Where The FCC Tracks & Locates ANY Radio Signal

[idothings]

Hi, this is Jessica Rosenworcel, the chairperson of the FCC. Under the authority granted to me by congress, I hearby request you to take down this video immediately.

[cosmicinsane]

The FCC may be listening, but they don’t care to do anything beyond that. They only enforce rules if the affected frequency users have good lobbyists.

[Mike-H_UK]

Brilliant. One day, I wouldn't be surprised if these videos get used for education on the history of radio. It great that you are documenting these antennas before nature reclaims them completely.

[richardcarlson]

My friend Scott and I got a tour in the late 1990's at the Allegan facility and a year or so later I was able to visit a similar facility in Grand Island NE. Since they were pre-scheduled, they had all the HF radios (Collins and Icom) set to WWV and the VHF stuff switched off. Fascinating places for sure. Eventually they were closed or set up for remote access as computer connectivity networks improved.

[markjacobsen]

Hi Lewis, I really enjoyed this vid since it started off with the Allegan Michigan monitoring station. I was able to visit there back in the mid 80s when I worked for a company that was contracted to maintain telecommunications systems for the U.S. government. So I got to go on a service call out to Alligan. At the time I went there, there were two tech type people on site. The monitoring room technician was an amateur radio guy like myself so we hit it off right from the beginning. They had Johnson-Watkins receivers which were superb. Although I never got to lay eyes on the antenna, it was described to me and I was able to get a look at the rotating display scope system that showed lobes of signal distribution around the 360 degree compass on which there was a major lobe in the direction of the signal being monitored. So the display scope was synchronized with the electronic “rotation” of the antenna cage but the part that was inside had some kind of motor that did some kind of fancy deflection. He explained that they communicated with other monitoring stations around the country with teletype. They had a large map of the United States with elastic strings that had one end attached to the map at the point where each monitoring station was located with a clear plastic 360 degree “compass” also centered on each station. When they worked with other monitoring stations they would stretch the elastic strings out and stick the loose end to the board so that the string was going in the direction from which they picked up the signal of interest. They did this from each monitoring station involved and where the strings intersected, that’s where they sent the field tech out to “pay a visit”. Funny thing ; I assumed they had some sophisticated receiver for VHF so I asked the tech if he would measure the frequency and signal characteristics of my 2 Meter radio that I had out in my car. I went out and made a transmission on 146.52 MHz. When I returned, he was sitting there with a little Kenwood handheld and he said “Yeah, it looks like you’re pretty much on 146.52 and you sound good”

I always enjoy your vids - keep them coming and 73 - de WB8YMV

[nasiriyah]

I have enjoyed following this channel for quite some time, so imagine my delight at seeing the Allegan monitoring station, just a few miles from my childhood home. That obscure site with its antennas, thinly veiled attempt at blending in by looking like a house, and its government warning signs got me started in radio at a young age. My grandparents told me that during WWII they were asked to report any suspicious persons asking questions about the facility or making sketches of it. Interestingly, there was a POW camp full of German and Italian prisoners not too far from that location.

[spaceflight]

The story I've heard is that they have quietly installed SDRs in thousands of population centers and can easily access them via the internet. They use them to verify that a problem exists and take steps from there.

[revoxjazz]

Lewis, the work you are doing is priceless and I still don't see anyone else doing it.
So I congratulate you and hope that no one will interfere with the production of this work.
Greetings from Portugal.
Macedo Pinto
73

[TheDarkangelKx]

Man I love this channel, I came for number stations and stayed for the amazing niche radio education

[BryanTorok]

It is amazing that it takes someone from the UK to make a video about the USA FCC listening stations. It would be really neat for someone to take a drone and visit each of these stations to get some modern pictures and size up if they appear to still be in use. OR, someone could do a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request about each and see if one gets a response.

[AdamSWL]

So there were never any crop circles. Only Wullenweber arrays!
This series is super interesting Lewis!

[jackansi]

Kingsville station has a fairly large underground area where the primary equipment is located. Several of the antennas are well camouflaged. They also handle some of the technical work on receiving stations run by the border patrol there. Scan the areas around these sites (0.3-4km) and you can spot the new antennas by looking for very small buildings (smaller than a portapotty) with solar panels.

[Mister-Six_]

Good thing our people are always watching the FCC as well- right at home. Keeps them nice and compliant, can you believe it?

[The_Ice_Man_]

Im a trucker and there's a guy who calls himself mud duck radio and has completely hijacked cb channel 19 in the United States with a ham radio. It's really frustrating when you're trying to find out what's going on when you come to a stop in traffic but all you can hear is some jerk talking over everyone. Where is the FCC when you need them? This has been going on for well over a year.

[Shakey]

I worked at Vint Hill Farms Station back in 1990-1991 but now closed. Great post!

[redkage]

These videos are fascinating and your research is unmatched. Keep up the great work!

[jaytc]

We're always watching. We're always listening. An obedient citizen is a good citizen. And remember. If you see your neighbor behaving in any way that is contrary to the greater good of the State, contact us immediately.

Thank you! Be obedient, be productive, and be happy!

[saveitforparts]

Interesting history! I'm from Alaska and knew about the "Elephant Cage" antenna near Anchorage, but not the Kenai station. There are quite a few abandoned radio stations along the Alaska coast from Civil Aviation Authority, US Navy, commercial wireless telegraph, etc.

[scottturcotte]

I remember the Belfast, Maine, listening sight off route 137, as it was pointed out to me by another coworker in the mid 1990s while driving by this site heading to a jobsite while working for a radio communications service company back then. While I do still live about 45 minutes travel distance away, it has been possibly 7 to 8 years from the previous times that I would have had any reason to take this particular route/road. It is interesting to me, that there doesn't seem to be too many listening sights compared with the huge amount of territory supposedly being monitored.... with the limits of signal propagation within licensed power allowed in the standardly used and licensed bandwidths, along with the narrow banding changes made and pushed which theoretically effectively doubled the number of frequencies they could now issue licensing for within a given band, you would almost expect there to be hundreds if not thousands of FCC monitoring sites... if they are effectively monitoring the airwaves, then things don't appear to add up with this handful of listening stations unless they have a lot of other unlisted monitoring stations or mobile gear operating that we aren't told about, or, are doing the bare minimum just to say they are, or perhaps even, it is also being monitored by other better funded government agency/s as well... but thanks for another interesting video to ponder over...

[boilerroombob]

Wheels within wheels ....Lewis great series so far and obviously this antenna was a clear choice for all listening and intelligence agencies worldwide