General Guide to Scanning
Guide to Action Bands Faxback Doc. # 45400
Reception Notes
Reception of the frequencies covered by your scanner is mainly "line-of
sight." That means you usually cannot hear stations at your listening
location that are located beyond the horizon.
During summer months, you might be able to hear stations in the 30-50 MHz
range located several hundred or even thousands of miles away. This is due
to summer atmospheric conditions. This type of reception is unpredictable,
but often very interesting.
One very useful service is the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration
(NOAA) Weather Radio's continuous weather broadcasts. These broadcasts
contain weather forecasts and data for the area around the station, plus
bulletins on any threatening weather conditions. These stations use three
frequencies - 162.40, 162.475 and 162.55 MHz. In most areas of the country
you can receive one or more of these frequencies.
Guide To The Action Bands
With the right frequencies programmed into your scanner, you can monitor
exciting events. With a little investigation, you can find active
frequencies in your community. We can give you some general pointers, and
you can take it from there. Please use caution and common sense when you
hear an emergency call. Never go to the scene of an emergency - it could
be the most dangerous thing you could ever do.
Find out if there is a local club that monitors your community's
frequencies. Perhaps a local electronics repair shop that works on
equipment similar to your scanner can give you channel frequencies used by
local radio services. A volunteer police or fire employee can also be a
good source for this information.
As a general rule on VHF most activity is concentrated between 153.785 and
155.98 MHz and then again from 158.73 to 159.46 MHz. Here you find local
government , police, fire and most emergency services. If you are near a
railroad or major railroad tracks, look around 160.0 to 161.9 for signals.
In some large cities, there has been a move to the UHF bands for emergency
services. Here, most of the activity is between 453.025 and 453.95 MHz
and between 456.025 and 467.925 MHz.
In the UHF band, frequencies between 456.025 and 459.95 MHz and between
465.025 and 469.975 MHz are used by mobile units and control stations
associated with base and repeater units that operate 5 MHz lower (that is,
451.025 to 454.95 MHz and 460.025 to 464.975 MHz). This means that if you
find an active frequency inside one of these spreads, you can look 5 MHz
lower (or higher) to find the base station/repeater for that service.
A newer technology is now available that uses the 800 MHz band for many
services. Trunked radio, introduced to business systems in 1979, is now
used by some public safety agencies. With up to twenty channels available,
the transmitter automatically selects an unused frequency each time it is
activated. Several agencies can share such a system without interfering,
and the system can provide secure communications for selected units, with
unselected units unable to hear the message.
Unlike the lower bands, frequencies in the 800 MHz band are not allocated
by the FCC to specific services. In each area, the channels are licensed
on a first come, first served basis. There are two categories for
licensing: Public Safety and Industrial. Systems using one to five
channels are conventional. Five channel systems might use trunking, but
all systems with more than five channels must use trunking.
851.0125 - 855.9875 ............. Conventional Systems
856.0125 - 860.9875 ............. Conventional or Trunked
861.0125 - 865.9875 ............. Trunked Systems
866.0000 - 869.9999 ............. Reserved - Satellite
You might discover one of your regular stations on another frequency that
is not listed. It might be what is known as an image. For example, you
suddenly find 453.275 also on 474.675. To see if it is an image, do a
little math. Double the intermediate frequency of 10.7 MHz and subtract
that number (21.4) from the new frequency. If the answer is the regular
frequency, then you have tuned to an image. Occasionally you might get
interference on a weak or distant channel from a strong broadcast 21.4 MHz
below the tuned frequency. This is rare, and the image signal is usually
cleared whenever there is a broadcast on the actual frequency.
Frequencies in different bands are accessible only at specific intervals.
In the VHF-Lo, HAM, Government and VHF-Hi bands, frequencies are available
in 5 kHz steps, and in the aircraft band, frequencies are available in 25
kHz steps. In all other bands frequencies are available in 12.5 kHz steps.
Your scanner rounds the entered frequency down to the nearest valid
frequency. For example, if you try to enter 151.473, the scanner accepts
this as 151.470 MHz.
Guide To Frequencies
National Weather Frequencies:
162.400 162.475 162.525
162.425 162.500 162.550
162.450
Canadian Weather Frequencies:
161.650 161.775 163.275
NOTE: These frequencies are not pre-programmed in the weather service
bank but can be manually programmed into a channel.
Birdie Frequencies
Every scanner has birdie frequencies. Birdies are signals created inside
the scanner's receiver. These operating frequencies might interfere with
broadcasts on the same frequencies. If you program one of these
frequencies, you hear only noise on that frequency. If the interference
is not severe, you might be able to turn SQUELCH clockwise to cut out the
birdie.
The most common birdies to watch for are listed below (in MHz):
32.0000 147.2000
32.1100 147.6200 to 147.7000
33.1000 148.5700
37.1300 152.7600
38.1300 153.6000
38.4000 158.7900
39.1300 160.0000
40.2000 160.8000
40.9800 164.8200
43.1500 166.4000
44.8000 172.8000
47.1950 384.4500
48.2000 407.5500
51.2000 433.3500
51.2250 453.8750
52.2150 457.2450
108.4500 458.4250
108.8000 465.4500
115.2000 467.3250
121.6000 469.4250
123.2000 474.9625
123.7250 477.3750
124.4750 484.0000
125.6250 492.8000
128.0000 494.0375
128.4750 498.0500
134.4000 510.1000
136.5650 512.0000
140.7000
140.8000
144.6000
Typical Band Usage
The following is a brief listing of the typical services using the bands
your scanner can receive. This listing can help you decide which ranges
you would like to scan.
VHF Band:
Low Range: ............................................... 29.00-50.00 MHz
6-Meter Amateur: ......................................... 50.00-54.00 MHz
U.S. Government: ....................................... 137.00-144.00 MHz
2-Meter Amateur: ....................................... 144.00-148.00 MHz
High Range: ............................................ 148.00-174.00 MHz
UHF Band:
U.S. Government: ....................................... 406.00-420.00 MHz
70-cm Amateur: ......................................... 420.00-450.00 MHz
Low Range: ............................................. 450.00-470.00 MHz
FM-TV Audio Broadcast, Wide Band: ...................... 470.00-512.00 MHz
Public Service: ........................................ 806.00-823.93 MHz
Conventional Systems: .................................. 851.00-856.00 MHz
Conventional/Trunked Systems: .......................... 856.00-861.00 MHz
Trunked Systems: ....................................... 861.00-866.00 MHz
Public Safety: ......................................... 866.00-868.93 MHz
High Range: ............................................ 896.11-902.00 MHz
32-Centimeter Amateur: ................................. 902.00-928.00 MHz
Private Trunked: ....................................... 935.00-940.00 MHz
General Trunked: ....................................... 940.00-941.00 MHz
Fixed Services: ........................................ 941.00-944.00 MHz
Studio-to-Transmitter Broad-cast Links: ................ 944.00-952.00 MHz
Private Fixed Services, Paging: ........................ 952.00-960.00 MHz
Aeronautical Navigation: .............................. 960.00-1000.00 MHz
Primary Usage:
As a general rule, most of the radio activity is concentrated on the
following frequencies:
VHF Band:
Activities Frequencies
Government, Police, and Fire: ........................ 153.785-155.980 MHz
Emergency Services: .................................. 158.730-159.460 MHz
Railroad: ............................................ 160.000-161.900 MHz
UHF Band:
Activities Frequencies
Land-Mobile "Paired" Frequencies: .................... 450.000-470.000 MHz
Base Stations: ....................................... 451.025-454.950 MHz
Mobile Units: ........................................ 456.025-459.950 MHz
Repeater Units: ...................................... 460.025-464.975 MHz
Control Stations: .................................... 465.025-469.975 MHz
NOTE: Remote control stations and mobile units operate at 5 MHz higher
than their associated base stations and relay repeater units.
Band Allocation:
To help decide which frequency ranges to scan, use the following listing
of the typical services that use the frequencies your scanner receives.
These frequencies are subject to change, and might vary from area to area.
For a more complete listing, refer to the "Police Call Radio Guide
including Fire and Emergency Services," available at your local RadioShack
store.
Abbreviations Services
BIFC: .................................. Boise (ID) Interagency Fire Cache
BUS: ............................................................ Business
CAP: .................................................... Civil Air Patrol
CB: ........................................................ Citizens Band
CCA: ...................................................... Common Carrier
CSB: ................................................ Conventional Systems
CTSB: ....................................... Conventional/Trunked Systems
FIRE: .................................................... Fire Department
HAM: ................................................. Amateur (Ham) Radio
GOVT: ................................................. Federal Government
GMR: ................................................ General Mobile Radio
GTR: ..................................................... General Trunked
IND: ................................................. Industrial Services
(Manufacturing, Construction, Farming, Forest Products)
MAR: .............................................. Military Amateur Radio
MARI: ............................................. Maritime Limited Coast
(Coast Guard, Marine Telephone, Shipboard Radio, Private Stations)
MARS: .................................... Military Affiliate Radio System
MED: .......................................... Emergency/Medical Services
MIL: ....................................................... U.S. Military
MOV: ....................................... Motion Picture/Video Industry
NEW: ................................................... New Mobile Narrow
NEWS: .................................. Relay Press (Newspaper Reporters)
OIL: .............................................. Oil/Petroleum Industry
POL: ................................................... Police Department
PUB: ..................................................... Public Services
(Public Safety, Local Government, Forestry Conservation)
PSB: ....................................................... Public Safety
PTR: ..................................................... Private Trunked
ROAD: ......................................... Road & Highway Maintenance
RTV: .................................... Radio/TV Remote Broadcast Pickup
TAXI: ....................................................... Taxi Service
TELB: ................................................... Mobile Telephone
(Aircraft, Radio Common Carrier, Landline Companies)
TELC: ................... ................................ Cordless Phones
TELM: .............................................. Telephone Maintenance
TOW: .......................................................... Tow Trucks
TRAN: ............................................ Transportation Services
(Trucks, Tow Trucks, Buses, Railroad, Other)
TSB: ..................................................... Trunked Systems
TVn: ............................................... FM-TV Audio Broadcast
USXX: .............................................. Government Classified
UTIL: ............................................ Power & Water Utilities
WTHR: ............................................................ Weather
Very High Frequency (VHF):
VHF Low Band-(29-50 MHz-In 5 kHz steps):
29.000-29.700: ....................................................... HAM
29.900-30.550: ................................................. GOVT, MIL
30.580-31.980: .................................................. IND. PUB
32.000-32.990: ................................................. GOVT. MIL
33.020-33.980: ............................................. BUS, IND, PUB
34.010-34.990: ................................................. GOVT, MIL
35.020-35.980: ....................................... BUS, PUB, IND, TELM
36.000-36.230: ................................................. GOVT, MIL
36.250: ................................................ Oil Spill Cleanup
36.270-36.990: ................................................. GOVT, MIL
37.020-37.980: .................................................. PUB, IND
38.000-39.000: ................................................. GOVT, MIL
39.020-39.980: ....................................................... PUB
40.000-42.000: ........................................... GOVT, MIL, MARI
42.020-42.940: ....................................................... POL
42.960-43.180: ....................................................... IND
43.220-43.680: ............................................ TELM, IND, PUB
43.700-44.600: ...................................................... TRAN
44.620-46.580: .................................................. POL, PUB
46.600-46.990: ................................................ GOVT, TELC
47.020-47.400: ....................................................... PUB
47.420: ............................................... American Red Cross
47.440-49.580: .................................................. IND, PUB
49.610-49.990: ................................................. MIL, TELC
6-Meter Amateur Band - (50-54 MHz):
50.00-54.00: ......................................................... HAM
Aircraft Band - (108-137 MHz):
108.00-121.490: ...................................................... AIR
121.500: ................................................... AIR Emergency
121.510-136.000: ..................................................... AIR
U.S. Government Band - (137-144 MHz):
137.000-144.00: ................................................ GOVT, MIL
2-Meter Amateur Band - (144-148 MHz):
144.000-148.00: ...................................................... HAM
VHF High Band - (148-174 MHz):
148.050-150.345: ........................................... CAP, MAR, MIL
150.775-150.790: ..................................................... MED
150.815-150.980: .................................. TOW, Oil Spill Cleanup
150.995-151.475: ............................................... ROAD, POL
151.490-151.955: ................................................ IND, BUS
151.985: ............................................................ TELM
152.0075: ............................................................ MED
152.030-152.240: .................................................... TELB
152.270-152.480: .......................................... IND, TAXI, BUS
152.510-152.840: .................................................... TELB
152.870-153.020: ................................................ IND, MOV
153.035-153.725: .......................................... IND, OIL, UTIL
153.740-154.445: ............................................... PUB, FIRE
154.490-154.570: ................................................ IND, BUS
154.585: ............................................... Oil Spill Cleanup
154.600-154.625: ..................................................... BUS
154.655-156.240: ..................................... MED, ROAD, POL, PUB
156.255-157.425: ............................................... OIL, MARI
157.450: ............................................................. MED
157.470-157.515: ..................................................... TOW
157.530-157.725: ............................................... IND, TAXI
157.740: ............................................................. BUS
157.770-158.100: .................................................... TELB
158.130-158.460: ............................... BUS, IND, OIL, TELM, UTIL
158.490-158.700: .................................................... TELB
158.730-159.465: .......................................... POL, PUB, ROAD
159.480: ............................................................. OIL
159.495-161.565: .................................................... TRAN
161.580-162.000: .......................................... OIL, MARI, RTV
162.0125-162.35: ......................................... GOVT, MIL, USXX
162.400-162.550: .................................................... WTHR
162.5625-162.6375: ....................................... GOVT, MIL, USXX
162.6625: ............................................................ MED
162.6875-163.225: ........................................ GOVT, MIL, USXX
163.250: ............................................................. MED
163.275-166.225: ......................................... GOVT, MIL, USXX
166.250: ................................................. GOVT, RTV, FIRE
166.275-169.400: .............................................. GOVT, BIFC
169.445-169.505: .................................... Wireless Mikes, GOVT
169.55-169.9875: ......................................... GOVT, MIL, USXX
170.000-170.150: ................................... BIFC, GOVT, RTV, FIRE
170.175-170.225: .................................................... GOVT
170.245-170.305: .......................................... Wireless Mikes
170.350-170.400: ............................................... GOVT, MIL
170.425-170.450: .................................................... BIFC
170.475: ............................................................. PUB
170.4875-173.175: .............................. GOVT, PUB, Wireless Mikes
173.225-173.5375: ................................... MOV, NEWS, UTIL, MIL
173.5625-173.5875: ............................... MIL Medical/Crash Crews
173.60-173.9875: .................................................... GOVT
Ultra High Frequency (UHF):
U.S. Government Band - (406-420 MHz):
406.125-419.975: .............................................. GOVT, USXX
70-cm Amateur Band - (420-450 MHz):
420.000-450.000: ..................................................... HAM
Low Band - (450-470 MHz):
450.050-450.925: ..................................................... RTV
451.025-452.025: .................................... IND, OIL, TELM, UTIL
452.0375-453.00: ............................... IND, TAXI, TRAN TOW, NEWS
453.0125-454.000: ............................................... PUB, OIL
454.025-454.975: .................................................... TELB
455.050-455.925: ..................................................... RTV
457.525-457.600: ..................................................... BUS
458.025-458.175: ..................................................... MED
460.0125-460.6375: ........................................ FIRE, POL, PUB
460.650-462.175: ..................................................... BUS
462.1875-462.450: ............................................... BUS, IND
462.4625-462.525: ................................... IND, OIL, TELM, UTIL
462.550-462.925: ................................................ GMR, BUS
462.9375-463.1875: ................................................... MED
463.200-467.925: ..................................................... BUS
FM-TV Audio Broadcast, UHF Wide Band - (470-512 MHz):
(Channels 14 through 69 in 6 MHz steps):
475.750: ...................................................... Channel 14
481.750: ...................................................... Channel 15
487.750: ...................................................... Channel 16
511.750: ...................................................... Channel 20
NOTE: Some cities use the 470-512 MHz band for land/mobile service.
Conventional Systems Band - Locally Assigned:
851.0125-855.9875: ................................................... CSB
Conventional/Trunked Systems Band - Locally Assigned:
856.0125-860.9875: .................................................. CTSB
Trunked Systems Band - Locally Assigned:
861.0125-865.9875: ................................................... TSB
Public Safety Band - Locally Assigned:
866.0125-868.9875: ................................................... PSB
33-Centimeter Amateur Band - (902-928 MHz):
902.0000-928.000: .................................................... HAM
Private Trunked:
935.0125-939.9875: ................................................... PTR
General Trunked:
940.0125-940.9875: ................................................... GTR
Abbreviations used by permission of the publishers of Police Call Radio
Guide, Copyright Hollins Radio Data.
Frequency Conversion
The tuning location of a station can be expressed in frequency (kHz or
MHz) or in wavelength (meters). The following information can help you
make the necessary conversions.
1 MHz (million) = 1,000 kHz (thousand)
To convert MHz to kHz, multiply the number of megahertz by 1,000:
9.62 (MHz) x 1000 = 9620 kHz
To convert from kHz to MHz, divide the number of kilohertz by 1,000:
2780 (kHz) divided by 1000 = 2.780 MHz
To convert MHz to meters, divide 300 by the number of megahertz:
300 divided by 7.1 MHz = 42.25 meters
(LB/EB 1/14/98)
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