MSP REPEATER FREQS

[doctordave]

A link posted on SCAN-DC of various frequencies in the Balt-DC area included some freqs identified as "MSP vehicle extender." The only one I'm familiar with is 155.73. Anyone know if the following are truly in the MSP repeaters?

155.85 156.05 156.21 158.73 158.91 158.97

Valid freqs for MSP? Has anyone been able to confirm a prior report on this board regarding 159.405 being in the portables for use on STATE Team ops?

The link for the above freqs is: http://soalex.us/w4nng/

Dave

 

[ka3jjz]

A link posted on SCAN-DC of various frequencies in the Balt-DC area included some freqs identified as "MSP vehicle extender." The only one I'm familiar with is 155.73. Anyone know if the following are truly in the MSP repeaters?

155.85 156.05 156.21 158.73 158.91 158.97

Valid freqs for MSP? Has anyone been able to confirm a prior report on this board regarding 159.405 being in the portables for use on STATE Team ops?

The link for the above freqs is: http://soalex.us/w4nng/

Dave

I'm afraid that list has some very old data on it; for example, it still lists PMARS for the DC area on their old 453 Mhz freq which was abandoned years ago; there are 400 mhz links for the USPP which are generally considered to be inaccurate.
To his credit, Bob has put a feedback link on that page requesting fixes. So help him out, folks.

73s Mike

 

[ka3jjz]

Just for winks and grins, and I had the free channels available in my Regency scanner, I put these freqs in and let it scan; lo and behold, a couple of these showed up with something;

158.97 definitely some sort of security company - I don't think this is MSP the traffic doesn't seem to suggest it

156.05 - this is marine channel 1a, which is reserved for port operations, commercial and in some areas VTS (whatever that is); though I could imagine MSP marine on this channel....nothing heard here to that effect yet

158.73 - exactly 3 Mhz from the portables freq; there is some simplex comms here; I haven't heard enough to say it's a MSP talkaround, but it sure is suspicious..a better (read: outdoor) antenna would be a real help, but I can't do that in a condo...drat!!

73s Mike

 

[TinEar]

I have a couple of those freqs already identified Mike. 158.73 is the input frequency for UMBC in Catonsville operating on 155.55. The signal is loud and clear from my location most of the time. The 158.97 frequency is the base control station for the prisons in Jessup. You only hear control there and the corresponding full operation with both base and remotes is on 153.905.

Dave, I programmed 159.405 when it was reported on one of the forums earlier as being for STATE Teams and have not heard a peep since that day.

 

[ka3jjz]

I have a couple of those freqs already identified Mike. 158.73 is the input frequency for UMBC in Catonsville operating on 155.55. The signal is loud and clear from my location most of the time. The 158.97 frequency is the base control station for the prisons in Jessup. You only hear control there and the corresponding full operation with both base and remotes is on 153.905.

Dave, I programmed 159.405 when it was reported on one of the forums earlier as being for STATE Teams and have not heard a peep since that day.

Thanx TinEar, much appreciated. Interesting listening, even if it's only the inputs I was hearing.....

73s Mike

 

[cohenner5377]

MSP...

I have yet to hear anything on MSP. Even with the standard stock antenna (as oppsed to the 900 MHZ antenna)... Can someone give me the freqs (again for MSP)?

Thanks!

David

 

[ka3jjz]

Re: MSP...

I have yet to hear anything on MSP. Even with the standard stock antenna (as oppsed to the 900 MHZ antenna)... Can someone give me the freqs (again for MSP)?

Thanks!

David

That stock antenna is almost useless at 39 mhz; it simply isn't big enough to have a decent 1/4 wave length at that frequency. Consequently, any MSP freqs that became active would have to be real close for you to hear anything. In our area, for the most part, the 39 mhz operations are simplex and are therefore a lot harder to hear on a handheld.
I've done it with an Austin Condor on my 245, but then the Glen Burnie barracks is a hop skip and a jump from my home :wink:

In any case, here's the link for the MSP frequencies. If you're in Baltimore (city or county?), most likely you'd want 39.04 and 39.44 handy, and keep 39.56 just in case...

http://www.radioreference.com/modules.php?name=RR&aid=582

73s Mike

 

[cohenner5377]

Antenna...

Thanks for the advise. What antenna do you suggest (at least on the handheld?)

 

[ka3jjz]

Re: Antenna...

Thanks for the advise. What antenna do you suggest (at least on the handheld?)

Without knowing more about your situation (can you mount outdoor antennas, do you like building antennas, what are your interests), it's almost impossible to give a good recommendation; however, the antennas page on Strong Signals has links to numerous reviews - including handheld antennas - and is a real must read (and yes, my opinion is biased, since I updated that page some time ago)....

http://www.strongsignals.net/access/content/antenna.html

I would also post a query on the Radio Shack scanners forum on this board, as well as the PRO93/95 Yahoo group. You will without doubt get lots of opinions.

A couple of things to remember...

a. In general, particularly with handhelds, more is not necessarily better. A long antenna on a handheld may be too much for it, and cause overload (and hear lots more pagers and other junk you don't want) or desense (in its simplest terms, the scanner is so overloaded that it can't lock onto a desired signal on some frequency, so it tunes to the strongest thing it can find and turns down the sensitivity on the desired freq- hence the name)

b. You might find a fair amount of folks recommending an extendable whip. While this might seem attractive, if you move around with the handheld a lot (with the antenna extended), you will put a horrendous amount of strain on the BNC connector, which might snap. It's OK for stationery work, but never use it in this fashion while in motion.

73s and GL...Mike

 

[archduke]

Tow Jamm marine in the Tilghman Island area (mid Chesapeake Bay) uses 1A marine for their working channel. They come in loud and clear in the Annapolis/Baltimore area. Maybe you heard them.