SCAN-AID
From The RadioReference Wiki
1/24 - THIS PAGE IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION. THIS IS A "WORK-IN-PROGRESS" and will be broken up into additional pages.
Please do not edit anything on the page. If you have ideas or questions, please message me on the forums or email me at starcom21@RadioReference
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Contents
- 1 Introduction
- 2 Scanners / Receivers
- 3 Railroad Monitoring (Railfanning)
- 4 Other Scanner Features / Mobile Device Aps
- 5 Weather Alerts
- 6 Two-Way Radio
- 7 AMATEUR RADIO
- 8 911, InterOp and Related Agencies
- 9 INTEROP
- 10 Microphones for Two-Way Radios
- 11 Volume / Speakers / Line-Out
- 12 Squelch / Carrier Squelch / Codes
- 13 Frequency Hunting
- 14 DIGITAL MODES / other
- 15 Digital Modes
- 16 DMR/MOTOTRBO
- 17 NXDN
- 18 P25 (APCO P25)
- 19 Other Digital Standards
- 20 SEARCHING FOR FCC LICENSES
- 21 FREQUENCIES
- 22 REPEATERS
- 23 VOTERS / REMOTE LINKS
- 24 SIMULCAST, etc.
- 25 ANTENNAS
- 26 FEED LINE / CONNECTORS
- 27 REFERENCE
Introduction
Welcome to SCAN-AID. Using a combination of material that I have found over the years.
1) Watch this video Radio System Operation for Public Safety Communications Professionals about HOW radio systems work. This is one of the easiest explanations of Two-Way radio operations that I've ever seen. (It does not cover DMR, NXDN or P25 Phase II)
Note: I do NOT take personal credit for most information compiled in these wiki articles. It's mostly info gathered through scanner forums, groups, websites, youtube, etc AND personal experience. I have done my best to make sure what I have here is correct, but to welcome constructive criticism or corrections. starcom21@RadioReference.com. Also, I have tried give credit to others when possible. .
Scanners / Receivers
Uniden
- Uniden Forums RR Uniden Tech Discussion RR Uniden Tavern RR Release Thread RR [https://www.uniden.info/download/ Uniden Website for downloading updates and owner's manuals.
New Uniden Bearcat BCD160DN & BCD260DN
- See Train Aficionado 160/260 Release Video
- See The Scanner Guys - YouTube announcement
- Scanner School with Phil - Uniden New Scanner and SDS Firmware Updates/Upgrades
My Issues with buying this "new" scanner:"
Yes, it does NXDN and DMR Conventional. TRUNKING and P25 NOT INCLUDED. NOT AVAILABLE.
WHAT they are NOT telling you (from what I have gathered): Some of this stuff matters to more advanced users, others may not care
- IT WILL display the COLOR CODE or RAN (and apparently Area Code) (and can be programmed for a specific code)
- WILL NOT DISPLAY TALKGROUP NUMBERS. So you won't know what talkgroup is actually transmitting. You won't be able to only listen to a particular talkgroup and not another one.
- WILL NOT DISPLAY UID/RIDs (Radio ID numbers). So you can't differentiate those talking or name the radios in the software
There is not enough room on the screen for this, plus with this type of scanner (Banks), I don't think it could work with a list of RIDs.
- WILL NOT have "1 FREQUENCY DMR" type "UNIDEN TRUNKING" programming. You just enter in a frequency and it decodes the audio, but is not giving you the information (if you want, like, or are used to it in the previous models). This does not have the architecture, this is a BANK memory. (hardware driven radio, not software)
- According to the Owner's Manual, it will show if the frequency is CAP, CON, DT3, DMR, IDS, NX4, NX8, XPT, P25/DAT (which will be skipped)
We don't know what the future of Rail Scanning is going to be like when it moves to NXDN. There may or may not be any talkgroups in use, but I'm sure there will be Radio IDs. (some conventional NXDN uses talkgroups, but a majority just use "Group Call") 2 different railroads can use 2 different RAN codes. Are you able to program if for only 1 code (so you don't have to hear the other one?)
All I'm trying to do, it help those that just want to go out and buy one immediately without thinking about it's full capabilities.
I have not found a manual PDF yet. BCD160D Manual PDF BCD260DN Manual PDF (It appears that the 260DN manual for English may have been uploaded as the French version)
All the photos that I've see are very generic. The programming software really doesn't show a lot either.
Uniden SDS-100 / SDS-200
- Uniden Firmware Changelog - https://info.uniden.com/twiki/bin/view/UnidenMan4/SDS200FirmwareUpdate#SDS200_Firmware_Update_Change_Log
Waterfall Option Buy the Upgrade
- Waterfall Feature Manual (PDF)
- Features explained on YouTube by HAMTech Start-Up Guide (Zip Scanners)
- 12/23 - Waterfall/Firmware Update - https://forums.radioreference.com/threads/future-sds-firmware-to-include-waterfall-option.463094/
- 12/23 - Waterfall/Firmware Update - https://forums.radioreference.com/threads/new-sds-firmware-2023.466918/
- 12/23 - RDforum.org - https://www.rdforum.org/threads/134482/
Uniden Trunking Display Codes
• CAP. Capacity Plus/Linked Capacity Plus site’s voice and data in DMR system.
• CON. Connect Plus site’s voice and data in DMR system.
• DT3. Trunked DMR site’s voice and data in ETSI Standard Tier 3 system.
• DMR. One frequency DMR site’s voice and data/Simplex DMR voice.
• IDS. IDAS in NXDN system.
• ND4. NXDN 4800 Direct Frequency
• ND9. NXDN 9600 Direct Frequency
• NX4. NXDN 4800 NEXEDGE
• NX9. NXDN 9600 NEXEDGE
• NXD. Unknown NXDN system
• XPT. Hytera XPT site’s voice and data in MotoTRBO system.
• P25/DAT APCO P25
Understanding Favorite Lists / Quick Keys on Uniden Scanners
GPS Features on Scanners
- Program each frequency with Coordinates (latitude and longitude) and a radius. While travelling, with your GPS attached, the scanner will move through the frequency lists that in in the area of the radius that you are
Trunking Discovery on UNIDEN
- Helps you find talkgroups. Start it and return later to see the active talkgroups and listen to activity to determine usage.
Analyze / LCN Finder on UNIDEN
- You can Analyze a TRS for site number, site SDS200 Analyze Function (by mesascan)
- You can use LCN finder on a CAP+, CON+, CAP MAX, NXDN systems.
- If you only get a partial number of LCN's detected, you can back out and it will ask you if you want to save the found LCNs.
- LCNs are the same as Channel Numbers. LSNs are .........................
Whistler Scanners
Radio Shack Scanners
GRE Scanners
AOR Receivers
ICOM Receivers
Scanner Mounts
- Home, Car, Bike
- 3D Printer Technology
SDRs - Software Define Radios
- SDS100, 200
- SDRs...
- SDRTrunk Software Discussion
- DSD+ Software can also be used
Railroad Monitoring (Railfanning)
- AAR Channels
- Future NXDN
- Using Two-Way Radios as a "Scanner" is great for railroad monitoring. Everything must be in the same band ***
- BCD125 is a great scanner for Railfanning
Related Websites
- The web is FULL of Railfan and Railroad related sites and there a lot of groups on Facebook.
Related Videos
- Danny Harmon at Distant Signal One of the best narrators on the air. Facebook page
Other Scanner Features / Mobile Device Aps
Two-Tone Paging / "Fire Tone-Outs"
- Phone Apps for decoding the proper tone for Fire/EMS pagers
- Phone Apps for CW-ID (Morse Code transmitting tones)
Scanner Programming Software
- Note
- Most/all scanner programming is set up for WINDOWS OS. If you are using a Mac, you'll have to use Parallels, etc.
- ButTel Software by Gommert
- FreeSCAN For Uniden SC230, BC246T, UBC3500XLT, BR330T, BCD396T, BC346XT(C), BCD396XT, BCT15X, BCD996XT, BCT15 and BCD996T, BCD996P2 only
- ProScan For Frequency logging, audio recording, desktop control and internet streaming.
- Uniden Sentinel Update your scanner's Firmware and the scanner's internal RadioReference database RR Wiki info
- PSR Edit
Feature requests for New/Future Scanners?
- GPS inside the unit.
- More durable standards like used on Motorola, Kenwood name brand 2-way radios
- Waterproof/IP-68 (see above)
- Cradle charging / Drop-In Chargers (with antenna port?)
- Batteries (like 2-way where you can have additional pre-charged batteries available)
- USB-C Charging
- BLUETOOTH for listening AND programming from PC. (Program from your home to your mobile in your car....)
- Program from Android/iOS (see Remote Head)
- Voice announcements (tuning/programming etc) for the seeing impaired
- REMOTE head (or ability to see on a phone/tablet screen) (Make a specific type of display/phone for remote heads)
- I.F. Out with Discriminator Tap (ready to use)
Pagers
Unication
- These are actually made and marketed as "Pagers", but these receivers have excellent reception of P25 simulcast systems.
- They can only receive ONE P25 Trunked System at a time.
Two-Tone Paging
- National Weather Service alert tone, 1050 Hz.
- adding the 2-tone protocol is under tab C. https://www.unicationusa.com/_files/ugd/9bbbf0_7118b145436e4a8ea49908f00070f911.pdf
Weather Alerts
Outdoor Warning Sirens
Sirens are sometimes integrated into a warning system that links sirens with other warning media, such as the radio and TV Emergency Alert System, NOAA Weather Radio, telephone alerting systems, Reverse 911, Cable Override, and wireless alerting systems in the United States and the National Public Alerting System, Alert Ready, in Canada. This fluid approach enhances the credibility of warnings and reduces the risk of assumed false alarms by corroborating warning messages through multiple forms of media. The Common Alerting Protocol is a technical standard for this sort of multi-system integration.[2]
Siren installations have many ways of being activated. Commonly used methods are dual-tone multi-frequency signaling (DTMF) or public switched telephone network (PSTN) using telephone lines, but activation can also be done via radio broadcast. This method opens up vulnerability for exploitation, but there are protections from false alarms. These sirens can also be tied into other networks such as a fire department's volunteer notification/paging system. The basics of this type of installation would consist of a device (possibly the same pager the firefighters have) connected to the controller/timer system of the siren. When a page is received, the siren is activated
DTMF - https://www.techtarget.com/searchnetworking/definition/DTMF
NOAA Weather Radio
- Move info from above, list frequencies, information about F.I.P.S
- Most scanners of lately, have been capable of receiving S.A.M.E. codes /NWS and alert xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Dispatching Solutions
Zetron
Motorola Dispatch Consoles
- Motorola MCD 5000m Deskset System With MOTOTRBO
- AVETEC INC (Part of Motorola since 2019) [Scout EX, Scout E8, Scout E4 and Scout E1 console https://www.datatronicscom.com/motorola/avtec/]
Miscellaneous
- RadioPro Radio Over IP Solutions For Pcs And Mobile Devices; provides remote access to Motorola MOTOTRBO radios via IP Networks.
- SafeDispatch Professional Client-Server Integrated Dispatch Solution
- SmartPTT Basic Integrated Solution For MOTOTRBO
- TRBOnet Enterprise Award-Winning IP Dispatch System
Miscellaneous
Two-Way Radio
- Battery Types
- PC Programming (vs. Mac/Apple)
License Free
- CB Radio how has FM mode available!
- FRS (*shares some frequencies with GMRS)
- MURS
GMRS
Midland MXR10 GMRS Repeater
- AgriStudios for use on Farms (YouTube). Comes with a really nice antenna
- Programming cable and Windows PC to customize frequency / tone
Amateur Radio
- Coming soon SEE BELOW
Types of Users
- Air-Medical
- Agricultural (Farms, Seed Companies/Fertilizer, Riverside Facilities to fill barges***) (also see Related Trucking in Transportation)
- Attractions (Amusement Parks, Museums, Monuments, Sports Stadiums, Tours (Boats), Zoos.....
Airband / Aviation
AM Aviation Frequencies All frequencies here use AM (emission designator 6K00A3E).
- 121.5 Emergency & Distress
- 123.1 Search and Rescue (SAR)
- 122.9 Search and Rescue (SAR) Secondary and Training
Emergency Position-Indicating Radio Beacons (EPIRB), Emergency Locator Transmitters (ELTs), and Personal Locator Beacons (PLBs) transmitters operate on 406.0 to 406.10 MHz, and some have low power 121.5 MHz homing beacons. Older ELTs use 121.5 MHz, which is also the civil aviation voice emergency frequency, and are still in widespread use. Aviation Notes:
- Communications with aircraft in the public safety environment is complex and carries additional risks over traditional land mobile radio. Communications occur in both AM and FM modes. AM Communications are typically for pilot to pilot, pilot to tower, pilot to ARTCC, etc. It is less frequently used for tactical Air-to-Ground communications. Extreme caution must be taken with AM Airband frequencies, these are the least desirable choice for Air-to-Ground communication. While not necessarily prohibited, it presents much greater risks to aviation assets than using a discrete Public Safety FM channel.
- Most Air-to-Ground (A/G) communications occur on FM in the traditional FM VHF, UHF, 700 and 800 MHz bands. Careful coordination of these channels is critical. Frequencies coordinated specifically for that use should be employed. Many jurisdictions have set aside or in some cases licensed specific Air to Ground FM channels in most of the bands. These allow the users to communicate with air assets in a safer environment. A concern with any airborne transmitter is the extended range of the transmission when airborne. It is often the case that an aircraft can broadcast substantially further than the license limitations of the local licensee or user, possibly resulting in unintended interference to other agencies and to the aircraft itself. When multiple aircraft operate in the same theatre of operations, frequency deconfliction and tasking coordination will prevent confusion
- Businesses (Small, Medium, Large - include major industrial plants and factories) SCAN-AID Businesses Churches, Microphone
- Colleges and Universities
- Emergency Management (Local, County, State, Federal) (Private agencies)
- EMS (Private and Municipal)
- Federal Government (Law Enforcement, United States Postal Service
- Hospitals, Healthcare, Skilled Nursing Facilities and Retirement Homes
- Hotels, Motels
- Itinerant
- Industrial (Factories/Plants) (Automotive, Steel,
- Manufacturing (Assembly, creation or production of goods with the help of equipment, labor, machines, tools, and chemical or biological processing or formulation.)
- Maritime
- Media (TV, Radio and formerly newspapers, as businesses entities)
- IFB Remote Equipment etc. MARTI, Microphones, News Helicopters, (also UNICOM 121.025??)
- See Eavesdropping on TV Studios YouTube Video
- Military (related to Federal)
- Natural Resources/Conservation/Forestry
- Outdoor Warning Siren (Data)
- First known as a Civil Defense Siren (WikiPedia)
- Property Management, Facilities Management (?)
- Public Safety (911, Sheriff, Police, Fire, Rescue, Public Works)
- Fireground, Tac/TAC/Talk-Around, Car-to-Car, Interop, All Call, All Talk Group/ATG, Common, etc.
- Radio Leasing / Radio Companies
- Railroads and related Recovery Companies SCAN-AID Railroad
- Recreation (Sports, Golf, Water activities/Swimming, Fishing, Parks,
- Retail (Stores, Restaurants, Malls)
- Schools (Public, Private)/ School Transportation
- Search and Rescue Teams
- Security (Private, Contracted, Cash-in-Transit <Brinks>,
- Service Companies (HVAC, Plumbing, Repairmen...Concrete, Construction,
- Tow Trucks/Roadside Assistance
- Transportation (Cabs/Taxis, Transit, Light Rail, Ferries, etc, Trucking) (also see Railroads above)
- Utilities (Cable/Fiber/Internet, Telephone, Electric, Gas, Water, Sewer)
- Warehousing/Distribution Centers/Refrigeration-Cold Storage (Walmart, Amazon.....)
- Weather (NOAA Weather Radio) + SKYWARN/Amateur Radio repeaters, also see Emergency Management
FCC Part 90 Common Station Class Codes
- FB - Base Fixed Location Base Radio at a specific location authorized to communicate with mobile stations
- FB2 - Mobile Relay Fixed Location Repeater – Conventional, decentralized trunking, or centralized trunking (frequency band specific)
- FB4 - Community Repeater Fixed Location Repeater – Conventional operating with multiple CTCSS or CDCSS
- FB8 - Centralized Trunked Relay Trunked Radio Systems below 512 MHz
- FB2T - Mobile Relay – Temporary Mobile, Temporary or Tactical Repeaters
- FX1 - Control (Control Station) Fixed location base radio that operates through a mobile relay (repeater) in the same way a mobile station operates
- 6.1 - Control (Control Station) Control Station – Antenna height below 20 ft to tip (6.1 Meters)
- MO - Mobile Handheld and vehicular mounted radios intended to be used while in motion or during halts at unspecified points
- MOI - Mobile - Itinerant A similar station class to mobile (MO), but no interference protection is provided from other itinerant operations.
- MO3 - Mobile/Vehicular Repeater Simplex radio attached to a vehicular mounted radio to extend range
- MO8 - Centralized Trunk Mobile Handheld and Vehicular Mounted Radios operating on trunked radio systems below 512 MHz
Two-Way Radio FCC Frequency Licensing
See bottom of page??????????????????????????????????
Brands
- BendexKing (NFM and P25) (different model radios can be cloned with others)
Harris
JVC/Kenwood
- VP8000 (similar to Motorola APX8000) EFJohnson/Viking product Video 1 Video 2 (by W3AXL) Armada programming is fast and easy. Wi-Fi and bluetooth programming.
- larger than APX8000, but weighs less
Motorola
- DMR will probably never be available in a Public Safety grade portable radio (that also has P25)
Motorola APX8000
- Public Safety grade (P25)
- Programming Software is slow. Wi-Fi and bluetooth programming.
Watch Duty Echo Project
- Inside Watch Duty’s Echo Radios: Remote Listening, Tone Detection, and Early Warning
- Announced Dec 2022, Echo Project for capturing first responder radio communications deep within the wildlands of California and beyond. Watch Duty reporters, (much like traditional news reporters, government contractors, and even utility companies like PG&E) use handheld radio scanners and internet-based scanners to listen to first responders during an emergency. This is how we make sense of what is going on in real-time, between the daily official press briefings to keep residents up-to-date. As it turns out, PG&E and CalFIRE contractors, like dozer operators and water tenders, do precisely the same thing. Contractors and agencies working across multiple regions and states, use the online radio streaming service Broadcastify.com to listen to local radios in multiple regions.
AMATEUR RADIO
- WELCOME, info
Amateur Radio Brands
- Baofeng
- Icom
- Kenwood
- Puxing
- Radioddity Also an authorized distributor of Baofeng, TYT, QYT, Xiegu ) ALSO
- Retavis
- TYT (*) TH-9800 User Manual (radio is "comparable" to [https://www.yaesu.com/indexVS.cfm?cmd=DisplayProducts&ProdCatID=106&encProdID=FD01F8F398F2B94A9C9F4299F3D18732 Yaesu FT-8800
- Yaesu
Radioddity GD77 & TYT MD-380 are the same radio. BETTER than GD 88 opengd77.com radiosification.blogspot.com /YT video Color Code Scan and Time Slot Filter, CRC ignore (gets around RAS on motorola)
Amateur Radio Features
- Cross-Band Repeat (works like a Mobile Extender/Vehicular Repeater)
- DMR
- Fusion (Yeasu C4FM)
Related Videos
- Build a "Go Anywhere Box" for your Ham Radio (by Ed Whitney, on YouTube)
- Amateur Radio Go Kit Demo (by David Fernandez, on YouTube)
- ICOM IC 7300 Ham Radio Go Box (by Ham Radio Crash Course, on YouTube)
- Build and EmComm or Radio Go Box (by Gadget Talk, on YouTube)
Microphones
PORTABLE RADIOS
- 2-3 common type of 2-Pin microphones used on portable radios (Amateur/xxxx) Non-Motorola
MOBILE / BASE RADIOS
- Type of connections, old round, network/phone looking type.
BLUETOOTH
- Speakers, Head Sets, Ear Pieces, Ear Buds, etc
- Microphones, programming
911, InterOp and Related Agencies
- Enhanced 911 and Next911
- National Public Safety Telecommunications Council
- APCO
Learning Tools for Telecommunications/Dispatcher
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
- IS-100.C: Introduction to the Incident Command System, ICS 100
- IS-200.C: Basic Incident Command System for Initial Response, ICS-200
- IS-700.B: An Introduction to the National Incident Management System
- IS-800.D: National Response Framework, An Introduction
- ICS-300: Intermediate ICS for Expanding Incidents (Classroom Delivery Only)
- IS-144.A: TERT Basic Course
911 / Emergency Medical Dispatcher (EMD) / Telecommunicator Resources
International Academies of Emergency Dispatch
Priority Dispatch
- [https://prioritydispatch.net/discover-totalsystemsolutions/ Priority Dispatch Introduction
ProQA Software
- Discover ProQA for Police/Fire/EMS call-taking
- Priority Dispatch ProQA codes may be using on some dispatch broadcasts. You can find the codes elsewhere on the internet.
CritiCall 911
- Website for Dispatcher/Calltaker Testing and Training
Miscellaneous
- eDispatches.com eDispatches automatically detects audio dispatches as well as CAD dispatches and delivers notifications directly to your members’ mobile devices. Receive your dispatch via mobile app, text message or by phone call – all with no effort whatsoever from your dispatch center.
Field/Mobile Radio Communications
- See DVRS/Vehicular Repeater/Mobile Extender
- SOW/COW
Training Videos'
- How to better communicate with dispatch with Cottleville Fire Chief in St Charles County MO
INTEROP
SAFECOM
- Writing Guide for Standard Operating Guidelines (Aug 2023 PDF)
- SAFECOM The Transition to Advanced Encryption Standard White Paper (PDF)
- Federal Partnership for Interoperable Communications working with SAFECOM/CISA
- National Council of Statewide Interoperability Coordinators working with SAFECOM/CISA
- [cisa.gov/national-emergency-communications-plan National Public Safety Telecommunications Council****Name]
National Interoperability Field Operations Guide (NIFOG)
- Has been updated to version 2.01 and can be viewed and downloaded by clicking on the link below. New content in 2.01 includes references on Information Technology, Emergency Wireless Carrier Services, Interference Management, Encryption, and Cybersecurity.
- The NIFOG is a technical reference for emergency communications planning and for radio technicians responsible for radios that will be used in disaster response. The NIFOG includes rules and regulations for use of nationwide and other interoperability channels, tables of frequencies and standard channel names, and other reference material, formatted as a pocket-sized guide for radio technicians to carry with them. DOWNLOAD NIFOG V 2.01 (PDF)
National Interoperability Field Operations Guide (NIFOG) Fact Sheet
- Has been updated to version 2.01 and can be viewed and downloaded at NIFOG Fact Sheet (PDF)
25 Cities Project Federal Interoperability Channels
- These are VHF channels that use FBI fixed infrastructure to provide wide area coverage for federal, state, and local public safety users. There are currently 56 channels, overseen by 31 FBI Field Offices. The primary use of the channels is for interoperable communications during both pre-planned and emergency events. The channels may also be available for internal agency communications. All pre-planned use must be coordinated with the local FBI Telecommunications Manager. All federal, state, and local public safety agencies are encouraged to program the 25 Cities frequencies into their land
mobile radio subscriber devices. Most 25 Cities VHF channels are accessible by non-VHF users via permanent or ad hoc patching capabilities provided to many agencies as part of the 25 Cities Project. Please note that in certain cities, the channels use the VHF Law Enforcement (LE) Federal Interoperability frequencies: Baltimore (BA LE 3); Boston (BS LE 4); Charlotte (CE LE 4); Honolulu (HNL LE 2, HNL LE 3, HNL LE 4, HNL LE 5); Kansas City (KC FIOLE2); Milwaukee (MW LE 4, MW LE3 GB, MW LE2 MA); Newark (NK FIO LE 2); Richmond (RH LE4); San Juan/Puerto Rico (SJ LE 2 ME, SJ LE 3 YQ, SJ LE 4 CS, SJ LE 5 CP, and SJ LE 2 STT), and Washington, D.C. (DC LE 2)
Frequencies listed at RR ???? and https://www.cisa.gov/sites/default/files/2023-02/NIFOG%202.01%20508%20FINAL.pdf
FirstNet LTE
The First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) was created on February 22, 2012, under the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act. FirstNet is an independent authority within the U.S. Department of Commerce's National Telecommunications and Information Administration. It is governed by a 15-member Board consisting of the Attorney General of the United States, the Secretary of Homeland Security, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, and 12 members appointed by the Secretary of Commerce. The FirstNet Board is composed of representatives from public safety; local, state and federal government; and the wireless industry. These dedicated individuals bring their expertise, experience and commitment to serving public safety and meeting the FirstNet mission.
In 2017 Nextcom launched its FLEX branded 4G LTE two way radio service that provides instant, always-on communications between teams no matter where they are in the USA and Canada with no roaming fees, no licensing, no long distance and no overage charges. FLEX truly redefines "wide-area communications."
NEXTCOM EXPO - Radio Over Wi-Fi System Applications
For Hotels & Convention Centers, Supermarkets & Large Retail Shopping Malls, Warehouses, Stadium and Auditoriums, Hospitals.
Microphones for Two-Way Radios
Volume / Speakers / Line-Out
Volume
Rec. (Record) Line-Out
- Useful when recording your scanner audio for later review (using a PC program and/or programming software that keeps track of hits)
- Also see Broadcastify/Online Streaming
Bluetooth
- Adding Bluetooth earpieces to your scanner.
- Adding Bluetooth speakers to your scanner.
- Adding Bluetooth speakers to your Unication Pager Device
- Using you
Squelch / Carrier Squelch / Codes
Squelch
- Squelch is used in two-way radios and VHF/UHF radio scanners to eliminate the sound of noise when the radio is not receiving a desired transmission.
Carrier Squelch
PL (CTCSS)
- CTCSS in the WIKI CTCSS on WikiPedia (some info shared below
- Continuous Tone-Coded Squelch System (CTCSS), Private Line (PL by Motorola ®), Channel Guard® (CG) by General Electric and generically as tone squelch
- CSQ, with 50 tones (originally 38)
It is a use of sub-audible tones that are transmitted along with the speech portion of the transmission which allows more than one agency (or fleet) to use the same radio frequency without hearing the other agency on that frequency. Receivers for agency XYZ are set to only open their audio squelch when the proper sub-audible frequency tone is part of the transmission.
Today the sharing of frequencies by agencies is less common than it once was, CTCSS is more commonly used by repeater systems to prevent noise or interference from causing the repeater squawk obnoxiously, and by receivers as an extra measure of squelch (for instance, to prevent engine noise from breaking squelch).
In addition to the standard tones, some manufacturers have made available additional tone frequencies specific to their own products, but not available to products from other manufacturers.
Because period is the inverse of frequency, lower tone frequencies can take longer to decode (depends on the decoder design). Receivers in a system using 67.0 Hz can take noticeably longer to decode than ones using 203.5 Hz, and they can take longer than one decoding 250.3 Hz. In some repeater systems, the time lag can be significant. The lower tone may cause one or two syllables to be clipped before the receiver audio is unmuted (is heard). This is because receivers are decoding in a chain. The repeater receiver must first sense the carrier signal on the input, then decode the CTCSS tone. When that occurs, the system transmitter turns on, encoding the CTCSS tone on its carrier signal (the output frequency). All radios in the system start decoding after they sense a carrier signal then recognize the tone on the carrier as valid. Any distortion on the encoded tone will also affect the decoding time. Engineered systems often use tones in the 127.3 Hz to 162.2 Hz range to balance fast decoding with keeping the tones out of the audible part of the receive audio (Courtesy WikiPedia)
- Many NATO military radios have a switchable 150.0 Hz tone. The list includes the following radios: AN/PRC-68, AN/PRC-117F, AN/PRC-117G, AN/PRC-77, AN/PRC-113, AN/PRC-137, AN/PRC-139, AN/PRC-152, AN/PRC-119, AN/VRC-12, AN/PSC-5, and Thales AN/PRC-148 MBITR. (from Wikipedia)
DPL/DCS/CDCSS
- CSQ....
- Standard codes
- Digital-Coded Squelch (DCS) system was developed by Motorola under the trademarked name Digital Private Line (DPL). General Electric responded with the same system under the name of Digital Channel Guard (DCG). The generic name is CDCSS (Continuous Digital-Coded Squelch System).
DCS (Digital-Coded Squelch), generically known as CDCSS (Continuous Digital-Coded Squelch System), was designed as the digital replacement for CTCSS. In the same way that a single CTCSS tone would be used on an entire group of radios, the same DCS code is used in a group of radios. DCS is also referred to as Digital Private Line (or DPL), another trademark of Motorola, and likewise, General Electric's implementation of DCS is referred to as Digital Channel Guard (or DCG). Despite the fact that it is not a tone, DCS is also called DTCS (Digital Tone Code Squelch) by Icom, and other names by other manufacturers. See DCS on WikiPedia
- The use of digital squelch on a channel that has existing tone squelch users precludes the use of the 131.8 and 136.5 Hz tones as the digital bit rate is 134.4 bits per second and the decoders set to those two tones will sense an intermittent signal (referred to in the two-way radio field as "falsing" the decoder) (From WikiPedia)
* In this same sense, RadioShack/GRE/Whistler scanners may show 136.5 PL on a poorly received transmission using DCS.
Digital Modes
NAC
- Used in P25, conventional and trunking, often pronounced as "Nack" or "Nax" (plural), but can be said as "N" "A" "C". Can be abbreviated to "N" or $, ie $070
- See (under P25)
Air Ambulance / Helo / MedEvac
- GMR AirEvac Lifeteam AEL
- arch.... etc
Frequency Hunting
- How to finding New and Exciting monitoring opportunities
- Just because your local Police are encrypted, doesn't meant you can't find new ways to continue your hobby.
Scanning Bands
- Pre-programmed ranges in your scanner
- Self-specified ranges in your scanner
- These ranges can also be defined to scan during your regular scanning sessions.
- Keeping track of Radio IDs on DMR, P25 and NXDN systems. (what you here in the clear, may help identify what is being used on an encrypted talkgroup)
Trunked Radio Decoders
- Some professional monitors, scanners and all SDR
- ]https://wiki.radioreference.com/index.php/Trunked_Radio_Decoders RR Wiki Trunked Radio Decodes]
- Common scanners, capable of decoding
- Note
- I have yet to have time to get an SDR dongle working. All of my decoding is done through scanners with DSD+ and pro96com
DSDplus / DSD+
- V2.457 Available 12/23/23
- Software checks for updates automatically or you can check for updates manually using the menu selection.
- Email dsdplusfastlane@gmail.com if you are having subscription problems.
- FastLane Updated 2.457 12/27/23 https://forums.radioreference.com/threads/dsd-2-457-availible.467125/
Other Programs
- pro96com P25 Control Channel decoder for xxxxxxx
- UniTrunker
- SDRtrunk [https://github.com/DSheirer/sdrtrunk/releases Releases
- Channel Extractor Pro v1.0.2.4 (in development 1/24)
Apps
- Phone - Morse Code etc.
Statewide/Areawide Radio Systems
- Arkansas Wireless Information Network (AWIN)
- MOSWIN
- STARCOM21
- INDIANA
- WIS
- TN
Trunked Radio Systems
Motorola
Type 1, 2
- PrivacyPlus
- Ion
Tait
- Tait Radio Academy Learn everything there is to know about LMR radio communications
Hytera
- Pseudo Trunking, basically a single freq DMR repeater with 2 time slots/talk paths. Users are normally assigned a time slot, if group A is talking and group B is on the same slot they can't key up while the channel is busy, even if the other slot is open. Pseudo trunk dynamically lets group B use the other slot. This is a single freq trunking system.
- Multiple repeaters at a site Hytera has XPT, extended pseudo trunking, which makes each slot in any repeater a resource available to any user so they don't have to change channels to find an open slot.
JVCKenwood NXDN
- EF Johnson [https://www.efjohnson.com/services/training_old-ret Training}
- LTR
LTE
- Cellular/Wi-Fi based radios
DIGITAL MODES / other
Monitoring MOTOTRBO (DMR) and NEXEDGE (NXDN)
Discriminator Tap "Output"
https://wiki.radioreference.com/index.php/Discriminator_output
https://www.discriminator.nl/disc-out/index-en.html Receives ......
DSD Plus https://wiki.radioreference.com/index.php/DSDPlus TIPS 'N' TRICKS Error Code: "fm demodulated p25p1 psk signal detected"
DMR Tier III Hytera vs Tier III CapMax (Motorola)
https://forums.radioreference.com/threads/fastlane-errors.466165/
Then, throw in a system like Selex / Leonardo ( search here for: Goosetown Tier III ). It is not a CAPMAX system, but it does not use an Area ID and does not require +1'ing the bits in the Syscode. Unfortunately, there is no OTA information sent that allows DSDPlus to distinguish that it is a Selex system, so DSDPlus presumes its a DMR TIII Standard system and shows AreaID+SiteID and +1's the bits. I agree, after a few years of seeing TIII systems now, that it would be better to never present the AreaID+SiteID information for a system -- and instead they should be presented as just a model, network ID, and SIte ID. But, I have a feeling DSDPlus would require a significant revamp to do this, and would then require everyone to change how they present aspects of a TIII system in the DSDPlus.* files. But let's assume that miraculously every piece of software was on the same page using Network Model, Network ID, Site ID. There is still the issue of any software knowing precisely when a SysCode is not presenting "the facts", for every TIII system variant, and thus needing to be +1'd. I don't think any software developer is every going to get DMR TIII (including all variants -- standards compliant, Capmax, Selex, etc) 100% all the time because we do in fact know that in the DMR TIII standards there is actually an Area ID and a Site ID, and that there is a very important variable (LA -- length of Area) that is not sent over the control channel / not sent in the SysCode information -- there making it impossible to get the Area ID + Site ID combination correct 100% of the time. GRE/Whistler scanners can't tell the difference and don't truly trunk track and maybe can't even handle TIII. Uniden scanners can't tell the difference between 100% standards compliant TIII systems and variants like CapMax and Selex. Uniden treats them all the same. SDRTrunk appears to treat them all the same (taking in no account for Area ID+Site ID or +1'ing), but I may be wrong about that -- there may be circumstances where SDRTrunk does +1'ing . I do not use it enough to know. And for anything else handling TIII, I'm pretty sure they aren't attempting to display AreaID+SiteID.
Digital Modes
DMR/MOTOTRBO
- Whistler DMR explanation Motorola DMR Explanation
- Wiki reated for personnel or hobbyists who work with Motorola Solutions' MOTOTRBO product portfolio
DMR Networks
- T (Tiny) S (Small) L (Large) H (Huge)
- Huge network model we can set up up to a total of 1024 sites
TIER 3 Hytera
DMR Tier III Motorola MOTOTRBO Capacity Max
- Motorola Video from 2015
- Can cover 15 facilities, 29 voice/data per site, additional 12 data channels per site.
- Advanced Location Tracking, Remote programming, Enhanced Security
- You might not see the LCN for the control channel that you're decoding in the control channel messaging.
- You may be able to calculate the LCN for the frequency that you're decoding if they're using a standard channel raster.
- Typically the control channel is dedicated and typically there are not voice calls on the control channel. And without voice calls, you won't see the application discover the LCN. If there is another site, you might be able to see the peers (neighbor list) which will give you the LCN of the site.
DMR Association
Understanding FCC License information
- Name "City of", etc
- Address is address of licensee (NOT the transmitters). Could be the home city/state of corporate owner of an entity/business
FCC Station Class Codes (RR Wiki)
FCC Radio Service Codes (RR Wiki)
NXDN
- NXEDGE 12.5 MHz
- Icom's iDAS (eye-dass) 6.25 MHz (Very narrow)
- RAN (pronounced "ran" or "R" "A" "N"
P25 (APCO P25)
- P25 (Wikipedia)
- Project 25 Compliance Assessment Program (P25 CAP)
- Codan Communications P25 Systems Training Guide
Phase 1 vs Phase 2
- FDMA - Frequency Division Multiple Access - Original phase 2 application of splitting a 12.5 kHz frequency into 2 6.25 kHz slots
- TDMA - Time Division Multiple Access (Note: DMR is also TDMA) Splitting a 12.5kHz frequency into 2 faster data rates to create 2 "slots"
- C4FM - Continuous 4 level FM modulation—a special type of 4FSK modulation—for digital transmissions at 4,800 baud and 2 bits per symbol
- CQPSK - Compatible quadrature phase shift keying (C4FM receivers can demodulate)
Phase 1
- 12.5 kHz digital mode, single user per channel access, using C4FM
- Many talkgroups may use Dynamic Dual Mode, which allows the talkgroup to automatically switch to TDMA (Phase II) when only TDMA-capable subscriber radios are active on the talkgroup, but will revert to Phase I when older radios (not P2 capable) are active on the talkgroup. As a result, many talkgroups in "D" Mode (Phase I) may intermittently become T (TDMA, Phase II) and only be monitored on a Phase II capable scanner at any time.
Phase 2
- The P25 Phase 2 Standards are based on a two-slot TDMA channel access method within 12.5 kHz channel bandwidth and is used for P25 trunking systems. P25 Phase 2 two-slot TDMA trunking is an
addition to the P25 Standard and does not replace P25 Phase 1 FDMA. The P25 two-slot TDMA for Phase 2 doubles the spectrum efficiency of Phase 1 (12.5 kHz).
- The P25 Phase 2 TDMA CAI uses two different modulation schemes for over-the-air transmission of the 12 kbps data stream, Harmonized Continuous Phase Modulation (H-CPM), is a common constant-
envelope non-linear modulation and is transmitted by the subscriber equipment. Harmonized Differential Quadrature Phase Shift Keyed modulation (H-DQPSK), is a non-coherent modulation scheme and is transmitted by the fixed site equipment.
- A P25 Phase 2 FDMA solution was finalized (CQPSK), but never widely used
(information above by Coden***)
Phase 2 Control Channels
- Some of the newest Phase 2 trunk system have a Phase 2 control channel, meaning that the other slot can be used for a voice slot. Most Phase 2 and all phase 1 systems, the control channel information takes up the whole bandwidth/rate of the frequency.
P1 vs P2
- P2 radios can revert to P1 as needed, by P1 radios can NOT access P2
- P1 is used by most(?) conventional, is used by trunking. P2 is usually only used in trunking applications
- Any manufacturer of P25 should be backwards compatible and offer interoperability with other P25 vendors
NAC
- NAC is the Network Access Code, somewhat similar to PL tones or DPL tones used on analog (4096 codes available to use)
- Unlike most other applications, NAC is referred to by the HEX (hexadecimal) number. These will either be shown with "NAC" or preceded by a dollar sign ($)
- Used on conventional simplex, repeaters and simulcast systems.
- Used on trunked systems. Usually each site is assigned a "unique"* NAC (however it can be reused in the system elsewhere) [Each frequency on the site will use the same NAC]
- Note: No need to say "NAC code" and "NAC tone" is not appropriate.
Optional NAC
- $293 - Default code used by manufacturers, many interop channels
- $F7E - A receiver will pass through ANY NAC received (but the transmitter will use it's programmed NAC)
- $F7F - A receiver will pass through ANY NAC received and the repeater will transmit THAT NAC
P25 Data
- Data can be streamed......
P25 Conventional
Simulcast Repeaters (Conventional)
P25 Conventional Talkgroups (P1)
- Most conventional P25 systems are using a talkgroup, along with the NAC. Some systems have even have more than 1 talkgroup, but, for example, talkgroup 1 may have priority over the other talkgroups.
- 1, 2, 3 (Routine Group Call)
- 65535 (Routine Group Call)
- Unit-to-Unit / Individual Call (will show the RIDs of each radio as the talkgroup)
- Programming You may need to program your scanner as a "P25 One Freq" to receive talkgroups. You'll need to use "P25 One Freq" to add and assign RIDs aliases.
Radio IDs (RID)
- May also be referred to as UID (Unit ID)
- Used on both Conventional and Trunked. Some trunked radios can assign a separate RID for each P25 trunked system that they can access
Trunking Talkgroups
- Announcement Group Call
- Unit-to-PSTN
- Unit-to-Unit
P25 Trunked on VHF
Missouri Statewide Wireless Interoperable Network (MOSWIN)
- For Example,, in Missouri P25 PDF
- Uses Federal Government frequencies for this project, Devices must operate throughout the 138-174 MHz VHF High band (see the link above for more system requirements)
- Device must be capable of Advanced Project 25 Control Channel functionality that enables explicit trunking. Due to the lack of standardized channel pairings in the public safety VHF High Band spectrum allocation, higher tier P 25 control channel functionality is required in subscriber devices on the MOSWIN network for it to be able to explicitly trunk and specifically assign unique, site based VHF channel pairings to a subscriber radio based on channels available, thereby enabling the subscriber to access the network.
- This specific method of granting a channel is a more extensive process for the network’s Control Channel than in implicit trunking, where the channel pairings are standardized and a reduced amount of messaging on the Control Channel dedicated to channel granting is required for each channel assignment. In addition to the above criteria, subscriber units proposed for use on MOSWIN need to be tested on the MOSWIN network to ensure consistent operation. Experience in other states, using both VHF High Band and 700/800 MHz Wide Area trunked systems, indicates that field testing of subscriber units prior to system certification is necessary to ensure that the full functionality of the subscriber is achievable and expectations of the users are verified. Those field tests include roaming throughout a system to ensure the subscriber transfers across all the zones of a system and we look forward to working with the vendor community on developing those tests.
- The Missouri Department of Public Safety anticipates developing a certification process in which subscriber units from multiple manufacturers can be approved to operate on MOSWIN. Any additional questions on the MOSWIN Project 25 requirements listed above, contact Stephen Devine at 573-522-2382 stephen.devine@dps.mo.gov
Other Digital Standards
TETRA
- A number of European countries submitted TETRA to ITU-R Working Party 8A on behalf of ETSI (the European Telecommunication Standards Institute). TETRA’s primary mode uses /4DQPSK modulation that requires a linear or linearized amplifier and fits four-slot TDMA within a 25 kHz channel mask.
IDEN/DIMRS
- Canada submitted DIMRS to ITU-R Working Party 8A. It is a six-slot TDMA system using 16QAM modulation that fits within a 25 kHz channel mask. It is designed primarily for public systems and is in use in a number of countries around the world. Motorola Inc. is the principal manufacturer of this equipment, under the name IDEN™
Cellular Networks
FirstNet
- Public Safety Nationwide Coverage
NexTel
- History
Early Mobile Phones
- 800 MHz/Scanners
==
SEARCHING FOR FCC LICENSES
- Legacy GENMEN database Call Sign By Licensee
- By Site / Market / Frequency
- Advanced License Search
- Geographic License Search (use coordinates, county/state, address, frequency)
- FCC Advanced Application Search
- FCC Archive License Search
- FCC ASR Registration Search
- Ham (Amateur) Radio Call Sign database
- CP/Paging Licenses cover a spectrum or frequency range, auctioned off by the FCC in blocks. (Note: These licenses DO NOT show up in the RadioReference FCC Database
- You can search some of these databases, by just name, or by LICENSEE city, by state or using coordinates (latitude longitude)
- Converting coordinates - Degrees Minutes Seconds to/from Decimal Degrees https://www.fcc.gov/media/radio/dms-decimal
- See also: FCC Field Offices
- Federal Government frequencies are NOT available for searching. NTIA
National Telecommunications and Information Administration https://www.ntia.gov/page/united-states-frequency-allocation-chart https://www.ntia.doc.gov/files/ntia/publications/redbook/2012-05/7_12.pdf https://www.gao.gov/assets/gao-22-105221.pdf
Searching for Mass Media / TV & Radio Stations
- FCC Mass Media database AM Query FM Query
- Broadcast Radio Links
Air / Military Air (MilAir)
- FCC Aircraft Search
- Airnav.com North American Airports/Frequencies
- Federal Aviation Administration
- Transport Security Administration
- [Silent AM and FM Broadcast Stations https://www.fcc.gov/media/radio/silent-radio-lists]
FREQUENCIES
BY CHART/LIST by Category
UNKNOWN FREQUENCY USAGE
- How to search. RR, FCC, etc.
- Antennas on a vehicle or at a building/tower site https://forums.radioreference.com/threads/identifying-unused-antennas-at-tower-site.467317/
(Radio) Towers/Transmitter Sites in your areas
- Try this to locate towers in your locale.
- Antenna Structure Registration (ASRN) Records Within A Radius
- AntennaSearch.com Search for Cell Towers and Antennas
- Cellular Tower Locater/Mapper
- TowerMaps.com
My History of Scanning
Former ScanIllinois.com website (hosted by unknown user on Angelfire hosting
- Notes
- I DO NOT monitor Aircraft or MilAir. I have made attempts on monitoring Railroads, but can never find interesting to keep me listening.
Nothing about the actual air frequencies that I enjoy either. Local UHF systems/repeaters on an airport are productive listening.
Conventional Uses
- Simplex mobile/portables
- Simplex Base/Mobile
- Repeater
- P25 on above
- DMR on above (MOTOTRBO)
- NXDN on above (NEXEDE)
- Using "ONE FREQ DMR" or "ONE FREQ NXDN" or "ONE FREQ P25" on capable Uniden scanners
Monitoring DMR or NXDN on Radio Shack/GRE scanners
- These scanners are NOT capable of scanning a system, but is able to pick up the voice transmissions
Let say this is a conventional DMR system in use near you:
462.0375 467.0375 WRCR799 RM CC 15|TG 2|SL 1 Lodge Ch 2 Operations (Ch 2) DMR Business 462.0375 467.0375 WRCR799 RM CC 15|TG 3|SL 1 Lodge Ch 3 Operations (Ch 3) DMR Business 462.0375 467.0375 WRCR799 RM CC 15|TG 4|SL 1 Lodge Ch 4 Operations (Ch 4) DMR Business
- I would keep an eye on the slots. It's very possible that the talkgroups can be used on either slot.
- For example Ch. 4 has traffic, which is on SLOT 1, then Ch.2 wants to talk at the same time, ...It will go on SLOT 2, while SLOT 1 is still carrying the traffic on Ch 4. Ch 4 could stop for a second and Ch 2 could switch to SLOT 1. While Ch. 2 is on SL1, Ch. 4 starts back up again and will used SL2 (if they both are still carrying traffic
Trunked Systems
- Motorola Type II (Legacy)
- EDACS (Legacy)
- LTR (Legacy)
- APCO P25 Digital Phase I (+ Simulcast)
- APCO P25 Digital Phase II (+ Simulcast)
- DMR Type I - Conventional Digital Mobile Radio (non licensed conventional, ie) MOVE????
- DMR Type II (Licensed conventional) MOVE????
- Internet Protocol Site Connect (DMR)
- DMR Type III Hytera (Trunking)
- DMR Type III Other (ie. Capacity Max) Trunking
- DMR Capacity Plus (Cap+)
- DMR Linked Capacity Plus - trunked multi-site multi-channel configuration of MotoTRBO which combines both Capacity Plus and IP Site Connect configurations.
- DMR Capacity Max
- DMR Connect Plus (Con+)
Channel Spacing
- Emissions below "fit" into the available channel spacing
- Radio/TV
- The smaller the channel spacing, the more users that we can fit in a block of frequencies
- The wider the channel spacing, the better the reception and audio fidelity
- 25 KHz - Wideband
- 12.5 KHz - Narrowband* (1/2 of wide)
- 6.25 KHz - Ultra-Narrow (1/2 of narrowband)
RF Channel FDMA TDMA (2 Time Slot) can carry 2 voice channels (Conversations)
Emissions / Emission Designators
Common Emission Designators See SCAN-AID Emissions for full list
100KC3F | ReconRobotics surveillance robot video (430-450 MHz). |
---|---|
10K1F3E | Frequency modulated (FM) 2.5 kHz deviation analog voice, "narrowband 12.5 kHz" (FMN mode in RadioReference.com Database). Commonly used as a designator in Australia and Canada, identical to 11K2F3E. |
11K0F1D | Narrowband digital data, using frequency modulation without modulating sub-carrier. |
11K0F1E | Digital voice using frequency modulation without modulating sub-carrier. |
11K0F2D | Digital data using frequency modulation with modulating sub-carrier. |
11K0F2E | Digital voice using frequency modulation with modulating sub-carrier. |
11K0F3E | Narrowband analog voice, considered by the FCC to be identical to 11K2F3E. |
11K2F1D | POCSAG paging (narrowbanded, i.e., Swissphone alerting). |
11K2F1E | Digital voice frequency modulated without modulating sub-carrier. |
11K2F2D | Frequency modulated (FM) 2.5 kHz deviation audio frequency shift keying within a 12.5 kHz channel spacing. Commonly used for 1.2 kbps packet, FFSK station alerting, and AFSK outdoor warning siren signaling. |
11K2F2E | Digital voice frequency modulated with modulating sub-carrier. |
11K2F3D | Frequency modulated (FM) 2.5 kHz deviation DTMF or other audible, non-frequency shift signaling, such as Whelen outdoor warning sirens or “Knox-Box®” activation. |
11K2F3E | Frequency modulated (FM) 2.5 kHz deviation analog voice, "narrowband 12.5 kHz" (FMN mode in RadioReference.com Database) – may also be 11K0 and 11K3 bandwidth in the United States, may also be 10K1 or 12K5 bandwidth in Australia or Canada. |
11K2F9W | Formerly and incorrectly used as a catch-all narrowband emission for analog and digital use. Each appropriate emission should be listed discretely. |
11K3F3E | Frequency modulated (FM) 2.5 kHz deviation analog voice, “narrowband 12.5 kHz” (FMN mode in RadioReference.com Database) – may also be 11K0 and 11K3 bandwidth in the United States, may also be 10K1 or 12K5 bandwidth in Australia or Canada. |
11K3F9W | Frequency modulated (FM) 2.5 kHz deviation analog voice and data, “narrowband 12.5 kHz” (FMN mode in RadioReference.com Database) – may also be 11K0 and 11K3 bandwidth in the United States, may also be 10K1 or 12K5 bandwidth in Australia or Canada. |
13K1F9W | Harris OpenSky (SMR – 4 slot). |
13K6F3E | Frequency modulated (FM) analog voice, 3.8 kHz deviation (900 MHz). |
13K6W7W | Motorola iDEN (900 MHz). |
14K0F1D | Motorola 3600 baud trunked control channel (NPSPAC). |
14K0F3E | EDACS Analog Voice (NPSPAC). |
150HA1A | Continuous Wave Telegraphy (manually read Morse Code). |
15K4F9W | Harris OpenSky (SMR – 4 slot Data/Voice). |
16K0F1D | RD-LAP 9.6 data on wideband channel (NPSPAC). |
16K0F1D * | Motorola 3600 baud trunked control channel; also used for RD-LAP 9.6kbps data. |
16K0F2D * | 4 kHz deviation FM audio frequency shift keying (72 MHz fire alarm boxes). |
16K0F3D | Freqeuncy modulated analog data |
16K0F3E * | Frequency modulated (FM) analog voice, 4 kHz deviation (NPSPAC); (FM mode in RadioReference.com Database). |
20K0F1D | RD-LAP 19.2 kbps within a wideband channel (2013 compliant, meets data throughput requirement). |
20K0F1E * | Encrypted Quantized Voice (Motorola DVP, DES, DES-XL – NOT P25 DES-OFB/AES). |
20K0F3D * | Frequency modulated (FM) 5 kHz deviation DTMF or other audible, non-frequency shift signaling, such as Whelen outdoor warning sirens or “Knox-Box®” activation. |
20K0F3E * | Frequency modulated (FM) analog voice, 5 kHz deviation; "wideband 25 kHz" (FM mode in RadioReference.com Database). |
20K0F9W | A "catch-all" designator originally intended for a number of simultaneous emissions, but has been misused as a single designator to indicate multiple types of operation. |
4K00F1D | 6.25 kHz data NXDN (Narrow IDAS, NEXEDGE). |
4K00F1E | 6.25 kHz voice NXDN (Narrow IDAS, NEXEDGE). |
4K00F1W | 6.25 kHz voice and data NXDN (Narrow IDAS, NEXEDGE) frequency modulated without modulating sub-carrier. |
4K00F2D | 6.25 kHz analog CW ID NXDN (Narrow IDAS, NEXEDGE). |
4K00F2W | 6.25 kHz voice and data NXDN (Narrow IDAS, NEXEDGE) frequency modulated with modulating sub-carrier. |
6K00F1D | SCADA Carrier Frequency Shift Keying. |
6K00F2D | SCADA Audio Frequency Shift Keying. |
6K00F3D | SCADA Analog data that is not AFSK (variable tone, DTMF, etc.). |
7K30F1D | Futurecom “MOBEXCOM” DVRS (mobile repeater) data (P25 waveform, slightly narrower occupied bandwidth). |
7K30F1E | Futurecom “MOBEXCOM” DVRS (mobile repeater) voice (P25 waveform, slightly narrower occupied bandwidth). |
7K60F1D | 2-slot DMR (Motorola MOTOTRBO) TDMA data. |
7K60F1E | 2-slot DMR (Motorola MOTOTRBO) TDMA voice. |
7K60F1W | 2-slot DMR (Motorola MOTOTRBO) TDMA data and voice. |
7K60FXD | 2-slot DMR (Motorola MOTOTRBO) TDMA data. |
7K60FXE | 2-slot DMR (Motorola MOTOTRBO) TDMA voice. |
7K60FXW | 2-slot DMR (Motorola MOTOTRBO) TDMA data and voice. |
8K00F1D | P25 Phase I C4FM data. |
8K00F2D | Frequency Modulated digital data with modulating sub-carrier. |
8K10DXW | P25 Phase II 4 Level H-CPM Data/Voice (Harmonized Continuous Phase Modulation – H-CPM). |
8K10F1D | P25 Phase I C4FM data. |
8K10F1E | P25 Phase I C4FM voice (P25 mode in RadioReference.com Database). |
8K10F1W | P25 Phase II subscriber units (Harmonized Continuous Phase Modulation – H-CPM). |
8K30F1D | 12.5 kHz data NXDN (Wide IDAS, NEXEDGE). |
8K30F1E | 12.5 kHz voice NXDN (Wide IDAS, NEXEDGE). |
8K30F1W | P25 Phase I C4FM hybridized voice and data applications (most commonly seen on trunked licenses). |
8K30F7W | NXDN 12.5 kHz digital voice and data (Wide IDAS, NEXEDGE). |
8K40F1D | P25 Phase I (4 Level C4FM Data). |
8K40F1E | P25 Phase I (4 Level C4FM Voice). |
8K40F9W | Harris OpenSky (NPSPAC – 4 slot Data/Voice). |
8K50F9W | Harris OpenSky (2 slot narrowband). |
8K70D1W | P25 Linear Simulcast Modulation ASTRO (9.6 kbps in 12.5 kHz channel spacing). |
9K30F1D | SCADA/ EOD Robot Remote Control. |
9K36F7W | Yaesu System Fusion C4FM (Voice Wide * Voice Narrow + Data * Data Wide). |
9K70F1D | P25 Linear Simulcast Modulation “WCQPSK” data (per Harris MASTR-V literature). |
9K70F1E | P25 Linear Simulcast Modulation “WCQPSK” voice (per Harris MASTR-V literature). |
9K80D7W | P25 Phase II fixed-end 2-slot TDMA (Harmonized Differential Quadrature Phase Shift Keyed modulation – H-DQPSK), per Motorola literature. |
9K80F1D | P25 Phase II fixed-end 2-slot TDMA H-DQPSK data, per Harris MASTR-V literature. |
- When used between 136 – 470 MHz in Part 90 use, this technology is not compliant with 2013 narrowbanding requirements and must be discontinued by January 1, 2013. As of January 1, 2011, this emission may no longer be applied for between 136 – 470 MHz in Part 90 use, unless the applicant certifies that the station equipment meets the narrowband efficiency standard, or the licensee has been granted a waiver of the January 1, 2013 deadline for that station.
VHF Low Band has not been required to narrowband. A 20K0 emission bandwidth continues to be acceptable for nearly all uses.
Encryption
- May be called "crypto" for short. CAN NOT and WILL NEVER will be available to listen to on a scanner/receiver.
- Encrypted frequencies or talkgroups CAN NOT be monitored with-out permission of the agency. That agency may issue a Encryption Key for use in a two-way radio or Unication Pager to be able to monitor.
- Types of Encryption:
- Motorola radios require a MACE module and software upgrades
Mobile Extender/Vehicular Repeater/DVRS
- Increase the range of your portable radio, using your nearby mobile radio to reach out to a repeater, etc.
- Article on VR and the 700 MHz Band
- Article on 'SAR Teams Gain with VR
- [https://static1.1.sqspcdn.com/static/f/1281716/17209685/1332195037453/Public+Safety+Reports.pdf 800 MHz VR Licensing
- Air Force using VR at most sensitive remote bases ND, WY, MT, TX
Pyramid Communications
- The "original" vehicular repeater system. Made in the United States.
- All VRs work on a simplex channel. Can work IN-BAND with filtering options.
- VHF In-Band requires both the BPF-1604 Band Pass Filter and VHF Notch Filter. SVR Simplex MUST be 2 MHz or 5 MHz, or greater from all mobile frequencies (both TX and RX). The Notch filter is made in the 2MHz and 5MHz, with obviously the 2 MHz costing more. NOTE: This doesn't just mean the main channel you use, but ANY channel that may may need to use on the VR.
- (integrate above) BRF-1601 Notch Filter for as close as 5 MHz separation between mobile TX/RX and SVR-200. Use the narrower BRF-1602 Notch Filter for frequencies as close as 2 MHz separation
- VHF In-Band repeating is the most popular method of deployment, per Pyramid. Be aware, the 173 MHz MO3 frequencies are already crowded, at least with licenses in many areas. Much of this being used as constant data transmissions for water or waste-water monitoring systems.
- Pyramid (spent 5 years) worked to secure new MO3 channels on 173.2375, 173.2625, 173.2875, 173.3125, 173.3375, 173.3625. These are SHARED with telemetry users (as stated above). Recommended to work with EWA for licensing of these frequencies, as they helped. APCO or any Public Safety coordinator "Should" be able to help though.
- UHF In-band DOES NOT require the use of a Band Pass Filter (, only the Notch Filter. The Notch Filter must be 5 or 10 MHz away from ALL mobile frequencies (both TX and RX).
- Multi-Band Radios and In-Band - New TPLX-V-U-M 100W VHF, UHF, 7/800 MHz Triplexer, works with Kenwood and Viking..... Harris Unity or APX-8500 mobiles only have one antenna connection for all bands.
- Multi-Vehicle Priority: One unit on a scene will provide priority traffic, without interference from other VRs. MO3 2W Maximum Power
- Pyramid Digital Vehicular Repeater Webinar (YouTube)
- Bandpass Filter: The BPF-1604 is a high selectivity pre-selector filter that prevents the mobile’s transmitter from overloading the SVR-200VB receiver’s front end. The filter is tuned to the SVR-200’s simplex frequency and rejects everything except a narrow band of frequencies centered around the SVR-200 frequency.
- Notch Filter: Transmitters are designed to broadcast on a specific frequency, but no matter how good the design of that transmitter, it produces RF energy across a broad band of frequencies. The FCC sets limits on how much “off-frequency” energy a transmitter can produce, but even within the limits, it may be enough to cause interference in a receiver located close by, such as the SVR-200. No amount of bandpass filtering on the SVR-200 will reduce this interference since it is right on the SVR-200 receive frequency. The BRF-1601 or BRF-1602 notch filter is tuned to the SVR-200’s receive frequency but installed on the mobile’s antenna cable. The notch filter further attenuates the noise produced by the mobile that occurs on the SVR-200 receive frequency. This is also why frequency spacing is so critical. None of the mobile’s frequencies, transmit or receive, can be within 5 MHz using the BRF-1601 or 2 MHz using the BRF-1602. If a mobile transmit frequency is too close, the filter will consume too much of the transmitter power, damaging the filter and possibly the transmitter. If a receive frequency is too close, the mobile’s receiver sensitivity will be degraded.
SVR-200
SVR-250
SVR-252
SVR-P250
- for P25
SVR-P255 EVRS Enhanced Vehicular Repeater Solutions (Aug 2017) for Kenwood Viking P25 Trunking Systems, (like VM-900)
- P25 Smart Trunking Protocol, acts just like you were talking directly to the P25 trunking system. Simulates Trunking, still an MO3 License.
SVR-300 DMR
- Full Tier 2 DMR modulation to the portable radio, on a simplex talk-around channel using 1 Time-Slot. Encryption available.
- Mobile Radio can interface to Tier 2 or 3, Capacity Plus, Connect Plus, Max, Tier 3, IP Site Connect, etc.
- Interface cables for most popular DMR mobile radios
- Previous analog VRs DO WORK on DMR, but this is an upgrade from that.
- VHF, UHF, 700/800 MHz
- Uses Group IDs (GIDs)
SVR-300 NXDN
- NEXEDGE/iDAS. USB-D programming 6.25 or 12.5 MHz
- Uses RAN codes for priority signaling
Vehicular Repeaters / Mobile Extenders
- VRX1000 Vehicle Radio Extender provides federal agencies, state patrol and public safety first responders the ability to communicate on their portable radios in a mobile-only coverage area. Equipped with cross-band and in-band performance, and available in 700/800 MHz VHF and UHF frequencies, the VRX 1000 is compatible with P25 APX 7500, APX6500 and APX 4500 mobile radios.
- See Pyramid Communications
DVRS (Digital Vehicular Repeater System)
- In-Building etc.
- See Futurecom DVRS Explainer Video (on YouTube, by Futurecom Systems)
- Owned by Motorola Solutions as of Oct 2022 LINK For over 30 years, Motorola Solutions and Futurecom have collaborated on RF repeaters and extenders that are tightly integrated with Motorola Solutions’ radio networks and devices. These solutions help to ensure that first responders, even in remote locations, maintain critical communications and advanced features, such as encryption and data services, to do their jobs more safely and securely. FUTURECOM HAS A GREAT SELECTION OF VIDEOS ON YT: (LIST HERE) that explain how they work. Neat! for Fire Departments
- DVRS in Subway Tunnels, etc.]
- Example - Illinois State Police are using VHF P25 DVRS to extend their 700/800 MHz STARCOM21 mobile radios, etc. This CONVENTIONAL P25 system still passes through the P25 NAC, Site ID, RFSS, RID/UIDs, Talkgroup numbers. On a Uniden scanner it looks just like you are on the P25 Trunked System voice channel.
- PSU - Portable Subscriber Unit
- Can repeater to Conventional or Trunked. Multiple units on-scene can use the same DVRS.
- DVRS available through DataTronics, Alton IL
Motorola PDR8000 Portable Digital Repeater
PDR8000 [https://www.datatronicscom.com/downloads/motorola/motorola-pdr80000-datasheet.pdf Datasheet (PDF)
VRX1000
- Works with Motorola APX series mobile radios. 3 watt Simplex. LINK Datasheet (PDF)
Temporary Repeaters
- SOW Site on Wheels, COW
- Field/Incident Repeater (see youtube Jim G Field Incident Repeater/Portable Booster
Two-Tone Paging
- Paging/Decoding/Alerting (See Unication and other scanners with available "Fire Tone-out"
Analog Data Transmissions (Non-DMR/NXDN/P25)
(used in monitoring water pressure/pumps,
- SCADA -
- Telemetry -
- Paging
- POGSAC
- CW-ID (Morse Code)
- DTMF - Dual Done Multi-Frequency DTMF Definition (by Techtarget)
- Can be used to activate a phone patch or other repeater options, can be used to active outdoor warning sirens (weather), can be used by some older style radios as a "tail" at the end of the transmission, denoting the radio's ID number.
- DTMF Data Tail (at end of a voice transmission)
- End-of-Train (EOT)
- Robots
- 1 Tone Paging
- 2 Tone Paging
- 1 Tone Paging
- DMR also offers advanced data communications such as SCADA, Telemetry
- NXDN
REPEATERS
- Conventional. For Trunking, see
- A repeater added to the system allows radios to send their communications via a central point which repeats the message to the rest of the system. By installing a repeater high up (often on top of a building) the calls to the repeater are less affected by the obstructions. It also allows radios located far away from the repeater in opposite directions to communicate with each other, effectively increasing the range of the system.
- Repeater stations can be connected together by either retransmitting received signals (parroting) or by sending received signals to other repeaters on the system via other methods (internet, unidirectional transmitter, etc). With these methods, the range of the system is only limited by the amount of infrastructure you install.
VOTERS / REMOTE LINKS
BDA/DAS In building Antennas
- In-building signal booster solutions typically include three key components: (from [1])
- A donor antenna that is mounted on the roof to seize the wireless signal from the outside.
- A Distributed Antenna System (DAS), which is a group of antennas placed throughout the structure to boost signal coverage.
- Bi-Directional Amplifiers (BDAs) that extend two-way radio coverage into difficult-to-reach areas, such as stairwells, underground hallways, tunnels, parking garages, and other challenging zones. (Depending on size, materials, and structural design, some buildings may not require a BDA, or a standard two-way radio Repeater may be sufficient.)
- Many buildings benefit from having BDAs, including hospitals, office buildings, schools, manufacturing plants, sports arenas, and more.
- Depending on the equipment chosen and how it is installed and programmed, BDAs can be deployed to improve team communications for facility staff who use two-way radio systems (usually VHF or UHF bands) and/or to meet Public Safety radio coverage requirements, as required by law (usually on the 450/700/800 MHz bands).
- Public Safety radios help keep first responders in contact with each other during an emergency. It increases their safety, but it helps public safety professionals serve building occupants and visitors better, as well.
- Cellular BDA is also available to help improve cell coverage in buildings. These are specifically for cellular devices and will not increase two-way radio coverage. Therefore, it’s recommended to install two separate systems for your building: one for two-way radios and one for cell phones.
SIMULCAST, etc.
Simulcast
Conventional Analog
- For example, a countywide Fire paging (tone-out) system using only 1 frequency. Multiple towers scattered throughout the county linked and synced to broadcasting the exact same traffic, all at perfectly the same time.
If it's off sync, it can cause pagers to not properly pick up the paging tones. Radio/Scanner users may hear the slight delay (or if it's actually out of sync, a bad delay)
- A bad simulcast delay would sound like this <<Insert YouTube/xxx link>>>
Conventional P25
- Same as analog, but with P25 can be synced by better means.
- How Simulcast works
Simulcast on 700/800 MHz system. Multiple towers with the exact same frequencies, in the same general area, broadcasting the exact same traffic, all at perfectly the same time. Radios and Scanners have to pick up the towers, that are all broadcasting, with different reception levels.
DMR (or NXDN ???) Conventional Simulcast
- Example, a college with 25 buildings across multiple acres. Could have just a few talkgroups needed/in use. Let's say 1 for Security/Admin, 1 for Maintenance, 1 for Janitorial/Housekeeping. Have 1 repeater at 5 different locations using 5 different frequencies, all capable of 2 SLOTS. All 5 frequencies will broadcast the exact same talkgroups on SL 1 and SL 2
What is Multicast?
Using a P25 800 MHz system, but the talkgroup traffic is also broadcasted on the old VHF system. It may be PATCHED, it may work both ways. Talk on the old analog frequency and you can talk on the units on the P25 system.
Inter RF Subsystem Interface (ISSI)
- For example, in Georgia, Fulton County and Cobb County have created an Inter RF Subsystem Interface (ISSI) link that allows users of certain Cobb County talk groups to automatically roam onto the Fulton County P25 system in certain areas where the Cobb County system has weak coverage but the Fulton County system has strong coverage. A temporary talk group on the Fulton County system is automatically assigned and linked back to the user's home talk group on the Cobb County system. Currently, Cobb County PD Precinct 2 units have access to such a temporary, automatically created ISSI patch on the Fulton County system. The talk groups below are part of a pool of talk groups that are automatically randomly assigned by the Fulton County system for these temporary ISSI links on an as-needed basis, with no user, dispatcher or system administrator intervention required. See Fulton County Public Safety P25
ANTENNAS
- Note: Some antennas are made to RECEIVE ONLY. So may be able to transmit a certain amount of wattage.
- [ The Future of Antenna Technology (innovations unleashed)] (by Antenna Expert, on YouTube)
==YouTube Channels/
websites
where to buy
How Antennas Work
Portable Antennas
Mobile Antennas
- Magnet Mount
- NMO
- Clip-On / Gutter Mount
- Canister Type - a low profile narrow band antenna such as the Antennex Phantom series TRA1500B. Not only is it a smaller target and narrow band, but because it is a canister type antenna (about the size of a soup can) you have more mounting options such as behind the grill of the vehicle.
- Through-Window
Base Antennas
- Poles, Chimney Mount
Special Situations
- HOA or spouse doesn't allow outdoor antennas ----- MOVE and/or divorce
- Attic
- Live in an apartment
- Live in a High-Rise without accessible windows.
- Live in a High-Rise with accessible windows.
FEED LINE / CONNECTORS
- Type of adapters / uses
- COAX
- SPLITTERS, Stridesburg, etc
- How to get coax into your house and keep it neat.
Attenuation
- Do you live close to cell phone towers, paging, large industrial, Public Safety or 2-way radio towers?
- You many need to attenuate your signal, either by frequency or the whole scanner (Global)
- Bands / Filters
- IF Frequency on your receiver xxxx
????
REFERENCE
Abbreviations
- Public Safety/Related Acronyms
- FDMA - Frequency Division Multiple Access (Phase I) More info
- LMR - Land Mobile Radio
- SCADA -
- TDMA - Time Division Multiple Access (Used on DMR, P25 Phase II; see above)
Emissions
- CSBK
Terminology
- Clear Channel - Usually referring to AM stations that (only had
- Silent - Station is off the air
Related wiki pages https://wiki.radioreference.com/index.php?title=Scanning_101&action=edit
- National Communications Magazine
- Mark's Scanners Easier-to-Read Scanner Manuals (Highly recommend)
Scanner Websites/Groups/YouTube
Learning
- THIS wiki page!
- The Scanner Guys Website Facebook YouTube
- Scanner School Website, with Phil Lichtenberger YouTube Patreon
- Mark's Scanners "Easier-to-Read" Manuals Website
Two-Way Radio
- [https://www.taitradioacademy.com/ Tait Radio Academy - Learn everything you need to know about LMR (Land Mobile Radio)
YouTube
- Boy and a Scanner All things scanners and radios! Get yer freq on! Website
Discord
- Scanner School
Discussion/Forums
- RadioReference Forums
- ioGroups (replacement eGroups/YahooGroups)
Places to buy Scanners, Pagers, Antennas, Feed Wire and more
- ScannerMaster (Use this link to give referral money to ScannerSchool!
- Zip's Scanners
- HRO ?
Two-Way Radio Sales and more
- Bearcom (North America's Largest Voice, Video And Data Rental Partner For Live Events, Industrial And Market Solutions)
- Futurecom Systems Group (a Motorola Solutions Company as of Oct 2022) DVRS Testing Series on YouTube
Datatronics
- Vehicle Upfitting Services (Public Safety/Municipal in Greater St Louis , Northeast MO, and Southwest IL
- Two-way Radio and Wireless Communications Solutions (Motorola Solutions channel partner)
- Marine Electronics (for ships on the Mississippi River and other lakes/waterways throughout the Midwest)
- DVRS
Warner Communications (Metro St Louis) Location Map
- Radio systems, Rentals and wide-area coverage systems
- P25, TETRA, NXDN, DMR Tier 2 and Tier 3, fleet vehicle installs, connecting multiple sites over IP, and building and deploying dispatching solutions are some of our specialties.
- Bought IE Communications in Trenton IL in 2015
- 2014 acquisition of Dittronics in Benton MO (Founded in 1974, serving the SE MO region for 40 years.)
- 2000 bought some assets of former St. Louis company A&E Electronics
- Voceon founded in Houston TX in 2015, expanded into Chicago in 2016 and San Antonia in 2018
WirelessUSA (Metro St Louis
Frequency Coordination
Frequency Coordinators
- APCO International Public Safety
- [https://www.enterprisewireless.org/ Enterprise Wireless (EWA)
- RadioSoft
Frequency Consulting and Advisory
- ATEC Wireless (RF engineering services firm)
Related Wiki Pages (Coming soon)
- Metro St Louis Road (info and construction)
- Metro St Louis Radio Stations - AM
- Metro St Louis Radio Stations - FM
Metro St Louis Radio Personalities/Shows
Farmer Dave Schumacher
- 5-6 AM on 550 KTRS St Louis; Mon-Fri, Market updates at 10 AM and Noon. (Sat version 6-7 AM with ....)
- Webpage Facebook page Facebook Fan Group Past Shows on Soundcloud
Frank O Pinion / Large Morning Show in the Afternoon
- RR Wiki page FOP Website Facebook page Facebook Fans group
- Not currently on a station or broadcasting on the internet
JC Corcoran
- K-WOLF Mornings (as of 2023)
Search and Rescue Mutual Aid (SARMA)
- Former Illinois Weather Alert Radio Network (I-WARN)
- 155.205 assigned for use in Illinois statewide, Temporary Base, mobiles, Base Station located in Madison County WQCI585
- 152.285 Repeater with 157.585 input (licensed, but no longer on air). Bases licensed in Illinois, but mobiles on both frequencies authorized for use in Missouri, Illinois and Indiana WQBB433