Hi everyone. I have my RS Pro-405 scanner set up here in southeastern Iowa. I am puzzled by hearing what seems to be a local trucking or delivery company dispatch on 163.200 simplex. I've been listening for days, they reference a lot of local locations and names of nearby communities and stuff, but no individual names, no company name, and no station identification. Nothing is listed for my county for that frequency on here on radioreference.com, which is unsurprising because I thought 163.200 was allocated for Federal law enforcement, so I am thinking that's just weird. Maybe they are just using radios someone set up for them with no idea they are on an inappropriate frequency. I have half a mind to key up on my HT and ask them who they are. LOL. I'm just wondering what people's thoughts were on this. Thanks!
Local trucking company on 163.200? WTF?
- Thread starter ke0iqu
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ecps92
Member
Sorry, I thought I was clear about what I was using. My scanner is a Radio Shack Pro-405 that I have set up at my workplace. I do not believe this radio will decode PL/DPL so I do not have that information. I have a Whistler 1040 I could bring from home I suppose, I am sure that would decode any PL/DPL.
It is possiable that your scanner is being overloaded by a nearby freuency and you are hearing a mix or some type of intermod product. If that is the case, the actual trucking company may be much lower in frequency. Scanners don't have much selectivity at all to them. So they are prone to get interference at times. Then again, folks have been known to crash a frequency and start using it. Just something to keep in mind.
devicelab
Whacker Extraordinaire
We do get a lot of Canadian truckers that make local deliveries to WA state. I've caught them and others have caught them around the 163.x range so if your signal is not a local image then it's probably Canadian truckers.
Not knowing where the OP is from, that's a good point if he lives near the boarder.
bill4long
Member
Nope. Not your job. And illegal. If you're worried about it, record them, and send audio to FCC with whatever other information you have.
OP said she lived in Southeast Iowa, in the first sentence of her original post 
And no, I am not going to mess with them on the radio. I was being flippant. Two wrongs don't make a right, and I'd like to keep my amateur license please and thank you.
And no, I am not going to mess with them on the radio. I was being flippant. Two wrongs don't make a right, and I'd like to keep my amateur license please and thank you.
ecps92
Member
Typing and eating lunch at the same time. my Bad.
https://wiki.radioreference.com/index.php/Pro-405
Outside if being transient truckers from Canada, it could be an image from another portion of the VHF Band.
Since you indicate you have heard them for days
Anyone else local hear these transmissions ?
https://wiki.radioreference.com/index.php/Pro-405
Outside if being transient truckers from Canada, it could be an image from another portion of the VHF Band.
Since you indicate you have heard them for days
Anyone else local hear these transmissions ?
ecps92
Member
After performing an advanced search using the FCC's search tool reveals some potential legit users of the range.
License Search - Advanced License Search
I chose Iowa state and range 163.1 to 163.3.
License Search - Advanced License Search
I chose Iowa state and range 163.1 to 163.3.
Code:
1 KBF981 SIOUX VALLEY MEMORIAL HOSPITAL 0002589893 PW Expired 04/22/2001
2 KDW616 BUSINESS RADIO SALES & SERVICE INC 0005668983 IG Active 05/25/2023
3 KLV943 Trinity Regional Medical Center 0002586477 PW Active 07/26/2024
4 KMA723 SAC COUNTY AMBULANCE COMMISSION 0002562270 PW Active 12/15/2020
5 KNCS855 CENTRAL COMMUNITY HOSPITAL 0002587913 PW Active 02/02/2022
6 KNEB218 RACOM CORPORATION 0002579704 IG Active 12/01/2024
7 KNEU812 Graybill Electronics, Inc. 0002584092 IG Active 02/08/2023
8 KNFE664 MONTICELLO, CITY OF 0004195806 PW Active 01/17/2022
9 KNHE608 Electronic Specialties, Inc. 0002579803 IG Active 08/10/2023
10 KNHP411 GISEL, GERALD IG Expired 12/07/2003
11 KNIJ559 FAIRCHILD COMMUNICATIONS INC 0002584381 IG Expired 04/17/2004
12 KTU213 GREAT RIVER MEDICAL CENTER 0006480792 PW Expired 06/06/2013
13 KUB734 MARIAN HEALTH CENTER PW Expired 08/25/2002
14 KUT426 LUCAS COUNTY HEALTH CENTER 0009260274 PW Active 08/16/2023
15 KWX476 VETERANS MEMORIAL HOSPITAL 0002584514 PW Expired 07/24/2001
16 KXO645 MUSCATINE GENERAL HOSPITAL 0002560324 PW Expired 07/28/2003
17 KYT233 SAINT LUKES METHODIST HOSPITAL 0006351167 PW Active 06/13/2025
18 WNDB586 HUMBOLDT COUNTY MEMORIAL HOSPITAL 0002590008 PW Expired 07/18/2015
19 WNGP549 PELLA REGIONAL HEALTH CENTER 0002587277 PW Expired 05/07/2012
20 WNRE304 RADIO COMMUNICATIONS CO INC 0002591220 IG Active 02/06/2025
21 WNRI854 SKIFF MEDICAL CENTER 0012262143 PW Expired 02/09/2015
22 WNSW593 R Comm llc 0009528142 IG Active 07/27/2025
23 WNVK858 Akron Mercy Medical Clniic 0014110407 PW Expired 02/05/2011
24 WPEA560 JEFFERSON COUNTY HEALTH CENTER 0002560837 PW Active 01/14/2024
25 WPIA299 MERCY HOSPITAL 0012126504 PW Active 08/21/2025
26 WPIA457 Communications Engineering Company 0002591386 IG Active 08/16/2025
27 WPJG544 CIRCLE K COMMUNICATIONS 0004770970 IG Expired 06/15/2011
28 WPJV905 MARCKRES, JON D IG Expired 11/14/2001
29 WPPZ255 Mercy Health Services Iowa Corp DBA MercyOne North Iowa Medical Center 0009629965 PW Active 03/24/2025
30 WPQY580 MERCY HOSPITAL 0012126504 PW Expired 11/30/2005
31 WPTP380 GRUNDY COUNTY MEMORIAL HOSPITAL 0002560472 PW Active 11/14/2021
32 WPXK831 MERCY MEDICAL CENTER 0003009180 PW Active 04/24/2023
33 WPXZ270 FT MADISON COMMUNITY HOSPITAL 0008725541 PW Active 07/03/2023
34 WQCH492 ALEGENT HEALTH MERCY HOSPITAL DBA CATHOLIC HEALTH INITIATIVES 0002588564 PW Active 03/04/2025
35 WQMB942 VETERANS MEMORIAL HOSPITAL 0002584514 PW Active 06/23/2020
36 WQS512 JEFFERSON COUNTY HOSPITAL 0002560837 PW Expired 09/25/2005
37 WQSU520 TRINITY MUSCATINE 0022747414 PW Active 11/18/2023
38 WRX707 HENRY COUNTY HEALTH CENTER 0007008840 PW Active 05/09/2025
39 WSE864 MERCY HEALTH CENTER 0002572113 PW Active 02/13/2021
40 WSE865 MercyOne Dubuque Medical Center 0002572113 PW Active 02/13/2021
41 WXB990 MERCY MEDICAL CENTER OF NORTH IOWA 0009629965 PW Expired 12/02/2014
42 WZY488 FT MADISON COMMUNITY HOSPITAL PW Expired 12/16/2002
mmckenna
I ♥ Ø
After performing an advanced search using the FCC's search tool reveals some potential legit users of the range.
License Search - Advanced License Search
I chose Iowa state and range 163.1 to 163.3.
2 KDW616 BUSINESS RADIO SALES & SERVICE INC 0005668983 IG Active 05/25/2023
6 KNEB218 RACOM CORPORATION 0002579704 IG Active 12/01/2024
7 KNEU812 Graybill Electronics, Inc. 0002584092 IG Active 02/08/2023
9 KNHE608 Electronic Specialties, Inc. 0002579803 IG Active 08/10/2023
10 KNHP411 GISEL, GERALD IG Expired 12/07/2003
11 KNIJ559 FAIRCHILD COMMUNICATIONS INC 0002584381 IG Expired 04/17/2004
20 WNRE304 RADIO COMMUNICATIONS CO INC 0002591220 IG Active 02/06/2025
22 WNSW593 R Comm llc 0009528142 IG Active 07/27/2025
26 WPIA457 Communications Engineering Company 0002591386 IG Active 08/16/2025
27 WPJG544 CIRCLE K COMMUNICATIONS 0004770970 IG Expired 06/15/2011
28 WPJV905 MARCKRES, JON D IG Expired 11/14/2001
It is not uncommon for radio shops to have Part 90 licenses that cover entire bands, like 25-50MHz, 150.0-174MHz, 450-470MHz, 809-824MHz and 854-861MHz for the purpose of setting up temporary radio systems for sales demonstrations, etc. You'll often see this under the "special conditions" part of the license: "This license is for demonstration purposes only and may not be used for day to day business activity. This system is for secondary use and the mobiles licensed herein will not count toward the total mobile loading of these frequencies. "
As for the medical stuff, 163.250MHz is a medical paging frequency, so that's why you are seeing all those hospitals pop up in your search when you look at the 162-163 range.
As for 162.200MHz, that appears to be commonly used by the US Marshall service in many parts of the country.
It is possible that its the postal service contracted trunking with mail deliveries to outlying towns. I have heard of others areas with this. I haven't heard the US Marshal Service on 163.200 in the Quad-Cities for years.
spacellamaman
Member
it's not so much a -wrong- , as it is -fightin' Fire with FIRE!- and please, if you are going to transmit illegally, don't give out your call sign.
use someone else's. there are plenty to choose from here
Many years ago the US Forest Service sold off a bunch of radios that were acquired by a liquor wholesaler in Mexico. They just started using them on the Los Padres NF frequencies and caused havoc up here. They used the PL's that were in the radios and interfered with local communications to an extreme degree. The frequencies they were using are legal business channels in Mexico so there was nothing to be done. It eventually stopped. We learned that "over" in Spanish is "cambio" so it wasn't a total loss.
prcguy
Member
163.2 minus a common IF of 10.7Mhz would give a possible frequency of 152.500 if its an image.
Wouldn't that typically be twice the I.F. frequency? So 21.4 MHz?
slicerwizard
Member
Yes. That's how images work.
prcguy
Member
Yea, 10.7Mhz away would be LO blow by. Sorry, its been awhile since I had to deal with that.
The formula I used to use for crystals were
VHF-High: (Crystal)-10.7/3= fundamental
UHF (Crystal)-10.7/9=fundamental
VHF-Low (Crystal+10.9=fundamental
to UHF ((fundamental)*9)+10.7=
to VHF ((fundamental)*3)+10.7=
to VHF-Low (fundamental)-10.7
So ((163.25-10.7)/3))*9+10.7= 468.200
according to FCC website
WQUD780 463.200 Frank Millard & Co Inc
107 Valley St, DES MOINES, Burlington, IA
P: (319)752-4571
Eligibility 90.35A1 - Provides wood building products, heating, air conditioning, sheet metal fabrication, plumbing, pipe fitting, electrical, painting, commercial insulation.
But there are no repeaters on this license
Frequency/class/units/power
463.2000 MO 39 30.000
464.0125 MO 39 30.000
468.2000 MO 39 30.000
469.0125 MO 39 30.000
469.6375 MO 39 30.000
VHF-High: (Crystal)-10.7/3= fundamental
UHF (Crystal)-10.7/9=fundamental
VHF-Low (Crystal+10.9=fundamental
to UHF ((fundamental)*9)+10.7=
to VHF ((fundamental)*3)+10.7=
to VHF-Low (fundamental)-10.7
So ((163.25-10.7)/3))*9+10.7= 468.200
according to FCC website
WQUD780 463.200 Frank Millard & Co Inc
107 Valley St, DES MOINES, Burlington, IA
P: (319)752-4571
Eligibility 90.35A1 - Provides wood building products, heating, air conditioning, sheet metal fabrication, plumbing, pipe fitting, electrical, painting, commercial insulation.
But there are no repeaters on this license
Frequency/class/units/power
463.2000 MO 39 30.000
464.0125 MO 39 30.000
468.2000 MO 39 30.000
469.0125 MO 39 30.000
469.6375 MO 39 30.000
Last edited:
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