Interesting federal comms?

[cowboywildbill]

On the Motorola MTS 3000 digital portables, When You are in the closed mode or encrypted mode it cuts your range almost in half. If they don't have a great trunk system in the area they are working and they can't hit the towers very well, they may go to tact chanels that are radio to radio simplex. And then the range is really cut, two to seven miles on a good day. So if they go to clear they can get out better. And sometimes a radio will lose it's key and have to work in the open mode until someone can get to a key loader and reload the encryption. That usually means everyone goes in the clear. And sometimes they just forget to check to see if they are in closed mode before they hit the street..
Or so I've heard.

 

[mike_s104]

When we were in Scottsdale AZ last year, the first hour in the hotel I searched the fed VHF band and heard traffic on a common DEA freq tailing a few subjects. The whole week we heard them. Sometimes when we were driving around town, they were following one of the subjects within a block of where we were. I was always looking around for them.

And again in Las Vegas, we heard about the same kind of traffic from the BATF.

 

[Portable14]

Well, It's been almost 2 months since I've check this post, and I have to thank everyone who's contributed, As far as where I live so someone can point me in the right direction as to something federal to listen to, I live in New London County, In a town that borders Groton, So what's federal that I can listen to with a uniden BCD396T out my way?

 

[mike_s104]

Well, It's been almost 2 months since I've check this post, and I have to thank everyone who's contributed, As far as where I live so someone can point me in the right direction as to something federal to listen to, I live in New London County, In a town that borders Groton, So what's federal that I can listen to with a uniden BCD396T out my way?

Two ways that you can try that have worked for me. First is search the fed VHF, UHF and 380MHz (for new trunked systems) and if you find something, put it in a group to scan with everything else until you ID it. Second it to use other threads on the forum and pages in the Wiki and create a master scan list and program all into your scanner; scan this with everything else, it will be slow and something you'll turn off that group. Both are a start.

 

[signal500]

In the clear

Most of the FBI, DEA, BATF, USSS radio traffic has always been "in the clear" for years around the Kansas City area. There has been only a few times that I can remember that even one unit during a surviellance was using encryption. There are two regional FBI channels that are used for car checks and people checks that stay encrypted most of the time, but all surviellance is in the clear, P25 and analog. Search 162.6-174MHz, 406-420 MHz

Signal500

 

[ecps92]

I would suggest searching the following bands

137-144
148-151
162-174 [skip NWS]
406-420

In CT the FBI had used 406-420 for Links to the Remote TX Sites [back then cheaper than telephone lines] most of them have been remove in Northern New England, but you never know.

You should be able to hear the Groton Sub Base [137-144 & 148-151] and the CG Academy [171]

The best times to search are 6a-8a & 3p-5p [shift change]

Do you have a P-25 scanner ? or Analog

Two ways that you can try that have worked for me. First is search the fed VHF, UHF and 380MHz (for new trunked systems) and if you find something, put it in a group to scan with everything else until you ID it. Second it to use other threads on the forum and pages in the Wiki and create a master scan list and program all into your scanner; scan this with everything else, it will be slow and something you'll turn off that group. Both are a start.

 

[Big_Ears]

You should be able to monitor some of your state's surveillance frequencies also. They may be listed under your State Police frequencies. Make a list of the ones that are not listed as dispatch, or known channel #'s. They may be registered as for mobiles only or perhaps portables and possibly aircraft also. They also may contain no additional information, or may be in a band different from your usual listed frequencies. Sometimes they are listed under local govt. and may contain the same callsign #'s as the state frequencies. Portables/mobiles/aircraft are licensed with (2) letters/(4) numbers such as KD2404 instead of the conventional (3)letter/(3)number, KMA356 base/repeater callsigns. They may also be utilizing low power H/T's so you may hear them on the highway for 5 or 10 minutes, then they are gone. Aircraft can be heard from a longer distance. Sometimes you can hear them only, while they call the shots to the H/T or mobile units. Being there at the right time and place is the key on monitoring these operations unless you are able to monitoring them from some high elevation location. Sometimes simplex comms are used using frequencies ordinarily licensed as repeater inputs. Sometimes the simplex comms are using different PL tones so you may switch your scanner to no PL in order to hear all the traffic.

 

[KI4RDO]

im from atlanta,ga and u guys are right i hear activity on the vhf fed band sometimes but just because its normally quite dosent mean that its always quite

 

[SCANdal]

An extensive databse is a huge asset...

Big Ears,

Excellent response. In a nutshell you've basically told readers to look (and keep looking) everywhere.

I'd like to throw another possibility into the mix... rental radios. These things usually get used in connection with a short term event. An example of one around me that always pops up on odd frequencies is the local Boy Scout council's spring Camporee (who knew how complicated it would be to organize a chow line?). There's nothing to say that public safety agencies can't follow suit. When an agency knows it's going to be running a special operation of any duration, and they don't want to tie up the limited number of channels regularly available to them, said agency can go to it's radio vendor and borrow loaner radios from them. These radios are typically programmed up on business/industrial band frequencies licensed in the name of the radio shop. There's no limitation at all on where these could go. Agencies typically operating on VHF high band might rent, say, UHF radios, or vice versa - just to keep everyone confused. Once the operation is concluded, the radios are returned to the shop, and no one is the wiser. So, if you happen to see your favorite local unmarked car one day sporting a mag-mount antenna one of two things is going on: (a) demo radios were installed to test a new system out or (b) something's going on on another band that they don't want you to hear about...

SCANdal

 

[ecps92]

Keep looking and then ReLook. Amazing the 457 Mhz UHF Trunks that Sail into Boston from time-time [Navy Grey Hull], but alas no one in the Home Ports has reported them. Only the few 406 UHF trunks or the new 380 Mhz stuff. It's out there folks, trust me.

Two of us spent a couple of hours [quiet Sunday] and found 40 or so Channels [P-25 and Conventional] in use. Next day he spent sometime at another location and found 50 or so channels and many of them have not been reported [New England] at all, so more investigation/listening is required to ID them.

Big Ears,

Excellent response. In a nutshell you've basically told readers to look (and keep looking) everywhere.

I'd like to throw another possibility into the mix... rental radios. These things usually get used in connection with a short term event. An example of one around me that always pops up on odd frequencies is the local Boy Scout council's spring Camporee (who knew how complicated it would be to organize a chow line?). There's nothing to say that public safety agencies can't follow suit. When an agency knows it's going to be running a special operation of any duration, and they don't want to tie up the limited number of channels regularly available to them, said agency can go to it's radio vendor and borrow loaner radios from them. These radios are typically programmed up on business/industrial band frequencies licensed in the name of the radio shop. There's no limitation at all on where these could go. Agencies typically operating on VHF high band might rent, say, UHF radios, or vice versa - just to keep everyone confused. Once the operation is concluded, the radios are returned to the shop, and no one is the wiser. So, if you happen to see your favorite local unmarked car one day sporting a mag-mount antenna one of two things is going on: (a) demo radios were installed to test a new system out or (b) something's going on on another band that they don't want you to hear about...

SCANdal

 

[lugoffman]

Okay, here's a few tricks for some action, even if it's just locals.

1) Look in the FCC database for ALL licensed freqs for your local police department. They may only use a few occasionally for surveillance, chatter, etc.

2) Look in the FCC database for ALL state-licensed mobile-only frequencies. Sometimes they are used for surveillance, and they may even be higher-power mobile-to-mobile chatter channels, etc.

3) Start searching the police bands for freqs you aren't sure about their use. Many police departments use unlisted or even unlicensed channels very close to their normal freqs.

4) Look at the antennas on your PD vehicles. If they have a VHF antenna but use UHF frequencies, maybe they have a private car-to-car channel on VHF or something. Many police departments use CB for chatter as well.

5) Put common federal frequencies in a separate scanner and let it run 24/7.

6) Become familiar w/ the fed bands and common PL tones -- it will help identify what you hear.

7) Use Signal Stalker or Close Call when driving around. I've picked up US Marshals on Close Call and even found a hidden police chatter channel with it. You just never know who is around you.

Some of the best stuff I hear happens on the car/car and simplex channels. Don't think that they aren't worth listening to because often times the cops don't think anyone can hear them.

I have been told before to use the close call on my radio can some one tell me how to use the close call on the scanners I got listed below in my signiture. Cause I have looked for it but the only thing I see is siginal stocker and sp. signal stocker is there a better feture on these radios that I can use for finding secret frequencys that my locals use also it is all the time on the news that the FED's and ATF and other federal agents are in the area doing all kinds of stuff but I cant seem to find a frequency for them in my area for columbia south carolina richland county and kershaw county so does any one got any frequency's for these countys or better yet back to the close call thing how can I get it to work correctly ? THANKS --- JASON

 

[Big_Ears]

I would'nt be surprised if some of these activities are farmed out to "private companies". Maybe there's activity on the UHF-HI band that have frequencies that are licensed to private investigators and govt. contractors.

 

[SCANdal]

Read your PRO-97's owner's manual again.

Jason,

Close Call (Unidens) = Signal Stalker (Radio Shacks). The only difference I've found between Close Call and Signal Stalker is that Close Call will give you the PL or DPL being used, as well as the frequency, while with the PRO-97's Signal Stalker, you only get the frequency - which you now have to load into a blank channel (with PL/DPL search activated) to get the PL or DPL being used.

SCANdal

 

[Portable14]

Thanks again for all the help. The sub base is wonderful to listen to, Especially when you're on it every week day. I've actually submitted several sub base frequencies to the database. I don't really have the set-up right now to do band searches, But when I get a decent base antenna, That's what I'll be doing.

 

[lugoffman]

Did anyone get the message from Lakotawolf i got somthing in my email what in the world was that all about ???

 

[lugoffman]

Jason,

Close Call (Unidens) = Signal Stalker (Radio Shacks). The only difference I've found between Close Call and Signal Stalker is that Close Call will give you the PL or DPL being used, as well as the frequency, while with the PRO-97's Signal Stalker, you only get the frequency - which you now have to load into a blank channel (with PL/DPL search activated) to get the PL or DPL being used.

SCANdal

also thinks i kind of figured that but was not sure to bad the pro97 and the pro 164 wont give us the pl tones anyways thanks

 

[ecps92]

Looks like the Moderators took care of it fast.

Another one apparently gone too is

Portable14
Completely Banned for the Greater Good

Did anyone get the message from Lakotawolf i got somthing in my email what in the world was that all about ???

 

[lugoffman]

Looks like the Moderators took care of it fast.

Another one apparently gone too is

Portable14
Completely Banned for the Greater Good

what in the world happened to portable14 man everyone is getting banned Lol !!!

 

[rmosier]

Spleen - You are absolutly CORRECT.

 

[newsphotog]

I'd like to throw another possibility into the mix... rental radios. These things usually get used in connection with a short term event.

As I understand it, when ICE initiated the biggest immigration raid in the nation's history at a meatpacking plant in Postville, Iowa, ICE rented radios and space on the RACOM network (Scanner Frequencies: Racom Trunking System, Various, Multi-State). They were here for a month or two and they made pretty good use out of the radios.

ICE has a permanent local office now though, and they no longer use RACOM.