Here is a list of interesting frequencies and modes to mess with. I will be adding more as I play with them.
If you stumble across something you can figure out what it is here https://www.sigidwiki.com/wiki/Signal_Identification_Guide or download Artemis software designed to assist radio frequency (RF) signal identification.
ADS-B
Planes transmit ADS-B data once per second you can use something like Dump1090 to decode the packets. ADS-B equipped aircraft and ground vehicles broadcast their identification, position, altitude and velocity.
- 1090 MHz or 1.09 GHz
CubeSats
CubeSats are tiny satellites that serve all sorts of different purposes. Scan the following bands for signal. You can use software like SatDump to decode some of them.
- 144-146 MHz
- 435-438 MHz
FRS / GMRS
Family Radio Service (FRS) and General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS) are all those 2 way radios sold pretty much everywhere and you can scan the following band for transmissions.
462-468 MHz
GOES Weather satellites
With the proper satellite dish you can receive the GOES weather imagery plus other data that the satellite transmits. I have a writeup on modifying a cheap WiFi dish to receive the signal at https://radiomenace.com/modifying-2-4ghz-parabolic-dish-for-goes-weather-satellite-reception/
Ham Radio bands
Using any scanner or SDR software with audio you can listen to the Ham operators talking and even transmitting stuff like SSTV.
- 28-30 MHz – HAM 10-METER
- 50-54 MHz – HAM 6-METER
- 144-148 MHz – HAM 2-METER
- 219-225 MHz – HAM 1.25-METER
- 420-450 MHz – HAM 70-CM
- 902-928MHz – HAM 33-CM
- 1240-1300 MHz – HAM 23-CM
Here are some common digital modes you may see on the waterfall.
International Space Station
The ISS passes by a few times a day and can be found on the following frequencies and modes.
| Mode | Uplink MHz | Down Link MHz | Notes |
| ISS (VHF Voice) | 144.490 | 145.800 | Use a scanner or SDR software to tune in |
| ISS (U/V Repeater) | 437.050 | 145.800 | |
| ISS (APRS Packet) | 437.550 | 145.825 | Up and Downlink: 437.550 MHz FM (Backup frequency) |
Key fobs and Remotes
You can scan around the following frequencies to look for key fobs and SubGHz remotes for all sorts of things like lights, fans, gates, and doors. The list is really endless. If it came with a remote control that’s not Infrared then it transmits near one of these frequencies.
- 315 MHz
- 390 MHz
- 433 MHz
- 868 MHz
- 915 MHz
Multi-Use Radio Service – MURS
Use a SDR software with audio to listen to people talking on MURS
- 151-155 MHZ
NOAA Weather Radio
You can tune into the following frequencies and search for the strongest broadcast for your area and get weather 24/7
| 162.400MHz | 162.425MHz | 162.450MHz | 162.475MHz | 162.500MHz | 162.525MHz | 162.550MHz |
Pagers
Use SDR software with a waterfall to search the following bands for pager signals then use multimon-ng to decode them.
- 26-28 MHz – Mostly POCSAG
- 35-36 MHz – Mostly POCSAG
- 43-44 MHz – Mostly POCSAG
- 152-159 MHz – Mostly POCSAG
- 454-460 MHz – Mixed POCSAG and FLEX
- 929-932 MHz – Mostly Flex
439.9875 MHz Amateur Radio (Ham) paging service DAPNET
Public Service Broadcasts
You can scan the following bands to find a lot of public service transmissions like Police, Fire, EMS, and public works.
- 150-160 MHz
- 450-470 MHz
- 769-775 MHz
Railroad
If you live near a Rail yard or even railroad tracks then you can scan the following band for audio transmissions and ATCS or Advanced Train Control Systems signals.
- 159-162 MHz – Covers most rail communications but not all.
- 440-470 MHz – Some railroads can be found transmitting in this range also.
- 457.9375 MHz and 452.9375 MHz for End Of Train telemetry.
| Ch | Frequency | Ch | Frequency | Ch | Frequency | Ch | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 02 | 159.810 | 26 | 160.500 | 50 | 160.860 | 74 | 161.220 |
| 03 | 159.930 | 27 | 160.515 | 51 | 160.875 | 75 | 161.235 |
| 04 | 160.050 | 28 | 160.530 | 52 | 160.890 | 76 | 161.250 |
| 05 | 160.185 | 29 | 160.545 | 53 | 160.905 | 77 | 161.265 |
| 06 | 160.200 | 30 | 160.560 | 54 | 160.920 | 78 | 161.280 |
| 07 | 160.215 | 31 | 160.575 | 55 | 160.935 | 79 | 161.295 |
| 08 | 160.230 | 32 | 160.590 | 56 | 160.950 | 80 | 161.310 |
| 09 | 160.245 | 33 | 160.605 | 57 | 160.965 | 81 | 161.325 |
| 10 | 160.260 | 34 | 160.620 | 58 | 160.980 | 82 | 161.340 |
| 11 | 160.275 | 35 | 160.635 | 59 | 160.995 | 83 | 161.355 |
| 12 | 160.290 | 36 | 160.650 | 60 | 161.010 | 84 | 161.370 |
| 13 | 160.305 | 37 | 160.665 | 61 | 161.025 | 85 | 161.385 |
| 14 | 160.320 | 38 | 160.680 | 62 | 161.040 | 86 | 161.400 |
| 15 | 160.335 | 39 | 160.695 | 63 | 161.055 | 87 | 161.415 |
| 16 | 160.350 | 40 | 160.710 | 64 | 161.070 | 88 | 161.430 |
| 17 | 160.365 | 41 | 160.725 | 65 | 161.085 | 89 | 161.445 |
| 18 | 160.380 | 42 | 160.740 | 66 | 161.100 | 90 | 161.460 |
| 19 | 160.395 | 43 | 160.755 | 67 | 161.115 | 91 | 161.475 |
| 20 | 160.410 | 44 | 160.770 | 68 | 161.130 | 92 | 161.490 |
| 21 | 160.425 | 45 | 160.785 | 69 | 161.145 | 93 | 161.505 |
| 22 | 160.440 | 46 | 160.800 | 70 | 161.160 | 94 | 161.520 |
| 23 | 160.455 | 47 | 160.815 | 71 | 161.175 | 95 | 161.535 |
| 24 | 160.470 | 48 | 160.830 | 72 | 161.190 | 96 | 161.550 |
| 25 | 160.485 | 49 | 160.845 | 73 | 161.205 | 97 | 161.565 |
SSTV
SSTV or Slow Scan TeleVision is basically receiving images over the radio waves. Frequencies in bold are most active.
| 80 meters | 3.640 MHz | SSTV Call Freq. Australia. LSB |
| 40 meters | 7.043 MHz | SSTV Call Freq. |
| 7.170 MHz | SSTV Call Freq. Australia, USA. LSB | |
| 30 meters | 10.132 MHz | SSTV Call Freq. USB |
| 20 meters | 14.230 MHz | SSTV Call Freq. USB. International |
| 14.233 MHz | SSTV – DIGITAL Call Freq. USB. International | |
| 14.236 MHz | SSTV Call Freq. USB. VK5ZW Store and forward repeater | |
| 14.240 MHz | SSTV Call Freq. Europe. USB | |
| 17 meters | ||
| 15 meters | 21.340 MHz | SSTV Call Freq. USB. International |
| 12 meters | ||
| 10 meters | 28.680 MHz | SSTV Call Freq. USB. International |
| 6 meters | 50.950 MHz | SSTV Call Freq. USB |
| 2 meters | 145.625 MHz | SSTV Call Freq. USB & FM. Australia |
| 70cm | 433.775 MHz | SSTV Call Freq. USB & FM. Australia |
WSPR
WSPR, which stands for Weak Signal Propagation Reporter, is a program used to test the propagation paths of RF signals between amateur radio operators.
| Band (Mtr) | Dial Frequency (MHz) | Lower Band Pass Frequency (MHz) | Upper Band Pass Frequency (MHz) | Band Width (Hz) |
| 33400m | 0.0072 | 0.0087 | 0.0089 | 200 |
| 2200m | 0.1360 | 0.1374 | 0.1376 | 200 |
| 600m | 0.4742 | 0.4756 | 0.4758 | 200 |
| 160m | 1.8366 | 1.8380 | 1.8382 | 200 |
| 80m | 3.5926 | 3.5940 | 3.5942 | 200 |
| 60m | 5.2872 | 5.2886 | 5.2888 | 200 |
| 40m | 7.0386 | 7.0400 | 7.0402 | 200 |
| 30m | 10.1387 | 10.1401 | 10.1403 | 200 |
| 20m | 14.0956 | 14.0970 | 14.0972 | 200 |
| 17m | 18.1046 | 18.1060 | 18.1062 | 200 |
| 15m | 21.0946 | 21.0960 | 21.0962 | 200 |
| 12m | 24.9246 | 24.9260 | 24.9262 | 200 |
| 10m | 28.1246 | 28.1260 | 28.1262 | 200 |
| 6m | 50.2930 | 50.2944 | 50.2946 | 200 |
| 4m | 70.0910 | 70.0924 | 70.0926 | 200 |
| 2m | 144.4890 | 144.4904 | 144.4906 | 200 |