DOE Convoy Comms & Re: [FedCom] Transporter Picture

[Brian Scott]

Hi Group,

In the old days (early 1990's), I heard transportation net on 11.555 USB.
It was a convoy that was heavily armed and had mobiles shutting of
intersection way in advance of the convoy coming.  This net appeared to be
cross country because I heard it for two or three days.  I never really knew
where they were and was a little confused by the shutting down of
intersections.  I'd thought these guys would've been using routes without
many stops, but then again, I guess they don't want an incident on a major
highway either.  It was pretty interesting to listen to, but it was my one
time, only DOE transportation communications net monitoring experience I
have ever bad.  I would think that even for short or long range
communications today there would be encryption used almost extensively.
Could SATCOM be used on a mobile, ground based transportation net?

Brian Scott
Ft. Worth, TX

-----Original Message-----
From: fedcom-bounces at mailman.qth.net [mailto:fedcom-bounces at mailman.qth.net]
On Behalf Of News1
Sent: Tuesday, September 20, 2005 4:10 PM
To: 'Discussion of Federal Government Communications'
Subject: RE: DOE Convoy Comms & Re: [FedCom] Transporter Picture

I've monitored what I believe is DOE stuff on 163.??? (been a while, can't
remember!). The truck had stopped on I-20 about 30 miles outside of Dallas.
It was hard to tell how many vehicle were running with them convoy but one
was a van with a laptop that was very visible.  That vehicle had several
antennas including an HF whip. Lots of DES/Simplex traffic. A lot of waste
moves along the I-20 corridor through the south side of Dallas County and
that may be what I saw. It was one of those deals where the scout lit up and
after looking around a bit it became very obvious. 


On a related note for anyone that hasn't used the "close call" functions on
the new scanner they are cool. I bought a 396 several weeks ago and some day
I've got to use the radio function, currently I'm just running close call.
Side by side with a scout the scout will get the short data type xmitters
more often/quicker but for a voice transmission the 396 is great. I suspect
they had to do the button push to see the frequency to avoid stepping on
Opto's patent and that's the only complaint I have with the device.
Considering the size and cost (both slightly larger) the scout may get
replaced with a 396 dedicated to run close call. 



Terry


-----Original Message-----
From: fedcom-bounces at mailman.qth.net [mailto:fedcom-bounces at mailman.qth.net]
On Behalf Of Ken
Sent: Tuesday, September 20, 2005 3:42 PM
To: Discussion of Federal Government Communications
Subject: DOE Convoy Comms & Re: [FedCom] Transporter Picture

Mark:

Very interesting observation on the radio equipment antennas & potential 
radio equipment installed.  I'm wondering if perhaps the security team also 
has some UHF portables OR are all voice operations on VHF high band?

I took a quick look at Grove Enterprise's "Federal Frequency Directory" 2nd 
edition, and the Department of Energy has about 190 VHF high band 
frequencies authorized.  Approximately 28 were listed as "nationwide". 
That's still a lot of frequencies to program & monitor.

I guess that the normal DOE convoy routes are pretty standard throughout the

country, so perhaps there's some fixed radio bases installed along the way 
tied in back to there transportation control center in NM.     BUT again my 
theory is that there actual is very little voice communications by design. 
The satellite sensor package would most likely be giving real time position 
of the convoy as it progressed.  UNLESS the escorts (which I'd assume is at 
a minimum two other vehicles) see a potential problem and have to 
communicate to the driver/driver security team riding in the tractor there's

isn't going to be any radio communications.  Of course human nature as it 
is,  there's always the remote possibility that some informal chit chat 
could be taking place among vehicles, so picking up a signal (albeit most 
likely encrypted/scrambled) on a DOE frequency might indicate convoy 
presence.   Additionally while travelling the interstate using Uniden's 
"Close Capture" or Radio Shack's "Signal Stallker" scanner capabilities 
would provide the best chance of snagging a signal & perhaps seeing the 
transport vehicle.

What I find interesting as missing as there's no cellular telephone antennas

on the tractor (with exception of some old AMPS systems, cellphone/pcs 
planning is for portable handheld usage anyways).

Could prove to be an interesting challenge to those fedcom hobbyists along 
potential routes!!

Ken

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Mark Cobbeldick [KB4CVN]" <kb4cvn at yahoo.com>
To: "Discussion of Federal Government Communications" 
<fedcom at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Tuesday, September 20, 2005 9:22 AM
Subject: Re: [FedCom] Transporter Picture


> If you look at the photograph of the tractor, and enlarge it, in
> addition to the sat antenna on the top of the truck (behind the wind
> cowling), you will see three antennas on the roof of the truck.
>
> Left to right they look like:
> ---------------------------------------
>
> - MaxRad (MHB5800 Series) vhf-highband 5/8-wave whip
> - AM/FM broadcast radio whip
> - MaxRad (MLB Series) vhf-lowband whip
snip..snip..



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