VSP Tactical frequencies

[MB]

Does anyone know any VSP or Vermont Town Police tactical frequencies?

 

[MB]

I have found a few, but I am not sure if they are used?

458.950 PL 118.8
460.625 PL 118.8
465.625 PL 118.8
453.300
458.300
155.475

Can anyone confirm activity on these frequencies?

Any other frequencies like this?

 

[jimlawrence]

460.625 is used as a fire dispatch freq. isn't it? I think Burlington fire works it. The 453.3/458.3 combo is used by VSP's Bradford barracks. Outside of these areas, these freqs may be in use as low-power tacticals.

155.475 is one of those nationwide allocations, isn't it? I've heard traffic on it in NY and NH (and other states, too) but never in Vermont but that doesn't mean it's not in use here; I've just never heard any traffic on it.

Most local PDs have their own low-power simplex freqs and they're all over the bands. Sometimes neighboring departments have other PDs tacticals in their radios. 460.500 is also in use statewide as a common freq. among all departments.

Check the FCC database for freqs the state has licensed as interoperability freqs.

Big events like the Phish concert have been known to utilize radios from a private communications business in the state and they were using an LTR trunked system in the 460s business band. Some PDs use business band repeaters for their chit-chat/operational channel.

Finally, there is a discussion group on yahoogroups called vermontscanner. The archives may have some other freqs you might find interesting.

 

[58006]

155.475

"155.475 is one of those nationwide allocations, isn't it? I've heard traffic on it in NY and NH (and other states, too) but never in Vermont but that doesn't mean it's not in use here; I've just never heard any traffic on it."

Every once in awhile we (Washington County NY Communications) pick up units in the Dorset/Manchester area being repeated onto 155.475. My guess is it is someones cross band repeater due to the mix of UHF and VHF systems.

Sorry, not a lot of info, just some Gee Wiz Info

 

[MB]

460.625 is used as a fire dispatch freq. isn't it? I think Burlington fire works it. The 453.3/458.3 combo is used by VSP's Bradford barracks. Outside of these areas, these freqs may be in use as low-power tacticals.

Yeah 460.625 DPL 134 is used by Burlington fire. However, I see a lot of listings for 460.625 and 465.625 PL 118.8 as a VSP tactical frequency.

155.475 is one of those nationwide allocations, isn't it? I've heard traffic on it in NY and NH (and other states, too) but never in Vermont but that doesn't mean it's not in use here; I've just never heard any traffic on it.

Every now and then I hear VSP in the Middlebury area using 155.475 PL of 136.5 as a tactical frequency.

Most local PDs have their own low-power simplex freqs and they're all over the bands. Sometimes neighboring departments have other PDs tacticals in their radios. 460.500 is also in use statewide as a common freq. among all departments.

From time to time I hear traffic on 460.450 PL 118.8.

Big events like the Phish concert have been known to utilize radios from a private communications business in the state and they were using an LTR trunked system in the 460s business band. Some PDs use business band repeaters for their chit-chat/operational channel.

I have heard that VSP use a frequency that is used by a bus transportation system in Rutland. It is called "The Bus" or something like that. I can't seem to find the frequency they use though.

Anyone else have any information on this??

 

[robbinsj2]

...
I have heard that VSP use a frequency that is used by a bus transportation system in Rutland. It is called "The Bus" or something like that. I can't seem to find the frequency they use though.

Anyone else have any information on this??

463.3875, LTR LCN 01. TGID for The Bus is (at least was) 0-01-046. I can't speak to whether VSP uses it, though.

Jim
(former frequent visitor to Killington, not as much lately; above data verified early 2005)

 

[WA2BLM]

Small departments don't use tactical frequencies.

Most of Vermont as everyone knows is rural. I have been looking at all of the frequencies in the FCC license database in order to update my scanner used on the Central VT online scanner and as such have taken every single town/city in the Central VT area (Barre/Montpelier/Williamstown area) and carefully listened to see what activity is on each one. I even record 24/7 what is heard online from my scanner.

Even when there are "unusual events" what has happened every time is that the personnel will switch to an another frequency which they commonly use such as the fireground or as others in this thread have said some of the statewide or nationwide law enforcement frequencies.

With my particular software that I use scancat gold, I am able to set up more than the usual number of priority frequencies on my scanner which I allocate to these little used frequencies, so as a result if something "big" does break, then my scanner locks onto them. If I am near the scanner, I will stop the scanning to let the important communications be heard so that everyone can know what is going on, especially if there is a really important newsworthy incident.

I don't think that you will find any "tactical" frequencies in Vermont that are not listed in the various online and paper frequency directories. You certainly can't go wrong by checking the FCC uls system by town/city name since if it isn't listed there, then whichever department is using an unlicensed frequency would certainly face the possibility of criminal prosecution along with whatever communications service company that they use to maintain their equipment. Imagine, if you will some police chief getting locked up for operating on an unlicensed frequency? LOL!

 

[MB]

I don't think that you will find any "tactical" frequencies in Vermont that are not listed in the various online and paper frequency directories. You certainly can't go wrong by checking the FCC uls system by town/city name since if it isn't listed there, then whichever department is using an unlicensed frequency would certainly face the possibility of criminal prosecution along with whatever communications service company that they use to maintain their equipment. Imagine, if you will some police chief getting locked up for operating on an unlicensed frequency?

There must be ways around this. Believe me, I personally know of many police agencies in N.Y. and V.T. that use frequencies that are not licensed to them. I don't know how they get away with it but they do. Maybe they get permission from other agencies (non - Law Enforcement) to use them, but I don't know. Like I stated above with "The Bus". I have also seen police agencies use Railroad frequencies. In just about every case with these tactical frequencies, they use different CTCSS or DCS codes from what the original user was using.

The Uniden "Close Call" feature is great! I have found frequencies out there that I never dreamed of.

 

[DaveNF2G]

If operating at a specified minimal power level and not interfering with licensed users, police in the U.S. are permitted to use any non-federal frequency below 512 MHz (I think that's the cutoff) without a license.

 

[MB]

If operating at a specified minimal power level and not interfering with licensed users, police in the U.S. are permitted to use any non-federal frequency below 512 MHz (I think that's the cutoff) without a license.

Thanks Dave! That explains it..

With that being said, does anyone care to share any tactical frequencies?

 

[MB]

I found a few that might be used by Burlington PD.

453.725
460.1375
460.2875

 

[studgeman]

Big events like the Phish concert have been known to utilize radios from a private communications business in the state and they were using an LTR trunked system in the 460s business band. Some PDs use business band repeaters for their chit-chat/operational channel.

Some events will put public safety on their system for interop. In this case VSP did not use the LTR system for communicatations. Actually the thing was SEVERLY overloaded. The only time VSP was on it was when they were talking to Concert Admin. VSP was on a set of 4 simplex channels which have now changed. They are licensed statewide. I do not know what they are off hand. VSP also has 2 Mobile ACU-1000 which turn up from time to time. They can actually make a UHF portable repeater out of them, and they actually have done that in some instances.

For Large events check for STA applications. Alot of one or 2 week operations will just file an STA instead of a full blown license.

Anyhow a good frequency to check out for the locals, its usually listed as sheriff-statewide. I think it is like 460.5 or somthing like that. That gets alot of "quiet" usage.

 

[MB]

You mean 460.500? That is State Channel 2 or Car to Car. They use this frequency quite often. I have never heard of it called Sheriff - Statewide.

As far as I know, Sheriff - Statewide is 460.450 PL 118.8. I haven't heard much on this frequency with this PL.

What about:

458.95000 KH9732 118.8 PL CH. 5 Detectives
460.62500 KP3812 118.8 PL CH. 6 Tactical
465.62500 KP3812 118.8 PL CH. 7 Tactical

 

[DaveNF2G]

Since this thread started, I've been wondering what the heck might be happening in Vermont that would require "tactical" frequencies. Since others have mentioned concerts, I can see how major public events might generate some extra traffic, but Vermont is hardly the crime capital of the northeast.

 

[MB]

Since this thread started, I've been wondering what the heck might be happening in Vermont that would require "tactical" frequencies. Since others have mentioned concerts, I can see how major public events might generate some extra traffic, but Vermont is hardly the crime capital of the northeast.

Believe me Dave I was surprised also. There quite a bit of police activity in Vermont. Between Burlington and Rutland - there seems to be much more police activity in these areas then Saratoga, Glens Falls or Plattsburgh.

They are having a big problem with Heroin and Gangs in Rutland and there is always something going on in Burlington. Just the other day in Central Vermont someone was murdered. I don't think Vermont is as quiet and peaceful as everyone thinks it is.. Program some of the Burlington, Middlebury and Rutland area police frequencies in and find out for yourself.

 

[DaveNF2G]

I would, but unfortunately the only frequency I can hear out of Vermont is 460.375, a VSP repeater that happens to be located in New York. Sometimes I can hear fire calls on 154.250 from the car - I think it's Addison County.

The nearest VT county to me is Bennington. I hear absolutely nothing from there.

 

[jaymatt1978]

From the monitoring I have done in the Warren/Saratoga County regions I know that the police up there do indeed use business freqs for tactical use simply because there's not a lot of interference up there. There are also a lot more "places to hide" in the UHF band so I am not surprised the VTSP pops up on UHF business frequencies. I can hear 460.3750 clear as a bell from our townhouse that sits in between Chestertown and Warrensburg!

 

[WA2BLM]

Thanks Dave! That explains it..

With that being said, does anyone care to share any tactical frequencies?

I really would like to see where in any FCC rule, regulation, or federal statute it gives anyone the right to use "any frequency" in any band of frequencies for POLICE USE without first securing a license! I could see if you happened to be trapped on a mountain top and you somehow had a transmitter that could only transmit on a single frequency and that such frequency just happened to be for some other emergency or other service, but with today's technology, you'd have to be carting around "A BOAT ANCHOR" type radio, crystal controlled, a/k/a "VINTAGE RADIO".

I know of hundreds of cases where the FCC has cited police agencies for unauthorized use on frequencies that the police agency didn't have FCC approval. That ISN'T TO SAY HOWEVER that if a police agency (VSP) desired to operate on say a business radio service frequency, (say for the parking enforcement operations) that the FCC would not approve its use.

I agree with the fact that in certain areas with drug/gambling/immigration enforcement, there is SOMETIMES a need for temporary communications, but given the number of available and licensed frequencies, I think one would be hard pressed to say there is any kind of real need in 99% of VT for any kind of tactical frequency.

On the other hand, I think that business users could reasonably prevail if they filed a complaint that the police agencies were abusing their authority and tying up needed frequencies if the police agencies were engaged in a lot of transmissions! Also, I doubt very much if a law enforcement agency would want "highly confidential communications" to be sent over a business radio service frequency.

Wallace S. Nolen WA2BLM (formerly WA1IWK/WB4MZN)
Barre VT
email: wa2blm@yahoo.com

 

[DaveNF2G]

So look it up. It's in Part 90.

 

[WA2BLM]

So look it up. It's in Part 90.

NOT ONLY DID I LOOK IT UP, I HAVE AN ACTUAL LETTER SIGNED BY AN ASSISTANT GENERAL COUNSEL FROM THE FCC THAT SAYS THAT ABSENT CERTAIN FREQUENCIES WHICH DO NOT NEED A LICENSE (e.g. CB Radio, Part 15 etc.) A FCC LICENSE IS IN-FACT REQUIRED TO OPERATE EVEN BY POLICE EXCEPT, AS I STATED IN AN EMERGENCY.

UNLIKE SOME OTHERS I DO CHECK OUT THINGS BEFORE I UTTER THEM AS YOU WELL KNOW DAVE! (SINCE YOU HAVE QUOTED YET ANOTHER LETTER THAT I PERSONALY RECEIVED AFTER I QUESTIONED THE FCC WITH RESPECT TO THE PRECLUSION OF STATE REGULATIONS WITH RESPECT TO SCANNERS)!