Is it harder to monitor & pick up ABQ Dispatch/Cibola NFS for anybody else in NM?

[kq5m]

Try 171.7500 for Albuquerque Zone, it is analog.

Captured a number of frequencies in the VHF government range in the last couple of days. Some appear to be P25, but my BCD996XT didn't decode audio. It did get NAC codes. I'll provide a list if anyone is interested.

To answer Bill's questions: I didn't get the PL on 419.6375 and my home QTH is to far away to hear Carson Nat'l Forest coms. I won't be back up that way until May. As for 173.3250 I haven't captured a PL tone yet as I have the scanner set for Tone Search of P25 NAC. Ill reconfigure to CTCSS/DCS when I get a chance.

Dave

 

[ecps92]

Yes on the NAC's When you get time.
Might be other Federal Agencies, and can help ID

and Roger that on the PL, it seems some forests are changing PL
when they go to the new NTIA frequencies. Helps to ensure folks
have properly Re-Programed

Try 171.7500 for Albuquerque Zone, it is analog.

Captured a number of frequencies in the VHF government range in the last couple of days. Some appear to be P25, but my BCD996XT didn't decode audio. It did get NAC codes. I'll provide a list if anyone is interested.

To answer Bill's questions: I didn't get the PL on 419.6375 and my home QTH is to far away to hear Carson Nat'l Forest coms. I won't be back up that way until May. As for 173.3250 I haven't captured a PL tone yet as I have the scanner set for Tone Search of P25 NAC. Ill reconfigure to CTCSS/DCS when I get a chance.

Dave

 

[CorwinScansNM]

Yes on the NAC's When you get time.
Might be other Federal Agencies, and can help ID

and Roger that on the PL, it seems some forests are changing PL
when they go to the new NTIA frequencies. Helps to ensure folks
have properly Re-Programed

New NTIA Frequencies, what is that? Had not heard of that one.

 

[ecps92]

Freq's are changing around to confirm to what is in the wiki
Federal VHF/UHF Channel Plans - The RadioReference Wiki

Not all Agencies/Areas have migrated, so as an example to assume the UHF 9 mhz off-set would be an assumption depending on where you are located, who the agency is, and if they have migrated to the NTIA standard.

NTIA Manual Chapter 4 Section 4.3.7

Government land mobile channels are normally on 12.5 kHz steps (162.05, 162.0625, 162.075 ...) in NFM, P25, or other digital voice modes.
No standard offset.
There are other unpaired single frequencies in other parts of the band that are not specified in the manual.
Use of the band 162-174 MHz by the military agencies is limited to non-tactical or intra-base radio operations.
162.0500-166.4875 Mobile/repeater input
166.5000-169.5000 Unpaired single frequency systems
169.5125-173.2000 Base/repeater output
173.2100-173.3900 (Note: This is a non-federal band)
173.4000-173.9875 Base/repeater output

New NTIA Frequencies, what is that? Had not heard of that one.

 

[fox-one]

I live in the east mountains. In past years, I have listened to 170.525 FMn with my Icom R7000. This would reliably give me Capilla Peak and Cedro Peak fire lookouts talking to an Albuquerque base. (Very useful during fire season.)

Those towers will soon be staffed for the fire season, so I hope to hear them then.

 

[kq5m]

All,

Below are the results of my 169.5125 to 175.000 custom search for the last 7 days -

VHF Freq’s with NAC:
169.6375 N 385 P25, encrypted
169.9375 N 167 P25, readable audio
170.0500 N 411 P25, Bandelier - National Monument National Park Service
170.6625 N 167 P25, encrypted
170.6750 N 167 P25, encrypted
170.7250 N 167 P25, encrypted - Nationwide Assignments Customs and Border Protection (CBP)
170.7500 N 293 P25, encrypted
170.8125 N 167 P25, encrypted
170.8375 N 167 P25, encrypted
170.8500 N 864 P25, encrypted
170.9625 N 650 P25, encrypted - Tactical 2 - Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
171.6500 N 293 P25, Santa Fe Interagency Dispatch Center Wildland Fire
171.6875 N 167 P25, encrypted
172.1125 N 293 P25, “We are still digitized” - Fire Crews - Cibola National Forest
172.9000 N 167 P25, some audio decoded
173.6125 N 167 P25, encrypted
173.6375 N 167 P25, encrypted

VHF Freq’s with audio:
169.7750 Analog
169.8250 Analog, Santa Fe Interagency Dispatch Center
170.0750 Analog and digital, “This is a test of the Alert Receiver System…”
170.5250 Analog, Cibola Nat’l Forest – Audio is weak
171.5375 P25, “Approved for overtime” “Unauthorized use of a motor vehicle” – 71 Hits
171.5500 Analog, Santa Fe National Forest 172.3 input
171.7500 Analog, C 114.8 – Albuquerque Dispatch - Looks like it is BIA on Parajito.
172.2250 Analog, “How do you copy?”
172.3000 Analog, Santa Fe National Forest Rpt Out
172.4500 Analog, BIA Mescalero Apache Tribe – Units must have been here in ABQ.
173.1000 Analog and digital, “This is a test of the Alert Receiver System…”
173.3250 Analog, Non-Federal – FCC Data says Sandoval County Callsign WNGF606 Public Safety

Scanner used was a BCD996XT.

Not much new in there as far as Cibola National Forest.

Have not had time to review the custom search UHF 406.1125-410.9875 range I've been searching on my BCD996T.

Dave

 

[ecps92]

Working on a Response, and it appears you've had some good reception into CO and AZ
Do you regularly from your QTH hear into CO and AZ ? Asking as a couple of your hits I have as Grand Canyon NP

All,

Below are the results of my 169.5125 to 175.000 custom search for the last 7 days -

VHF Freq’s with NAC:
169.6375 N 385 P25, encrypted
169.9375 N 167 P25, readable audio
170.0500 N 411 P25, Bandelier - National Monument National Park Service
170.6625 N 167 P25, encrypted
170.6750 N 167 P25, encrypted
170.7250 N 167 P25, encrypted - Nationwide Assignments Customs and Border Protection (CBP)
170.7500 N 293 P25, encrypted
170.8125 N 167 P25, encrypted
170.8375 N 167 P25, encrypted
170.8500 N 864 P25, encrypted
170.9625 N 650 P25, encrypted - Tactical 2 - Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
171.6500 N 293 P25, Santa Fe Interagency Dispatch Center Wildland Fire
171.6875 N 167 P25, encrypted
172.1125 N 293 P25, “We are still digitized” - Fire Crews - Cibola National Forest
172.9000 N 167 P25, some audio decoded
173.6125 N 167 P25, encrypted
173.6375 N 167 P25, encrypted

VHF Freq’s with audio:
169.7750 Analog
169.8250 Analog, Santa Fe Interagency Dispatch Center
170.0750 Analog and digital, “This is a test of the Alert Receiver System…”
170.5250 Analog, Cibola Nat’l Forest – Audio is weak
171.5375 P25, “Approved for overtime” “Unauthorized use of a motor vehicle” – 71 Hits
171.5500 Analog, Santa Fe National Forest 172.3 input
171.7500 Analog, C 114.8 – Albuquerque Dispatch - Looks like it is BIA on Parajito.
172.2250 Analog, “How do you copy?”
172.3000 Analog, Santa Fe National Forest Rpt Out
172.4500 Analog, BIA Mescalero Apache Tribe – Units must have been here in ABQ.
173.1000 Analog and digital, “This is a test of the Alert Receiver System…”
173.3250 Analog, Non-Federal – FCC Data says Sandoval County Callsign WNGF606 Public Safety

Scanner used was a BCD996XT.

Not much new in there as far as Cibola National Forest.

Have not had time to review the custom search UHF 406.1125-410.9875 range I've been searching on my BCD996T.

Dave

 

[CorwinScansNM]

Try 171.7500 for Albuquerque Zone, it is analog.

Dave

My BCD536HP just landed on 171.7500 programmed scanner frequency today & was totally unreadable on my scanner as pure static squelch sound. I was only hearing a voice very faintly in the background of the overwhelming static noise that I was not able to understand. I had to lock it out for being unclear & unreadable being that it was driving me crazy & mad.
Just out of curiosity, was that specific frequency for Cibola NFS clear & understandable or was it unclear like it was on my scanner to you other New Mexico residents if you are or were monitoring this frequency? I'm wondering & have been for some time now, if Cibola National Forestry are using P25 LSM (Linear Simulcast Modulation) which am guessing does in fact make listeners like us on scanners hear hissing, static & distortion noises on frequencies that are in use by them?

I'm going to set up my newest ordered antenna being the Harvest D130N in the next upcoming week with my already in use 50 foot LMR400 Coax Cable & my newest Electroline EDA 2100 Signal Amplifier already being used & hooked up now as well to my current outdoor scanner antenna. That may or may not help to receive & pick up Cibola National Forestry on my scanner. Only time & effort will tell on that. Cibola National Forestry in my opinion is just outright hard to monitor clearly & effectively on scanners to this day & age!

 

[kd7ckq]

171.7500 is BIA SPA - Pajarito
Cibola NF is 170.5250 repeater out and 172.3500 repeater in.
Cibola is the last National Forest in NM that does not meet the new NTIA guidelines. So they are most likely taking repeaters offline and changing them out to new frequencies. Especially since they are getting harder to listen to. So keep searching in addition to your usual scanning.
Looking at his analog finds. These ones are the unknown ones.
170.0750, this could be BIA Navajo. It's BIA Navajo in AZ.
171.5375 P25, He has this one in the Analog group. NPS in AZ, UT, & CO, BLM in NV
173.1000, Keep a eye on this one. I can't ID this one.

 

[abqscan]

171.5375 P25, He has this one in the Analog group. NPS in AZ, UT, & CO, BLM in NV
173.1000, Keep a eye on this one. I can't ID this one.

I have 171.5375 as BIA S Pueblo and 173.1 as telemetry data.

 

[CorwinScansNM]

171.7500 is BIA SPA - Pajarito
Cibola NF is 170.5250 repeater out and 172.3500 repeater in.
Cibola is the last National Forest in NM that does not meet the new NTIA guidelines. So they are most likely taking repeaters offline and changing them out to new frequencies. Especially since they are getting harder to listen to. So keep searching in addition to your usual scanning.
Looking at his analog finds. These ones are the unknown ones.
170.0750, this could be BIA Navajo. It's BIA Navajo in AZ.
171.5375 P25, He has this one in the Analog group. NPS in AZ, UT, & CO, BLM in NV
173.1000, Keep a eye on this one. I can't ID this one.

Good info & thanks for the correction on that frequency being that 171.7500 Mhz is not Albuquerque Zone/Cibola NFS but instead BIA SPA - Pajarito. I'm not too concerned about monitoring & hearing BIA SPA - Pajarito & will most likely be deleting that frequency.

I will continue to keep custom searching the Federal range of 164.000 - 174.000 when I have time during the weekdays to see what I land upon on my scanner for Cibola NFS.

 

[abqscan]

I'm going to set up my newest ordered antenna being the Harvest D130N in the next upcoming week with my already in use 50 foot LMR400 Coax Cable & my newest Electroline EDA 2100 Signal Amplifier already being used & hooked up now as well to my current outdoor scanner antenna. That may or may not help to receive & pick up Cibola National Forestry on my scanner. Only time & effort will tell on that. Cibola National Forestry in my opinion is just outright hard to monitor clearly & effectively on scanners to this day & age!

I'm wondering how frustrated you will be on spending money on a new antenna and you get the same results.

I still think that you should put the scanner in your the vehicle and drive around to see if this improves your reception. If your home is a poor reception area, a new antenna isn't going to solve your issue.

 

[kd7ckq]

@CorwinScansNM
You don't have to search that big of the spectrum. Narrow it down to 169.5125 to 173.9875 in 12.5 khz steps. For quicker results.

 

[norcalscan]

I'm showing 16 repeaters on the Cibola. I also haven't heard of a forest going simulcast yet, but my experience is more R5 forests in California. Each region for USFS tends to be its own fiefdom of how things are done. There's a lot more P25 action down there in Region 3 on the forests.

Cibola repeaters by name:
Black Kettle
Capilla
Cedro Peak
Dome
Gallinas
La Mosca
Lookout
Luera
Magaffey
Mills Canyon
Notches
Oso Ridge
Sandia Crest
Sierra Grande
South Baldy
Sugarloaf

Without being simulcast, as someone else mentioned above, you might be within range of only a fringe repeater site that isn't used much. The scratchy traffic you do hear could be their primary (or favored) mountain top and you're just on the edge of range. As someone else mentioned, taking a little trip in the car with your scanner would troubleshoot and eliminate any issues with your radio, programming etc. if you suddenly realize your Cibola reception is better elsewhere. Good luck!

 

[kd7ckq]

Most of those repeaters are only putting out 30 watts. Only a few are running at 100 watts. So it could make listening difficult.

 

[milcom_chaser]

When we lived in NM, the Cibola NF was difficult to monitor with their low audio despite good signal strength.
Very frustrating. Been hearing this phenomena in other states as well. I know in the past, they utilized a state microwave system as a way to link mountain tops. I suspect that is where the low audio level comes from.
Depending on where you live, and which repeater they are choosing, as you know, will affect reception. Which PL tone are you decoding on the signal? This will clue you in to which mountain top they are using. Adding an amplifier may just add additional noise to your desired signal.

Let us know what PL tone you are decoding...

 

[CorwinScansNM]

Let us know what PL tone you are decoding...

I was monitoring Cibola NFS quite well today on their usual 170.5250 frequency that is most used by them however, I did have a bad time hearing or monitoring them on CTCSS/PL Tone 110.9 Hz. I simply had to make my digital scanner lockout that specific CTCSS/PL Tone on that frequency.