[FedCom] RE: Re: Follow-Up: Monitoring Status

[MSDBM at aol.com]

In NYC the fedcom activity is alive and well. Every day there is someone  out 
doing surveillance from DHS-CBP, ICE, FBI or DEA. Except for the FBI SOG  
guys, most of the radio traffic is in the clear. On a lesser scale, occasionally  
you hear Postal Inspectors or ATF. The thing is, most of the fedcom  activity 
in the city is done where possible, on simplex/tactical frequencies  rather 
than on repeaters. Nextel appears to be used for casual communications,  but 
the surveillance, warrants etc are all through the radio. 
 
 
If this monitoring is your sole source of scanning, you would surely die of  
boredom.  The feds have a ridiculous number of frequencies allocated to  each 
agency. You can monitor a frequency  that the local agency has in  their 
radios for literally years with nothing good ever heard. As many have  stated, you 
need patience to monitor this stuff. Eventually you'll hear  something good. 
In six years of monitoring, I have heard the FCC repeater key up  twice with 
radio checks, but no traffic. I have never heard the IRS CID guys  even once, 
and come to think of it, I haven't heard the Marshalls in the longest  time, but 
I know they are still there.