Harris County - Police Helicopter - Fox Call Sign

[Pkomorita]

Does anyone know the frequency(s) the Houston Police helicopters use? They go by the call sign of Fox from what I've heard in the past. I got a Radio Shack scanner to listen to them because often they'd be flying over head my house or neighborhood and I've always wanted to know what was going on.


Thank-you!

Paul Komorita

[gjhamilton]

Generally a unit will request fox then the helicopter switches over to whatever channel requested them. A lot of times they will go to channel 8, car to car, and talk to the ground units.

[Pkomorita]

gjhamilton,

Thanks very much for your prompt reply and information! I greatly appreciate it. I haven't heard fox for a while and was hoping they were on a dedicated channel.

[Ensnared]

Originally Posted by Pkomorita

Does anyone know the frequency(s) the Houston Police helicopters use? They go by the call sign of Fox from what I've heard in the past. I got a Radio Shack scanner to listen to them because often they'd be flying over head my house or neighborhood and I've always wanted to know what was going on.


Thank-you!

Paul Komorita

I don't know what type of RS scanner you own, but you will need a digital scanner to listen to them in the near future. Although I've not heard HPD on their new radio system, they are in the process of migrating to TxWarn P25. Texas Wide Area Radio Network (TxWARN) Project 25 Trunking System, Various, Texas - Scanner Frequencies

I might add, the new HPD radios will be digital (which is part of a very large multiple county radio system). Some of these talk groups (channels) can only be accessed with one radio, a GRE PSR 800.

This radio will receive transmissions using the "T" mode or TDMA. However, there are many other talk groups in the clear as indicated by the "D" in the mode column. Again, you will need a digital scanner to hear these. Many of the tactical and narcotic channels will be encrypted as indicated by the "E" in the mode column.

If you look on the attached page, put "1179" in "find on this page" & it should bring you to the talk group associated with Houston PD talk groups. 1179 corresponds to the Fox unit.

In the past, when I've listed to HPD on their old UHF channels, Fox did not have their own frequency per se. They would show up anywhere on the HPD channels.

From what my friends tell me, HPD hasn't fully migrated to this trunking system yet.

[gjhamilton]

All main dispatch channels will be simulcast in phase 1(fdma )

[N5AMS]

right now you would hear them on 10(460.450) from what I understand

[Pkomorita]

Cool! Thanks very much for sharing this information, Aaron!

[kayi4cle]

Originally Posted by N5AMS

right now you would hear them on 10(460.450) from what I understand

In addition:

You can try hearing them on 123.025 AM when they are flying across the city, although the Pro-106 isn’t optimum on VHF. When aiding ground units, they will often be on the same UHF channel the ground units are on.

[KevinC]

Not to stray off-topic, but my 106 (and all other GRE-based scanners) are optimum on VHF...once I filtered out the FM broadcast band.

Originally Posted by kayi4cle

In addition:

You can try hearing them on 123.025 AM when they are flying across the city, although the Pro-106 isn’t optimum on VHF. When aiding ground units, they will often be on the same UHF channel the ground units are on.

[Pkomorita]

Thank-you, Kayi4cle and KevinC! I will try that frequency. I have a Pro-71. And N5AMS, I did hear Fox on 460.450 yesterday! but they must have switched since I didn't hear them again. By the way, the North Harris County Police channels don't have frequencies listed from their details, just names. Do you guys know how to obtain the frequencies themselves? Thanks very much, again, to everyone!

[Pkomorita]

Ensnared, missed Thanking you for your response! Thanks very much! And to everyone else who has replied with information to my inquiry. This is my first go-around with RadioReference who I learned about from my son (new Emergency Medical Technician), and it's been a lot of fun and interesting - and great to see so many willing to share their knowledge! Have a great week-end and Thanks so much, again!!

[kayi4cle]

Originally Posted by Pkomorita

Thank-you, Kayi4cle and KevinC! I will try that frequency. I have a Pro-71. And N5AMS, I did hear Fox on 460.450 yesterday! but they must have switched since I didn't hear them again. By the way, the North Harris County Police channels don't have frequencies listed from their details, just names. Do you guys know how to obtain the frequencies themselves? Thanks very much, again, to everyone!

You're very welcome. And I should have said, "Welcome to Radio Reference!" I'm glad you found this great website.

And, now to your question about frequencies. Have you discovered the Radio Reference Database? It contains interesting stuff for our area including the currently in use HFD and HPD UHF channels (click on the following link):
Harris County, Texas (TX) Scanner Frequencies and Radio Frequency Reference

Later this year, there will be a transition to the TxWARN trunked system. So enjoy the UHF channels while they are active.

[Ensnared]

Originally Posted by Pkomorita

Ensnared, missed Thanking you for your response! Thanks very much! And to everyone else who has replied with information to my inquiry. This is my first go-around with RadioReference who I learned about from my son (new Emergency Medical Technician), and it's been a lot of fun and interesting - and great to see so many willing to share their knowledge! Have a great week-end and Thanks so much, again!!

If you are currently hearing Houston EMS/Fire radio transmissions, consider yourself lucky. According to the TxWarn P25 Houston Fire/EMS talk groups, these are destined to become fully encrypted unless they've already done this.

For the life of me, I cannot understand why Fire/EMS needs to be encrypted.

I miss listening in the Houston Metroplex. I think TxWarn P25 is an incredibly well-designed & operated system based on my limited understanding of such.

[N5AMS]

Originally Posted by Ensnared

If you are currently hearing Houston EMS/Fire radio transmissions, consider yourself lucky. According to the TxWarn P25 Houston Fire/EMS talk groups, these are destined to become fully encrypted unless they've already done this.

For the life of me, I cannot understand why Fire/EMS needs to be encrypted.

I miss listening in the Houston Metroplex. I think TxWarn P25 is an incredibly well-designed & operated system based on my limited understanding of such.

main reason would be patient reports and "ambulance chasers" other than that I don't see why

[motorola_otaku]

Originally Posted by N5AMS

main reason would be patient reports and "ambulance chasers" other than that I don't see why

Fire restoration companies showing up en masse on active fire scenes and getting in the way and haranguing the property owners.

[gjhamilton]

I can remember the days when the cops would GB for a board-up company.

[KevinC]

Originally Posted by gjhamilton

I can remember the days when the cops would GB for a board-up company.

I believe the big one was "Secure-it".

Jeez I'm old.

[gjhamilton]

Originally Posted by KevinC

I believe the big one was "Secure-it".

Jeez I'm old.

And they used to ask what color body car they needed.