[Scan-DC] Metropolitan Airports Police and Fire

[Steve Thompson]

Regarding the question on the list about Metropolitan Airports...

The police and fire departments (and snow removal and maintenance) at both 
Reagan National and Dulles are fully operational using the parameters shown 
in the Radio Reference database.

However, these are very low power systems.  You can hear them if you are 
within, say, a mile of the airports.  There is an additional repeater on 
the big tower at Tysons Corner, probably so units can drive between the 
airports while remaining in contact.  I am near that one and I can hear all 
of the traffic from both airports with no trouble.

That being said...it's pretty dull listening.  You will occasionally hear 
the FD roll out when an inbound plane reports a gear problem or some other 
malfunction, and I did once hear the police at Dulles surround a plane with 
snipers after an unruly passenger refused to get off.  (And that wasn't a 
drill.)  But mostly it will be routine traffic enforcement, grants of 
special parking privileges for visiting law enforcement officers, checks of 
malfunctioning gate alarms and the ever-popular names that look like they 
are on the No-Fly list.

Steve, N4TX