Uniden Releases DMR Release Candidate 1

Uniden again released DMR beta firmware last Friday. This release is known as Release Candidate 1, so Uniden may be close to finalizing the firmware. There is still no software support for the DMR firmware (everything must be entered manually). I am still seeing problems with missed transmissions on Capacity Plus systems, but the releases have steadily improved in handling these systems over time.

Service Disabled Veterans Business FCC App

Service Disabled Veterans Business, located at the Department of Veterans Affairs at 810 Vermont Ave. NW in DC, has an application pending before the FCC for a DMR repeater on 462.4500.

First Coast Security FCC License

First Coast Security, located at 800 N. Capitol St. in DC, was recently issued a license for simplex on 457.9875, 467.3875, 452.0625, 456.1875, 462.4375, and 457.0375.

Marine Corps Museum Using 900 MHz ISM?

The National Museum of the Marine Corps may be using 900 MHz ISM radios for security. I wasn't able to get a good look at the radios, but one of them appeared to be a Motorola DTR-series portable. These digital radios operate license-free using frequency-hopping spread spectrum (FHSS) technology. They are not encrypted, but scanners are not able to monitor them. The DTR radios are intended for on-site use; they operate as simplex only.

Fairfax 1 Helicopter Assisted Stafford

The Fairfax 1 helicopter assisted Stafford this afternoon with an unknown operation on the Stafford Sheriff Office Mutual Aid talkgroup (4503). The helo was using radio ID 3162153 on Stafford's system.

Additional Quicken Loans Info

I've listed everything found at the Quicken Loans National yesterday on the Montgomery County page. The county trunked system talkgroups could not be confirmed well because of poor copy of the system's signal. This may have been because of a nearby cell site. Congressional Country Club has updated some of their frequencies as well - notably switching more of them to DMR.

Quicken Loans National Using Capacity Plus

The Quicken Loans National is using a Capacity Plus trunked system. None of the four frequencies are on the temporary license.

Weekend Events

• The Quicken Loans National continues through Sunday at Congressional Country Club in Bethesda.
• The National Capital Barbecue Battle is Saturday from 11-9 and Sunday from 11-7:30 on Pennsylvania Ave. in DC.
• DC United plays Saturday at 7 at RFK Stadium.
• Guns N' Roses plays Sunday at 8 at FedEx Field.

World Bank Modifies Licenses

The World Bank has modified two of its licenses. Additional DMR repeaters have been added at various sites in and around DC. The licenses are coded for trunked operation, but given that only one frequency appears to be in use at each site, the frequencies may be operated as a MOTOTRBO IP Site Connect system.

Chaney Enterprises Modifies Licenses for DMR

Chaney Enterprises, a ready-mix concrete supplier in Maryland, recently modified its licenses for DMR. One of the licenses indicates a transmitter in Bowie, and the other license indicates a transmitter in Waldorf.

Uniden Releases DMR Preview 4

For the fourth Friday in a row, Uniden has released new DMR beta firmware.

Quicken Loans National FCC App

Creative Communications Sales & Rentals, radio provider for the Quicken Loans National, has an application pending before the FCC. The app calls for twenty-four UHF simplex DMR frequencies. Based on previous experience, some of these frequencies may be used as repeaters.

The golf tournament runs from June 23-26 at Congressional Country Club in Bethesda.

Rosewood Hotel FCC App

The Rosewood (formerly the Capella), a hotel in Georgetown, has an application pending before the FCC. The app calls for DMR simplex on 451.8375, 456.8375, 457.1125, 456.2375, and 456.3375. The Capella had previously licensed a DMR repeater on 451.8375, but nothing was ever monitored on that frequency.

CSC Event Staff Using DMR at Nats Park

CSC Event Staff, which provides security and crowd control at Nationals Park, is using DMR on 463.8000. This frequency has been licensed by CSC for some time, and the company used it at one point in analog mode. Recently, however, they were using 464.7500 unlicensed.

CSC is using several talkgroups on the frequency:

463.8000 [         ] Gates/Security (DMR - Color Code 13, Slot 1, Group 207)
463.8000 [         ] Field (DMR - Color Code 13, Slot 2, Group 208)

Another talkgroup was active briefly on slot 2, and it may have been used for clubhouse/player/VIP security.

Childrens National Medical Center Switches Engineering to DMR

Childrens National Medical Center recently switched engineering to DMR on 464.9750 (Color Code 7, Slot 1, Group 102). Environmental Services is using the old engineering frequency of 464.8000 [ d023]. This comes as the hospital makes a big push to DMR on their various frequencies.

Marymount University Using Analog Frequency

Marymount University is using 451.8375 [ d606] for security. The college was recently licensed for this frequency, but the emission designators only provide for DMR. Marymount may switch to DMR in the future, possibly putting security on one slot, and the shuttle on the other slot. (The shuttle continues to use the unlicensed frequency 451.8625 [ d606].)

Spotsylvania P25 System Update

Spotsylvania is scheduled to transition to a P25 system in September, according to a reliable source. The new system will have ten sites, replacing a two-site EDACS system. The county was originally scheduled to migrate to the new system earlier, but work has been delayed on one of the sites.

Most of the Sheriff's Office talkgroups will be encrypted, with the exception of a search and rescue channel, and several interop channels. The primary dispatch channels (known as Patrol 1 and Patrol 2 on the EDACS system) may be unencrypted at a later time if in-progress incidents can be moved to Tac channels quickly. Fire talkgroups will not be encrypted, with the exception of the Fire Marshal channel. The Disaster Tac channel, which is often used for events in the county, will also not be encrypted.

pdvWireless 900 MHz Connect Plus System

pdvWireless is building a nationwide 900 MHz MOTOTRBO Connect Plus system. The system is online in several large metro areas, including Washington/Baltimore. A private ambulance service (probably AMR) has been identified using two talkgroups in the Washington area.

Uniden Releases DMR Beta Firmware for 436/536

For the last three Fridays, Uniden has released DMR beta firmware for the BCD436HP and BCD536HP scanners. The releases have steadily improved decoding and tracking of DMR systems. A release date for the final firmware has not been given, but based on previous history, it could come within a few weeks.

Weekend Events

• Celebrate Fairfax is Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at the Fairfax County Government Center.
• The Nats play Friday at 7:05, Saturday at 12:05, and Sunday at 4:05 at Nationals Park.

Road to Recovery Ride

Last Wednesday, a "Road to Recovery" ride went through Spotsylvania County. Organizers used 462.5625 [ d023], and Spotsylvania Sheriff used talkgroup 02-024 (A Tac).

RIOS Testing

Sunday morning, a RIOS test was conducted among several agencies. Orange Fire used 155.8950 [192.8], Spotsylvania Fire used talkgroup 00-106, Fredericksburg Fire used 158.8350 [203.5], and STARS talkgroup 98 was active. RIOS tests are conducted periodically.

Uniden, Whistler Announce DMR Upgrades

Uniden and Whistler recently announced DMR support for select scanners. Uniden announced on May 16 support for the BCD436HP and BCD536HP via a $50 upgrade fee. The final firmware update allowing DMR should be out in a few weeks, but beta firmware has been available since last Friday. Uniden has set up a page with all the details. Whistler (which owns the intellectual property of now-defunct GRE) announced on May 17 support for DMR on the WS1080, WS1088, WS1095, and WS1098. The free update for those scanners was released on Tuesday. Additionally, Whistler will be releasing two new scanners by the end of this month with support for DMR - the TRX-1 and TRX-2. These scanners will also support NXDN at some point in the future.

852.7625 [ 77.0] Monitored Near Dulles

Yesterday, 852.7625 [ 77.0] (S) was monitored near Dulles Airport. The exact nature of the communications could not be determined. This frequency (known as "COG 6") is licensed to many local governments in the DC area.

New Prince William Talkgroups

Yesterday, talkgroups 3049 and 3051 on the Prince William system were in use for some kind of escort to the Fauquier County line. These talkgroups have not been seen before.