[FedCom] Federal Users -- FRS Versus ISR

[Rankin, Robert L]

Ken's post reminds me . . . Last weekend I visited the Lewis and Clark Bicentennial encampment at Atchison, KS, went through the mobile displays and heard an interesting talk by an Indian woman on the role of Sacagawea in the expedition.  The park service rangers with the display were all carrying very small u.h.f. radios for use on the display grounds.  These were either ISR or FRS radios, but I don't know which.  If anyone would like to check and see which band these government comms are on, the display was headed for St. Louis, MO on the final leg of their tour.  So any fedcom monitors in the St. Louis area  -- your work is cut out for you!
 
:-)
 
Bob, w0nxn

________________________________

From: fedcom-bounces at mailman.qth.net on behalf of Ken
Sent: Sun 9/24/2006 10:11 AM
To: Discussion of Federal Government Communications
Subject: [FedCom] Federal Users -- FRS Versus ISR



Lots of questions, not many answers!!! ;) :)

Has ANYONE been able to verify WHO is using the new  1/2 Intersquad Radio
(ISR) in the
396-399.9 mhz band?  See

http://www.monitoringtimes.com/html/mtairshow06.pdf#search=%22Monitoring%20Times%20%2B%20ISR%20radio%20frequencies%22
for the 14 channel freq list for both ISR & FRS.

We do know that Civil Air Patrol has purchased a significant number of these
ISR radios BUT it's unclear as to who else is actually operating on these
frequencies.   Are there any non military federal agencies using these
radios?

Additionally, since Family Radio Service  FRS radios are less expensive than
the ISR radios, there's a possibility that federal agencies are using these
radios.     The NTIA Redbook Chapter 7 (para 7..5.8) does allow federal
agencies to use these frequencies
http://www.ntia.doc.gov/osmhome/redbook/7.pdf#search=%22Family%20Radio%20Service%20Federal%20Usage%22
.   Also USAF current policy (AFI 33-118 "Electromagnetic Spectrum
Management"   para 4.10) does allow FRS radios to be used for administrative
purposes including warehouse operations, workcrews, etc.

This is an especially challenging monitoring project, since both radios
systems are only 1/2 watt, portable, simplex operation, with a fixed "small"
antenna  and at best the typical range will be under 1 mile.  So pehaps at
least ISR frequencies could be placed in the scanner & if you have an FRS
radio, just put that radio in the "scan mode"....

Comments public or private are always welcomed!!!

Ken





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