Weekend Events

Busy Labor Day weekend:

• The Nationals play Friday at 7:05, Saturday at 4:05, and Sunday at 1:35 at Nationals Park.
• Maryland plays William & Mary Saturday at 3:00 at Byrd Stadium. The university's trunked system should be very active; it's unknown if this system has been rebanded. Several conventional frequencies are also used; see the Prince George's page for these.
• The Nation's Football Classic is Saturday at 3:30 at RFK Stadium. See the Washington, DC page for RFK frequencies (scroll to Business / RFK Stadium).

And a big event in Baltimore:

• The Baltimore Grand Prix is Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at the Inner Harbor. Several public safety trunked systems will be in use: Baltimore, CMARC, and FIRST. (Note that some talkgroups on FIRST use Phase II TDMA modulation, which cannot be monitored with any scanner.) Race organizers will probably use UHF repeaters/simplex, possibly MOTOTRBO. Racing Electronics held a license for last year's race; it's unknown if these frequencies will be in use again this year.

Rappahannock School Buses

Rappahannock County (VA) School Buses are using 464.0500 [179.9] (R). This frequency is probably covered under this license, even though the transmitter is located in Warren County.

Another Stafford Schools Update

Stafford Schools continue to conduct radio testing on several UHF-T frequencies. The schools are apparently going to use the UHF-T frequencies that Fire used previously. 488.6375 [156.7], which was Fire Channel 2, was referred to as Channel 1. 489.1125 [156.7], which was Fire Channel 3, was referred to as Channel 2. No MOTOTRBO was monitored, so they may use the frequencies in analog mode, at least for now.

AirCare 2 and King George

AirCare 2, a medical helicopter based at Shannon Airport in Fredericksburg, was responding to a motor vehicle accident this afternoon in King George. The helo tried contacting the county on 155.7600 [ d412], but received no response. The county currently uses 155.7600 [141.3]. (The tones were switched from DCS to CTCSS several years ago.) I believe the helo was able to land at the scene without any problem, but this incident highlights the importance of keeping responders informed of radio system changes.

Arundel Mills Mall Major Update

Updated frequencies for Arundel Mills Mall are on the Anne Arundel County page. (Scroll down to the "Business" section.)

Maryland Live! Casino Using MOTOTRBO Connect Plus

The Maryland Live! Casino, located adjacent to Arundel Mills Mall in Hanover, is using a MOTOTRBO Connect Plus trunked system. This type of system is used to connect multiple MOTOTRBO sites. Each site has a dedicated control channel. The casino appears to be using two sites. This RadioReference page has all the known information about the system.

Stafford Schools Probably Switching to MOTOTRBO

Stafford Schools are probably switching their UHF-T frequencies to MOTOTRBO for the upcoming school year. As was mentioned in a previous post, MOTOTRBO emission designators have been added to the license. Radio testing (in analog mode) was also monitored on a couple of the frequencies, and the users mentioned digital.

Weekend Event

• The Redskins play a preseason game Saturday at 4 PM at FedEx Field. The "FedEx Field" talkgroups on the Prince George's County trunked system should be active, as well as the Redskins' LTR trunked system. The National Football League also licensed several frequencies over the summer for use at the stadium.

Loudoun County Youth Center FCC App

The Loudoun County Youth Center has an application pending before the FCC. The app calls for MOTOTRBO simplex on 451.5125, 451.6375, 452.8375, 456.5125, and 456.6375.

Charles County Rebanding

Charles County has started to reband its trunked system. The current control channel is 853.3750.

Cirque du Soleil - Totem

Cirque du Soleil's Totem is playing at National Harbor now through September 30. Cirque holds a nationwide license for their traveling performances.

Montgomery County Completes Rebanding

Montgomery County has completed rebanding. All frequencies have shifted down 15 MHz.

DC Water and Sewer Authority - Blue Plains

The DC Water and Sewer Authority is using 451.6875 [151.4] (R) for the Blue Plains Wastewater Treatment Plant. The license does not indicate a repeater.

Fairfax County Update

Two frequencies found for Fairfax County:

• The Kings Gardens apartments are using 452.2625 [ d271] (R). This complex is one of several managed by Southern Management; the license covers several other sites in Virginia and Maryland.
• Belle Haven Country Club is using 456.5625 [173.8]. The club is also licensed for another simplex frequency.

Another Alexandria Update

Here are some more frequencies found in Alexandria:

• The Lorien Hotel & Spa is using 451.4125 [ d115] (S). This is an alternate channel; their primary channel is 451.3875 [ d023] (S). They also have several other simplex frequencies licensed.
• The Wyndham Old Town Alexandria is using 464.5500 [ 67.0] (S). This is the first frequency I've found for this hotel; they do not have a license.
• The Residence Inn on Duke Street is using 451.4875 (MOTOTRBO - Color Code 1, Group 1). This is one of four MOTOTRBO simplex frequencies the hotel licensed in 2010.
• The Meridian at Carlyle apartment building is using 452.7250 [ d411] (S). This is one of four simplex frequencies licensed.
• Alexandria Union Cab is using 451.8500 [218.1]. The cabs are on 456.8500 [218.1]. The frequencies were licensed in 2011.

Weekend Events

• The Women of Faith event is Friday at 7:00 and Saturday at 9:00 AM at the Verizon Center. The organization holds a license for fifteen UHF simplex frequencies.
• The Nationals play Friday at 7:05, Saturday at 7:05, and Sunday at 1:35 at Nationals Park.
• DC United plays Sunday at 5:00 at RFK Stadium.

Meridian at Mount Vernon Triangle FCC App

Meridian at Mount Vernon Triangle, an apartment building located at 425 L St. NW, has an application pending before the FCC. The app calls for a repeater on 462.1125, and simplex on 456.7125 and 457.6625. The frequencies are coded for both analog and MOTOTRBO.

Charles E. Smith Modifies, Adds Frequencies

Charles E. Smith, a major commercial property owner in the Washington area, has modified and added frequencies at several sites around the region. A new license adds MOTOTRBO/analog repeaters at six locations in Virginia. An application to a license adds frequencies and adds a MOTOTRBO emission designator to existing frequencies at sites in Virginia, Maryland, and the District.

Avis Budget Group (DCA) Using MOTOTRBO

Avis Budget Group at Reagan National Airport is using a MOTOTRBO repeater on 452.7000. This recently-licensed frequency is quite weak - I had difficulty receiving it from Gravelly Point, which is just north of the airport.

Crystal Gateway Marriott Using Unlicensed Repeater

The Crystal Gateway Marriott is using 461.9625 [ d346] (R) for banquets. This frequency is unlicensed, and is used infrequently.

Virginia Hospital Center Using MOTOTRBO

Virginia Hospital Center was confirmed yesterday using MOTOTRBO on 461.9625. The license also indicates another MOTOTRBO repeater on 464.7625.

MOTOTRBO and NXDN in DC

• Capital Gallery, located on Maryland Ave. SW between 6th and 7th Sts., is using a MOTOTRBO (Color Code 1, Slot 1, Group 1) repeater on 463.7250. The license incorrectly indicates that the frequency is only used in analog mode. Note that this frequency (with the same color code) is also used by The Rotonda in Fairfax County.
• The Constitution Center, located at 400 7th St. SW, is using NXDN repeaters on 452.0000, 461.9000, and 462.2250. The building is also licensed for an additional repeater on 464.1000. No scanner can decode this digital format.
• General Dynamics Information Technology, located at 2701 Martin Luther King, Jr. Ave. SE, is using a MOTOTRBO repeater on 452.4000. According to the license, this is for "IT cabling and equipment installation." This is probably for the Department of Homeland Security consolidation project at St. Elizabeth's West. 

380 MHz Control Channel Found

There is a 380 MHz Project 25 control channel (387.7875) that appears to originate from the Fort Belvoir North Area, in the Newington section of Fairfax County. Because I was driving, I was unable to analyze the control channel, but I suspect it's part of the Joint National Capital Region system.

Kaiser Medical Centers (Gaithersburg and Tysons) New Frequencies

The Kaiser Medical Centers in Gaithersburg and Tysons Corner have licensed frequencies. The Gaithersburg office is licensed for a MOTOTRBO repeater on 461.7625. The Tysons Corner office is licensed for a MOTOTRBO repeater on 463.8375, and has an application for a MOTOTRBO repeater on 464.6625.

CTTWB Associates (1875 Penn. Ave.) Switches to MOTOTRBO

CTTWB Associates, located at 1875 Pennsylvania Ave. NW in DC, has modified its license for the MOTOTRBO emission designators. Previously, they used 461.4875 [ d351] (R).

Washington Adventist Hospital New Frequency

Washington Adventist Hospital, located in Takoma Park, recently added an additional repeater (462.1375) to its license. The hospital already uses 464.4750 [ 82.5] (R) for security.

Sheraton National FCC App

The Sheraton National Hotel has an application pending before the FCC. The app calls for the addition of MOTOTRBO repeaters on 463.5875 and 464.3375. The hotel already has a MOTOTRBO repeater on 463.9375, as well as several other MOTOTRBO simplex frequencies.

Ritz-Carlton, Pentagon City FCC App

The Ritz-Carlton, Pentagon City has an application pending before the FCC. The app adds MOTOTRBO emission designators to the hotel's existing three repeaters.

Montgomery County Rebanding

According to this RadioReference thread, Montgomery County is supposed to begin rebanding their system today. The process is expected to take about a week.

Neighborhood Profile: Carlyle Area of Alexandria

Here's a neighborhood profile of the Carlyle area of Alexandria:

Federal:

• Hoffman Buildings: Security for these buildings is on the Joint National Capital Region trunked system (talkgroup 201). Note that this talkgroup is almost always encrypted. The Hoffman Center also appears to have private security; a guard was carrying a UHF portable.
• U.S. Courthouse: Nothing monitored, but federal courthouses often use 170.7500 (P25). This frequency is sometimes encrypted.
• U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: Nothing monitored.

Apartments/Condos:

• Carlyle Place: 451.2875 (S) (MOTOTRBO - Color Code 1, All Call) in use. Also licensed for 451.7125, 452.1875, and 452.2875.
• Carlyle Towers: Engineering and Housekeeping use 451.7875 [ d351] (R). 451.9250 [ d351] (R) also in use. 461.4250 [ d351] (R) is another possible frequency.
• Meridian at Carlyle: Monitored several years ago on 452.7250 (no tone found). Also licensed for simplex on 452.6250, 457.6250, and 457.7250. 
• Meridian at Eisenhower: Licensed for MOTOTRBO simplex on 452.6875, 452.8875, 457.6875, and 457.8875.
• Post Carlyle: No license found.

Hotels:

• Holiday Inn: Shuttle uses 452.2125 [ d025] (B/M). Housekeeping uses 457.3375 [ d251]. Hotel also licensed for 452.3375, 457.2125, 463.7875, and 468.7875.
• Residence Inn: 457.1625 (MOTOTRBO - Color Code 1, Group 1) in use. License indicates an additional frequency of 457.4125.
• Westin: No license found, and no radios observed in a recent visit. May use special internal communications system.

Retail:

• AMC Theater: 467.9250 [241.8] in use. The theater previously used several UHF business frequencies with DCS 365, but these appear to be abandoned.

Fair Oaks Mall Update

Fair Oaks Mall has seen many frequency changes since the last time I visited. Notably, housekeeping now uses MOTOTRBO on 464.4750 (Color Code 6, Slot 1, Group 5). Many of the stores have also switched frequencies. For a complete list of all the changes, see the Fairfax County page. (Scroll down to the Business / Retail section.)

Alexandria Update

Here are a couple of updates to the Carlyle area of Alexandria:

• The AMC Hoffman Center 22 Theater is using 467.9250 [241.8]. Previously, the theater used several UHF business frequencies with DCS 365. These appear to be abandoned.
• The Residence Inn (Carlyle) is using MOTOTRBO (Color Code 1, Group 1) on 457.1625.

Weekend Event

• Kenny Chesney and Tim McGraw perform Sunday at 4:30 at FedEx Field. Expect the FedEx Field talkgroups on the Prince George's trunked system to be active. Also look for extensive use of FedEx Field's frequencies, including its LTR trunked system.

Virgin America (DCA) FCC App

Virgin America, which begins service from Reagan National Airport on August 14, has an application pending before the FCC. The app calls for a repeater on 452.7625.

US Airways Licenses Additional Frequency at DCA

US Airways has licensed an additional MOTOTRBO frequency (452.8750) for use at Reagan National Airport. The airline is already using MOTOTRBO repeaters on 451.6000, 452.3250, 460.7000, 460.8000, and 460.8750.

Liberty Place New License

Liberty Place, an office building located at 325 7th St. NW in DC, was recently issued an FCC license for a MOTOTRBO repeater on 451.8625. Liberty Place had previously applied for a license for 461.6625, but that application is inactive.

Washington Court Hotel Additional Frequency

The Washington Court Hotel, located at 525 New Jersey Ave. NW in DC, recently added another repeater (462.0500) to its license. Here are the previously-identified frequencies for the hotel:

461.0375 [  77.0]
464.3250 [  97.4] Housekeeping (R)
464.4250 [ d162] Security/Engineering (R)

Howard Hughes Medical Institute-Janelia Farm Research Campus FCC App

The Howard Hughes Medical Institute-Janelia Farm Research Campus, located in Ashburn, VA, has an application pending before the FCC. The app calls for repeaters on 461.4750, 462.0000, and 463.5750. The frequencies are coded for both analog and MOTOTRBO.

Our Lady of Good Counsel High School FCC App

Our Lady of Good Counsel High School, located in Olney, MD, has an application pending before the FCC. The app calls for MOTOTRBO simplex on 451.5875, 451.7125, 452.6625, 456.5875, 456.7125, and 457.6625.

Clark Office Building FCC App

The Clark Office Building, located at 7500 Old Georgetown Rd. in Bethesda, has an application pending before the FCC. The app calls for a repeater on 451.3250, and simplex on 457.7500, 461.9000, 466.8750, 466.9000, and 468.6750.

Residence Inn Alexandria (Carlyle) Using MOTOTRBO

The Residence Inn Alexandria (Carlyle) is using UHF MOTOTRBO portables. A specific frequency was not found, but the hotel is licensed for MOTOTRBO simplex on 457.1625 and 457.4125.

Potomac Mills Frequency Update

Here are new/updated frequencies for Potomac Mills:

461.1875 [ d732] Timberland
462.7250 [ d226] IKEA Car Loading Helpers
467.3125 [ d115] Nautica
468.2625 [ d343] Nike

The housekeeping channel (461.3000 [ d043]) is known as Channel 1. The security channel (463.6000 [ d723]) is known as Channel 2.

Find the complete list here.

Potomac Mills Switching to MOTOTRBO?

Potomac Mills security guards are now carrying MOTOTRBO portables. They are still transmitting on their analog frequency (463.6000 [ d723]) for now, however. This frequency has never been licensed. The license for the housekeeping frequency (461.3000 [ d043]) shows a pending application for a modification. The modification adds the emission designator for MOTOTRBO. Perhaps security will move onto this frequency on one slot, with housekeeping on the other. (MOTOTRBO allows two talkpaths, or slots, on a frequency.)

Gaylord National Switched to MOTOTRBO Capacity Plus

The Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in National Harbor, MD has switched from an LTR system to a MOTOTRBO Capacity Plus system. This Capacity Plus system is believed to be the largest one in use in the Washington area.

Holiday Inn Eisenhower Ave. Additional Frequency

The Holiday Inn Eisenhower Ave. in Alexandria is using 457.3375 [ d251] for housekeeping. Previously, the hotel was confirmed using 452.2125 [ d205] (B/M) for the shuttle. The hotel has several additional simplex frequencies on its license.

Weekend Events

• The Nationals play Friday at 4:05 (with an additional game following), Saturday at 7:05, and Sunday at 1:35 at Nationals Park.
• DC United plays Saturday at 7:30 at RFK Stadium.
• The Citi Open continues through Sunday at the Fitzgerald Tennis Center.

Redskins Training Camp

Here are frequencies found at Redskins Training Camp yesterday:

451.4125 [         ] Licensed to NFL (MOTOTRBO) (S)
451.8000 [ d031] Coaches/Trainers?
452.4500 [ d664] (S)
456.8000 [ d031] Parking
461.1125 [  67.0] Injury Reports
464.5000 [ d031] Food/Logistics?
464.5500 [ d031] VIP Hospitality?
467.9250 [  67.0] Media?

It's unknown if 451.4125 was used by NFL personnel or by the Redskins; it's licensed to the NFL. 451.8000, 456.8000, 464.5000, and 464.5500 are licensed to the Redskins for nationwide use. 452.4500 is also licensed to the Redskins. The frequency is used as part of an LTR trunked system at FedEx Field, but it was used in simplex mode at Redskins Park.

Jewish Community Center of Northern Virginia FCC App

The Jewish Community Center of Northern Virginia, located at 8900 Little River Tpke. in Fairfax, has an application pending before the FCC. The app calls for simplex on 457.1625, 457.7625, 159.5400, and 159.8400.

Virginian Suites Arlington FCC App

Virginian Suites Arlington, a hotel located at 1500 Arlington Blvd. in Rosslyn, has an application pending before the FCC. The app calls for a repeater on 463.9875, and simplex on 457.2000, 457.2375, 457.9750, 466.0500, and 467.1500.

International Finance Corporation Headquarters FCC App

The International Finance Corporation Headquarters, located at 2121 Pennsylvania Ave. in DC, has an application pending before the FCC. The app calls for a MOTOTRBO repeater on 464.8375.

Three Bethesda Metro Center FCC App

Three Bethesda Metro Center, an office building, has an application pending before the FCC. The app calls for a repeater 461.5125.

Reston Town Center Security New Frequency

Reston Town Center security has switched frequencies. They were previously using MOTOTRBO on 464.5000 simplex unlicensed. They are now using a MOTOTRBO repeater on 464.7375. This frequency is licensed to Cassidy Turley, a property management company.