NYC area nostalgia

[radio065]

Does anyone here remember (circa ‘79) when NYPD ESU was on 155.535, Highway on 155.85, and various “rural” (i.e., non-Manhattan) NYPD divisions were still on VHF-hi, all non-repeaterized?

How about city morgue wagons on 47.xx, Nassau County PD on 39.xx, PAPD Lincoln Tunnel on 155.xxx, other PAPD facilities on 453.375 and 453.65, NJSP Pike on 155.xxx, NJSP Parkway on 154.xxx, NJSP geographical troops on VHF-low, Newark FD and Stamford, CT both on 154.13, Jersey City FD on 166.xxx and FDNY Bronx and Staten Island sharing 154.19?

Don’t forget the pre-cell phone era of WNBC-4 news crews on 161.67 and other tv news outlets on 450.xxx and 455.xxx, various stringers on 461.65 and Shadow Traffic (453.00?).

 

[kc2asb]

I received my first scanner as a gift in 1988, when I was in high school. I do remember the Bronx and Staten Island FDNY sharing 154.190 and the Newark FD on 154.130. I remember the Lincoln Tunnel PAPD on VHF and the PA using those 453.xxx frequencies. Wasn't the WTC police desk also on 453MHz somewhere?

My hometown FD, Bayonne, was on 166.250 up until 2007 or so when they put their new P25 system online. I don't remember JCFD on VHF for some reason. The JCPD was all on UHF (460MHz). North Hudson fire is still on 170.150, and their fireboats may still be on 166.250.

I remember NJ Turnpike operations on VHF. I did not start monitoring the NJSP until much later, when they were already on 800MHz trunked.

Somewhere, I still have the Betty Bearcat guide that I received along with my first scanner (still have the scanner too). I think it was a 1986 or 1987 edition. It might be fun to dig it out and see where the non-Manhattan NYPD precincts were operating in those days. I'm pretty sure Staten Island was still on VHF at that time.

 

[GTR8000]

and FDNY Bronx and Staten Island sharing 154.19?

They still do (T-Band is primary, but VHF has been resurrected)

 

[trentbob]

I lived in NYC, Manhattan, Brooklyn and queens. I moved to New York in the late sixties to 1985 so I do remember listening to NYPD. I do remember when Nassau County was on VHF low.

One that nobody seems to remember was the parkway system, the Northern State the southern state and everything in between. They were patrolleLd by the Long Island Parkway police. 45.66..

New York City was easy to listen to, not very complicated, nothing was.

 

[railtrailbiker]

Bergen County PD on 37.38. GWB ops & PD on 453.800. NJSP Turnpike on 155.190; ops on 159.18. NJSP Troop B on 44.94 & 44.98.

 

[richee2000]

We monitored NYC area FBI 167 Mhz freqs, USSS 165-166 Mhz Freqs DEA 417-419 Mhz freqs, and many other US Government Channels.....all in the clear. Those were the Golden Days of Monitoring....

 

[kc2asb]

Everything was less complicated. I had a 10 channel scanner in 1988, which was enough to cover my local PD/FD plus Jersey City, and it left 2 or 3 channels open for monitoring some NYPD precincts, or even the old mobile phones.

This old thread is worth reading through. Some great photos, old frequency lists and links:

NYPD low band VHF historical use

Anyone know what the frequency set up was during this time ? https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=10158201055471568&set=pcb.3008390129474352 Bottom left of picture . Thanks

forums.radioreference.com

 

[ten13]

and FDNY Bronx and Staten Island sharing 154.19?

I remember when the Bronx and Manhattan were on the same frequency (154.25), with no PL tone. It wasn't until we got a wiff of the "War Years" (1969-1970) that someone decided maybe it would be a good idea to put the Bronx somewhere else. Hence, the much slower (except during brush season) Staten Island and 154.19, and then no PL tone either.

 

[ecps92]

We monitored NYC area FBI 167 Mhz freqs, USSS 165-166 Mhz Freqs DEA 417-419 Mhz freqs, and many other US Government Channels.....all in the clear. Those were the Golden Days of Monitoring....

Still occurring, just now P25

 

[richee2000]

Still occurring, just now P25

P25 EEEEEEEEEEEEE

 

[62Truck]

P25 EEEEEEEEEEEE

You'd be surprised how much is in the clear..

 

[richee2000]

You'd be surprised how much is in the clear..

Yup..... And it's usually one side of the conversation.., some portable or mobile unit inevitably...

 

[kc2asb]

Yup..... And it's usually one side of the conversation.., some portable or mobile unit inevitably...

The Feds were using encryption long before P25 arrived on the scene, but it's certainly more widespread now.

Around 20 years ago, I remember listening to the Feds tailing and staking out a suspect. The frequency was somewhere on 167MHz. All in the clear. It went on for hours. Those days are over.

 

[richee2000]

The Feds were using encryption long before P25 arrived on the scene, but it's certainly more widespread now.

Around 20 years ago, I remember listening to the Feds tailing and staking out a suspect. The frequency was somewhere on 167MHz. All in the clear. It went on for hours. Those days are over.

That was a daily occurance back then.....many hours of great listening.

 

[Eugene]

I could hear in the 80's Brookland on 154.370 from the East Coast of VA routinely. Also remember flying a friend (I am a Private Pilot) with a PRO 43 scanner up to 10,000 feet and hearing NYPD/FD loud and clear (from Suffolk, VA). They were the days.

Eugene KG4AVE