BalunKnot
Member
I know its a little off topic, but I also picked up TSA screeners using their new icom F50 portables on 172.150 pl 136.5 (voice inversion scrambling in use). they still use the regular apco25 system for longer distance comms it seems.
I searched the internet and found this story about it:
TSA wants its personnel to 'whisper' at airport checkpoints to reduce stress
By Jacob Goodwin, Editor-in-Chief
Published February 11th, 2009
In an effort to reduce shouting between its security officers at airport security checkpoints, and reduce overall stress levels for passengers, TSA is planning to purchase as many as 20,000 land mobile radios that would enable its personnel to whisper to each other.
“Wireless whisper will reduce noise levels that contribute to the current sense of stress at checkpoints,” explained TSA in a solicitation for mobile radios published Feb. 6. “These noise levels are elevated by the current mode of communication which often consists of [Transportation Security Officers] speaking or shouting to one another in the open, over other checkpoint noise.”
TSA’s Office of Operational Information Technology intends to procure at least 9,260 Very High Frequency land mobile radios, and, perhaps, as many as 20,000 of the units, to enable officers to speak more quietly.
“A speaker microphone is intended to be worn on the uniform of the TSA employee around the shoulder area while the radio is attached at the belt level,” says the statement of work for the proposed three-year, fixed-price, indefinite delivery / indefinite quantity contract. “The device shall allow for the attachment of a receive-only earpiece that allows for discrete monitoring of audio.”
According to the statement of work, the radios will possess the following capabilities:
• Weigh no more than 12 ounces, including the battery;
• Operate in the 162MHz through 174MHz VHF spectrum;
• Provide a vibrating alert on message reception;
• Prevent unauthorized eavesdropping on voice transmissions through voice scrambling, encryption or other technologies.
The radios will be distributed to more than 160 TSA locations at airports and other sites, over a four-month period.
The effort to “reduce ambient noise and facilitate more discrete communications between TSOs” is one element of the Checkpoint Evolution Program initiated by TSA in 2007.
I searched the internet and found this story about it:
TSA wants its personnel to 'whisper' at airport checkpoints to reduce stress
By Jacob Goodwin, Editor-in-Chief
Published February 11th, 2009
In an effort to reduce shouting between its security officers at airport security checkpoints, and reduce overall stress levels for passengers, TSA is planning to purchase as many as 20,000 land mobile radios that would enable its personnel to whisper to each other.
“Wireless whisper will reduce noise levels that contribute to the current sense of stress at checkpoints,” explained TSA in a solicitation for mobile radios published Feb. 6. “These noise levels are elevated by the current mode of communication which often consists of [Transportation Security Officers] speaking or shouting to one another in the open, over other checkpoint noise.”
TSA’s Office of Operational Information Technology intends to procure at least 9,260 Very High Frequency land mobile radios, and, perhaps, as many as 20,000 of the units, to enable officers to speak more quietly.
“A speaker microphone is intended to be worn on the uniform of the TSA employee around the shoulder area while the radio is attached at the belt level,” says the statement of work for the proposed three-year, fixed-price, indefinite delivery / indefinite quantity contract. “The device shall allow for the attachment of a receive-only earpiece that allows for discrete monitoring of audio.”
According to the statement of work, the radios will possess the following capabilities:
• Weigh no more than 12 ounces, including the battery;
• Operate in the 162MHz through 174MHz VHF spectrum;
• Provide a vibrating alert on message reception;
• Prevent unauthorized eavesdropping on voice transmissions through voice scrambling, encryption or other technologies.
The radios will be distributed to more than 160 TSA locations at airports and other sites, over a four-month period.
The effort to “reduce ambient noise and facilitate more discrete communications between TSOs” is one element of the Checkpoint Evolution Program initiated by TSA in 2007.
