Help identifying 800 MHz control channels Chesapeake area

[hrspotter]

Picking up very strong control channel-esque signals on 853.3015, 853.4635, and 853.7265. Using a RTL-SDR and Yagi antenna with SDR++, direction has no effect on signal strength. Signal is 12.5 kHz wide and sounds pretty close to OpenSky but much narrower. No luck with sdrtrunk, I've gone through all the modes and haven't gotten anything compatible. I've searched the FCC database and found nothing nearby. Central Chesapeake area.

 

[mtindor]

853.3015 and 853.4635 aren't going to be valid frequencies. Either you mistyped, or your source (RTL dongle or whatever) is off freq.

 

[sdabbey]

Yeah. It looks like your SDR isn't calibrated correctly. 853.3, 853.4625, and 853.725 are all licensed to the City of Chesapeake.

 

[hrspotter]

853.3015 and 853.4635 aren't going to be valid frequencies. Either you mistyped, or your source (RTL dongle or whatever) is off freq.

Fixed my PPM correction. 853.3, 853.4625, and 853.725.

 

[mtindor]

Probably old control / data channels from what appears to be the deprecated Chesapeake Project 16 Motorola Type II Smartzone system. Sounds like they might still have some of the old stuff online although not in use.

Chesapeake (Project 16) Trunking System, Chesapeake, Virginia

Chesapeake (Project 16) Trunking System Profile

www.radioreference.com

The above would have been replaced with the Phase II P25 system ( Chesapeake Trunking System, Chesapeake, Virginia )

 

[hrspotter]

Probably old control / data channels from what appears to be the deprecated Chesapeake Project 16 Motorola Type II Smartzone system. Sounds like they might still have some of the old stuff online although not in use.

Chesapeake (Project 16) Trunking System, Chesapeake, Virginia

Chesapeake (Project 16) Trunking System Profile

www.radioreference.com

The above would have been replaced with the Phase II P25 system ( Chesapeake Trunking System, Chesapeake, Virginia )

That would appear to be it. Odd that the control channels are still humming away after so long.

 

[Larry51]

Back in March of 2023, I emailed the frequency manager for the City of Chesapeake - the person whose name is listed in the FCC database. I asked him what the old 800 MHz trunked system was being used for since the City had switched to the 700 MHz simulcast system. He was evasive and pretty much gave me non-answers. I sent him an initial email and a follow up and got one-liners in response each time:

"This is an existing system used by the City for radio communications. We are not replacing the 700 MHz system."

"The 800 MHz system can be used by any of the departments of the City."

I'm thinking that the 800 MHz system is channeled up in one of the zones on the City portables. I'll ask around and see what I can find out.

 

[manda1993]

Back in March of 2023, I emailed the frequency manager for the City of Chesapeake - the person whose name is listed in the FCC database. I asked him what the old 800 MHz trunked system was being used for since the City had switched to the 700 MHz simulcast system. He was evasive and pretty much gave me non-answers. I sent him an initial email and a follow up and got one-liners in response each time:

"This is an existing system used by the City for radio communications. We are not replacing the 700 MHz system."

"The 800 MHz system can be used by any of the departments of the City."

I'm thinking that the 800 MHz system is channeled up in one of the zones on the City portables. I'll ask around and see what I can find out.

It is still in the portables

 

[Larry51]

It is still in the portables

Manda, if you confirmed this, then it solves the mystery. It also explains why our evasive city frequency manager said that the system can be used by "any of the departments of the city."

 

[FJB2022]

Chesapeake completely removed their old system several years ago. Those frequencies are being used for something else, they're not control channels.

 

[manda1993]

Chesapeake completely removed their old system several years ago. Those frequencies are being used for something else, they're not control channels.

When were they removed them from the radios? I could be wrong but messing with one of the radios in 2022 it was still in the radio

 

[mtindor]

Chesapeake completely removed their old system several years ago. Those frequencies are being used for something else, they're not control channels.

I'm an interloper, nowhere near the system in question. But I think the system in question is a Harris Phase II system. If it is, then they may have reused some old frequencies as Harris "Hi-Velocity" channels. They would not be decodable by any software that I know of and would be fairly wide signals.

 

[FJB2022]

When were they removed them from the radios? I could be wrong but messing with one of the radios in 2022 it was still in the radio

I'd assume so since Chesapeake has replaced or reprogrammed a good portion of their radios. Even if they didn't, the old system has been gone so they wouldn't work.

 

[manda1993]

I'd assume so since Chesapeake has replaced or reprogrammed a good portion of their radios. Even if they didn't, the old system has been gone so they wouldn't work.

It was still in the Apx6000xe the fire department was using now since PD went to Harris XL200P I know it is not in those radios because it wasn’t a P25 system.

 

[FJB2022]

It was still in the Apx6000xe the fire department was using now since PD went to Harris XL200P I know it is not in those radios because it wasn’t a P25 system.

Fire replaced their APX6000's.

 

[manda1993]

I just a medic tonight with a Apx 6000xe I will go back tomorrow and make sure.

 

[MotoTRK]

I can confirm that the APX6000’s from fire DOES NOT have the old system in it anymore, I know for a fact that the NEXT’s don’t have them in them either or the 6000XE’s we are using temporarily until we get our new case of radios.

 

[manda1993]

I can confirm that the APX6000’s from fire DOES NOT have the old system in it anymore, I know for a fact that the NEXT’s don’t have them in them either or the 6000XE’s we are using temporarily until we get our new case of radios.

Yea was able to verify it yesterday