Tuesday, June 30, 2015

JetBlue Switches to DMR at DCA, Doesn't Inform FCC

JetBlue has switched to DMR on 463.8625 at Reagan National Airport. The license for the frequency has not been updated with the appropriate emission designators. Three groups were found:

463.8625 [         ] (DMR - Color Code 1, Slot 2, Group 1)
463.8625 [         ] (DMR - Color Code 1, Slot 1, Group 2)
463.8625 [         ] (DMR - Color Code 1, Slot 1, Group 3)

Folklife Festival Frequency Found

The Smithsonian Folklife Festival was confirmed using 412.9000 (NXDN 4800 - RAN 42, Group 23, Scrambled). Because the frequency is scrambled, it cannot be monitored even with a program like DSD+. This frequency does not appear to be part of the DC Federal SMR.

Folger Shakespeare Library Confirmed Using New Frequency

The Folger Shakespeare Library was recently monitored on 461.8000 [127.3]. Folger was licensed for this frequency in late 2013; it had used an unlicensed frequency previously.

National Capital Barbecue Battle Finds

Here's what was active at the National Capital Barbecue Battle:

152.2775 [ d072] Beverage/Volunteer (Ch. 1)
151.8275 [ d532] Box Office/Gates (Ch. 2)
155.0250 [ d743] Hospitality/Stages (Ch. 3)
150.5125 [ d172] Contest (Ch. 4)
153.8750 [123.0] Production/Electric (Ch. 5)
157.8150 [141.3] Safeway Pavilion (Ch. 6)
154.2250 [ d464] Clean Up (Ch. 7)
159.2100 [ d624] Open/Conversation (Ch. 8)
157.0100 [ d734] First Aid (Ch. 9)
(Some frequencies may be off by 2.5/5.0 kHz.)

DC Trunked System Talkgroup:
2117 Emergency Management Agency

World Police and Fire Games

The World Police and Fire Games continue through Sunday. Most of the events are in Fairfax County. Here are talkgroups monitored this past Sunday:

Fairfax Project 25 Trunked System talkgroups:
1175 Fire 43E
1179 Fire 43G

Fairfax Services Trunked System talkgroups:
24016 Special Event 1
24048 Special Event 2 (Buses)
24080 Special Event 3
24112 Special Event 4
24144 Special Event 5
24176 Special Event 6 (Buses)
24272 Coordination A1
24304 Coordination A2 (Buses)
24336 Coordination A3
24368 Coordination A4
24400 Coordination A5 (Buses)
24432 Coordination A6 (Buses)

This RadioReference thread details other talkgroups found.

Saturday, June 27, 2015

Spotsylvania Stars and Stripes Spectacular

The Spotsylvania Stars and Stripes Spectacular was cancelled because of inclement weather this afternoon, but a few talkgroups from the Spotsylvania trunked system were noted in use:

00-087 Disaster Tac (fire/medical)
02-024 Sheriff A Tac (traffic control)
04-121 Parks & Recreation (organizers)

National Capital Barbecue Battle Talkgroup

The DC Emergency Management Agency was using talkgroup 2117 on the DC trunked system today for the National Capital Barbecue Battle. The event concludes tomorrow.

Friday, June 26, 2015

Weekend Events

  • The Smithsonian Folklife Festival continues on the National Mall through Sunday, and returns July 1-5.
  • The World Police and Fire Games Opening Ceremony is Friday at 6 PM at RFK Stadium.
  • The National Capital Barbecue Battle is Saturday and Sunday on Pennsylvania Ave. from 9th to 14th Sts.

Monday, June 22, 2015

Potomac Job Corps FCC App

The Potomac Job Corps Center, located at 1 DC Village Ln. SW in DC, has an application pending before the FCC. The app calls for a base/mobile configuration on 463.9250, and simplex on 452.1750 and 452.5375.

Lockheed Martin Adds Frequency in Rockville

Lockheed Martin recently modified its license to add an analog/DMR repeater on 461.9375 at its location at 1 Curie Ct. in Rockville.

Saturday, June 20, 2015

Spotsylvania Sheriff Radio IDs

Spotsylvania Sheriff appears to use IDs for mobile radios that contain the vehicle number. For example, vehicle 278 uses a radio ID of 10278. The format appears to be 10xxx, where xxx is the vehicle number. The portable radios are in the format 2xxx, where xxx is the unit ID of the transmitting unit. Therefore, portable radios will always identify the deputy's unit number, but mobile radio IDs will only identify the vehicle (because multiple deputies use the same vehicle at different times).

Virginia Emergency Management Using Some Encryption

The Virginia Department of Emergency Management "Red" talkgroups on STARS are now encrypted full-time.

Friday, June 19, 2015

Weekend Events

  • The Nationals play Friday at 7:05, Saturday at 4:05, and Sunday at 1:35 at Nationals Park.
  • DC United plays Sunday at 5:00 at RFK Stadium.

Monday, June 15, 2015

Stafford Talkgroups Active Saturday

A few rarely-used talkgroups (4512, 4710, 4711) on the Stafford system were active on Saturday. It was difficult to figure what they were used for, but they were possibly used for high school graduations.

CommutAir (IAD) License Modification

CommutAir, which operates as United Express at Dulles Airport, recently modified its license to add a repeater on 464.8000.

Tuesday, June 9, 2015

Greater Mount Calvary Church FCC App

Greater Mount Calvary Church, located at 610 Rhode Island Ave. NE in DC, has an application pending before the FCC. The app calls for a repeater on 462.5250, and simplex on 467.3125.

Greens I FCC App

Greens I, an office building at 15049 Conference Center Dr. in Chantilly, has an application pending before the FCC. The app calls for an analog/DMR repeater on 463.5750, and analog/DMR simplex on 457.6625, 462.3875, 462.4625, 467.3875, and 467.4625.

Saturday, June 6, 2015

Herndon Festival Finds (and Vintage Virginia Finds?)

Here's what was found for last weekend's Herndon Festival:

Fairfax Services Trunked System talkgroups:
24048 Special Event 2
24080 Special Event 3
24112 Special Event 4
24176 Special Event 6

Fairfax Project 25 Trunked System talkgroups:
1319 Herndon Police Tac 4
1333 Coordination 5 (Fire/EMS)

Several other analog coordination talkgroups (A2, A3, A4) were active last Saturday; these may have been used for Vintage Virginia. Coordination D7 was also active; it's unknown if this was used for Vintage Virginia, the Herndon Festival, or something else.

Friday, June 5, 2015

College Park Energy FCC App

College Park Energy, which may provide power to the University of Maryland-College Park campus, has an application pending before the FCC. The app calls for an analog/NXDN repeater on 462.5125.

Weekend Events

  • Celebrate Fairfax is Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at the Fairfax County Government Center.
  • The Nationals play Friday at 7:05, Saturday at 12:05, and Sunday at 4:05 at Nationals Park.
  • DC United plays Saturday at 7:00 at RFK Stadium.

Thursday, June 4, 2015

955 L'Enfant Plaza FCC App

955 L'Enfant Plaza, an office building in DC, has an application pending before the FCC. The app calls for an analog/DMR repeater on 463.9000.