165.49 what agency is this?

[sudsyjkh]

Have been hearing this in the Abilene area over the last couple of weeks. It's generally encrypted apco-25 comms with analog-sounding databursts [squawks] now and then.
I have heard 1 set of comms that were un-encrypted apco25 on Friday morning, it just consisted of "alpha-920 to alpha-206 on ozona tower". That was repeated a couple times with no response. Then things just went back to the enc comms.
Thanks in advance if anyone knows who this would be.

 

[ericcarlson]

Probably Customs and Border Protection Net 8, 165.4875.
MT Fed Files: 2006-05-28

 

[texasemt13]

Alpha is the callsign for ICE Agents, working on CBP Nets.

 

[sudsyjkh]

Thanks all. Yes, I have pretty much confirmed this as being used by CBP.
Most com's are enc, but now and then I will get a plane apco25 hit.
I'm assuming this repeater is patched in with a bunch of others, being as there are way to many com's to just be associated with the Abilene cbp office.
I have heard reference to the Ozona tower quite a few times, and well, Ozona is over 200 miles from here.
Thanks again.

 

[Armadillo5]

So, I was able to hear this channel while in Abilene for a short time. I have heard it before in P-25 but was unable to catch the NAC then. Today, there was a lot of OTAR but it was in analog and gave a DCS of 025.

I thought they only used 100 or 123 for PL and not DCS? When did they start using DCS? I ran a search twice to confirm the DCS and it was 025, signal strength was half or better.

Never heard the usual 165.2375 which in the past was always used.

 

[SCPD]

wow, 025 is NOT a common tone for them. So its OTAR all the way with no "In the Clear" transmissions?

 

[sudsyjkh]

I hear the odd just plane apco [non-enc] a couple of times a day, but 95% of the time it's enc apco as well as that squawking noise...I assume that's what's meant by OTAR?
Any in the clear com's I do hear are normally 1-sided, so I'm assuming the user has forgot to turn enc on or he/she has a radio that does not have enc capabilities yet.

 

[SCPD]

Could be USCS or CBP/ICE hard to tell. OTAR is OTAR and Encyiption is encryption - bottom line, if you can't hear it, its encrypted. "CHARLIE call signs are a sure fire indicator of CBP/USCS and with the responses you have already gotten its a good chance their correct. but 025 NAC is not normal for them, So listen a lot (When you can) and try to provide more of what you hear so we can figure out who this is. I've learned this, Never judge a Fed agency by a frequency (though its a good indicator) but lock that tone in and keep listening and eventually we'll ID their Police A$$3s! Chances are it going to be USCS/CBP/ICE but a better ID will sure help the DB.

Thanks for your efforts.

 

[texasemt13]

...but 025 NAC is not normal for them.

I believe he was talking about an analog DCS of 025.

Armadillo,
I have heard CBP use CTCSS tones 100.0 and 123.0. I have heard DCS tones of 025, 026, 051, 052.

An OTAR audio sample can be heard on this page (as well as many other digital mode samples). I believe that page also has some AES and DES encryption samples also.

 

[Armadillo5]

Let me clear this up...Today the com's were as follows:

Analog OTAR continuous with a DCS of 025. Then every 10mins or so just a quick keyup like MODAT but it was NOT MODAT. Last year/July/P-25 unknown NAC. I ran two searches today on the tone...Each time it bypassed 100 and 123 and ONLY came up as DCS 025.


At no time did I hear any voice.


What I also noticed was that there seemed to be several repeaters keyed up like it was linked and you could hear two other repeaters in the background and then it would drop.

It use to be 165.2375 with heavy use out there. Now, I guess this is the new one.

Hope this helps.

 

[ericcarlson]

Border Patrol uses DCS on at least some of their channels along the Texas border.