The "hidden" 216 to 222 MHz band?

[EricCottrell]

Hello,

I am somewhat confused about this frequency range. There seems to be some PR hype about this being a hot band for trunking systems. I have not seen much discussion here about this band. This may be due to Public Safety not using it although I see mention of Public Safety usage post-9/11.

Part of the band was used for Maritime but it was opened up last century for land mobile use. The 220 - 222 MHz area was for the hot technology of ACSSB narrow bandwidth stuff. I see mention of ACSSB low power trunked systems but I also see mention that ACSSB is a failure. System operators are merging adjacent frequencies together and using super narrow FM. ACSSB seemed not to survive it's contact with reality 8->. I also see mention of something called Linear Modulation (LM)l but it seems to be a one company modulation method.

In the Boston area I do hear what seems to be control channels in the 220 to 222 band but I do not recognize the system and it appears to be in ACSSB. The FCC database shows a number of trunked systems in the 220 to 222 MHz band. I have not found any FM systems in the 216 to 222 band area. I was hoping for a more local system that used Passport.

Mobex seems to be a major player in this band with Passport systems in places like New York City and central Florida. MPT-1327 and Passport seem to be the common trunking systems in use in this band (At least for narrow FM).

So is this the hot band of the future?

73 Eric

 

[PanJurekMrJerry]

:arrow: I hope that some of these or all of these links will help:

http://www.fcc.gov/ib/sand/agree/files/can-nb/220fin.pdf

http://www.fcc.gov/Bureaus/Wireless/Orders/1998/da980355.txt

http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/...ss.gpo.gov/cfr_2002/octqtr/pdf/47cfr80.76.pdf

http://iwce-mrt.com/ar/radio_atlis_bring_public/

Click on this link: http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_99/47cfr80_99.html
Then scroll through the page until you get to 80.54 and then choose either *.pdf, or *.txt.

For the following link, follow the instructions the same way as for the previous link:
http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_00/47cfr80_00.html

http://myweb.accessus.net/~090/scan/srchfreq.html

This is a ham page that mentions ASCB: http://www.cot.net/~n6mrx/ares/band_plans.htm

http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-02-2717A1.doc

 

[mr_hankey]

hey Eric,

down here, i've seen frequencies in that band used to link LTR towers together.

monitoring one for 20 hours, i never heard any voice or data...

 

[Halfpint]

Eric,

Wasn't that the range that caused all the kerfuffles over it being something to do with UPS? I thought that they had pretty much `backtracked' on it after UPS went above 1GHz?

As for ACSSB (Amplitude Compandered Single Side-Band?)... Is there something about propagation in that range I'm missing? Wouldn't some sort of `flavour?' of FM be better?


Jerry,

Your tag line reads:

"As old police cars get retired, why NOT purchase police cars that can run on diesel and/or biodiesel from resturants. Wouldn't this be cheaper?"

Good question! Both Mercedes and Peugot have pretty much laid to rest the assumption that diesels aren't `slugs' anymore. (Sarcasm Mode On: Probably has something to do with the Mechanic's Union? Sarcasm Mode Off: {VBSE GRIN!}) One thing is for sure, it'd be interesting `smelling' a multiple unit chase. You get enough cruisers going through quickly and suddenly there is the smell of french fries in the air. {VB GRIN!} Kinda adds a new dimension to the phrase, "What's cooking?" {GUFFAW!} Seriously though... Why not!?? Diesels, of all ilks, have come *a long way* from their `stereotype'. A lot better built, better performance over a *much* `wider' curve, considerably cleaner especially if the `operator' just followed some *very* simple `care' steps, ETC.. Combine all that with the various `advances?' made in the rest of the vehicle and, especially if it is part of a fairly decent sized `fleet', and it does make one wonder.

Oops! To get back `on topic'... Thanks for all those `links'! Looks like I'm going to be doing a tad bit reading and possibly printing here pretty shortly. Something else `new' to `learn'. {WAN GRIN!}

 

[qoatzecotl]

I think they've found diesel fumes to be cancerous...

 

[HowD]

Diesel engine exhaust emissions

Diesel engine exhaust emissions have been shown to contain DHMO. Please see http://www.dhmo.org for further information.

 

[serebin]

GET KILLED WALKIN' YA DOGGY! (al pacino voice)

 

[PanJurekMrJerry]

I think they've found diesel fumes to be cancerous...

Ah, the smell of fries on every corner. Yummy.
You want fries with that ride?

I think that it was in Sunday's P.D.. that they mentioned Diesels:
http://www.cleveland.com/autonews/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/business/108703287242131.xml

Have fun reading all those links.

What I really never realized was this:

This is a ham page that mentions ASCB: http://www.cot.net/~n6mrx/ares/band_plans.htm

I came across that on my search for 216 - 220.

You just never know what is out there.

 

[ECPD279]

Re: Diesel engine exhaust emissions

Diesel engine exhaust emissions have been shown to contain DHMO. Please see http://www.dhmo.org for further information.

Damn, now I hear that DHMO has leached into my local water supply from all of the refineries around here. Just curious there HowD, will boiling or filtering water remove contaminants such as DHMO? ;-) I see no mention of this on the very informative website.

 

[iceman47]

Why can't they use Frying oil from "Dounut Shops", this would be more in line with a good fuel for Police cars.
They might spend less time eating donuts if they could smell them all the time.
LOL!!!!!!!!

 

[PanJurekMrJerry]

:arrow: Breaker breaker there Ice Man. Love that there post.
Time to put the pedal to the medal and I'm gone. 8)