Control Channels etc... UHF Air questions.

[mlconnell]

Guy's with the risk of sounding like an idiot I have a few questions...

I was scanning at work today and seemed to pickup some control channels in the UHF air bands.. on 394.5125, 394.6625, 394.8125. Also some on the 800 Mhz band that I am not sure what they are. Maybe in Mexico since I am in El Paso, TX. Some of those sound like 3600 bps and 9600 bps control channels. I cannot seem to find a way to figure out how to quess the systems and set them up because I do not know the rest of the Data channels.
I have the regular stuff El Paso Police etc setup but am familiar with those control channels and these are not them.

Is there a standard offset between control channels?

I have the BCD396T (Just traded my BCD996T for it). Am pretty familiar with the radio and been scanning a little over 33 years but do not know much about how to find trunked systems or other types of systems. LTR, EDACS... not sure how to find out the LCN's etc..
Any tips you can give me on trying to find Trunking systems would be appreciated.

 

[n2mdk]

One thing you can do is set the custom search to Control Channel Only then if the radio finds a Motorola control channel it well then scan that system. It only works for Motorola systems.

 

[LEH]

The 394 MHz is no longer in the MILAIR band. Many US Govt, mainly DOD, are switching to systems running from about 380 to 400 MHz, P25 AND (darn it) encrypted. They are also being trunked, so the channels you are hearing could easiliy be control channels for some DOD system (Fort Bliss or Biggs Field?).

There was a thread late last year that White Sands Missle Range had changed. A couple of folks were trying to figure it out, but I don't recall seeing results. You might want to do a search in both this forum and New Mexico (the DB has Fort Bliss under the Holloman/White Sands system).

 

[wa8pyr]

The 394 MHz is no longer in the MILAIR band. Many US Govt, mainly DOD, are switching to systems running from about 380 to 400 MHz, P25 AND (darn it) encrypted.

This is a DoD mandate; nearly all military facilities are to be encrypted. Time will tell exactly how many end up that way...

 

[mlconnell]

One thing you can do is set the custom search to Control Channel Only then if the radio finds a Motorola control channel it well then scan that system. It only works for Motorola systems.

Thanks so much. I did not know that feature.

 

[mlconnell]

Thanks to everyone who replied with info on the FT. Bliss systems and the control channels. I really appreciate your replies. It seems like we learn stuff everyday.