Active VHF-Low ESDA Frequencies

[PhilJSmith67]

Yesterday I began purging some ancient VHF-Low channels from my PRO-95 that I haven't heard anything on for ages.

Before I made it to the bank I use for FEMA and ESDA, one of those frequencies came to life, to my surprise. An EAS test was being performed on 45.44 MHz, and considering I was using the rubber duck antenna at the time, the signal was solid. It ran a recorded message, and sounded similar to the type of EAS tests on AM/FM stations. I believe it even ended with the data chirps. Shortly after, a dispatcher said that this concluded the test on ESDA LF-1. There was no evidence of E-Skip or tropo; the signal had all the characteristics of a local station.

45.44 is currently licensed for varying uses to many communities in Illinois, as is 45.56 which is sometimes listed as ESDA LF-2. But, there are a few dozen VHF-Low licenses that are within my receiving range, yet they are unused because those agencies have since moved all activity to higher frequencies.

This made me a lot more curious about other "seemingly dormant" VHF-Low frequencies. Are there any other ESDA frequencies that would come to life in a major disaster? I still have some of the VHF-Low and 27 MHz FEMA frequencies in a bank, along with a few "Nuclear Safety" frequencies in the 44's and 45's, but I have never heard a single test on them. Obviously, before I jettison any more VHF-Low entries, I would like to verify if they are truly vacant.

 

[Starcom21]

I know Nuclear Safety has actually cancelled a lot of their licenses. I haven't heard much else on any of the low band frequencies in South West Illinois. 45.44 and 45.56 are supposedly in use in certain areas.... but only heard 45.44 a few times when the "HENRY" IDOT helicopters were still in the air. Springfield would actually talk off of remote towers.

 

[illini52]

45.44 is used every week here in Champaign. Basically I think the Springfield dispatcer gets on and says please hold all radio traffic for an emergency test and then a few minutes conducts the test. It's nice to hear some traffic on low band.

EDIT Dupage County uses a 37 MHz frequency simulcast with 154.xxx and 155.xxx and I think another freq in the 470 range.

 

[rich76]

Active VHF Low band ESDA Frequencies

I would not get rid of those frequencies just yet, IEMA is in the process of overhauling the existing equipment with new equipment, our county just got the first shipment of vhf low band equipment the other day, no sooner that I got that hooked up I was told more was coming in a few weeks.

 

[PhilJSmith67]

Thank all of you for the advice. Of course, in order for the scanner to make "quicker laps" around the channels I prefer to dump vacant channels, but only if they are truly obsolete. I'll keep the ones I have at this time.

 

[pepsi_boy]

esda

i know our esda department here in effingham still uses 45.44 during emergencies to communicate with springfield. i also talked to the coordinator and he told me that the illinois terriost taskforce sent them a low band radio to use. does anyone know of any frequencies that the taskforce uses in the low band?

jd

 

[jasonpeoria911]

45.440 is used almost every day here in Peoria. I believe its used by IDOT road crews. I hear the dispatcher talking about road maintenance related problems. I also hear the EAS tests on there every week.

Jason

 

[PhilJSmith67]

I've heard two more tests since my first post on 45.44, all with equally strong signal, and I am 30 miles south of downtown Chicago. Many communities are listed with licenses for 45.44... So many that I haven't been able to narrow down, to any degree whatsoever, where the Chicagoland EAS tests are broadcast from.

 

[cifn2]

the IEMA Region 9 office in Flora uses that, the coordinator will radio in that he is at the office, in service at the office, and when the office goes to lunch, then they return, then when he is going out or going home. This is all on that frequency and the state dispatcher answers him fro springfield.... IE... Springfield IEMA 9-1 10-8 @ the Flora Office, "10-4 IEMA 9-1"