Note: A Las Vegas and Nevada frequency guide is at the bottom half of this text.
Last Updated: July 15, 1998
THE RADIO SPECTRUM
------------------
This is an approximate look, to help in searching frequencies on a
scanner or shortwave radio. Just be aware, having the right frequency
may not be enough, in tuning to a certain frequency. The time of
day, atmospheric conditions, location, mode you're in (AM, SSB,
Narrowband FM, Wideband FM, etc.), and your equipment, are also equally
important. You'll find most transmissions are broadcasted in Narrow-
band FM. Some main exceptions are shortwave (AM & SSB), commercial AM
radio (AM), commercial FM radio (Wideband FM), television (Wideband FM),
citizens band radio (AM & SSB), aeronautical communications (mostly AM),
and some military VHF-UHF (Wideband FM). Most all scanners will pick a
default mode for you, depending on what frequency band you are in. But
many scanners also let you manually switch between modes (AM, FM, etc.)
and frequency search spacing (5 khz, 12.5 khz, etc.) if the default modes
are not correct. Happy Listening!!!
FREQUENCY USES-SERVICES
(in Megahertz unless
otherwise indicated)
------------------------ ----------------------------------------------
10 - 150 khz Military-government, submarine
(.01 - .15 MHz) communications.
150 - 535 khz Longwave Band, beacons, foreign broadcasts,
(.15 - .535 MHz) maritime.
535 - 1700 khz Your standard AM radio dial.
(.535 - 1.7 MHz)
1.7 - 30 Shortwave-High Frequency Band. Broadcasting,
two-way government, military and commercial
communications, amateur radio, CB radio (approx.
27 MHz), others.
Shortwave - Approx. Range Meter Band
1.8 - 2.0 160*
2.3 - 2.495 120
3.2 - 3.4 90
3.5 - 4.0 80*
3.9 - 4.0 75
4.75 - 5.06 60
5.9 - 6.2 49
7.0 - 7.3 40*
7.1 - 7.35 41
9.4 - 9.9 31
10.1 - 10.15 30*
11.6 - 12.1 25
13.57 - 13.87 22
14.0 - 14.35 20*
15.1 - 15.8 19
18.068 - 18.168 17*
17.48 - 17.9 16
18.9 - 19.02 15
21.0 - 21.45 15*
21.45 - 21.75 13
24.89 - 24.99 12*
25.6 - 26.1 11
28.0 - 29.7 10*
(In general, the lower shortwave frequencies
<higher meter band> are received better during
the night, while higher frequencies are re-
ceived better during the day. There are also
some amateur radio bands between many of these
shortwave bands(*). Consult a shortwave guide
for more detailed information.)
30 - 50 Very High Frequency Band. Government, business,
walkie-talkies. Also, cordless phones and
'baby monitors' found about 46 - 49 MHz.
50 - 54 Amateur radio 6 meter band.
54 - 72 TV Channels 2-4.
Channel 2 Audio (Wideband FM) 59.75
Channel 3 Audio (Wideband FM) 65.75
Channel 4 Audio (Wideband FM) 71.75
72 - 76 Manufacturing, remote control, eavesdropping
bugs, etc.
76 - 88 TV Channels 5-6.
Channel 5 Audio (Wideband FM) 81.75
Channel 6 Audio (Wideband FM) 87.75
88 - 108 Your standard FM radio dial.
108 - 136 Aeronautical communications (AM).
136 - 138 Satellites.
138 - 144 Military communications.
144 - 148 Amateur radio 2 meter band.
148 - 150.8 Military use.
150.8 - 174 Business, highway, law enforcement, government,
weather, maritime.
174 - 216 TV Channels 7-13.
Channel 7 Audio (Wideband FM) 179.75
Channel 8 Audio (Wideband FM) 185.75
Channel 9 Audio (Wideband FM) 191.75
Channel 10 Audio (Wideband FM) 197.75
Channel 11 Audio (Wideband FM) 203.75
Channel 12 Audio (Wideband FM) 209.75
Channel 13 Audio (Wideband FM) 215.75
216 - 220 Maritime and aeronautical.
220 - 222 Land mobile communications.
222 - 225 Amateur radio.
225 - 400 Military aviation and space.
400 - 406 Military and government.
406 - 420 U.S. Government.
420 - 450 Amateur radio.
450 - 470 Ultra High Frequency Band. Business, industry,
military, fire, government.
470 - 512 TV Channels 14-20, shared with law enforcement.
512 - 824 TV Channels 21-69.
824 - 849 Cellular telephones (receivers-handsets).
849 - 851 Aeronautical telephones (ground-based towers).
851 - 866 Business, public safety, trunked systems.
866 - 869 Public safety, law enforcement, trunked systems.
869 - 894 Cellular telephones (towers).
Note: Even though listening to cellular
telephone calls is technically illegal in the
United States, one will usually do better
listening to calls on the tower frequencies,
as opposed to the handset frequencies. This
is because most cellular phones transmit less
than one-watt of output. So unless the
cellular phone is very close to you, you
will have much more luck scanning the more
powerful towers, which transmit-receive for
each cell site.
894 - 896 Aeronautical telephones (handsets).
Note: In scanning airplane telephones, you
will usually do better listening to the handset
frequencies, instead of the tower frequencies,
unless you are very near a ground transmitter.
But, in any event, call traffic heard on handset
frequencies (which are transmitted from a high-
powered transmitter on the aircraft) you may
hear nothing at all, or many conversations, de-
pending on your location and time of day.
896 - 901 Private land mobil units.
902 - 928 Land mobile, amateur radio, personal communi-
cation units, cordless telephones.
928 - 932 Radio paging.
935 - 940 Business radio.
941 - 944 Government and non-government fixed services.
944 - 952 Broadcasters' studio-to-transmitter links.
952 - 960 Private fixed services, paging.
960 - 1240 Aeronautical navigation.
1240 - 1300 Amateur radio.
1300 - 1350 Aeronautical navigation.
1350 - 1400 Radio location.
1400 - 1427 Radio astronomy.
1427 - 1429 Point-to-point, mobile, space.
1429 - 1660.5 Various satellite transmission uses.
1660.5 - 1668.4 Radio astronomy.
1668.4 - 1700 Meteorological aids.
1700 - 1850 Meteorological satellites, U.S. Government.
1850 - 1990 Fixed point-to-point, microwave.
1850 - 1910 PCS 1900 Personal Communication Service
(receiver-handset frequencies). In North
America PCS 1900 GSM (Global System for
Mobile Communications) is the largest
PCS network. PCS is a newer, all-digital,
mobile communication system that is
competing will established cellular
systems.
1930 - 1990 PCS 1900 (towers)
1990 - 2110 Broadcast studio-to-transmitter links.
Since there has been quite a few posts wanting this data, here is a
list of fast food frequencies that is listed in the November issue of
Monitoring Times. But be aware, the FCC isn't exactly issuing frequencies
to every fast food chain for their own use, and that any fast food
restaurant can buy whatever low powered FM transmitters - receivers
they need for their store at an electronics shop. Anyway, just stick
the below in one of your scanner's channel banks, and see what comes
up. All this talk about food is getting me hungry.
Gourmet Restaurant Frequencies
------------------------------- -----------------------------------
Arby's 30.84 31.00 154.57
457.55 479.25
McDonald's 35.12 67.775 70.245
71.105 154.49 154.58
461.0375 463.2875 466.0375
468.2875 469.5125
Hardee's 30.84 31.00 35.02
151.685 151.805 464.0125
469.0125
Kentucky Fried Chicken 31.00 170.305 457.5375
457.5875
Taco Bell 30.84 154.57 465.8875
Wendy's 33.16 33.40 154.515
Burger King 30.84 457.55 465.8875
467.775
Last Updated: December 1, 1994
Ignore:
Bell 406.325, 409.325
Los Angeles-B 406.325, 409.325, 168.525, 168.575
Long Beach 155.34, 168.325, 168.525, 168.575
Long Beach 170.400, 171.387, 406.325, 409.325
Los Angeles 164.175, 164.500, 164.700, 168.525
Los Angeles 168.575, 169.300, 171.387, 406.325
Los Angeles 413.825, 417.600, 419.150,
----------------------------------------------------------------
LAS VEGAS & NEVADA SELECTED FREQUENCIES
--- ----- - ------ -------- -----------
Note: The below might not be all accurate, or up-to-date.
It's best used as a general guide.
----------------------------------------------------------------
Maybe on your next trip to Vegas, you should pack your hand-held
scanner too. If you don't have one, all Radio Shacks and many
electronics stores sell them. Just be a careful shopper, to make
sure you get one with all the features and frequency ranges you
need. Browse rec.radio.scanner for many scanner tips before you
buy.
Anyway, you might arouse the suspicion of a casino's security
department if you operate a scanner on the casino floor. It may
be safer using it in your room or outside on the street. From
my experience, you can hear many paging-internal communication
systems from miles away, so you really don't need to be on a
hotel's property to hear what's going on from your scanner.
But in case you listen to a frequency that is shared by two or
more locations, all these frequencies are broadcasted in narrow-
band FM. Given if both can be received by your scanner, you will
probably only be able to listen to the strongest (closest) signal,
if your scanner has decent circuitry (most do), and both are
transmitting at the same time.
This list might not be fully up-to-date, as all hotels aren't listed
here, plus some closed places are. In any event, most should work.
Also, although I am an accurate typist, there may be some typos below.
MHz
Frequency Licensee
151.655 Flamingo Hilton
151.685 Flamingo Hilton
151.745 El Cortez Hotel
151.775 Frontier Hotel
151.775 Horseshoe Club Operating Co.
151.895 Circus Circus Manor
151.925 Circus Circus Inc.
152.480 Marina Hotel (paging)
152.480 Dunes Hotel (paging)
153.845 L.V. Convention & Visitors Authority
153.860 "
153.935 "
154.515 Ballys Ziegfield Theatre
154.540 Hotel Linen Services Inc.
154.540 Vagabond Inn
154.625 Marina Hotel (paging)
155.985 L.V. Convention & Visitors Authority
157.620 Golden Nugget
157.740 Aladdin (paging)
158.460 Caesars (paging)
158.835 Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority
451.225 Hilton Hotels
451.425 Caesars Palace Realty Corp.
451.475 Hilton Hotels
451.575 Circus Circus
451.600 Ballys
451.625 Harrahs
451.700 Caesars Palace Realty Corp.
452.275 Las Vegas Hilton
452.475 Ballys
452.675 Showboat Shuttle & Security
452.775 Eastern Western Hotel Corp.
452.800 Las Vegas Strip Trolley
460.9125 Sands Hotel
460.9375 Sands Hotel
461.050 Horseshoe Club
461.075 Harrahs
461.125 Vegas World
461.200 Imperial Palace
461.275 La Concha Motel
461.325 Flamingo Capri Hotel
461.350 Games of Nevada
461.375 Western Hotel & Casino
461.425 Showboat Bowling
461.525 Sams Town Slots
461.550 Golden Nugget
461.600 El Rancho
461.675 Tropicana Casino
461.750 Golden Nugget
461.775 Caesars Palace
461.925 Las Vegas Hilton Catering
461.950 Caesars World Inc. Security
462.000 Golden Nugget
462.050 Sands Hotel
462.150 Four Queens
462.175 El Cortez
462.275 Casino Operations Inc.
462.325 Las Vegas Hilton
462.450 Harrahs
462.475 Imperial Palace
462.725 Airport Inn
462.750 Gold Coast Hotel & Casino (paging)
462.750 Las Vegas Hilton (paging)
462.775 Vegas World (paging)
462.775 Stardust (paging)
462.825 Ballys (paging)
462.850 Hilton Hotels Corp. (paging)
462.850 Fitzgeralds (paging)
462.875 Fremont Hotel (paging)
462.900 Sands (paging)
462.925 Showboat (paging)
462.925 Aladdin (paging)
463.225 Union Plaza
463.250 El Cortez
463.325 Tropicana
463.375 Union Plaza
463.400 Caesars Palace Realty
463.500 Gold Spike
463.575 Desert Inn Sub II Inc.
463.575 Four Queens
463.600 Fitzgeralds Engineering
463.625 Fitzgeralds
463.650 Valley Inn
463.775 Stardust
463.825 Saddle West Casino Ltd
463.825 Ballys Grand Inc.
463.900 Gold Coast
463.925 Fitzgeralds
464.025 Binions Horseshoe
464.050 Binions
464.175 Lady Luck
464.225 Barbary Coast
464.250 Holiday Casino
464.275 Marina Hotel
464.325 Circus Circus Slots
464.375 Circus Circus
464.375 Hotel Nevada
464.425 Desert Inn
464.425 Riviera
464.475 Mahoneys Silver Nugget
464.525 Caesars Palace Slots
464.575 Hilton Hotels Corp.
464.675 Stardust Slots
464.675 Desert Palace Inc.
464.700 Sands
464.750 Barbary Coast
464.775 Sams Town
464.800 Casino Services Inc.
464.800 Plaza Hotel & Casino
464.850 Four Queens
464.925 Four Queens
464.925 Desert Inn
464.925 Bourbon Street
464.975 Hilton Hotels Corp.
464.975 El Rancho
465.000 Caesars Palace
465.000 Las Vegas Hilton
851.4375 Showboat
851.5875 Barbary Coast
851.6875 Mirage Resorts Treasure Island
851.7125 Showboat
851.7625 Frontier
851.9125 Palace Station
851.9375 Santa Fe Hotel
851.9875 Showboat
852.2875 Lady Luck
852.6375 Mirage
852.6625 Riviera
852.6875 Mirage Resorts Treasure Island
852.9125 Palace Station
852.9875 Mirage Resorts Treasure Island
853.0875 Mirage Resorts Treasure Island
853.2875 Lady Luck
853.4625 Circus Circus
853.5875 Circus Circus
853.6625 MGM Marina
853.8125 Circus Circus
853.9125 Palace Station
853.9625 Santa Fe Hotel & Casino
854.1375 Circus Circus
854.2875 Lady Luck
854.4375 Sams Town Slots
854.5625 Frontier
854.5875 Santa Fe
854.6375 Mirage
854.8375 California Hotel & Casino
855.0375 Las Vegas Club
855.2875 Excalibur
855.3375 Tropicana
855.5375 Fremont Hotel & Security
855.5625 Frontier
855.5875 Tropicana
855.8125 Circus Circus
855.8375 Rio Suites
856.3625 Luxor
856.8375 Sams Town
856.8625 Vacation Village
856.8875 Dunes
856.9125 Mirage
857.3625 Luxor
857.7875 Desert Inn
857.8375 Desert Inn
857.8875 Dunes
857.9125 Excalibur
858.2875 Excalibur
858.3625 Luxor
858.7875 Desert Inn
858.8875 Dunes
858.9125 Mirage
859.3625 Luxor
859.7875 Sands
859.8125 Mirage
859.8375 Excalibur
859.8875 Dunes
859.9125 Mirage
860.3625 Luxor
860.8125 California Hotel & Casino
860.8375 Excalibur
860.8875 Dunes
860.9125 Mirage
929.0125 Desert Inn (paging)
929.0375 Mirage Resorts Treasure Island (paging)
929.0625 Tropicana (paging)
929.0875 Rio (paging)
929.1125 Sahara (paging)
929.1375 Golden Nugget (paging)
929.1875 Palace Station (paging)
929.2375 Holiday Casino (paging)
929.2875 Excalibur (paging)
929.5375 Circus Circus (paging)
929.8375 Holiday Inn Hotel & Casino (paging)
935.1375 Dunes Hotel & Country Club
Nevada Highway Patrol
42.940 Base to car-rural dispatch F-1
42.780 Car to base-rural dispatch F-1
42.500 Car to car F-2
42.700 Car to car F-3
42.880 Las Vegas, Reno areas dispatch F-4
42.740 Car to car F-5
42.580 Carson City statewide dispatch, various agencies F-6
42.560 Car to car California Highway Patrol mutual aid F-7
42.800 Car to car, aircraft radar operations F-8
154.920 Mobile extenders
155.475 Nationwide mutual aid F-1 handhelds
155.655 Nevada mutual aid F-2 handhelds
156.075 Nevada incident command F-3 handhelds
Miscellaneous law enforcement
453.300 Nevada Gaming Board surveillance
155.415 Prisons
155.580 Prisons
155.475 Motor Vehicles
453.775 Taxicab Authority
Mutual aid systems
154.280 Fire mutual aid F-1
154.265 Fire mutual aid F-2
154.295 Fire mutual aid F-3
155.145 Rural emergency medical services F-4
155.715 Emergency medical service F-5
155.475 Nationwide police mutual aid F-6
155.655 Nevada law enforcement mutual aid F-7
155.160 Search and rescue mutual aid F-8
156.075 Incident command F-9
Department of Transportation
151.010 West-central and northeast
151.040 South (Las Vegas) and northwest
151.100 East-central
151.130 Southwest
159.180 Car to car
451.025 Carlin Canyon Tunnel base
456.025 Carlin Canyon Tunnel mobiles
Conservation
151.475 Dept. of Wildlife primary
151.460 Dept. of Wildlife car to car
158.895 Division of Forestry primary
159.345 Division of Forestry car to car "red"
159.270 Division of Forestry car to car
151.175 Conservation aircraft
151.340 State parks
National forests, recreation areas
169.900 Humboldt National Forest
171.475 Humboldt National Forest
168.750 Modoc National Forest
170.175 " "
169.125 " "
169.950 " "
171.500 Tahoe National Forest
168.175 " "
168.775 " "
169.875 Toiyabe National Forest
164.475 Boulder Dam Police
166.300 ???
163.050 Boulder Dam construction
166.300 Lake Mead Nat'l Recreation Area primary
168.350 Lake Mead Nat'l Recreation Area special events
417.375 Marine Channel 16 link
Carson City Sheriff
155.970 Dispatch F-1
155.250 F-2
155.535 F-3
155.685 F-4
Carson City Fire
154.430 Dispatch F-1
154.145 F-3
154.175 F-4
155.175 Rescue dispatch
155.160 Rescue car to car
Las Vegas Metro Police
159.150 Information, detectives F-1
159.090 Southeast patrol F-2
158.970 Car to car F-3
158.745 Northeast patrol F-4
159.210 Car to car, vice F-5
159.030 Northwest patrol F-6
158.790 Administration, detectives F-7
156.210 Car to car F-8
158.850 Rural (Blue Diamond, Sandy Valley) F-9
158.850 Rural (Glendale, Logandale, Overton, Moapa) F-10
158.850 Rural (Laughlin, Searchlight) F-11
156.210 Car to car, surveillance F-12
156.030 Search and rescue (Mount Potosi) F-13
156.030 Search and rescue (Glass Peak) F-14
156.030 Search and rescue car to car F-15
460.400 Auxiliary police
460.200 Mobile data terminals
460.525 Mobile data terminals
155.370 Car to car, surveillance
155.475 Nationwide mutual aid
155.520 Car to car
155.820 Paging
Las Vegas Fire
453.150 Las Vegas dispatch (downtown, east) F-1
453.100 Clark County dispatch (west, South Strip) F-2
453.700 Clark County dispatch (east) F-3
453.400 Las Vegas dispatch (west, North Las Vegas) F-4
154.370 Paging
154.340 Clark County rural fire (Laughlin), paging
154.430 Fire prevention, paging
154.400 Clark County rural fire (Indian Springs)
154.205 Clark County fire
North Las Vegas Police
460.075 Dispatch F-1
460.050 Animal control, marshal F-2
460.125 Car to car F-3
Laughlin Police
158.850 Resident officers F-11
156.210 Car to car
158.955 Township constable
Laughlin Fire
154.340 Stations 76 and 85
Reno Police
453.650 North, downtown dispatch "Green"
453.700 South dispatch "Yellow"
453.575 Car to car "White"
453.600 Information "Blue"
453.250 "Purple"
460.075 "Black"
155.520 Washoe County sheriff dispatch "Green"
155.010 Washoe County sheriff supervisors "Blue"
155.985 Washoe County sheriff car to car "White"
154.860 Washoe County sheriff jail officers "Brown"
155.130 Washoe County sheriff (Incline Village)
154.950 Washoe County sheriff detectives
154.725 Washoe County sheriff north patrol
155.205 Washoe County sheriff search and rescue "Red"
Reno Fire
453.750 Dispatch
453.050 Fire ground
460.550 Data
Sparks Police
155.130 Dispatch F-1
155.850 Car to car F-2
154.115 Car to car F-3
Sparks Fire
158.775 Dispatch
Future trunked: 856.2125, 857.2125, 858.2125, 859.2125, 860.2125
1140 KHz Casino Radio, Las Vegas (Vegas Information, AM radio)
