Paging on 152.840

[d119]

Came across POCSAG paging in use on 152.840MHz this evening. VERY loud signal. Transmitter ID is KNKC884, which returns to Cook Paging in Santa Barbara County, and is long since expired. No other active licenses exist on this channel save for something up in Butte.

Who could possibly be running this system, and do they even know that it's unlicensed? I'm 100% sure of the lack of license.

I wouldn't say it's exactly "busy", but it's "regular" if you know what I mean.

Anyone know anything about this?

 

[RobKB1FJR]

Probably an old pager terminal/tower left on at a big tall building. I sort of miss pagers.

 

[ecps92]

or never reprogrammed for the new call sign. Altho they seem to be now 900 mhz
Run the FRN and you will find three active licenses still
the other 97 are cancelled, expired or terminated

guessing someone forgot to unplug it when they moved off VHF

Probably an old pager terminal/tower left on at a big tall building. I sort of miss pagers.

 

[footage]

That freq still active in the SF Bay Area.

 

[d119]

Without going into too much detail, this is apparently a wide-area system. And there are no active licenses in Southern California on that frequency. If you see otherwise, link it. I'm fairly sure I know what I'm doing with the FCC databases. Generally "CD" licenses are market-based, not site-based, so I know I'm searching properly.

 

[kf8yk]

It's American Messaging (AMS Spectrum Holdings, LLC):

WPVQ308 LA/Riverside/OC EA
WPVQ310 San Diego EA
WPVQ313 Fresno EA
WPVQ322 SF/Oakland/SJ EA
WPVQ327 Sac/Yolo EA

 

[d119]

Aha! Well I stand wholly and totally corrected then. Missed that one. Guess they need to get that callsign reprogrammed.

Curious why that didn't come up in any of my searches - educate me - how did you search for that?

EDIT: Figured it out. You have to search by channel block in market and not exact frequency. Sorry guys! Don't tell Paul I'm not perfect.

 

[kf8yk]

Curious why that didn't come up in any of my searches - educate me - how did you search for that?

The frequency on most of these part 22 licenses is listed as a range in ULS (152.83 - 152.85) and attempting to search by the center frequency (152.84) usually fails to locate them. It should work but it appears to be a quirk of ULS that it often fails.

I suggest using the 'Channel Block' code when searching for a specific Part 22 paging frequency, in this case 152.84 MHz is channel block 'EB'.

The paging channel block list is attached.

 

[kf8yk]

Guess they need to get that callsign reprogrammed.

I doubt they are concerned as there is no legal requirement for Part 22 paging stations to send identification, reference 47 CFR 22.313(a)(6)

 

[d119]

I doubt they are concerned as there is no legal requirement for Part 22 paging stations to send identification, reference 47 CFR 22.313(a)(6)

Do you work in the paging biz? If so, would like to talk with you offline...