Presidential Visit

[OntarioScannerNut]

Ok, so the President of the U.S. is supposed to be visiting Ottawa next week.

What are the frequencies that the kind folks of The Capital Region of Canada should be getting ready to program into the scanners?

 

[mciupa]

Any Events talk groups for your local police service would be active,
but as this is Ottawa ,it isn't monitorable.

Ditto for RCMP and the US Secret Service. I'm sure those comm's will
be encrypted.
The guys in dark suits and sunglasses will probably using wireless mics
but I wouldn't get to close to them for fear of becoming a person of
interest !

Try the 160- 170 range and hope you hear something in the clear.

 

[RBerezowski]

I doubt the Secret Service will be allowed to use their own radios up here. However, if they are, then they can mostly be found in the 160-170 MHz range as posted.

I would focus instead on the RCMP in the 421-422 MHz (repeaters) and 425 MHz (simplex) ranges. Probably encrypted, but you never know, there might be some clear voice traffic.

I would also focus on the Ottawa Police, especially any tactical or "special use" talkgroups or frequencies. They will probably dedicate a talkgroup for crowd and traffic control.

Rob

 

[DaveH]

I know this doesn't answer the question (in as far as it can be) but words/names come to mind such as digital, encryption, ProVoice, DVP etc.

Dave

 

[RBerezowski]

I know this doesn't answer the question (in as far as it can be) but words/names come to mind such as digital, encryption, ProVoice, DVP etc.

Dave

Yes, you're right. Chances are everything worth listening to will be digital and/or encrypted. You probably won't be able to hear anything. However, one might luck out and hear some clear voice traffic. It's worth trying some searching.

Rob

 

[Saint]

RE President visit

I know this doesn't answer the question (in as far as it can be) but words/names come to mind such as digital, encryption, ProVoice, DVP etc.

Dave

Yes, you're right. Chances are everything worth listening to will be digital and/or encrypted. You probably won't be able to hear anything. However, one might luck out and hear some clear voice traffic. It's worth trying some searching.

Rob

When the President or the vice President came to Buffalo NY I was listening to Secret Service frequencies and there was some frequencies that had clear voice traffic on them, put all the Secret Service frequencies into your scanner and I'm sure you will hear some traffic in the clear.
Steve

 

[mciupa]

Also, it may be worthwhile to monitor the airport for the arrival of
Airforce One.

 

[RBerezowski]

Quite right. I would monitor all VHF and UHF air traffic control frequencies. However, expect to hear them on VHF. Most previous reports of Air Force 1 visits have them using the normal VHF air traffic control frequencies.

There are a number of UHF frequencies associated with Air Force 1. However, it's not clear to me if they would be used once they enter Canada. It wouldn't hurt to search through the 225-400 MHz band.

Rob

 

[Saint]

re air force 1

Quite right. I would monitor all VHF and UHF air traffic control frequencies. However, expect to hear them on VHF. Most previous reports of Air Force 1 visits have them using the normal VHF air traffic control frequencies.

There are a number of UHF frequencies associated with Air Force 1. However, it's not clear to me if they would be used once they enter Canada. It wouldn't hurt to search through the 225-400 MHz band.

Rob

When they came into Buffalo NY they used 126.150 Tower frequency I would listen to the tower frequencies in the 108-136 mhz, also Secret service used 164.8850 Secret Service (Oscar), 165.3750 Secret Service (Charlie), 165.7875 Secret Service, 166.5100 Secret Service (Alpha),

RCMP frequencies in the 420 mhz band will be busy put these in.
Steve

 

[DaveH]

Re: visit

RCMP frequencies in the 420 mhz band will be busy put these in.
Steve

A scan through the 421-423MHz range will give a variety of digital noises. The RCMP trunked system (APCO-25) is D and probably DE. Something analog or not E might show up, for those who have the capability (not I, said the sheep...).

Apart from that most of what's likely to be heard is "secondary" activity, such as transit supervisors routing busses around closed streets, city traffic setting up barriers etc. I would check any analog interop TGs on the EDACS system, plus the ICALL/ITACn channels just in case. The Parliament Hill and Senate Moto systems are both analog and may have something on them.

Dave

 

[Tom4321]

For sure Secret service can use their radio's anywhere in the world they want , last time they were in Vancouver they were set up for weeks in advance staking out the downtown core, first I found there page out frequency which at the time was 167.25, lot's of activty all day long then the VHF encrptyted came in , all the local police (city) then rcmp 421 mhz came in simulcasting with the then vhf VPD, on ocassion you could here some clear vhf secret service but that is part of their diversion tactics , I also found FBI and Dept of state freq in analog all over the band , these groups also support secret s. I also found lot's of Canadian military they were hunkered down with secret service in the prime comm areas they had all kinds of lo band vhf plus their 150 mhz simplex. I even found the russians on vhf 149 simplex.
All in all don't focus in on the obvious, there are lot's of other stuff going on related to this visit. I would definately be looking now as they are setting up on roof tops (agents) doing radio checks etc . lots of fun good luck

 

[Jay911]

For what it's worth, when the G-8 summit was held in the Calgary area in 2002, a digital Smartzone 400mhz system was brought in and erected specifically for the event, using portable trailer-mounted repeaters, etc., and was 'piggybacked' onto our local Smartzone system so the local police could be involved.

The 400mhz portable part of the system is, as I've mentioned before, rumored to be in the Toronto-Ottawa-Montreal area these days. Check the 420mhz part of the band..

EDIT: And no, neither the secret service nor anyone else can just use their radios "anywhere in the world". What may be reserved government band in one region (country) may be public airwaves in another. This is kind of a lesser example than the USSS, but I remember about a decade ago when the police service here was on the 462mhz band, and a number of our American friends came up during a rather large event (think horses). Guess what invaded on one of the busiest channels in the police system? The same kind of thing could happen anywhere with anything. My fire radio is on a 413/418 split. I couldn't just take it into another city - let alone another country - because I would be walking on other transmissions.

 

[mciupa]

..the President visit(ed)Ottawa .

Anything interesting(monitoring-wise) come out of this ?

I hope people used all five fingers while waving at Mr. Bush when his motorcade drove past. :lol:

 

[I_10_92]

I know the video i've seen from the event look like the regular hooligans etc etc. I wanted to go and take some pics but alas.. work had to be done here in the city. Anyway.. I dont think anything major happened. As for the waving part... I'll salute Bush... the special way. muhahahaha!

 

[Thornhill20]

EDIT: And no, neither the secret service nor anyone else can just use their radios "anywhere in the world".

It's the Secret Service. Who is going to stop them?

When Bill Clinton came to Toronto, I noticed quite abit of encrypted (sounded like DES-OFB) transmissions around 165MHz (165.715 rings a bell for some reason). Obviously that's nothing police-ish here in Toronto.

Just the same as I'm SURE the RCMP would use their 420MHz radios down south if they went down there. Then again, all they'd mess up in the US on those frequencies are amateurs, so it's not like they'd really inconvinence anybody.

-M

 

[mikey60]

EDIT: And no, neither the secret service nor anyone else can just use their radios "anywhere in the world".

It's the Secret Service. Who is going to stop them?

When Bill Clinton came to Toronto, I noticed quite abit of encrypted (sounded like DES-OFB) transmissions around 165MHz (165.715 rings a bell for some reason). Obviously that's nothing police-ish here in Toronto.

Just the same as I'm SURE the RCMP would use their 420MHz radios down south if they went down there. Then again, all they'd mess up in the US on those frequencies are amateurs, so it's not like they'd really inconvinence anybody.

-M

In the Detroit area, there are many public safety agencies operating in the 420-430Mhz range. There would definately be interference issues here. Those frequencies are off limits to amateurs in this area.

Mike

 

[Thornhill20]

Yeah, I believe if you're in a state that boarders Canada you can't use those frequencies. I know there's some established "no fly zone" somewhere, I just can't remember where abouts it is exactly.

-M

 

[DaveH]

I have to believe the Secret Service or otherwise, some sort of co-ordination must be done.

I looked at a list of SS frequencies linked to recently. Several fall onto or close to commercial frequencies in regular use. What would IC do, issue an order for the regular user to stop using the frequency? (anything's possible but I have difficulty believing they would do that except in the most unusual circumstances).

I scanned VHF and heard some DVP noises in the 164-167MHz range; 164.8875 and 166.5125 if memory serves, maybe one or two others.

Dave

 

[DaveH]

Anyway, as far as interesting activity, ICALL and ITAC1-3 were fairly busy. OPP on 412.8875 was apparently linked to the VHF system on some TG; three fast beeps preceded most transmissions (indication of talk permit status I think). Also 413.5375 was active (normally a beat repeater although none in Ottawa), not sure if it was linked or not.

Most of the EDACS activity (that could be heard) was not that interesting except as pointed out elsewhere, on EMS.

Dave