Questions about frequency licenses

[lars128]

I'm in the process of reprogramming my scanner and updating things a bit and have a couple of questions about how the FCC license process.

First, I looked up a few frequencies on the FCC site and I few I have programmed were expired or terminated. Does this mean that the use of the frequency is dead or is it possible that it can be in use, albeit illegally?

Second, when looking up the database I noticed there are a bunch of licenses held by third party firms (Centre Communications, Staley, etc). Are these firms leasing out their frequencies to other companies, yet still retaining the actual license? Or do they simply purchase a block of licenses and transfer them to a company that needs frequencies/radios? In other words is it worthwhile to scan those frequencies?

I ask the above question because at my old job (a golf course) we had three channels, yet I cannot find a license for them. I never looked up the frequencies for them so I can't reference them with anything else. I am just wondering how we were able to have the units we had without a license.

 

[Steveradio]

Double check with the zip code search of the golf course you work at first. If they were licensed at one time it should show up as Expired license. Its possible your golf course is leasing or renting the radios from a shop and the shop should have those frequencies licensed (Should being the key word).

I have also found business that are licensed but, not even using ANY of the frequencies they were approved to be using. I Have a feeling they are renting radios from a shop or just purchased radios and didn't want to spend the extra money to get the radios programed proper.

Have also found that a business like a Warehouse will have over twenty frequencies licensed to them but maybe only use 10 or twelve of them at that site. We have business like Nestle that also has a plant using the same frequencies at the other location 15 miles away.

Its amazing sometimes to monitor business band and to see how systems are set - up. Sometimes you can't figure out the logic behind some things done but it could just be the lack of education they were given by the radio dealer and co-ordination services and $$$ (Money) needed to spend to do things.

Public Safety is pretty good with using whats licensed to them, have seen some expired frequency usage but not a lot.

Hope this helps
Steve

 

[Septa3371CSX1]

A lot of taxi companies lease radio equipment from companies like Sunshine Communications, Mobile Comms, etc. There are some taxi companies that have their own frequencies licensed to them and in fact use them. Other companies (example New Look and Quaker City cab) applied for licenses for frequencies but never used them and canceled the license since they use the Sunshine Roxborough VHF LTR system. These business LTR systems are often very busy and growing. It is not uncommon to find several liceneses for frequencies used by a business LTR system since new frequencies are often added as the system grows and gains more users. It is also not uncommon to find expired licenses for a trunk system for frequencies that are also on another license. My recommendation would be to program the frequencies in your scanner and listen for a day or so during normal business hours. If you don't pick up anything, chances are that user no longer uses those frequencies.

 

[lars128]

Thanks for the help. I'll plug a few of these channels into my scanner and see what I come up with. I guess it's all part of the fun

 

[Steveradio]

Yup,

Also plug these frequencies in your scanner;

464.5000,
464.5500
469.5000
469.5500
467.7625
467.8125
467.8500
467.8750
467.9000
467.9250

They might also be using VHF radios,

151.6250
154.5700
154.6000
151.9550
check out the the Wiki at:
http://wiki.radioreference.com/index.php/Common_Itinerant_and_Business

Good Luck,
Steve