K00F1E -- narrowband digital (P25?)
7K60FXE -- TRBO

They filed construction notifications indicating that in August the system had been built out.

My guess is that it is probably a MotoTRBO Capacity Plus trunked system. So good luck scanning anything on it. A scanner alone won't do it if it's TRBO.

13 frequencies -- If it's TRBO, that's 26 voice channels available.

So I bet they are putting everything they can on there.

Of course, despite what it says above about race cars, I bet there are probably many race teams that will use their own radios -- and probably digital encrypted stuff of some variety.

Mike

[Jay911]

"Coordinate (...) race cars" implies the track safety teams/pit control/flag stations to me, not the race teams themselves. The race teams, especially in F1, have their own radio gear that they bring along (and get a special exception for) during the race weekend.

If anyone can confirm whether or not race control is monitorable, I'd appreciate knowing too - I plan to be at the V8 Supercars race at COTA in May 2013, and I enjoy listening to the safety crews during the event.

[807swr]

All Circuit of Americas public safety communication are on the D-bank. 10 frequencies are assigned, and the two command channels between the 8th/IH-35 CP, Formula 1 CP and EOC are encrypted.

[mtindor]

Originally Posted by 807swr

All Circuit of Americas public safety communication are on the D-bank. 10 frequencies are assigned, and the two command channels between the 8th/IH-35 CP, Formula 1 CP and EOC are encrypted.

Sounds like that's leaving a lot out. Did you get that info secondhand, or did you monitor personally? If you monitored personally, is it P25, TRBO, analog, or what? It's a trunking license, so it's apparently some type of trunked system. I'm sure many people would like to get it added to the DB, especially if there is any chance of hearing any traffic.

From what you say, it sounds as though only some thigns are encrypted. But that still doesn't tell us whether their using P25, TRBO, analog, etc or what type of trunking system it is. Do you have any of this info?

Mike

[807swr]

I work for Austin FD and I have the tactical frequencies assigned to APD, AEMS and AFD for the Circuit of Americas F1 traffic. We are on an APCO P25 system using Motorola hardware and software.

[mtindor]

Originally Posted by 807swr

I work for Austin FD and I have the tactical frequencies assigned to APD, AEMS and AFD for the Circuit of Americas F1 traffic. We are on an APCO P25 system using Motorola hardware and software.

So I'm guessing the system is actually live now? Given that it's a new system, I'd guess it'd be Phase 2 P25, but I'm in Ohio so I can't figure that stuff out.

Hopefully somebody in Austin area [or some visiting the track] will scan the frequencies listed on the license, find out the active [and alternate] control channels, and grab all the useful stuff that the database admins will need to get the system listed.... System ID, Site ID, control channels, etc.

Frequencies [according to the license] are:

451.90000
452.47500
452.67500
461.41250
461.52500
461.73750
461.81250
463.46250
463.97500
464.03750
464.06250
464.63750
464.96250

Mike

[mtindor]

Originally Posted by 807swr

I work for Austin FD and I have the tactical frequencies assigned to APD, AEMS and AFD for the Circuit of Americas F1 traffic. We are on an APCO P25 system using Motorola hardware and software.

Oh -- I forgot to say it. Thanks for the information. That's very helpful [and hopeful] information starting out. Based upon what you've said so far, i sounds like not everything is encrypted. If that's the case, it'll be interesting to listen to I imagine.... even if there are no race teams on it.

Mike

[807swr]

All of the communications between APD, AEMS and AFD operations are not encrypted. The 2 command talk groups are encrypted. I hate working on an encrypted command frequency because the radio issues an obnoxious beep every 10 seconds reminding me that I am on a secured frequency. My work around is to request the TRO (tactical radio operator) in Dispatch to have Command come to my TG.

None of the race teams are on our public safety network. From my observations at the track, all of the race team radios are either VHF or UHF analog.

[PiccoIntegra]

Race team comms are definitely digital, you can tell by the audio from the broadcasts. The radio gear I see them use in their pit stations are Kenwoods.

I found a link to another forum that sheds a little light on the subject. It was posted a few days ago.

[807swr]

Originally Posted by mtindor

So I'm guessing the system is actually live now? Given that it's a new system, I'd guess it'd be Phase 2 P25, but I'm in Ohio so I can't figure that stuff out.

Hopefully somebody in Austin area [or some visiting the track] will scan the frequencies listed on the license, find out the active [and alternate] control channels, and grab all the useful stuff that the database admins will need to get the system listed.... System ID, Site ID, control channels, etc.

Frequencies [according to the license] are:

451.90000
452.47500
452.67500
461.41250
461.52500
461.73750
461.81250
463.46250
463.97500
464.03750
464.06250
464.63750
464.96250

Mike

I actually have the Zone and Talk Group information for the Greater Austin Telecommunications Network (GATNN). I need to convert it to an Adobe file as I have it as an Excel spreadsheet based on last year's rebanding project.

[Jay911]

807swr, I don't know about the others, but I specifically was talking about the crews that go on the track during a race incident - the corner workers, wreckers and safety trucks, the pace car, and the people "managing" them in the control tower, the ones who call out a yellow or red flag etc. Are you saying that those people are operating on the Austin trunk system?

The link that Picco posted implies that FOM is using some exotic stuff and/or Euro-centric equipment like their Tetra gear, which doesn't surprise me.

VESC, when I saw them in Australia in 2010, was analog in the clear on either VHF hi or UHF, I can't recall which. I'm hoping they bring their gear with them

[807swr]

Jay911:

Nothing associated with the race teams or the building owners is associated with the Greater Austin Area Telecommunication Network (GAATN) which is the public safety voice, telephony and data system. They wanted on our system but it was immediately squished like a bug. This system is funded by the 9-1-1 fees on cable, landline and wireless providers and administered by the Capital Area Council of Government with the City of Austin acting as system administrator. The entire system is operating from the Combined Traffic and Emergency Communication Center (CTECC).

Combined Transportation, Emergency & Communications Center (CTECC) | AustinTexas.gov - The Official Website of the City of Austin

I may have offered you too much information but I want it to be clear that the public safety comm system has nothing to do with the race team communications at the Formula 1 racetrack in Austin.

[mtindor]

Originally Posted by 807swr

Nothing associated with the race teams or the building owners is associated with the Greater Austin Area Telecommunication Network (GAATN) which is the public safety voice, telephony and data system. They wanted on our system but it was immediately squished like a bug. This system is funded by the 9-1-1 fees on cable, landline and wireless providers and administered by the Capital Area Council of Government with the City of Austin acting as system administrator. The entire system is operating from the Combined Traffic and Emergency Communication Center (CTECC).

Combined Transportation, Emergency & Communications Center (CTECC) | AustinTexas.gov - The Official Website of the City of Austin

I may have offered you too much information but I want it to be clear that the public safety comm system has nothing to do with the race team communications at the Formula 1 racetrack in Austin.

Thanks for that clarification, since the system above I was referencing is different than what you are referring to.

What I"m referring to is specifically a trunked system used by COTA for their internal activities.

Of course, the information you provided is very useful to those wanting to monitor the public safety aspect side of things at the track.

Mike

[mtindor]

I'll leave this thread now since I probably added some confusion. For those wanting monitor COTA-specific operations as listed in post #2 above, you'll have to sleuth out the trunked system referenced there, since it currently isn't in the RRDB and we have no information on the type of system or current activity.

Mike

[jhooten]

Originally Posted by Jay911

807swr, I don't know about the others, but I specifically was talking about the crews that go on the track during a race incident - the corner workers, wreckers and safety trucks, the pace car, and the people "managing" them in the control tower, the ones who call out a yellow or red flag etc. Are you saying that those people are operating on the Austin trunk system?

Corner stations are on a wired network and not assigned radios according to several of the SCCA volunteers working the event.

[Jay911]

Originally Posted by jhooten

Corner stations are on a wired network and not assigned radios according to several of the SCCA volunteers working the event.

I suspected that (that's the same as it is at my "home track", Mosport). My experience from Mosport though leads me to believe that the actual safety crews (the people in the trucks that drive to the crashed car and help out) are not only on a wireless system but oftentimes bring their own comms gear to the party. At Mosport, during the American Le Mans Series, IMSA brings their own radio network (conventional UHF) for the safety crews.

The ultimate answer is probably going to be either V8 brings their own, or they use the track's trunk system referenced above. I'm hoping it's not the latter, because as indicated it appears to be TRBO.

[jhooten]

Update from one of the wrecker service guys, they are given a XPR series radio to talk to the track.

[Jay911]

Originally Posted by mtindor

Hopefully somebody in Austin area [or some visiting the track] will scan the frequencies listed on the license, find out the active [and alternate] control channels, and grab all the useful stuff that the database admins will need to get the system listed.... System ID, Site ID, control channels, etc.

My hotel is not far from the track, but I'm heading out right now and it hadn't occurred to me to load 'em into my PSR800 and try DMRDecode until just now. I'll try that tonight.

I did see five extra freqs on "location 3" of the FCC license which are not indicated as part of the trunk system (they only have MO6 status). I'm going to put all of them in my 396 when I get to the track, including the trunk system, and see if I can uncover anything analog.

[Jay911]

No discernable analog on the 451 COTA freqs but the V8s are on their regular UHF channels. Will post when I get back to the hotel tonight.