User Panel
Posted: 3/19/2006 7:30:51 PM EDT
Have Phoenix Police frequencies changed or is something wrong with my scanner? I started noticing chatter reducing in my area and now I can't seem to get any signal with the frequecies I have stored. However I get the weather channel just fine.
Here is what I have programmed: Channel 1 (Chase 1, North Emergency) 154.890 Channel 2 (Chase 2, Tactical Operations) 154.755 Channel 3 (Chase 3, South Emergency) 155.790 Channel 4 (South Mountain ) 155.370 Channel 5 (Central City [C]) 155.070 Channel 6 (Desert Horizon [NE]) 155.640 Channel 7 (Squaw Peak [N]) 155.520 Channel 8 (Maryvale [W]) 155.430 Channel 9 (Cactus Park [NW]) 155.700 Channel 10 (Car-to-car) 155.760 Channel 11 (Tactical) 156.060 Channel 12 (Info/Talkaround) 155.610 Thanks! |
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Oh man have they changed.
The whole police dept, fire dept, and several other cities have joined a trunked network that's digital, using APCO 25. Mesa, Phoenix, and several other subcities will be sharing this network down the road, but for now I think it's just Phoenix and Mesa; Possibly Tempe. Important! You cannot listen or track the new digital trunking systems without a digital scanner. The transmissions are digital, therefore analogue radio is worthless for scanning govt. frequencies now. Some places like Scottsdale are still using the analog system, however, it's trunked and still requires a trunking scanner. The cities and various agencies/businesses not using digital now, will be in the very near future. The bad news? A large portion of what has always been "hot" traffic in PHX and other cities is now encrypted. Therefore, a shitload of calls are now missed because you can't get around the encryption. Also, the new digital trunking scanners are around 400 to 500 dollars. Even at that high price, people are not happy with the quality of sound and overall lack of listening ability the digital age has put them in. As a scanner buff myself, I don't think I'll ever buy a digital scanner simply because they're making it impossible for us. |
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... Yup, I used to garner some enjoyment from listening to police/fire scanners on weekend nights. My two analog scanners are relics of the past and are pretty much worthless to me these days.
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Ahhh I see. So those who justly listen to scanner traffic will find it becoming more difficult for the public to watch the watchers. Kind of troubling.
From an online article: "In the case of public safety agencies (Police, Fire, Rescue Ambulance), it is perfectly legitimate to montitor them, provided you do nothing to compromise their safety (by showing up at the scene, discussing what they are doing with a third party, or committing a crime). This makes sense, as these individuals are paid with YOUR tax dollars, and the radio equipment they use to communicate on the public airwaves was also purchased with your money. Also, given the recent scandals involving police departments in major cities, doesn't it make sense that we should be able to keep a watchful eye on those who are charged with protecting us?" |
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Reminds me of a DPS call I heard last weekend. Some dumb broad had a flat on the 143 or somewhere. She called DPS, but Could not tell them WHAT freeway she was on OR what direction she was going!! HOW CAN YOU BE THAT FUCKING DIZZY? |
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If you have to balance 'watching the watchers' and securing the communications systems of our emergency response folks, it's a no brainer to me.
Do you really want Johnny Jihadist to know our response times? Do you want them to know from where and to where they are responding from? It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that ambushing your first responders is a sure way to magnify the impact of a terror attack. If you want to keep an eye on the police force and make sure they stay a citizen force beholden to the public and not the executive branch, do ride alongs, get active as a volunteer. Let them know you care about police policy. Knowing someone 'might' be listening in on their radio calls is much less of a deterant to abuse than knowing that the community is interested in what they do. |
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Here's an article from eham.com I saved a couple months back. Some of it is good only if you're a ham radio operator, but there is much more information that can be used even if you're not an amateur radio operator.
Is Your Analog Scanner Really Obsolete? (KC8VWM) on February 8, 2006 View comments about this article! A few of my analog scanners have made nice dust collectors and nice bookend supports in recent years in my shack. However, I may have found new uses for them lately that I would like to share. Crystallized scanners are truly obsolete however programmable ones regardless of the number of memories they are capable of receiving, may still offer some valuable uses when correctly “interfaced” with the amateur radio experience as I will explain later in this article. These scanners are obsolete primarily due to the fact that over the past few years, more and more public safety agencies have been transitioning towards operating on trunked and digital radio systems making some of these older analog scanners obsolete. Recently, I have revisited this equipment in my shack and decided to A) Throw them out, B) Sell them on ebay and get absolutely nothing for them or C) Explore new uses for them. Yeah…, let's think about option C for a moment. My old outdated analog scanners might actually still have some uses. Most programmable scanners will typically be capable of VHF and UHF reception from 30 - 512 mhz. Some even as high as 800. This means many of them are quite capable of 6 and 10 meter reception. I found this especially useful for monitoring 6 and 10 meters for a band opening. This really free's up the “good equipment” for other operating activities with little or no additional investment required for a second 6 meter transceiver in the shack. When I start hearing activity on 6 meters using my scanner, I simply tune the main radio in the shack to 6 meters and operate. Most scanners are portable than most fixed amateur radio stations so it can be toted with you outside so you can monitor for a band opening during your backyard BBQ activities. A scanner can also be programmed to monitor for the next satellite pass. Depending on the number of memory frequencies available in it, you might decide to program every bank with nearby “doppler effect” frequencies so you can specifically monitor for the next satellite pass in your area. This also free's up your main radio equipment in your shack not to mention that if it's accidentally dropped or gets broken while using it outside near the pool, you lost virtually nothing. In fact, you could just leave the scanner running all day and all night long with a VOX tape recorder attached to it. It's always fun to play the tape back at a later time. I found it especially revealing to listen to the recorded satellite passes and radio communications I have been missing. Use a scanner as an APRS receiver? Sure why not?, just tune your scanner to 144.390 and connect the output of your scanner to an old junk laptop you bought at a hamfest for $10.00. Now download a free program called “MultiPSK” and install it on your junk PC. http://multipsk.eqth.org/ How about turning that obsolete scanner into an International Space Station receiving machine? The program below is designed specifically for receiving and deciphering packet signals from the ISS: http://users.belgacom.net/hamradio/uissscreenshot.htm Now you will be able to use that inexpensive and obsolete scanner as a cheap radio receiver for decoding ISS PACKET, SSTV, PSK, CW, APRS and many other digital modes commonly used on VHF/ UHF bands. Total equipment investment = $20.00 A radio scanner can provide tactical or battlefield intelligence that is normally unavailable from any other source. In almost all cases it even can even scoop your local news media coverage of events before the public even knows about them. Just program it for common media outlet communications frequencies to see what I mean. For example you will enjoy listening to the media news traffic copters. You will hear more about what's going on from them, than you would on a higher priced - cream of the crop digital police scanner. Some media communication frequencies can be found here: http://www.wiscomm.com/media/ An analog and obsolete scanner can be turned into an Emergency Management monitoring machine. This will be especially useful equipment for the emcomm group's go kit requirements. Just program the analog scanner solely for the purpose of using it as a national emergency frequency monitoring device as follows: National search and rescue frequencies 40.500 US Military joint operations 47.460 National Jeep Search and Rescue 121.500 Civilian ELT/EPIRB / National Air Distress Calling 121.600 US/Canada On-Scene S&R 138.450 Air Rescue Service On-Scene 138.780 Air Rescue Service On-Scene (discrete) 156.300 Merchant ship/USGC Channel 6 On-Scene 156.800 Maritime Channel 16 (Distress/Safety/Calling) 156.750 Maritime Class C EPIRB 15-second homing signal 243.000 Military Aeronautical Emergency 259.000 Air Rescue Operations 381.000 Air Rescue Operations 381.800 USCG Aircraft Working Frequency 406.500 ELT Civil Air Patrol (CAP) 26.620 AM 121.500 Civilian Aeronautical Emergency/ELT/EPIRB 121.600 ELT Testing 122.900 SAR 123.100 SAR 143.900 SAR (AM/FM) 148.125 Secondary 148.150 Primary 149.925 Packet Data 173.580 282.800 SAR DF/On-Scene Primary American Red Cross 47.420 47.520 47.460 47.540 47.500 47.42 Primary channel used across the United States by the Red Cross for relief operations. US Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) 138.225 138.575 142.350 139.450 142.425 139.950 142.450 138.225 This is the prime disaster relief operations channel used by the Federal Emergency Management Agency; it is active during earthquakes, hurricanes, floods, and other catastrophic events. US DOE Nuclear Emergency Search Team (NEST) 149.220 164.400 150.450 164.475 164.025 164.525 164.100 164.675 164.175 164.700 164.225 164.775 164.375 National Transportation Safety Board 165.750 Channel 1 165.7625 Channel 2 166.175 Channel 3 Nationwide interagency frequencies 155.160 Used for inter-department emergency communications by local and state agencies 154.28: Used for inter-department emergency communications by local fire departments. 155.475 Used for inter-department emergency communications by local and state police forces. 155.175 Emergency Medical Services 155.205 Emergency Medical Services 155.235 Emergency Medical Services Other National Emergency Frequencies: 34.90 This frequency is used nationwide by the National Guard during emergencies 163.4875 National Guard during emergencies 163.5125: This is the national disaster preparedness frequency used jointly by the armed forces. 164.50: This is the national communications channel for the Department of Housing and Urban Development. 168.55: This is the national channel used by civilian agencies of the federal government for communications during emergencies and disasters. 243.00: This channel is used during military aviation emergencies. 259.70: This channel is used by the Space Shuttle during re-entry and landing. 296.80: This channel is used by the Space Shuttle during re-entry and landing. 311.00: This is an active in-flight channel used by the US Air Force. 409.625: This is the national communications channel for the Department of State. 165.375: This is the national communications channel for the Secret Service. 167.5625: This is the national communications channel for the Federal Bureau of Investigation. 415.70: This channel is used nationwide by various federal agencies. Well that should fill a few memory banks for the emcomm enthusiasts out there! These frequencies are usually dead quiet but the minute something starts happening they instantly come alive. I recall during 9/11 my scanner would stop on just about every frequency programmed into it. These frequencies were otherwise just dead air for months. You can just leave your Emergency Management Receiving scanner on all the time if you like. When something happens in your area, I guarantee you will be the very first to know. For example, I once heard a commercial plane going down into Lake Ontario. I heard the pilot calling “mayday! mayday!” on 121.500. It's truly an eerie feeling when you actually hear these things live as they happen. It was reported all over the news about an hour later. The power these scanners have in terms of first hand information can sometimes be astonishing. So you have a sophisticated antenna analyzer, SWR and field strength meter in your shack huh? I bet most of you don't have a station monitor & spectrum analyzer yet? You would be amazed at the great audio fidelity some of these analog scanners produce. You can effectively turn your obsolete radio scanner, er I mean “station monitor” in combination with your PC into a high-resolution spectrum analyzing equipment. Simply plug the audio output from your scanner into your mic input of your PC soundcard and download this program: http://www.hamalyzer.com/shots.html Now program your scanner on all your favorite repeater input frequencies and you can not only use it with the program listed above, but when you connect a pair of high quality headphones, it becomes a cheap an effective method of monitoring the audio quality of your stations transmitted signal. Just what can be heard with an obsolete radio scanner? Technically speaking, anything. What you can do with them is only limited by one's imagination. Scanners are not just intended for listening to police calls but they can make a nice inexpensive interface to compliment many areas involving your everyday amateur radio activities. |
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Most everything is done via MDT now days anyway. You can still listen in on the police and fire if you shell out $500 for a new digital scanner. It's not like "Johnny Jihadist" can't pick one up these days off of ebay |
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heres what i got
Phoenix Police, VHF: 154.890 - Channel 1(Chase 1, north emergency) 154.755 - Channel 2(chase 2, tactical operations) 155.790 - Channel 3(chase 3, south emergency) 155.370 - Channel 4(South Mountain) 155.070 - Channel 5(Central city) 155.640 - Channel 6(Desert Horizon) 155.520 - Channel 7(Squaw Peak) 155.430 - Channel 8(Maryvale) 155.700 - Channel 9(Cactus park) 155.760 - Channel 10(Car to car communications, SIMPLEX) 156.060 - Channel 11(Tactical) 155.610 - Channel 12(Info/TalkAround) Phoenix Police, UHF: 453.100 - Channel 1(Chase 1, North emergency) 453.200 - Channel 2(Chase 2, Tactical operations) 453.450 - Channel 3(Chase 3, South emergency) 453.600 - Channel 4(Organised crime) 453.800 - Channel 5(special assignment/SWAT) 453.675 - Channel 6(Special assignment/SWAT) 453.525 - Channel 7(Proactive patrol squad) Air channels (Helicopters!): 123.500 - Air-To-Air Phoenix Police Helo's 123.025 - Air-To-Air with other agencies Highway patrol: 453.325 - metro-1 phoenix central 453.225 - metro-2 main dispatch 460.300 - phoenix west/quartzite 460.025 - casa grande/florence/flagstaff/page 460.400 - yuma(tucson dispatched) 460.325 - holbrook/winslow/sierra vista/safford 460.475 - district 1, show log/payson/globe/kingman/lake havasu 460.425 - prescott/seligman/tucson/nogales 460.275 - Criminal investigation, channel 1/3 460.500 - criminal investigation, channel 2/4 460.225 - statewide uhf 154.935 - statewide vhf |
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But who is watching the watchers watching the watchers? Give it a rest man, go buy a nice TV and watch COPS....or Jerry Springer reruns if you prefer. |
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Ocorvo,
Thanks for the helpful reply. Nice community spirit. Troll. |
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The Phoenix Police are 100% NOT on VHF anymore. They're on 800 Digital trunked. Highway patrol is still on the list you posted AFAIK. |
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Some 800 systems are reliant on the phone system being up and running. Just think, if the phone lines go down, they're fooked..
Then they call in the Hams to save their collective butts... |
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The sad thing is the 800 MHz digital radios suck something fierce.
On Spt 11th, FDNY Had some real serious probs w/ com....many F/F's never heard the orders to evacuate the towers... Here in Phily, police & fire just switched over to 800 MHz about a year ago....everybody hates the system (cops, F/Fs & dispatchers). Follow the money trail.heAll for the sake of being able to talk to other agencies anywhere in the country - what a disgrace. There are not enough MDTs in the RPCs (radio patrol cars). Corruption is rampant in this city - starting at the top with the mayor, and this is just a prime example. I'm glad I'm getting out and heading for the Valley of the Sun. |
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Did you ask markm's permission if you could come here? He has a direct line to Janet Mulletano! He'll hook ya up! She's a real nice guy! |
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Yeah, when Glendale switched to their 800 digital, they hated it. They said it's so unreliable that they hoped they never really needed help or they'd be fucked. This was in the beginning, so perhaps they've worked out the bugs, but there wasn't anything wrong with the VHF/UHF freqs they were using. Always this technology is better bullshit, and it's all about "newer is better", which is total BS.
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It's all about bandwidth, which the newer systems use much less of.
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The issue with that EODINERT, is that Glendale was already using a trunked radio system for the whole city, which seemed to work just fine, from the scanning I did.
I have one of the newer scanners and I gotta tell you, many of the transmissions sound like they're speaking under water. |
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You really don't believe that do you??? You ever scan various bands across the spectrum? You can go for a long time and never hear shit. Trust me. I was into amateur (ham) radio for a few years and there are so many places with no activity. Everything just keeps getting pushed higher and higher into the spectrum. Those high frequencies are pretty shitty for certain Tx/Rx purposes, and I'd love to know what fool thought digital was a good avenue for public service. At least if your signal is weak in analog you have a chance at getting through. With digital, it's all or nothing. |
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