Anyone ever monitor Crowley tugs frequencies in San Diego. Looking for the working channel for Navy ships, not the common marine channels.
Crowley tugboats working channels for assisting Navy ships.
- Thread starter P25Radio
- Start date
This probably won't be of much help as I have had these in my scanner, but never logged traffic on them and I can't remember the source. I only get to the harbor about 5 times a year and C Tractor tugs seem to be the most active with the Navy ships in San Diego. Pinning down the company that owns them has been tough for me. (in order to check FCC licensing and possibly get some frequencies).
NAVSTA SD TUGS 139.650000 NFM Search
NAVSTA SD TUGS 139.725000 NFM Search
NAVSTA SD TUGS 139.925000 NFM Search
NAVSTA SD TUGS 139.975000 NFM Search
NAVSTA SD TUGS 142.600000 NFM Search
NAVSTA SD TUGS 142.725000 NFM Search
NAVSTA SD TUGS 142.825000 NFM Search
Apologies in advance if I wasted your time!
Bill
NAVSTA SD TUGS 139.650000 NFM Search
NAVSTA SD TUGS 139.725000 NFM Search
NAVSTA SD TUGS 139.925000 NFM Search
NAVSTA SD TUGS 139.975000 NFM Search
NAVSTA SD TUGS 142.600000 NFM Search
NAVSTA SD TUGS 142.725000 NFM Search
NAVSTA SD TUGS 142.825000 NFM Search
Apologies in advance if I wasted your time!
Bill
No worries. Way more information then what I have. I would suspect some special freqs from the navy are used too.
If they have special freqs I wonder if the navy provided radios since they could be NTIA freqs? I would not expect them to be encrypted as the mil does not allow civilians to have their key loaded radios without a mil guy present.
That makes sense, prcguy. I have never heard them on the Navy Region Southwest system.
Good point, I did find Crowley's license WHD7478 but no frequencies listed.
MiCon
Mike
I wonder: If you were to be able to get close to the Navy yard (say, near the Brady Concert Shell, or the Silver Strand Beach), with a frequency counter, or scanner with close call capture, if you would eventually get a hit on the tug boats. I know, someone is going to say "You have to be right next to the signal source for close capture", but I've picked up repeaters miles away with close capture.
I don’t find my FCC license with that callsign. Maybe it’s expired or it’s an NTIA callsign?
ecps92
Member
You mean WDH7478
but since that is an SB - Ship Compulsory Equipped it is not assigned a specific frequency, this is for the entire VHF Marine Band, EPIRB and MMSI of a specfic Vessel
in this case the Montana
I found the same thing for the C-Tractor tugs operated by Alpha Marine Services, In San Diego. No specific frequencies, but a license for everything that ecps92 mentioned above.
I kmow you didn't want VHF marine, but commercial tugs mainly work on marine band only. Going forward it's a stretch for these tugs to be using a government frequency, as Navy can use and do use the marine band. Any of marine channels listed for commercial or port ops they could be using.
Not being in the area, but some tugs work ships during docking on Marine channel 77.
Not being in the area, but some tugs work ships during docking on Marine channel 77.
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At Port Hueneme, Brusco Tug & Barge provides tug/pilot services for civilian & military ships. Once the pilot boards the vessel to be aided comms between the pilot & tugs is on marine CH 65, 156.275.
I just find it strange I can not hear them while scanning US and INT channels.
Your correct letters switched.
ecps92
Member
Not all Tugs need to be Chatty, especially the well seasoned Operators
I'll be in the Harbor this Friday, got a few freqs up my sleeve to try out will let ya know what I find... ECPS92, all pilots have to communicate with the tugs for movements when docking, including Navy ships. Tugs just can't go rouge.
Some tugs don't really use the radio much during docking/undocking ships. The docking pilot gives instructions to the tug using a hand held radio. The tugs respond with whistle signals. These people having been doing thiese jobs for a long time and I not much needs to be communicated.
With the docking pilot using HT wouldn't hsve much range, so may need to, to be near it to receive it.
With the docking pilot using HT wouldn't hsve much range, so may need to, to be near it to receive it.
ecps92
Member
Well aware of the communication requirement.
However I've observed and monitored for many years the well seasoned Tug Operators and Pilots in/around New England who don't need to be Chatty and do a great job with ZERO or minimal Radio chatter, just my opinion/observation. YMMV
No one said anyone is going Off Book
Tried all the tricks I had and nothing on the radio. Ships and tugs are like 100yrds away. Handheld or not you should hear something. But will find something. Short of touring a tug and maybe checking out the bridge.
