MSP Ground operation frequencies?

[tpayne174]

Hey guys. I’m very much an aviation guy and not that skilled in scanner usage. Anyways, at the airport near where I live, I would like to listen to the person to person chatter from the ground operation. Such as Delta TechOps and other stuff like that. Not just the ATC chatter. Is there a way to find individual scanner channels/frequencies that they use? (I do work there, so it’s not like I’m trying to be snoopy. Just wanna listen to what’s going on when plane spotting).

If it’s any help at all, all stationary radios are Motorola XPR 5580s and handhelds are 6580s. I’ve tried to pull up information on the radios themselves, but can’t seem to find any useful information.

 

[slicerwizard]

Sounds like a question for the Minnesota forum, and maybe include which airport you're talking about?

 

[alcahuete]

Those radios are 800/900 MHz.

Give these a try. They are for Delta:

854.812500
854.862500
855.787500
857.287500
857.312500
857.787500
858.287500
858.787500
859.287500
859.787500
859.837500
860.537500
860.787500

 

[alcahuete]

Sounds like a question for the Minnesota forum, and maybe include which airport you're talking about?

He did in the thread title. MSP. That's Minneapolis/St. Paul Intl.

 

[N8IAA]

Hey guys. I’m very much an aviation guy and not that skilled in scanner usage. Anyways, at the airport near where I live, I would like to listen to the person to person chatter from the ground operation. Such as Delta TechOps and other stuff like that. Not just the ATC chatter. Is there a way to find individual scanner channels/frequencies that they use? (I do work there, so it’s not like I’m trying to be snoopy. Just wanna listen to what’s going on when plane spotting).

If it’s any help at all, all stationary radios are Motorola XPR 5580s and handhelds are 6580s. I’ve tried to pull up information on the radios themselves, but can’t seem to find any useful information.

The radios you posted about are Mototrbo DMR. You would need a trunking scanner that does DMR. To listen to PD and FD at the airport, you will need that same scanner to hear the AMER system, which is P-25.

 

[ofd8001]

If you were to get one of the Uniden series radios, BCD436HP or even better the SDS100, the database that they use will have the frequencies for MSP available for download. I'd steer you toward the SDS100, because you'll most likely expand your listening to the ARMER system. They use a lot of simulcast in the twin cities area and the SDS100 deals with that better than the 436.

You will need one of these latest scanners so you can get the MOTOTRBO "stuff" which I think Delta uses.

This area is a very "target rich" environment for scanner enthusiasts. I still have family in that area and when we visit, we stay in Bloomington just to listen to all the good stuff.

 

[tpayne174]

The radios you posted about are Mototrbo DMR. You would need a trunking scanner that does DMR. To listen to PD and FD at the airport, you will need that same scanner to hear the AMER system, which is P-25.

I have the GRECOM PSR-800. I believe that can do both, but I’m not entirely sure.

 

[N8IAA]

I have the GRECOM PSR-800. I believe that can do both, but I’m not entirely sure.

That's only good if you've had the update from Whistler to make it a 1080. Otherwise, you won't hear DMR. You will be able to monitor the ARMER system, though.

 

[tpayne174]

That's only good if you've had the update from Whistler to make it a 1080. Otherwise, you won't hear DMR. You will be able to monitor the ARMER system, though.

How do I know if/how to get the update? I’ll have to look into it

 

[RDGDigital]

How do I know if/how to get the update? I’ll have to look into it

You can get the upgrade here: Upgrade Your Pro-18, Pro-668 or PSR-800 Scanner

 

[tpayne174]

You can get the upgrade here: Upgrade Your Pro-18, Pro-668 or PSR-800 Scanner

Even if I don’t use it a ton, is it worth paying the $60? In your opinion?

 

[RDGDigital]

Even if I don’t use it a ton, is it worth paying the $60? In your opinion?

In my opinion, for me it was worth it. I didn't need any of the new features, but I wanted to be able to get future updates/firmwares. GRECOM has shut down their scanner business, so there will be no further updates for the PSR-800 from them. The Whistler update will turn the PSR-800 into a WS1080, which Whistler is still supporting. In fact, since I've upgraded mine, they have released two software updates and at least one firmware update that I can remember.

Again, if you're happy with the way yours is working, then you may not want to spend the money. But for me, it was an inexpensive way to turn mine into a WS1080.

I didn't mention anything about DMR because I don't listen to any DMR systems, and therefore, I'm not too familiar with them. But that could be a good enough reason by itself for getting the upgrade.

Hope this helps.

 

[tpayne174]

In my opinion, for me it was worth it. I didn't need any of the new features, but I wanted to be able to get future updates/firmwares. GRECOM has shut down their scanner business, so there will be no further updates for the PSR-800 from them. The Whistler update will turn the PSR-800 into a WS1080, which Whistler is still supporting. In fact, since I've upgraded mine, they have released two software updates and at least one firmware update that I can remember.

Again, if you're happy with the way yours is working, then you may not want to spend the money. But for me, it was an inexpensive way to turn mine into a WS1080.

I didn't mention anything about DMR because I don't listen to any DMR systems, and therefore, I'm not too familiar with them. But that could be a good enough reason by itself for getting the upgrade.

Hope this helps.

Thanks for the insight. I probably will do it here shortly. Just gotta get around to doing it.

And just to clarify, DMR is the protocol to listen to, basically, peer to peer handheld based radio communications such as the radio(s) I mentioned above?