442.342500 pl 146.2 tampa

[kayleesdad]

Was wondering what the purpose of this continuous frequency emission might be here in Tampa, seems like continuous non voice static. Doesn't sound like data, on 442.342500 pl 146.2. Maybe it links repeaters together or something. Scanner stops on it all the time.

 

[jaspence]

In the ham band, frequencies like this are often beacons to help other hams determine signal conditions. VHF/UHF BEACONS by WZ1V

 

[CanesFan95]

That's a strange interval. What tuning step are you using?

 

[nd5y]

Nobody would put a beacon the repeater subband. If it was a beacon it wouldn't have a PL tone. It's something else.

 

[a417]

birdie / local oscillator?

 

[wtp]

the way to find out if it is a birdie is, take the antenna off and see if it is still there.

 

[ecps92]

As well as turning off local electronics, one-by-one [removing the power cord, not just shutting off]

the way to find out if it is a birdie is, take the antenna off and see if it is still there.

 

[kayleesdad]

Interesting, it was strongest in tampa, weaker in Pinellas, on my dual band radios and 3 scanners.

 

[kayleesdad]

Maybe a harmonic of another frequency, awfully strong though.

 

[radioman2008]

I searched my entire audio database and cant find that exact frequency, but found a close hit with 442.3375 PL 146.2
these hits are just carriers, no audio.
146.2 is the standardized PL for the Tampa bay area for ham, but also in Pinellas county in the early 90s agencies such as Largo PD ran a 146.2 PL aswell.

These hits only shows up in 2021, no previous years.
7/21/21 8:16pm and 8:18pm
8/8/21 10:55am

 

[ko6jw_2]

Probably an intermod. Very difficult to trace. We have one here that is a combination of a NOAA weather broadcast and a fire command channel. It appears on another fire command frequency. Same PL on both. Very annoying during major fires because, of course. the NOAA broadcasts are on all the time. Lock it out.

 

[byron]

Sorry for waking an old thread.

I've noticed for a few weeks since OP mentioned it, I can pull this odd signal in Riverview with decent enough antenna. (Not sure if the intermod-hell of living in Riverview causes the noise, or just distorts our ability to pick this signal up easier.)

It does seem to have a 146.2 PL pulse according to the scanners I've used that can ID it. It never drops, constant fuzzy signal.

Back to scanner monitoring...