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And I have noticed they seem to use the same NAC nationwide: 001 for 172.900, then 003 005 and 002 for the other channels.
TSA UHF
- Thread starter TLF82
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And I have noticed they seem to use the same NAC nationwide: 001 for 172.900, then 003 005 and 002 for the other channels.
ecps92
Member
Yes, $001 is the most common for the P25
however there is also plenty of Analog (Shhhhh) still out there, even on the 172.9000
however there is also plenty of Analog (Shhhhh) still out there, even on the 172.9000
rapidcharger
Member
It's an old thread that has come back from the dead but the only thing I have to add on this is that Icoms and kenwoods often have colored bands around the tips of their antennas that should tell you which band they are for. Red bands indicate it is for vhf. So if you can get close enough to see them on the stubby antennas, that should tell you if it's vhf or uhf or not. Of course if you can get that close, you should probably be able to just judge what band just by the size. VHF stubbies are 3.5" and UHF stubbies are 2.5"
2014 is an old thread? Then of course there are dual band stubbies that are only 2 3/4 " (or even shorter) without any colored bands!
73,
n9zas
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rapidcharger
Member
2014 is an old thread? Then of course there are dual band stubbies that are only 2 3/4 " (or even shorter) without any colored bands!
73,
n9zas
I guess you skipped right past the original post that was posted on May 27th of LAST YEAR.
It reads as follows...
That is what I was responding to.
The conclusion from last spring was that it was most likely VHF stubby antennas.
Have a nice day.
surfacemount
Member
I helped set up one of these radio systems.
TSA did not want every employee on the TSA radio system. They also did not want to shell out for radio batteries. So, they somehow (lobbyists?) got a bunch of the smaller, cheaper radios as a 'tactical' system. Everyone would wear earpieces, screeners would quit yelling sensitive information back and forth (especially with body scanners being rolled out).
The little radios were NOT on the TSA main system. Few, if any screeners seemed to like them, because they were an additional responsibility, and losing a radio was a big deal. Plus, TSA initially thought they would just have screeners share the earpieces. So, there was that.
The radios are only meant to be operated in a direct (car-car / simplex) mode, are intentionally set to low power, and run analog encryption (I can't remember now if it is flat inversion or a variable split band), and all of that is preprogrammed before they get to an airport.
TSA did not want every employee on the TSA radio system. They also did not want to shell out for radio batteries. So, they somehow (lobbyists?) got a bunch of the smaller, cheaper radios as a 'tactical' system. Everyone would wear earpieces, screeners would quit yelling sensitive information back and forth (especially with body scanners being rolled out).
The little radios were NOT on the TSA main system. Few, if any screeners seemed to like them, because they were an additional responsibility, and losing a radio was a big deal. Plus, TSA initially thought they would just have screeners share the earpieces. So, there was that.
The radios are only meant to be operated in a direct (car-car / simplex) mode, are intentionally set to low power, and run analog encryption (I can't remember now if it is flat inversion or a variable split band), and all of that is preprogrammed before they get to an airport.
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Surfacemount
The radios are primarily P25 and many airports are moving to full time encryption. Some airports still work in analog, but few and inversion is being phased out
The radios are primarily P25 and many airports are moving to full time encryption. Some airports still work in analog, but few and inversion is being phased out
I'd have to disagree with you on this, sefrischling.
The analog radios that the TSA uses in some areas are a secondary communications system that was added well after the TSA was formed and had deployed their primary P-25 radios nationwide. No TSA operation that I've ever come across is or was using the analog-with-inverstion radios for their primary operational communications. As surfacemount states, these were just simplex, low power channels for use at individual checkpoints for communications between TSA personnel.
Some TSA operations hardly use the analog radios at all, some use them quite extensively. But there is no indication that the analog radios are being "phased out" for P-25. They are being used as separate, less expensive system.
- Chris
Chris,
Analog inversion was in use in dozens and dozens of airports by BDOs. The ICom radios had the option to do inversion. Some TSOs used it, most did not. I have been covering the agency professionally as a journalist since the day they came into existence. I constantly read their internal memos, and have spend countless days in airports observing everything they do.
Radios are simplex, usually, but most airports have repeaters, especially multi-terminal airports. If you think analog is not being phased out you have been out of the loop a long time. The primary channels used by the TSA for airport airports are , and have been , P25 for a quite some time now, with many now operating with full-time encryption.
Analog inversion was in use in dozens and dozens of airports by BDOs. The ICom radios had the option to do inversion. Some TSOs used it, most did not. I have been covering the agency professionally as a journalist since the day they came into existence. I constantly read their internal memos, and have spend countless days in airports observing everything they do.
Radios are simplex, usually, but most airports have repeaters, especially multi-terminal airports. If you think analog is not being phased out you have been out of the loop a long time. The primary channels used by the TSA for airport airports are , and have been , P25 for a quite some time now, with many now operating with full-time encryption.
D
DaveNF2G
Guest
I think you keep missing the point of the discussion. Nobody is talking about the primary TSA system.
ecps92
Member
surfacemount
Member
Yup.
Again,
There are at least two voice systems in use at TSA Screening Sites. One is the legacy primary system. It's P25 VHF. I would be surprised to see it encrypted. TSA wouldn't spend the money on keyloaders, and it there would ALWAYS be units with dropped keys, making it useless. Hell, they won't spend money on batteries. Most airports would have a repeater capability, some had multicast.
The secondary system is a little unit to unit system, designed to reduce yelling at the checkpoint, and assist body scanner personnel. It is analog encrypted 100% of the time, there is no user control of this.
It's been so long now, but I swear it had to be UHF, because otherwise we would have loaded personalities into the Big Radios so they could interlink. But we didn't, so, without doing some digging, it's a UHF simplex system.
I know this, because I rolled out the system at my local airport. These weren't locally procured; they were part of the national program.
I don't think the BDO's had anything programmatically assigned to them. They used the Big Radios, and some nextel direct connect, but nationally they weren't given a special radio system, especially not with analog encryption. That may have been an a/p specific purchase.
I'm glad you like to monitor them, but I had a clearance and access.
Again,
There are at least two voice systems in use at TSA Screening Sites. One is the legacy primary system. It's P25 VHF. I would be surprised to see it encrypted. TSA wouldn't spend the money on keyloaders, and it there would ALWAYS be units with dropped keys, making it useless. Hell, they won't spend money on batteries. Most airports would have a repeater capability, some had multicast.
The secondary system is a little unit to unit system, designed to reduce yelling at the checkpoint, and assist body scanner personnel. It is analog encrypted 100% of the time, there is no user control of this.
It's been so long now, but I swear it had to be UHF, because otherwise we would have loaded personalities into the Big Radios so they could interlink. But we didn't, so, without doing some digging, it's a UHF simplex system.
I know this, because I rolled out the system at my local airport. These weren't locally procured; they were part of the national program.
I don't think the BDO's had anything programmatically assigned to them. They used the Big Radios, and some nextel direct connect, but nationally they weren't given a special radio system, especially not with analog encryption. That may have been an a/p specific purchase.
I'm glad you like to monitor them, but I had a clearance and access.
surfacemount
Member
In that specific case, it is probable TSA is renting a talk group from the site owners instead of completely running their own net. By regulation, they still have to have a cache of VHF (if the trunk system isn't) portables for certain situations.
Are they actually TSA?
Something to think about, not every airport has TSA. Some are actually contractors. They may be using different radios? Something to check on for the tenn airport?
Something to think about, not every airport has TSA. Some are actually contractors. They may be using different radios? Something to check on for the tenn airport?
surfacemount
Member
Hi!
The Tennessee set of hub/spokes are all TSA.
You are right about other places, SEFrishling covers it in post 17:
http://forums.radioreference.com/2290599-post17.html
OOps
Sorry my bad coming in late on the conversation. Thanks for informing me.
Just trying to help understand why TSA would be on UHF. Now think about this... Maybe like in other companies there could be a contractor part time agreement supplementing the TSA? This happens with many other companies. Just an idea I have no knowledge of the situation. I'm just trying to help untangle or figure out what might be happening.
Sorry my bad coming in late on the conversation. Thanks for informing me.
Just trying to help understand why TSA would be on UHF. Now think about this... Maybe like in other companies there could be a contractor part time agreement supplementing the TSA? This happens with many other companies. Just an idea I have no knowledge of the situation. I'm just trying to help untangle or figure out what might be happening.
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Front line just got a FCC license modded recently......
IG WQOA222
GATEWAY FRONTLINE SERVICES DBA GATEWAY GROUP ONE
[AIRPORT SECURITY SERVICES]
Control Point 5 - 5757 Wayne Newton Blvd, Las Vegas NV 702-261-6022
Control Point 6 - WICHITA AIRPORT, WICHITA KS 310-410-0790
Control Point 1 - LAX, LOS ANGELES CA 310-410-0790
Control Point 2 - HOUSTON HOBBY AIRPORT, HOUSTON TX 310-410-0790
Control Point 3 - KANSAS CITY INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, KANSAS CITY MO 310-410-0790
Control Point 4 - MCCARRON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, LAS VEGAS NV 310-410-0790
(link) http://wireless2.fcc.gov/UlsApp/UlsSearch/license.jsp?licKey=3305619
11/09/2015 License Modified
(transaction log) http://wireless2.fcc.gov/UlsApp/ApplicationSearch/applTransLog.jsp?applID=9308076
5 - 5757 Wayne Newton Blvd, Las Vegas (CLARK) NV [Structure: Building with antenna on top] (map)
[Antenna 1 - HTT: 14.0m, HAAT: 3.8m]
461.725 FB2 Ant: 1 50p 40e Units: 1 11K2F3E
451.4875 FB2 Ant: 1 50p 20e Units: 1 11K2F3E
6 - 32.0 km radius around fixed location 5
461.725 MO Ant: 1 5p 5e Units: 180 11K2F3E
466.725 MO Ant: 1 5p 5e Units: 180 11K2F3E
451.4875 MO Ant: 1 5p 5e Units: 180 11K2F3E
456.4875 MO Ant: 1 5p 5e Units: 180 11K2F3E
1 - LOS ANGELES (LOS ANGELES) CA 8.0 km radius around center point (map)
462.4125 MO Ant: 1 4p 4e Units: 152 11K2F3E
467.4125 MO Ant: 1 4p 4e Units: 152 11K2F3E
467.2375 MO Ant: 1 4p 4e Units: 152 11K2F3E
467.3875 MO Ant: 1 4p 4e Units: 152 11K2F3E
467.25 MO Ant: 1 4p 4e Units: 152 11K2F3E
2 - HOUSTON (HARRIS) TX 8.0 km radius around center point (map)
462.4125 MO Ant: 1 4p 4e Units: 152 11K2F3E
467.4125 MO Ant: 1 4p 4e Units: 152 11K2F3E
467.2375 MO Ant: 1 4p 4e Units: 152 11K2F3E
467.3875 MO Ant: 1 4p 4e Units: 152 11K2F3E
467.25 MO Ant: 1 4p 4e Units: 152 11K2F3E
3 - KANSAS CITY (PLATTE) MO 8.0 km radius around center point (map)
462.4125 MO Ant: 1 4p 4e Units: 152 11K2F3E
467.4125 MO Ant: 1 4p 4e Units: 152 11K2F3E
467.2375 MO Ant: 1 4p 4e Units: 152 11K2F3E
467.3875 MO Ant: 1 4p 4e Units: 152 11K2F3E
467.25 MO Ant: 1 4p 4e Units: 152 11K2F3E
4 - LAS VEGAS (CLARK) NV 8.0 km radius around center point (map)
451.4875 MO Ant: 1 4p 4e Units: 152 11K2F3E
456.4875 MO Ant: 1 4p 4e Units: 152 11K2F3E
451.3375 MO Ant: 1 4p 4e Units: 152 11K2F3E
456.3375 MO Ant: 1 4p 4e Units: 152 11K2F3E
462.4875 MO Ant: 1 4p 4e Units: 152 11K2F3E
7 - WICHITA (SEDGWICK) KS 8.0 km radius around center point (map)
467.2375 MO Ant: 1 4p 4e Units: 152 11K2F3E
462.4125 MO Ant: 1 4p 4e Units: 152 11K2F3E
467.4125 MO Ant: 1 4p 4e Units: 152 11K2F3E
467.3875 MO Ant: 1 4p 4e Units: 152 11K2F3E
462.2375 MO Ant: 1 4p 4e Units: 152 11K2F3E
IG WQOA222
GATEWAY FRONTLINE SERVICES DBA GATEWAY GROUP ONE
[AIRPORT SECURITY SERVICES]
Control Point 5 - 5757 Wayne Newton Blvd, Las Vegas NV 702-261-6022
Control Point 6 - WICHITA AIRPORT, WICHITA KS 310-410-0790
Control Point 1 - LAX, LOS ANGELES CA 310-410-0790
Control Point 2 - HOUSTON HOBBY AIRPORT, HOUSTON TX 310-410-0790
Control Point 3 - KANSAS CITY INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, KANSAS CITY MO 310-410-0790
Control Point 4 - MCCARRON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, LAS VEGAS NV 310-410-0790
(link) http://wireless2.fcc.gov/UlsApp/UlsSearch/license.jsp?licKey=3305619
11/09/2015 License Modified
(transaction log) http://wireless2.fcc.gov/UlsApp/ApplicationSearch/applTransLog.jsp?applID=9308076
5 - 5757 Wayne Newton Blvd, Las Vegas (CLARK) NV [Structure: Building with antenna on top] (map)
[Antenna 1 - HTT: 14.0m, HAAT: 3.8m]
461.725 FB2 Ant: 1 50p 40e Units: 1 11K2F3E
451.4875 FB2 Ant: 1 50p 20e Units: 1 11K2F3E
6 - 32.0 km radius around fixed location 5
461.725 MO Ant: 1 5p 5e Units: 180 11K2F3E
466.725 MO Ant: 1 5p 5e Units: 180 11K2F3E
451.4875 MO Ant: 1 5p 5e Units: 180 11K2F3E
456.4875 MO Ant: 1 5p 5e Units: 180 11K2F3E
1 - LOS ANGELES (LOS ANGELES) CA 8.0 km radius around center point (map)
462.4125 MO Ant: 1 4p 4e Units: 152 11K2F3E
467.4125 MO Ant: 1 4p 4e Units: 152 11K2F3E
467.2375 MO Ant: 1 4p 4e Units: 152 11K2F3E
467.3875 MO Ant: 1 4p 4e Units: 152 11K2F3E
467.25 MO Ant: 1 4p 4e Units: 152 11K2F3E
2 - HOUSTON (HARRIS) TX 8.0 km radius around center point (map)
462.4125 MO Ant: 1 4p 4e Units: 152 11K2F3E
467.4125 MO Ant: 1 4p 4e Units: 152 11K2F3E
467.2375 MO Ant: 1 4p 4e Units: 152 11K2F3E
467.3875 MO Ant: 1 4p 4e Units: 152 11K2F3E
467.25 MO Ant: 1 4p 4e Units: 152 11K2F3E
3 - KANSAS CITY (PLATTE) MO 8.0 km radius around center point (map)
462.4125 MO Ant: 1 4p 4e Units: 152 11K2F3E
467.4125 MO Ant: 1 4p 4e Units: 152 11K2F3E
467.2375 MO Ant: 1 4p 4e Units: 152 11K2F3E
467.3875 MO Ant: 1 4p 4e Units: 152 11K2F3E
467.25 MO Ant: 1 4p 4e Units: 152 11K2F3E
4 - LAS VEGAS (CLARK) NV 8.0 km radius around center point (map)
451.4875 MO Ant: 1 4p 4e Units: 152 11K2F3E
456.4875 MO Ant: 1 4p 4e Units: 152 11K2F3E
451.3375 MO Ant: 1 4p 4e Units: 152 11K2F3E
456.3375 MO Ant: 1 4p 4e Units: 152 11K2F3E
462.4875 MO Ant: 1 4p 4e Units: 152 11K2F3E
7 - WICHITA (SEDGWICK) KS 8.0 km radius around center point (map)
467.2375 MO Ant: 1 4p 4e Units: 152 11K2F3E
462.4125 MO Ant: 1 4p 4e Units: 152 11K2F3E
467.4125 MO Ant: 1 4p 4e Units: 152 11K2F3E
467.3875 MO Ant: 1 4p 4e Units: 152 11K2F3E
462.2375 MO Ant: 1 4p 4e Units: 152 11K2F3E
Last I was in El paso international the TSA had EPPD portables with talkgroups at airport. Whether or not they were strapped or clear I don't know. Could have been a temp thing but it was without doubt a EPPD portable with the display showing scanning talkgroup traffic.
Being that this thread is about TSA UHF, are you saying that the tsa is not at the airports listed in the license above?
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