[Scan-DC] FRS In Times Square!

[William Rossiter III]

Hello all.  I just got back from a 4 day trip to New York City.  This was my
first time in the Big Apple, and I stayed on the 40th floor of the Double
Tree Suites in Times Square.  I didnt bring my scanner with me, but I did
bring my TalkAbout 280 FRS radio (which has an FRS scanner built into it).
I am writing to inform everyone what the FRS life is like in Times Square.

-95% of all people using FRS radios in New York City, use CTCSS tones.
-During the daytime, if you press MONITOR on the radio, one can hear
somebody on probably about 400 of the total 532 channels (14 X 38).
-During the night time, one can hear somebody on almost all the FRS
channels.
-A large amount of businesses use FRS in Times Square.  I heard 2 limo
companys using them.  7 different hotels use them.  And numerous street
shops using them.
-Believe it or not, there are FRS repeaters set up in NYC.  I dont know if
they are llegal or illegal, but they definitly exist.  They work on an input
channel/output channel system.  I counted 3 different repeaters in total.
Two repeaters were used for limo companies, and 1 was being used for the
dance club "Barcode".

The limo repeaters went like this:

Input: Channel 14 - CTCSS 28
Output:  Channel 3 - CTCSS 28

Input: Channel 10 - CTCSS 13
Output: Channel 2 - CTCSS 13

The dance club repeater went like this:

Input: Channel 5 - CTCSS 22
Output:  Channel 6 - CTCSS 22

- The limo repeater is excelent.  I took a taxi down to ground zero, while
my brother stayed in Times Square.  I called him on the cell phone and told
him to transmit on the input channel.
I then listened to both channels.  The input channel was totally silent, but
on the output channel I heard my brother!
- I am guessing that they get away with using repeaters because so many
channels are constantly being used, that it would be extremely difficult for
the FCC to track down FRS pirates.  It kinda reminds of CB Channel 6.

Anyway, that was my FRS experience in NYC.  I encourage everyone who goes
there in the future, to monitor all the FRS channels.

-Bill