[Scan-DC] Question to the group -- favorite open frequency?

Andrew Clegg andrew_w_clegg at hotmail.com
Tue Sep 13 20:40:00 EDT 2011


Reference D.C. starting to encrypt its police communications:

It seems the writing is on the wall, and it's just a matter of time (maybe 
just a few years) until virtually no public safety communications will be 
scannable. This is especially true as the next-generation public safety 
systems will probably go to LTE, which, like regular cell phone (4G) LTE 
systems, are not scannable.

So, given that, what is your favorite frequency or system to listen to that 
is unlikely to be encrypted in the near future? I'll start by chiming in 
with my own favorite -- 129.45 MHz. In the DC region, that frequency's used 
by ARINC to provide flight services to commercial airlines. The frequency 
isn't active much (maybe a few times a day), but when it is, it is almost 
always interesting (sick passengers, maintenance problems, re-routes due to 
bad weather, etc.). I often leave Scanrec going on that frequency during the 
day, and listen to all the activity, compressed into a single recording, 
when I get home in the evening. I have heard flights as far south as the 
Raleigh/Durham area on that frequency, and have heard situations as serious 
as dumping fuel and returning to Dulles due to a perceived serious 
maintenance issue, and as amusing as a passenger unable to get out of the 
lavatory due to a malfunctioning lock.

Please chime in with your own favorite(s). In a few years, these may be all 
we can hear! In the meantime, we'll probably each learn a new frequency or 
two that we haven't been listening to.

Cheers,
Andy
 



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