[MilCom] Military Bases LMR Support Net Transitions--- Hobbyists

[Ken]

Hello B52HBUFF....



Locally it appears that Air Force Reserve (Westover JARB) & Air National 
Guard (Barnes ANGB) have both gone to DOD'd 138-144, 148-150.8 mhz.   AFR is 
all P25 digital (with exception of 4 federal UHF band freqs that remain 
analog).  ANG transition is still inclusive via monitoring but at least 
Security & Fire/Crash have gone to P25.



See the blog:  http://westernmass-milcom.blogspot.com/  for specific 
information on the quest to find currently operational military land mobile 
radio support nets in WMass.  It stills seems to be a mixed bag of actual 
frequency usage.   For example Hanscom AFB went P25 digital (at least in the 
fire & police/security functions) but retained their assignments in the 
162-174 mhz federal band, rather than moving to the DOD VHF high band.



In order to get a total picture of what is happening, probably the best 
approach is to use Grove's "Military Frequency Directory" 2nd edition as the 
baseline of what was known in 2004 about various Land Mobile Radio (LMR) 
systems at military bases throughout the US and than as inquiring hobbyists 
close to those base locations to do a few "near scenes" (notice I didn't say 
"on scene"), that is, close enough electronically to be able to receive the 
military base radio signals BUT not on the fence line so to speak!!!!



HOWEVER, unless you actually live/work "electronically" close enough to 
almost constantly monitor a military bases' support nets communications 
activities, it's VERY difficult to find all frequencies & their specific 
functional usage with only 4 to 5 hours of mobile/portable monitoring 
activities.  HOWEVER, if you use the baseline information above, and don't 
hear any traffic on any of those frequencies, than it's time to put the 
scanner(s) in the SEARCH M MODE in the military & federal LMR bands.  IF 
it's a reserve or guard base, than ideally you are monitoring during their 
weekend Unit Training Assembly  (Many bases do not publically post there UTA 
schedules anymore).  BTW IMHO Airshow LMR support nets traffic may not 
utilize all of the frequencies used during normal base ops & functionally 
may be assigned to a different specialized task (and at one airshow many 
years ago  -- Hanscom AFB (MA) -- they actually reprogrammed most of the 
radios to operate on different frequencies ONLY for the airshow).   It's 
commendable how successful you have been since there's so much going on at 
airshows, e.g. watching & radio monitoirng aero demonstrations, that it's 
difficult to concentrate on ground support nets.   IF performing an 
"electronically" "near scene" one really aren't interested in seeing any air 
traffic or base operations, you are just trying to find all active 
frequencies, talkgroups & than try to determine the fuctional usage.  Of 
course if there's any mountains/high hills fairly close to the base that are 
accessible one still might be able to watch activities & monitor/search for 
new frequencies -- perhaps the very best method to use!!!!



For those of you that read "Popular Communications" magazine, check out the 
June 2007 edition Tom Swisher's feature article on "Wright Patterson AFB", 
Mark Meece assisted with provided information on that bases new Trunked 
Radio System, so take a look at what they found, with still some "unknowns" 
talkgroups remaining.  Also "Monitoring Times" magazine "Monitoring Military 
Communications" column has got some base LMR radio support nets update 
information in the Oct 06, Aug 06, Jul 06, Feb 06, Jan 06, Sep 05, Jul 05, 
May 05, Jan 05, Dec 04, Nov 04, Jun 04, May 04, Jan 04 editions.



Again this seems like a GREAT project for milcom hobbyists to undertake in 
EVERY state, either in conjunction with an airshow OR in a more relax non 
airshow visit!!!



Ken

Springfield MA Monitoring Area



---- Original Message ----- 

From: <b52hbuff at sbcglobal.net>

To: "milcom" <milcom at mailman.qth.net>

Sent: Monday, May 14, 2007 6:25 PM

Subject: [MilCom] Radio trends for USN, AF, etc...



>I have been fortunate enough to get around to some of the 'local' airshows 
>in California.  Since the summer of last year, I have been to:
>    Beale AFB
>    MCAS Miramar
>    ...and San Diego Regional TRS
>    NBVC / Naval Base Ventura County
>    ...including Channel Islands ANG
>    NAF El Centro
>    MCB Camp Pendlton
>
> Add to this my 'local base' at Moffett Federal Airfield includes NASA/Ames 
> and the 129th ARQ/CA-ANG.  I would like to point out some changes, and was 
> curious if monitors from other regions could comment...
>
> #1. The AF seems to be 'migrating' to 400MHz narrow band moto trunking.
> #2. All of the 138-150MHz channels are moving to narrow band, but...
>        The ANG is moving to P-25 (Moffett/Channel Islands)
>        The USN seems to prefer analog
>
> I know that there is a 380MHz trunking project in the works.  And I know 
> that Pendlton is moving on it, but I'm curious...