Low band frequency use in Texas

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justin470

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I wanted to see if any of the Texas listeners were aware of any public safety agencies in the state that still utilize low band frequencies. I know that TXDOT and several companies around the state still operate with them; however I was just curious if these frequencies were still used by some counties /municipalities.

Any information or frequencies would be great.

Thanks for the knowledge.
 

nd5y

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Some people answered that in this thread http://www.radioreference.com/forums/showthread.php?t=39892

There are still some licenses in my area for 37.18 and 37.26 but I haven't heard anything on them lately. Mineral Wells had fire pagers on 37.18 until last year.

In the past, 37.90 was the main fire frequency in Archer, Young, Jack, and Parker counties. I don't think any of them use it any more.

There are a couple relatively new licenses I know of in Dallas and Hood counties
http://www.radioreference.com/modules.php?name=RR&action=fcc&cs=WQBT234
http://www.radioreference.com/modules.php?name=RR&action=fcc&cs=WNFA731
But I don't know what agency they are of if they are really used.
 

RenMan51

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justin470 said:
I wanted to see if any of the Texas listeners were aware of any public safety agencies in the state that still utilize low band frequencies. I know that TXDOT and several companies around the state still operate with them; however I was just curious if these frequencies were still used by some counties /municipalities.

Any information or frequencies would be great.

Thanks for the knowledge.


33.460 - Cypress Creek VFD
33.480 - Champion VFD
33.640 - Little York VFD
33.660 - Cy-Fair VFD
33.700 - Atascocita VFD
33.940 - Champion VFD
40.100 - NatGd Lone Star Exec Airport
plus over 30 others in the Houston area.
Dunno 'bout anywhere else.

You can always go to http://svartifoss2.fcc.gov/reports/index.cfm and do a frequency range search.
 

loumaag

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A FCC License does not indicate usage of the licensed frequency. I think you will be hard pressed to find much low band usage.
 

nd5y

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loumaag said:
A FCC License does not indicate usage of the licensed frequency. I think you will be hard pressed to find much low band usage.
Yes but why would they apply for new licenses on previously unused low band frequencies if they weren't going to use them?
I know there are a lot of places like Hurst and Wichita County that still have low band licenses that they just keep renewing even though they got rid of the radios 20 years or more ago.
 

rattlerbb01

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Polk County has Livingston Fire, Onalaska Fire (dispatch only), southern county VFDs, and some Alabama-Coushatta Operations on lowband still on the 46.06, 46.12, 46.08, 46.40 and 45.32 freq's. It does seem that they are moving to VHF slowly, with Onalaska Fire operating on a narrowband VHF high repeater for about a year now.
 

RenMan51

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loumaag said:
A FCC License does not indicate usage of the licensed frequency. I think you will be hard pressed to find much low band usage.


I'm perfectly aware of the difference between licensed and operating. IF you were in this area and scanned those freqs, you'd find them in use.
 

loumaag

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RenMan51 said:
I'm perfectly aware of the difference between licensed and operating. IF you were in this area and scanned those freqs, you'd find them in use.
Charlie, take a look at my location. I have been in the Houston area (on and off) since the mid-90's and although I know that there is some low band activity I have never heard any and after a long while, just quit trying. I can promise you that I am missing nothing important by not monitoring it.

nd5y said:
Yes but why would they apply for new licenses on previously unused low band frequencies if they weren't going to use them?
That would be a good question, you see this happening?
 

scanfan03

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None of the VFDs in the Northwest Houston area (Cy-Fair, Cy-Creek, ect...) use lowband. In fact I don't think they even have the hardware anymore to use/support it.
 

red8

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i do recall dps highway patrol as one of their frequencies used 42.90
and the harris county sheriff and da used the 37mhz band back in the
late70's
red8
 

RenMan51

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loumaag said:
Charlie, take a look at my location. I have been in the Houston area (on and off) since the mid-90's and although I know that there is some low band activity I have never heard any and after a long while, just quit trying. I can promise you that I am missing nothing important by not monitoring it.

I see what you've entered for your location. No problem. However, I program scanners for a friend who monitors for a living, and can tell you that HE's glad I put those freqs in for him, as he makes a fair amount of money from fires he's caught on the low-band freqs. We even went to the trouble of building a resonant (more or less) dipole for them (centered on 40MHz). Yes, it's few and far between, and yes, most scanner listeners don't care to take up room in their equipment for slow freqs; but just because it's not active enough for you doesn't mean it's dead.
 

loumaag

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RenMan51 said:
I see what you've entered for your location. No problem. However, I program scanners for a friend who monitors for a living, and can tell you that HE's glad I put those freqs in for him, as he makes a fair amount of money from fires he's caught on the low-band freqs. We even went to the trouble of building a resonant (more or less) dipole for them (centered on 40MHz). Yes, it's few and far between, and yes, most scanner listeners don't care to take up room in their equipment for slow freqs; but just because it's not active enough for you doesn't mean it's dead.
Okay Charlie,
Point taken.
 

VintageJon

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Well, here in Travis/Willaimson/Hays Counties all the action is APCO 25 in the 866-868 MHz range. (Monitoring Drug Deal w/SR-8 right now. Tastey...)

Still get DPS on the 155.460 MHz FM but this is becoming more limited as it appears they have a new freq and mod that is not known by myself here. ( Only a few blocks away from the Mother Station at the DPS Headquarters and Bunker. Racks and racks of struff and an
antenna-farm that would dwarf any amatuer is what they are working at the DPS here.)

If I can't hear their 155.460 Mhz you damn sure can't, I'm in their backyard!( I could probably hear them running a dummy-load on their end...)


-Jon
 

loumaag

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In ref to the DPS, I noticed the past couple of days an increase of traffic on 155.4450 but could not tell if it was skip coming in or the Houston area.
 

n4voxgill

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The history on the second license quoted above shows that it is an old license, here is current FCC history on the license:
Call Sign WNFA731 Radio Service PW - Public Safety Pool, Conventional
Return to Admin

History
09/20/2005 FRN Association Letter sent
09/20/2005 Application Receipt Letter sent
09/20/2005 License Renewed
09/12/2005 Renewal Reminder Letter Sent
10/11/2001 Audit Response - License Operational
10/20/2000 License Converted
10/03/2000 Authorization Printed
10/03/2000 License Renewed
09/15/2000 Renewal Reminder Letter Sent

So it was licensed years before the 9-15-2000 reminder.
 

loumaag

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n4voxgill said:
The history on the second license quoted above shows that it is an old license, ...
So it was licensed years before the 9-15-2000 reminder.
In reference to the first one you listed. The input frequency has been licensed to Dallas Co. for quite a while, apparently it was converted from something back in 2000, but the history on KA6729 shows it back through the mid-90's. It is interesting that they got a new allocation and a repeater authorization. I had thought the FCC really didn't issue mobile relay authorizations in the low band VHF. :confused:
 

nd5y

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loumaag said:
I had thought the FCC really didn't issue mobile relay authorizations in the low band VHF.
That may have been the case in the past although the LA county sheriff had them as far back the late 70's. There are a lot of low band repeaters now. I hear a lot of them when the band is open and there are a few here in N TX.
 

scanfan03

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loumaag said:
In ref to the DPS, I noticed the past couple of days an increase of traffic on 155.4450 but could not tell if it was skip coming in or the Houston area.

Maybe they are getting ready to go digital?
 
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