Weekend Events

• The USA Science and Engineering Festival is Friday through Sunday at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. Expect the usual channels plus some business frequencies used by organizers.
• The White House Correspondents' Dinner is Saturday evening at the Washington Hilton. If the channels haven't changed, the Hilton uses 463.9250 [ d026] for housekeeping, 464.3250 [ d143] for security, 464.3750 [ d143] for engineering, and 464.5125 [162.2] for banquets.
• "America's Night of Hope" is Saturday evening at Nationals Park. The usual stadium frequencies should be active, as well as some UHF business channels for the organizers.
• DC United plays Saturday at 7:30 PM at RFK Stadium.

American Public Health Association FCC App

The American Public Health Association, located at 800 I St. NW in DC, has an application pending before the FCC. The app calls for five simplex frequencies: 462.2125, 462.3375, 467.2625, 467.3125, and 467.3625.

Corporate Office Properties Trust FCC Apps

Corporate Office Properties Trust has two applications pending before the FCC. One calls for a repeater on 463.5500 at 3120 Fairview Park Dr. in Falls Church, and the other calls for a repeater on 452.4000 at 1550 Westbranch Dr. in McLean.

Weekend Events

• The spring IMF/World Bank meetings are this weekend. Don't expect to monitor much from MPD; most of their traffic is encrypted. The World Bank uses 151.9550 [107.2] (B/M) for security, and 463.7500 [ d606] (R) for engineering.
• The Nationals play Friday at 7:05, Saturday at 1:05, and Sunday at 1:35 at Nationals Park.
• The Capitals play Sunday (time has not been announced) at Verizon Center.
• DC United plays Sunday at 6:00 at RFK Stadium.

Nationals Park

With the Nationals first home series of the season this weekend, I thought I'd recap the radio usage at Nationals Park. In listening extensively yesterday, not much has changed from last year. Nationals staff continue to use MOTOTRBO channels (five repeaters and four simplex, although they are licensed for several more frequencies). DC Fire was monitored on Special Events 1 (talkgroup 2096). They were not using the 800 MHz simplex frequencies (867.4875 [156.7] and 867.7625 [156.7]) that they have used in previous years. CSC Event Staff was using 464.7500 [233.6] (R) for primary ops and 461.3875 [ d152] for on-field personnel. 461.1375 [ d152] was also monitored; this channel may be for supervisors and/or player security.

A few new conventional frequencies popped up. 467.7625 [ d263] is used by security (bouncers) at the new Fairgrounds area outside the ballpark. 464.5500 [ d732] and 467.7625 [ d732] were both active; I'm assuming they're related since they have the same tone. On the latter frequency, there was talk about the "New Jersey lobby" and "cars sneaking in."

Weekend Events

It's the Nationals first weekend home series, and there are some big cherry blossom events:

• The Nationals play Friday at 7:05 PM, Saturday at 4:05 PM, and Sunday at 1:35 PM at Nationals Park.
• The National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade is Saturday from 10:00 AM to noon on Constitution Ave. from 7th to 17th St. Look for organizers to use UHF business band simplex frequencies. Also check Park Police on 166.7250, DCFD on one or more of their Special Events talkgroups, and CSC Event Staff on 461.3875 or 461.5125.
• The Sakura Matsuri Japanese Street Festival is Saturday from 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM at 12th and Pennsylvania Ave. Organizers will probably use UHF business band simplex frequencies. DCFD will use one of the Special Events talkgroups.
• The Wizards play Saturday at 7:00 PM at Verizon Center.

Landmark Mall New Security Frequency

Landmark Mall has switched their security frequency from 464.9250 [100.0] to 452.2000 [ d226]. This frequency appears to be unlicensed. An application for the frequency could not be found either.

Alexandria P25 Trunked System Growing

Alexandria's Project 25 trunked system, which will eventually replace the legacy Project 16 system, is being brought online. Several police talkgroups were active today; these are still being simulcast on the old system. Fire talkgroups do not appear to be in regular use, but there was some testing on them. Several city services talkgroups are also active on the new system.

Alexandria, like Fairfax, appears to be using the same hexadecimal talkgroup numbers on the P25 system that were used on the P16 system. For example, Alexandria Police Channel 1 is hex 1 (decimal 16) on the P16 system. It is also hex 1 on the P25 system (which works out to decimal 1).

Fairfax Services Trunked System Rebanded

The Fairfax Services trunked system has been rebanded. All frequencies have shifted down 15 MHz.

Baltimore Orioles License Update

The Baltimore Orioles have a renewal/modification pending on their license. The frequencies will remain the same, but the license is being updated for narrowband operation, more mobile units, and the addition of the MOTOTRBO emission designator. Note that this does not necessarily mean the radio communications will be switched to TRBO; they may continue to use analog.

Avis Budget Group FCC App

Avis Budget Group, a rental car company at Reagan National Airport, has an application pending before the FCC. The app calls for a repeater on 452.7000. The frequency is coded for both analog and MOTOTRBO operation.

RFK Stadium FCC App

RFK Stadium has an application pending before the FCC. The app calls for a repeater on 464.3750. Note that this frequency has been used by RFK maintenance/engineering for years with a tone of 110.9. The license was allowed to lapse, however.

Weekend Events

• DC United plays Saturday at 7:30 PM at RFK Stadium.