New USSS radios?

[Hbright]

Can anyone confirm that the Secret Service is now running APX8000s for Special Agents? They had previously used APX6000s. Using multi-band radios makes sense for the Uniformed Division, given that they'll need to interop with other agencies in DC (who use 800MHz systems), but SAs (especially those assigned to protective details as seen here) don't have the same requirement. USSS protective operations freqs are all simplex in the federal frequency band.

 

[APX8000]

SA's in the NY/NJ area are running APX8000s.

 

[BigLebowski]

Protection isn't the only thing USSS does. They work financial crimes cases alongside local law enforcment when they aren't doing protection, and multiband radios for all of them are long overdue.

 

[IAmSixNine]

if we lived in a perfect world agencies wouldnt have to worry about that.
In all the major cities feds have their own channels along with the local PD who have their own systems. If only the technology existed where they could, oh i dont know, maybe patch channels in. LOL Or perhaps set up common channels for agencies to use when they work together.
naaa, that would be too easy.

 

[R8000]

if we lived in a perfect world agencies wouldnt have to worry about that.
In all the major cities feds have their own channels along with the local PD who have their own systems. If only the technology existed where they could, oh i dont know, maybe patch channels in. LOL Or perhaps set up common channels for agencies to use when they work together.
naaa, that would be too easy.

Patching isn't usually all sunshine and rainbows. Often times it's a control base or consolette that hasn't had its audio setup properly or doesn't have COR going to the console. Then the patch is VOX activated which with these things combined can making patching a complete PITA and be a miserable failure.
Then you have the collisions when two people try talking at one (this happens more than you think)
ISSI is nice but often the politics behind setting them up, costs, settings can be a challenge, hence why control bases and consolettes are often used.

 

[prcguy]

Hmm, that SS boy needs to loose some weight and keep his plinker from showing.

 

[vagrant]

He does look lumpy, but I figured he was wearing a vest as well. Anyways, my local PD uses APX8k as well and they look and feel so much less than a brick like my 7Kxe.

 

[ecps92]

if we lived in a perfect world agencies wouldnt have to worry about that.
In all the major cities feds have their own channels along with the local PD who have their own systems. If only the technology existed where they could, oh i dont know, maybe patch channels in. LOL Or perhaps set up common channels for agencies to use when they work together.
naaa, that would be too easy.

outside of DC, I know of NO USSS Field Office that has a regular Dispatcher, they rotate duty Agents to handle the phone/tips as needed.
Boston hasn't had a Daily Dispatcher since the "Sgt Major" retired over 8 yrs ago.

So that said, who is going to patch to what ?
The Radios have InterOp Zone(s) , with atleast the DOJ Major Cities in it and if multi-band the local regional Interops not on a Trunk

 

[APX8000]

if we lived in a perfect world agencies wouldnt have to worry about that.
In all the major cities feds have their own channels along with the local PD who have their own systems. If only the technology existed where they could, oh i dont know, maybe patch channels in. LOL Or perhaps set up common channels for agencies to use when they work together.
naaa, that would be too easy.

Who said they don't have common channels ? I can tell you here in the NY/NJ, one unnamed Agency has the State system in all their radios with TX capability on the NJSP INV talkgroups, all the Statecoms, etc., NYSP channels, and literally work side by side as one of their biggest partners. Same for other agencies such as Prosecutors Offices. CIty PDs, NYPD, etc. If they want to talk to someone, they can usually find a channel.

@prcguy Protection sucks ! I can't begin to tell you how many jump ship to other 3 letter agencies. The travel is brutal, the details suck and yeah, living the hotel life eating out after a 12 will put those pounds on even when its "just the vest."

 

[garyab7ni]

Looks too big for personal security agents under their clothes.

 

[Hbright]

Who said they don't have common channels ? I can tell you here in the NY/NJ, one unnamed Agency has the State system in all their radios with TX capability on the NJSP INV talkgroups, all the Statecoms, etc., NYSP channels, and literally work side by side as one of their biggest partners. Same for other agencies such as Prosecutors Offices. CIty PDs, NYPD, etc. If they want to talk to someone, they can usually find a channel.

So in other words: radios/fleet maps are set up on a case-by-case (or field office/protective detail) basis. It makes sense for UD or a Field Office to have channels from the local agencies (given that there’s a set number of agencies in their area) but what about a protective detail that travels across the world? Surely they don’t reprogram the radios each time they travel? I also don’t see any reason why It’d be advantageous for a protective detail to be able to communicate with another entity when they always have representatives from those agencies with them?

 

[Firefox10]

I was talking to a USSS agent I know at the Trump rally in NH 3 weeks ago. We were talking about radios. He showed me his and it was a apx 8000. First zone is USSS channels, other zones major cities. And they do have OTAP and OTAR.

Was at MA State house on thursday and a visitor had full USSS detail. Armored Suburban, Follow up car, 3 BPD car escort, counter assault team in a Suburban, MSP follow up cars. Was speaking with a BPD officer I know assigned to a street closure at statehouse and a USSS agent stopped and said he was with the advance team assigned to that corner. He got out his jeep and while putting on his suit jacket, saw a APX 8000 on his side. We chatted some and he said almost every officer has been upgraded to APX 8000. Some had been issued 6000 VHF early 2022 but now have been reissued apx 8000. His mobile was also upgraded to APX 8550 with new handheld control head. He said he still has his saber 3, but the new encryption is not available for those. He said the size is about the same as his 5000 but he misses the battery belt clip from the 5000. He said they are working on a clip for them instead of the bulky holster, but said they always keep their jackets open so its not too noticeable. His APX 8550 was fully loaded with USSS zone 1 and about 10-12 zones of major systems (NYC, Albany, Boston, Providence, Nantucket and many more.)

 

[Firefox10]

Oh ya, he had one zone labeled FBI and he flipped thru and saw all major FBI channels. Also in Boston zone, had Fed/BPD (VHF and UHF) channels and BAPERN system. They had two MultiBand coke can style antennas on armored, 1 on follow up suburban, and a mag mount VHF on BPD lead car and MSP tail car. I asked and he said they all have 8500's and all programmed the same which he said is a miracle in the FED world. They hand out mobile 6500 to primary law enforcement cars with a mag mount for direct comms with them. When they are talking about the routes, speed, etc. they are on simplex. The 6500's were converted to portable mobiles from the cars that were upgraded to 8550's. Reason for 2 antennas on protectees suburban was satellite comms which they refer to as the L band.
Hope this helps your curiosity.

 

[RFI-EMI-GUY]

USSS has some UHF channels. I was told they were used out of country.

 

[ecps92]

So in other words: radios/fleet maps are set up on a case-by-case (or field office/protective detail) basis. It makes sense for UD or a Field Office to have channels from the local agencies (given that there’s a set number of agencies in their area) but what about a protective detail that travels across the world? Surely they don’t reprogram the radios each time they travel? I also don’t see any reason why It’d be advantageous for a protective detail to be able to communicate with another entity when they always have representatives from those agencies with them?

YMMV - but yes, in my experience each Region or Field Office has their own set of Zones and Channels to be put into a Code Plug.
an Example - altho under the same Parent of DHS, the agencies of Customs, ICE and Border Patrol have very unique channel plans.

They do share some infrastructure as well as have common channels, but each have their own network(s)

Now within ICE we have DRO/ERO , ICE and HSI
each have their own networks, some just simplex within the Jail, the other two do share come common overlap of channels
and then each do also have the basic Customs channel plans, and they all have both the NIFOG interops, DOJ 25 City Interops as well as might (again YMMV) access to the local, county, state, regional Networks (both trunked and conventional) - and the final note is they would generally also have access to the adjoining Field Office (again YMMV) for those cross border OPS.

But there is NO ONE STOP Nationwide Code Plug as you would run out of room

As to Protective Details - most are likely simplex and unless we are near-by, rarely heard from

We now return us to the SEARCH mode for finding new systems

 

[APX8000]

I can confirm they are regional. For example, an Agent in NY/NJ will have a codeplug with systems from Maine all the way to Florida and over to Texas. It will also have the 25 or so major IOP channels across the nation, common VHF, UHF, 7/800 interops, some State systems, some County usually major cities around their offices, etc. But an Agent in LA will have the opposite side similar set up. USSS does have "overseas" channels as well. There are common channels between Uniformed and 1811s. Most everything on the Federal side is strapped AES, including talkgroups on State and County systems. And the Feds have other Feds channels, shared keys etc. Lets just say 120 plus zones packed full of people to talk to if needed.

 

[Firefox10]

The USSS has UHF channels. On the POTUS LIMOS there are VHF antennas, but on the Suburbans he has is 2 VHF and 2 UHF hockey pucks. Overseas they use UHF mainly and bring "on board" repeaters.

I have no idea what regions are to the USSS They have their own channels (repeater and simplex) Mostly all use VHF simplex thats why scanners very seldom pic them up, now with 8500's they are encrypted while the 5000's some were and some weren't which caused problems.

All alphabet agencies have their basic 10-12 channels which are in the 8500's, dependant on the region some of course have more. (DC has a slew) but the basic are in zones in the 8000's. Another thing to remember is they have OTAR and OTAP.

Also, the 6 door suburban always follows the motorcade for POTUS or any major dignitaries. That "radio shop on wheels" has the ability to patch anything into anything (haha) it has 8 8500s, 5 7500's, and 5 6500's just for starters not to mention the sat radios for WHCA to it and if needed patch to POTUS over VHF. It also has the "base" for the L band (sat) radios. There are about 20 portables in that vehicle and 8 in another suburban. These are the size of a Unication receiver. They are sat radios for over seas if channels are compromised due to different frequency allocations from country to country, as a last resort.

Review the Project 25 federal radio plan That sets all the UHF/VHF channels for the 25 major cities and their networks which I talked of in my first post. Each one of those is in every 8500 and 8850. (boston has those channels and bapern)

Hope I am not boring everyone or too longwinded.

 

[chrismol1]

Hope I am not boring everyone or too longwinded.

Not at all, these threads are always interesting and learn a lot

 

[Firefox10]

If you want to know more about the 25 cities project look on NIFOG pages 69-76. They are all the interops channels but breaks it down by city. Thats what I mentioned as Boston has a VHF and UHF interop for all federal agencies and is in BPD radio configs

 

[ecps92]

If you want to know more about the 25 cities project look on NIFOG pages 69-76. They are all the interops channels but breaks it down by city. Thats what I mentioned as Boston has a VHF and UHF interop for all federal agencies and is in BPD radio configs

or the all knowing RR Wiki - altho it might need a slight updating

Federal/Non-Federal Interoperability - The RadioReference Wiki

wiki.radioreference.com