[FedCom] US Coast Guard "Port Security"

[ken windyka]

"Nightly News" on PBS recently had a segment on the US Coast Guard and it's
increased role in Homeland Security as it applies to Port Security.   

Apparently port security prior to "9/11" was a very small aspect of the
USCG mission.  However, it now was a very large portion of their mission
and had resulted in the scale back of drug related interdiction missions.
The program mentioned that in the US there was 360 ports, and over 95,000
ship arrivals occur each year.  USCG had instituted a "Sea Marshal Program"
(which TV video showed inspectors with what appeared to be high VHF band
portable radios) where certain ships, such as cruiser liner passenger ships
are boarded and inspected prior to arrival in port.  Also the US Coast
Guard Auxilary appeared to be playing a very large role in this expanded
mission which was new to that organizations mission.

USCG has in the past used Marine channels such as Channel 16 (156.8), 22
(157.10), as well as 156.3, 156.6, 156.65, 156.70, 157.05, 157.075, 157.10,
157.15, 157.70, etc.  Aero radio traffic may potentially use 381.7, 381.8,
383.9.  At one open house I noted that the Otis USCGAS helos also had some
civilian FD, Med, & PD freqs programmed into the radios.    Also Grove's
"Federal Frequency Directory" 2001 edition (on CD ROM) list approximately
184 scanner related potential other USCG frequencies to monitor (40: 30-50
mhz.  22: 138-150 mhz. 72: 162-174 mhz.  50: 406-420 mhz.).  Grove's
"Military Frequency Directory" 2001 edition (on CD-ROM) list approximately
79 major/minor Coast Guard Facilities located in 24 states.

Monitoring Coast Guard Operations for those next to major water ways &
ports should prove interesting.  I'm located inland so basically at times
pickup some HU25 doing approach training at Westover ARB.  Also apparently
USCG Group Long Island has a remote transmitter site (156.80 mhz) somewhere
on Conneticut River Area (probably in northern CT based upon signal
strength) since I've heard some calls to mariners transmissions.

Ken Windyka
Springfield MA Monitoring Area