[Scan-DC] Jeff's Freq Search Project

[Jeff]

Folks,
Yesterday I received an email asking if I could possibly explain how I =
go
about finding and working the frequencies I have been posting here =
lately. I
figured someone else might get a kick out a seeing how anal I am so I
thought I would go ahead and post this to all of the groups I post my
Southern MD Audio Log notes to.=20

Any comments would be most welcome.



Jeff=92s Freq Search Project
SEARCHING:
I have 4 Unidens I have setup as my search scanners. I use the Unidens =
for
their speed and large memory capacity and their Search Auto Store =
feature. I
have each of the four scanners set up as Follows:
BC780 XLT searches and auto stores 138-144 MHz, 25 KHz step size, AM =
mode,
attenuated, with squelch knob set at about =BD way up the scale.
BC250 (#1) does the same as above but works 225-283 MHz
BC250 (#2) does 283-341 MHz
BC250 (#3) does 341-400 MHz.
I use the attenuation feature and keep the squelch knob set up at about =
=BD
way so that I might minimize pulling in too many weak/distant signals.
Later, when I get to a point that I am not pulling in a lot of new freqs
then I will considering opening the squelch gate or disabling the
attenuation feature. At this point, it takes me, at most, 30 seconds to =
get
through the search ranges.
I have started everything anew on 1/1/04 and to date have found:
138-144 - about 130 freqs
225-283 - about 320 freqs
283-341 =96 about 210 freqs
341-400 =96 about 220 freqs
	The four scanners above are dedicated to this task. They do this
24/7. I have never even heard audio on a couple of them as they were =
bought
for this purpose. Each Friday, I sit down and hook each of these =
scanners up
to the computer and upload the freqs found that week into a file. I date =
the
freq per the date of upload, sort the freqs numerically then =
alphabetically,
then download them back into their respective scanner and set it loose
searching and auto storing all over again until the following Friday. By
using the Search Auto store feature these scanners do not duplicate the
freqs they have already found which is a big plus. My old Pro-2035 will
duplicate a freq every time it hits it.
=09
SAMPLING:
Once the freqs have been found by the search scanners above, they are =
copied
over into Spectrum Explorer which I use to run a PCR-1000. This scanner =
is
what I call my =93SAMPLER=94. It simply scans all the freqs the search =
scanners
have found to date. It counts hits, signal strength and such. Plus, I =
have
each freq set up for recording to this Digital Audio Logger in Spectrum
Explorer. This scanner, running under computer control scans these freqs =
and
records all audio transmitted 24/7. But, I keep a time limit of 10 =
seconds
set for the recording time for each freq, hence my calling it the =
=93SAMPLER=94.
It will record for 10 seconds then start scanning again. If it hits the =
same
freq then it will record another 10 seconds. I do this so that if the =
freq
turns out to be some data signal, itinerate or some other sort of freq =
that
causes my scanners to lock up on the freq, then I won=92t have a 24 hour =
long
audio clip of bad comms on one frequency.
Anyway, like I said, I sit down and review this audio daily. If I hear
verbal comms being used on the freq then the freq is copied over into =
the
next computer/scanner combo, details to follow, and it is deleted from =
the
scan list of this scanner. If it is a bad freq then I attenuate it, and
color code it yellow. If the after having been attenuated, the freq =
still
poses a problem then I color code it Red and lock it out. I will be =
going
back through these later when I get to a point that I am not picking up =
new
freqs and recording a lot of audio.=20
Sam Dunham has taken an interest in how I do things and has offered to =
work
on an add-on to his current software line which will allow me to use
Spectrum Explorer to run all the Unidens simultaneously and have them
automatically store the new freqs found immediately to my SAMPLER file =
for
immediate recording once the freq has been found by the Search Scanners.
This will automate my process and will eliminate the task every Friday =
of
uploading, dating and downloading the freqs. I am looking forward to =
this.




SCANNING and RECORDING
	After the freqs have made it through the steps above, and verbal
comms have been recorded by the SAMPLER, then the freq goes into another
computer scanner combo the runs Spectrum Explorer controlling a RS =
Pro-2035
W/OS535 board installed. This is my main scanner for the search project. =
Its
job is to scan all the freqs found thus far and have had verbal comms
transmitted. It records ALL audio transmitted and received by my =
scanner.
The computer is a Dell Inspiron 8500 and after each days scanning is =
done I
take this computer to work and sit down and review the audio. I make my
notes and post those notes to the groups seeking any help I can get. The
trick here is that I only work freqs that I am trying to ID. So I tend =
to
miss a lot but in the mean time I am putting together one heck of a list =
of
freqs that I can hear later once all this is done.=20
	Once I have had enough logs on a freq to develop a reasonable
suspicion of the freqs usage then I start researching the freq. Once I =
am
reasonably sure of a freqs usage I then tag it and lock it out. At this
point I do not put a lot of detail on the freq. That will be much easier =
to
do later when I am not picking up as many new freqs as I am now. I can =
then
divide all the freqs found into their respective groups and it will be
easier to put details on the freqs like BTN #s, APP/DEP etc.
	Once the freq has been identified and locked out of the scan list I
then copy it over into another scan group with like frequencies. For =
example
DC ANG if it=92s a DC ANG freq.=20

ANTENNA & COAX
	My antenna setup has something to be desired as I live in a HOA. To
date I have been using an attic mounted RS Discone connected to a
Stridesberg MCA208 Multicoupler. This antenna feeds all 6 scanners =
above. I
now have an extra RS Discone and plan on going on to the roof with it on =
a
tripod and 10=92 mast. I have a neighbor who is a HAM operator with a
respectable Ant. Farm on his roof and has received no finger shaking by =
the
Home Owners Association so I decided to get brave and go topside. I live =
in
a pretty high area, have one of the taller houses around and don=92t =
have any
trees with about 1/8 mile that are taller than my house. A 10=92 mast =
will put
my antenna at about 34=92 feet which I think will do me fine for MILAIR. =
For
cable I am using all BELDIN 9913 F7 (FLEX). I have been very happy with =
the
results from this cable.







Jeff

Monitoring from Southern MD with: BC250D(x3), BC780XLT, Pro-26, Pro-92,
Pro-94, Pro-94(A), Pro-2035 W/OS535 Board, PCR-1000(x2).=20
All of the Computer Controllable radios running under Signal =
Intelligence
Products: http://www.scanstar.com/