• Mountain Topping
• Database Tips
• More Digital
• Unknowns Updates
• Forest Fire Season
• Severe Weather Season
• New FCC Licenses

That's just a few, check out the Radio Phonebook (Link at the end of newsletter)

Mountain Toppin'

So what gives with all the frequencies? Are you thinking we have nothing better to do? Well not exactly....
Twice this month, ventures to the mountains have yielded more frequencies than we know what to do with.
To solve some of the data entry problems we are now using Microsoft Access to compare new entries which
are now being logged to a laptop real-time. Uniden's BCD396XT has a great feature called "Search and Store".
With Search and Store, frequencies are sought out automatically based on your preset ranges and modes and stored
on the scanner in a separate bank/group. You can set the scanner to search while your having a picnic, or while
you hike a trail with the scanner on your side. It does take some of the fun out of it but it is very efficient, getting ALL
the frequencies applicable to an area can make for a fun trip next time when you just want to listen.
At the bottom of this article is a link to a spreadsheet containing the frequencies found on each adventure.

Click thumbnails for larger pictures

TRIP 1 - Whitetop Mountian

Fort Bragg would have to be several hundred air miles from White Top, but with a little careful aiming of
2 sections of the array, the military base's Motorola trunked system on 400 MHz was loud and clear.
Noaa Weather radio transmissions from Mount Jefferson, North Carolina limited any use of our preamplifier on
the VHF bands. Intermodulation can be harsh on the mountain, and not always from the mountain... but surrounding
mountains!

Portable Drive-Over mast mount	Radio's inside	4 Pole Array pointing west	30-40 MPH winds kept the mast to 2 sections only

TRIP 2 - High Knob Mountian

Lots of digital and lots less intermodulation here, while we did'nt stay as long as the Whitetop excursion we did get some
good frequencies and check many existing that we had wondered were still active in the same configuration form years ago.
Ironically, we ran into a couple of people on High Knob that had been up on Whitetop at the same time we were there just several days before.

Click here for the frequencies found for each expedition. (Excel File)

There have been several sources reporting that Washington County, VA is considering a switch over to P25 digital in the coming months. There is also chatter out of Lee County likewise. We're working on some more information for both counties and will keep you posted. The wait also continues for the Smyth County switch-over, county officials have been tight lipped as to the completion or activation of the project.

Also, The new Mototrbo system for Abingdon, VA has been quiet.
There has not been an announcement regarding the new selection of
the new contractor to build out the system.

Forest Fires The fire season has kept many forestry officials busy with fires this season. During the first couple weeks of April numerous fires dotted the Cherokee National Forest stretching from the Tri-Cities south into the Tellico Plains area of Tennessee. With the increased activity there have been some federal government frequencies sneaking out of the woodwork. Unlike state and county frequencies, federal frequencies are not listed in public database provided by the government. This makes the procurement and identification of these not only a challenge but an a difficult and frustrating activity. With some of our hard work and dedicated work by a few others, here is a crash course on our regional US Forest Service system and frequencies. Listeners are reporting forest fire fighting aircraft practice activity in SE Tennessee and Western North Carolina on 292.200 and 134.925 (both AM mode) as well as the nationwide flight following frequency of 168.650 FM. If you live within range of Whitetop, plug in 406.325. This is a link to other repeaters and relays many communications of US Federal forestry operations from Roanoke to Asheville.

Dont forget your local Fire Departments!

Severe Weather

Spring storm season is here!

146.700 is the local Skywarn Repeater - Listen in for the best info when the weather is at its worst.

General Area Covered