Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference

The Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference (WPC) runs from July 11-15 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. Communications Direct has licensed several UHF frequencies for the event. Although the license indicates that all frequencies are simplex, Communications Direct has in the past set up LTR trunked systems for special events with some of these same frequencies. (Communications Direct LTR systems were in use at the Inauguration in 2009 and the Microsoft WPC in Houston in 2008.)

Barnes & Noble (12th and E) Security

The Barnes & Noble bookstore at 12th and E downtown is using 466.0375 [ d754] for security.

Folklife Festival Finds

Here's what I found for the Smithsonian Folklife Festival. The event continues through Monday, and then from July 1-5.

461.7375 [ d546]
463.8625 [ d503] Stages?

Caribbean Carnival Parade and Festival Finds

Here are the talkgroups that were active for the Caribbean Carnival Parade and Festival today. The Festival continues tomorrow.

DC Trunked System Talkgroups:
2096 DCFD Special Events 1
16656 MPD Special Operations Division
33584 Department of Health
35536 Emergency Management Agency
35568 Emergency Management Agency (CERT units)

National Capital Barbecue Battle Finds

Here's what I found today at the Barbecue Battle. Note that the frequencies are very similar to what was used last year. The event continues tomorrow.

461.1250 [ d365] Production
461.5250 [ d546] Stages/Hospitality
463.7250 [ d306] Gates/Box Office (Channel 2)
464.2750 [ d445] Beverage (Channel 1)
464.9250 [ d632] Safeway Tent
466.1750 [ d503] First Aid (Channel 7)
Radios had nine channels. Channel 9 was listed as "Open."
MPD used talkgroup 21232 (Citywide 2). DCFD used talkgroup 2112 (Special Events 2). Department of Health used talkgroup 34448, and possibly 33584.

Weekend Events

The Smithsonian Folklife Festival runs from June 24-28 and July 1-5. Here's what organizers used last year:

451.8000 [ d026] Tech (Channel 1)
456.8125 [ d306] Admin (First Aid, Park Police, etc.)
461.0875 [ d606] Program
461.1625 [ d116] Audio/Visual
461.2375 [ d445] Security
461.3125 [ d054] Ice/Beverage
466.0375 [ d155] Talk (Ch. 10)

The National Capital Barbecue Battle is Saturday and Sunday on Pennsylvania Avenue. Here's what was used last year:

461.1250 [ d365] Production
461.5250 [ d546] Audio/Visual
463.7250 [ d306] Gates
464.2750 [ d445] Beverage
464.9250 [ d632] Safeway Tent
MPD used talkgroup 21232 (Citywide 2). DCFD used talkgroup 2128 (Special Events 3). Department of Health used talkgroup 34448.

The Caribbean Parade/Carnival is also this weekend. The Parade is tomorrow at 11 AM, and the Festival runs both Saturday and Sunday. Here's what public safety agencies used last year:

DC Trunked System Talkgroups:
2096 DCFD Special Events 1
16656 MPD Special Operations Division
33584 Department of Health Tac
33872 Emergency Management Agency (linked with analog 59216)

The American Library Association Annual Conference is at the Convention Center from June 24-29. Here are some useful frequencies for the Center:

453.1125 [156.7] Security and Operations (Channel 1)
453.1375 [ d606] Housekeeping (Channel 4)
453.8875 [ d023] Catering
453.9125 [156.7] Security and Operations (Channel 2)
453.9625 [ d364] Security Alternate (Channel 5)

VSP Division 7 on STARS

Virginia State Police Division 7 switched to STARS as of about 10 AM this morning. Talkgroup 65 is Fairfax 1, and talkgroup 67 is Fairfax 2.

ExpressJet Airlines FCC App

ExpressJet Airlines, which operates as Continental Express and United Express at Dulles Airport, has an application pending before the FCC. The app calls for a repeater on 452.2375.

Stafford P25 Trunked System Online

Stafford County's Project 25 trunked system is online. The control channel is 774.18125. The system ID is 2B1, the tower is 101, and the WACN is BEE00. No talkgroups were active during brief monitoring today. It's unknown if this system will support FDMA only (P25 Phase I) or FDMA/TDMA (P25 Phase II), but based on recent area systems coming online, there's an excellent chance it will be P25 Phase II.

ESPN Zone Closed

ESPN Zone has closed all their restaurants except for two in California. Therefore, I've deleted the frequencies from my Washington, Baltimore, New York City, and Las Vegas pages.

VSP Division 2 on STARS

Virginia State Police Division 2 went live on STARS on June 10. Culpeper 1 is talkgroup 17 (legacy 159.1650 [127.3]), and Culpeper 2 is talkgroup 19 (legacy 158.9850 [167.9]). The Thornburg, Fork Mountain, Hogback Mountain, and Mount Weather sites are carrying the new talkgroups. 159.1650 [127.3] has been taken off the air, but 158.9850 [167.9] is being simulcast because of some dead spots.

VSP Division 7 (Fairfax) is scheduled to switch to STARS on June 24.

Nationals Park - CSC Event Staff

Not sure if this is a permanent change, but during the Nationals game on Tuesday, CSC Event Staff was using 461.4375 [ d152] as their "Command Post" channel. They previously used a repeater on 463.8000 [ d152].

Celebrate Fairfax This Weekend

Celebrate Fairfax is this Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Here's what I monitored last year:

Fairfax Public Safety Trunked System talkgroups:

18192 (Major Incident EMS) Medical

21200 (Coordination D1) Police
21232 (Coordination D2) Police

Fairfax Services Trunked System talkgroups:
24272 (Coordination A1) Organizers - Primary
24304 (Coordination A2) Organizers - Alternate
24400 (Coordination A5) Coordination of voter parking at Government Center (unrelated event)
36560 Fairfax Connector Buses - Shuttles from Vienna Metro
36592 Fairfax Connector Buses - Shuttles from Fair Oaks Mall/Fair Lakes

151.6250 [100.0] Carnival
159.1050 [156.7] Government Center Operations? (R)
464.5000 [ d205] Private Security (Securitas)

Georgetown University Hospital

Georgetown University Hospital is now using 464.8250 [ d546] for security. They were using 464.8250 [192.8].

Race for the Cure Saturday

The Race for the Cure is Saturday morning on the National Mall. Here's what was active last year:

461.1125 [ 71.9] "extension cord"; "what to do with dirty linen?"
461.2375 [ 67.0] "Capital Running gave winners"; finish line? route? command?
461.2625 [ 82.5] materials? "trash overflowing"; "stack water"
461.3375 [ 74.4] "point to Metro"
461.3625 [ 85.4]
461.4875 [ 79.7] "people take food"; "go without him"
461.8125 [ 69.3]
462.1125 [ 94.8] "extra table to spare"; communications at late T-shirt pick-up tent
462.2375 [ 88.5] stage scheduling? video?
Radio rentals from Metrotalk Rentals (800-268-4098).

Rental radio channels:
1 Command
2 Volunteer Ops
3 Site Management/Utility
4 Start/Finish/Information
5 Production Office/Communications
6 VIP Areas/Komen Village
7 Sponsors/Food/Marketing
8 Vehicles/Parking/Traffic
9 Stage Manager/Shows
10 Tent Crew/Stage/S&L
11 Event Kit Pick Up Ops
12 Route Staff
13 Medical
14 Komen/Admin
15 Security/Police
16 General Info/Chat

166.7250 [127.3] Park Police (Channel 1)
170.1750 [156.7] Capitol Police (Channel 3)
462.5500 [103.5] Video
462.5625 [100.0] "ice on route"; "command center"; citizen volunteers working route?
469.2625 [ d251] "hardware spare"; Video?

DC Trunked System talkgroups:
2096 DCFD Special Events 1
16656 MPD Special Operations Division
33872 DC Emergency Management Agency