Programming Coast Guard

[dispatcher812]

I had an epiphany today as to why I may not be hearing the CG. Am I correct in that the UHF and VHF frequencies are digital since the database lists them as a P25? when I import them from Sentinel it comes over as a conventional with ta NFM modulation.

 

[dispatcher812]

Sorry for the second post, could not find where to edit. So when I import with Sentinel, it calls it a conventional system but uses a Digital P25 NAC code. Should this been scanning under digital or conventional?

 

[trentbob]

The Nationwide VHF and UHF net USCG frequencies are conventional digital frequencies.

It looks like you're in Connecticut. Don't know if you're near the coast or any active Coast Guard activity. It looks like you have a 536. Just for simplification let's say you were going to enter one of these frequencies manually on the keyboard. You would enter it as a conventional frequency. The mode would be digital only as opposed to analog only or ALL and that would allow you to enter the NAC which is always 293. The modulation is NFM.

I live on the Delaware River between Philadelphia and Trenton and we use CG 121 and CG 409. They are fairly active, sometimes they are in the clear, sometimes encrypted.

If you want to monitor normal Coast Guard operations your best bet is the standard VHF Coast Guard frequencies of Channel 16, 21, 22, 23 and 81. You really need a rooftop antenna. For marine I use an old Sputnik ground plane. Enjoy.

 

[reconrider8]

In theory even if it's entered conventional analog the scanner should be able to see that it's digital and should change the it to what ever it is unless you set a pl or something else

 

[fasteddy64]

Here on the Gulf coast of Mississippi there is a lot of Coast Guard radio activity.
The bulk is on Marine Channels 16, 22, and 83A,(FM) followed by a fair amount on CG-111, CG-112, CG-409 and CG-411 (P25). Air comms are heard on 345.0 (AM) occasionally.
I hear Sector New Orleans, Sector Mobile and Station Gulfport with ease.
I have not noticed any encrypted traffic.

Ed
KG5UN
Gulfport, Mississippi

 

[dispatcher812]

So I work in Boston and thought I would hear some chatter, but have not. Looking in the settings on the scanner, an SDS 100 if I forgot to mention it, and see that under the audio type the CG channels, 101, 103 etc, are listed as digital. Is that correct?

 

[ecps92]

Boston and Pt Allerton are always on 118 (Digital)
busy this past weekend with the car into Hull Gut

But alas not much activity as has been years ago, due to the amount of LE out on the harbor
Boston Police (Officially the Harbormaster)
State Police Marine Patrols, the Environmental Police patrols.

Best time to try and listen would be during an LNG escort into Everett
which requires mutual aid from the neighboring Harbor Masters (Everett, Quincy, Hingham, Weymouth)
and much of the MSP/CG activity for those is on the 700/800 Trunk on a SOPS channel

So I work in Boston and thought I would hear some chatter, but have not. Looking in the settings on the scanner, an SDS 100 if I forgot to mention it, and see that under the audio type the CG channels, 101, 103 etc, are listed as digital. Is that correct?

 

[dmh77yy]

Here in south Florida the USCG VHF Marine band traffic is analog but USCG is also using P25(Digital) VHF/UHF extensively outside of marine band, some with encryption.
Given the high amount of migrant/smuggling cases they work with CBP, US Fish and Wildlife, and State/Local agencies I also hear USCG on VHF VTACs and LETACs. For example in the upper keys we will have large migrant vessels crash on the reef and Monroe Co Fire/Sheriff, Miami Dade Co Fire, FWC, USFishWildLife, USCG, CBP Air and Marine, and Border Patrol ground units all responding to the same incident. These are often medical mass patient events as some of these vessels from Haiti have 100+ migrants and many require immediate emergency medical care. During these larger events (which are becoming more and more common) Im hearing quite a bit of traffic on the national mutual aid calling and tac freq on VHF and 700/800 Mhz. This is fairly unique to Monroe and southern Miami Made County though.

 

[pro106import]

Kevin,
CG Sector Long Island Sound operates on CG112 (163.050) P25, NAC 293, and is 99% encrypted. Once in a blue moon you will hear a helo or CG Cutter in the clear, but not very often.
Of course you might hear them on the normal VHF marine channels , 156.8 and 157.1 ect.. if you are close enough. They don't have the "high sites", or high power transmitters as they used to. They use many transmitters now strategically located, with much lower power. So if you are too far inland, you probably won't hear them unless they transmit on the Connecticut River tower or other inland ones.
Bob

 

[dmchalmers]

In theory even if it's entered conventional analog the scanner should be able to see that it's digital and should change the it to what ever it is unless you set a pl or something else

Sure it does maybe with a 5 second delay my analog picks far more local than digital ever has even when located in sentinel fav list

 

[ecps92]

Actually with Rescue 21 they have more High Sites than before, same power but use them selectively vs All keying up at once
Here is the District 1 Map

https://www.navcen.uscg.gov/sites/default/files/images/marcomms/cgcomms/Rescue21/D1.jpg

Kevin,
CG Sector Long Island Sound operates on CG112 (163.050) P25, NAC 293, and is 99% encrypted. Once in a blue moon you will hear a helo or CG Cutter in the clear, but not very often.
Of course you might hear them on the normal VHF marine channels , 156.8 and 157.1 ect.. if you are close enough. They don't have the "high sites", or high power transmitters as they used to. They use many transmitters now strategically located, with much lower power. So if you are too far inland, you probably won't hear them unless they transmit on the Connecticut River tower or other inland ones.
Bob