parnass@ihu1h.UUCP (Bob Parnass, AJ9S) (05/02/85)
x
HOW DO YOU FIND THESE FREQUENCIES?
PART I - BOOKS, MICROFICHE, RADIO CLUBS
Bob Parnass, AJ9S
I am often asked, "How do you find these frequencies?"
Scanner enthusiasts can obtain frequency information
from several sources, including books, government
microfiche records, or other listeners.
Books
The most convenient source of fire and police frequen-
cies is the _P_o_l_i_c_e__C_a_l_l__R_a_d_i_o__G_u_i_d_e_, published each
year in 9 regional volumes by Hollins Radio Data, and
sold at Radio Shack and larger book stores for about
$7. _P_o_l_i_c_e__C_a_l_l is basically a computer printout of
FCC license information in the fire, police, local
government, and conservation services in two lists: by
licensee name within state, and by frequency. Later
editions have included a few pages of local airport and
nonsensitive federal government frequencies.
I highly recommend Richard Prelinger's new book,
_M_o_n_i_t_o_r__A_m_e_r_i_c_a_, published by SMB Publishing, and
available from Grove Enterprises for about $15. This
single edition contains 582 pages of police, fire,
local government, news media, sports, national park,
and commercial broadcast frequencies for all 50 states.
The information was compiled mainly from members of the
world's largest scanning club, the Radio Communications
Monitoring Association (RCMA). _M_o_n_i_t_o_r__A_m_e_r_i_c_a con-
tains detailed communications system profiles and pre-
cinct maps for major metropolitan areas. Police and
fire radio codes and unit identifiers unique to local
agencies are listed for several cities. This differs
from _P_o_l_i_c_e__C_a_l_l_, which gives a more sterile, but uni-
form treatment of licensees, listing even the smallest
of towns.
The most readily available source of sensitive US
government frequencies is still Tom Kneitel's 168 page
_T_o_p__S_e_c_r_e_t__R_e_g_i_s_t_r_y__o_f__U_S__G_o_v_e_r_n_m_e_n_t__R_a_d_i_o__F_r_e_q_u_e_n_c_i_e_s_.
Published by CRB Research, the 5th edition is available
from Galaxy Electronics (Box 1202, 67 Eber Ave., Akron,
Ohio) for about $15. Kneitel's book contains frequency
listings for NASA, military, FBI, Secret Service, DEA,
IRS, Border Patrol, arsenals, ammunition plants, mis-
sile sites, and others in the 25 to 470 MHz range.
Since the US government no longer offers frequency
information for its own stations, and has never pub-
lished sensitive frequencies, most of the information
in Kneitel's book has been collected from listeners
over the years. It is certainly not complete, nor 100%
accurate, but is the best book in print for this diffi-
cult to obtain information.
Magazines
Although national in circulation, local frequency
information is sometimes available in Grove's
_M_o_n_i_t_o_r_i_n_g__T_i_m_e_s and Kneitel's sensationalistic
_P_o_p_u_l_a_r__C_o_m_m_u_n_i_c_a_t_i_o_n_s_.
Government Records
Every year, the US Government sells FCC license infor-
mation, in the form of microfiche, to the public
through the US Bureau of Commerce National Technical
Information Service (NTIS).
These lists contain license information for the indus-
trial (e.g. Illinois Amored Car, Pinkerton's Security,
Joe's Towing, etc.), highway maintenance, commercial
broadcast, aviation, common carrier, and maritime ser-
vices, as well as for police and fire. Microfiche is
not for the casual hobbyist, but rather for the ardent
listener, who can easily spend a few hundred dollars
for the fiche, not including the price of a microfiche
reader.
Copies of some of the FCC microfiche files are sold by
Grove Enterprises. Buying from Grove is usually
cheaper than buying directly from NTIS, although Grove
doesn't offer all the files available from the govern-
ment.
Since federal government radio stations are not licen-
sed by the FCC, they are not listed in FCC microfiche.
In 1981, a group of 60 radio hobbyists split a $1300
fee, and obtained 80 microfiche cards of 'sanitized'
information about federal government radio stations
under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)1. Only 12
of the 21 information fields for each station were fur-
nished. Fields like "Remarks", which indicate the
exact usage of a channel (e.g. "Sky Marshall's Net"),
and "Bureau", indicating agency subdivision (e.g. TAC
within the USAF), were withheld. These 80 pages of
microfiche are available from Grove Enterprises for
$25. In a step backward, the US Government insists it
will no longer release this type of information - it is
now 'classified'2.
For a reason unknown to this author, the government
recently released a 1984 vintage set of frequencies
allocated to the FAA. Perhaps this was a mistake,
because the information is marked 'unclassified', but
all fields are furnished, including some which indicate
security related usage. Grove sells this set of 33
microfiche cards for about $13.
Radio Clubs
One of the best parts of the hobby is sharing it with
other radio buffs. Trading information with other hob-
byists about frequencies, communication systems, and
receiving equipment is more valuable than a pile of
magazines.
In 20 years of being an amateur radio operator, and
belonging to amateur radio clubs, I never realized
there were any scanner clubs! In 1983, I joined the
world's largest scanner club, the Radio Communications
Monitoring Association (RCMA).
Founded in 1975, the RCMA is the "first national and
international organization of monitor radio listeners."
There are several regional chapters which hold regular
meetings. Club dues are $16.50 per year, which inclu-
des a monthly newsletter of about 95 pages. Although
the focus is on VHF and UHF ranges, there is coverage
of HF utility stations below 30 MHz.
Inquiries about RCMA membership should be sent to:
RCMA General Manager
P.O. Box 542
Silverado, CA 92676
USA
The Scanner Association of North American (SCAN) is a
scanner organization headquartered in Chicago. Having
no elected officers or meetings, SCAN is not a club in
the traditional sense, rather it is run by an adver-
tising agency contracted by the manufacturer of Bearcat
scanners. The $12 per year membership fee includes
_S_C_A_N__M_a_g_a_z_i_n_e_, a thin, albeit glossy, bimonthly.
Membership information is available from:
Scanner Association of North America
240 Fencl Lane
Hillside, Illinois 60162
Do Your Own Sleuthing
The real challenge is deriving new spectrum usage
information. Sometimes it requires several days of
listening, taping, and compiling fragments of informa-
tion. Other times, the frequency information is there
for the taking - without hassle. More about this in
the next installment.
__________
1. See "The Government Giveth, the Government Taketh Away",
by Richard Prelinger, in _M_o_n_i_t_o_r_i_n_g__T_i_m_e_s_, July 1982.
2. See "AFIO and the FOIA", by Bob Grove, in
_M_o_n_i_t_o_r_i_n_g__T_i_m_e_s_, September 1982.
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Bob Parnass, Bell Telephone Laboratories - ihnp4!ihu1h!parnass - (312)979-5414