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Morse Code

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Peter Jacobs

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Jul 21, 1994, 9:06:34 PM7/21/94
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Periodically, when I scan the police and fire frequencies around
460-480 MhZ, my scanner picks up brief transmissions in Morse Code.


Does anyone have any idea what these are? I'm in the SF Bay Area.

Thanks in advance,

Peter J.
pja...@netcom.com

Louis Genco

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Jul 21, 1994, 10:51:56 PM7/21/94
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Peter Jacobs (pja...@netcom14.netcom.com) wrote:
: Periodically, when I scan the police and fire frequencies around
: 460-480 MhZ, my scanner picks up brief transmissions in Morse Code.


They are probably the station IDs (call signs).

Lou

Paul Schuh

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Jul 21, 1994, 11:55:33 PM7/21/94
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Peter Jacobs (pja...@netcom14.netcom.com) once wrote:
: Periodically, when I scan the police and fire frequencies around
: 460-480 MhZ, my scanner picks up brief transmissions in Morse Code.
: Does anyone have any idea what these are? I'm in the SF Bay Area.

My guess is that the morse code is the repeaters identifying themselves.

I believe that it is an FCC requirement that all repeater stations
periodically identify themselves. If you listen to ham-band repeaters,
occasionally you'll hear a digitized, pre-recorded, or computer-synthesized
voice identify the repeater station. Something along the lines of:
"This is WX72G, repeater" (I made the call sign up)

Guessing,
Paul

--
Paul Schuh UNCA Society of Physics Students
pms...@unca.edu

Mike Hasselbeck

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Jul 22, 1994, 8:13:30 PM7/22/94
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: "This is WX72G, repeater" (I made the call sign up)

Darn right you did.

Gerald Belton

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Jul 23, 1994, 11:17:48 AM7/23/94
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In article <PJACOBS.94...@netcom14.netcom.com>, Peter Jacobs wrote:
> Periodically, when I scan the police and fire frequencies around
> 460-480 MhZ, my scanner picks up brief transmissions in Morse Code.

> Does anyone have any idea what these are? I'm in the SF Bay Area.

Yes, it is the automatic repeater-ID. That is, the repeater (which extends
the range of the mobile radios) is broadcasting its callsign in Morse code.

Matthew Rupert

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Jul 25, 1994, 3:31:20 AM7/25/94
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>> Periodically, when I scan the police and fire frequencies around
>> 460-480 MhZ, my scanner picks up brief transmissions in Morse Code.
>
>> Does anyone have any idea what these are? I'm in the SF Bay Area.

Repeaters, which are used to extend the range of hand-held
radios, or mobile radios.

They're *not* amatuer repeaters. The range for the 70cm amatuer
band is 430MHz-450MHz. What you're hearing might be police,
ambulatory/rescue, or, even more likely, business radios and
security repeaters.

If you give me some specific freqs, I might be able to weed out
what they are.

--
............................................................................
Matt Rupert - 2984 Pheasant Run Dr. Apt D - Jackson MI 49202 - ho...@ais.org
Personal Security / UNIX Enthusiast / Amatuer Radio - KB8SGL
Which is worse: ignorance or apathy? Who knows? Who cares?

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