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Surveillance Frequency Selection
Surveillance Frequency Selection
COPYRIGHT (C) 1991 BY FULL DISCLOSURE. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
This article will over techniques of selecting frequency for surveillance
use. This information pertains to lawful surveillance by State and Local
government agencies. Federal agencies are not bound by FCC regulations. Those
not intending to use the technical surveillance information in a criminal
prosecutor might be more apt to hide their operation by using a more obscure
frequency.
The information herein has been derived from ``A Guide For Establishing
Electronic Surveillance Operations,'' distributed by Audio Intelligence
Devices, 1400 NW 62d St, Ft Lauderdale, Florida 33309. Phone: (305) 776-5000,
Fax: (305) 776-5005 at the NATIA conference.
The starting point is the examination of FCC regulations that relate to
surveillance radio operation. FCC Regulation 90.19(g)(3):
``A licensee may use, without special approval from the Commission, any
mobile service frequency between 40 and 952 MHz listed in Subpart B of this
part of the Rules, for communications in connection with physical
surveillance, stakeouts, raids and other such activities. Such use shall be
on a secondary basis to the operations of licensees regularly authorized on
the assigned frequencies. The maximum output power that may be used for such
communications is 2 watts. Transmitters operating under this provision of the
Rules, shall be exempted from the station identification requirements, of
Section 90.425. Use of Public Safety frequencies not listed in paragraph (d)
of this section is conditional on the approval of the coordinator
corresponding to each frequency...''
Three suggestions on selecting a frequency to use within these specifications
are provided:
1) Contacting the Association of Public Communication Officers (APCO)
frequency coordinator and reviewing the options for your area,
2) Using a mobile police scanner to search through the VHF band and make a
list of the used and unused frequencies in your area. Any of the unused ones
that meet the FCC requirements would be usable, or
3) Deriving a list of unused frequency from a police frequency directory and
then using a scanner to make sure they are in fact open.
After selection of a frequency or frequencies, a surveillance user has to
remain aware that it could be assigned to someone in the future requiring
reselection of a surveillance frequency.
Surveillance transmitters used for tracking purposes (vehicle, person, etc)
have a different set of requirements to fulfil. In addition to power output
requirements, there are stricter frequency requirements and the transmitters
must have a ``positive means'' to limit the transmission time to no more than
10 days. The use of battery life is an allowable method to control
transmission time.
Tracking transmitters are required to operate in the following frequency
ranges:
150.999 - 151.490 MHz<R>
153.740 - 154.445 MHz<R>
154.635 - 155.195 MHz<R>
155.415 - 156.250 MHz<R>
158.715 - 159.465 MHz
The following public safety radio frequencies have been allocated by the FCC
for the following services:
Police
154.650 154.665 154.680<R>
154.695 154.710 154.725<R>
154.740 154.770 154.785<R>
154.800 154.815 154.830<R>
154.845 154.860 154.875<R>
154.890 154.905 154.920<R>
154.935 154.950 155.010<R>
155.070 155.130 155.190<R>
155.250 155.310 155.370<R>
155.415 155.430 155.445<R>
155.460 155.475 155.490<R>
155.505 155.535 155.550<R>
155.580 155.595 155.610<R>
155.625 155.640 155.655<R>
155.670 155.685 155.700<R>
155.730 155.790 155.850<R>
155.910 155.970 156.030<R>
156.090 156.150 156.210<R>
158.730 158.790 158.850<R>
158.910 159.030 159.090<R>
159.150 159.210
Local Government
153.740 153.755 153.785<R>
153.800 153.815 153.845<R>
153.860 153.875 153.905<R>
153.920 153.935 153.965<R>
153.980 153.995 154.025<R>
154.040 154.055 154.085<R>
154.100 154.115 154.45625<R>
154.46375 154.47175 154.47875<R>
154.965 154.980 154.995<R>
154.025 154.040 154.055<R>
154.085 155.100 155.115<R>
155.145 155.715 155.745
155.760 155.775 155.805<R>
155.820 155.835 155.865<R>
155.880 155.895 155.925<R>
155.940 155.955 155.985<R>
156.000 156.015 158.745<R>
158.760 158.775 158.805<R>
158.820 158.835 158.865<R>
158.880 158.895 158.925<R>
158.940 158.955 173.20375<R>
173.210 173.2375 173.2625<R>
173.2875 173.3125 173.3375<R>
173.3625 173.390 173.39625
Fire
153.770 153.830 153.890<R>
153.950 154.010 154.070<R>
154.130 154.145 154.160<R>
154.175 154.190 154.205<R>
154.220 154.235 154.250<R>
154.265 154.280 154.295<R>
154.310 154.325 154.340<R>
154.355 154.370 154.385<R>
154.400 154.415 154.430<R>
154.445 166.250 170.150
Highway Maintenance
150.995 151.010 151.025<R>
151.040 151.055 151.070<R>
151.085 151.100 151.115<R>
151.130 156.045 156.060<R>
156.075 156.105 156.120<R>
156.135 156.165 156.180<R>
156.195 156.225 156.240<R>
157.050 157.110 158.985<R>
159.000 159.015 159.045<R>
159.060 159.075 159.105<R>
159.120 159.135 153.165<R>
159.180 159.159
Forest Conservation
151.145 151.160 151.175<R>
151.190 151.205 151.220<R>
151.235 151.250 151.265<R>
151.280 151.295 151.310<R>
151.325 151.340 151.355<R>
151.370 151.385 151.400<R>
151.415 151.430 151.445<R>
151.460 151.475 151.490<R>
159.225 159.240 159.255<R>
159.270 159.285 159.300<R>
159.315 153.330 153.345<R>
159.360 159.375 159.390<R>
159.405 159.420 159.435<R>
159.465 170.425 170.475<R>
170.575 171.425 171.475<R>
171.575 172.225 172.275<R>
172.375
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