Quiet Please!!!

[AutoTrDvr]

Was watching TV this morning, and saw a report on the "National Radio Quiet Zone," an area within both "Virginias" where no radio, WI-fi or other transmission activity is permitted by the FCC, so as not to interfere with the radio observatory station in Green Bank, WV. That means no cell phones, no blue tooth, nothing!

It would seem that the "Cardinal" passes through this zone, albeit not that close to the observatory itself. I guess I was wondering if passing through has any effect on the Cardinal and its ability to keep in touch with dispatch or if pax. can use their cell phones, tablets, etc.

Just curious...

Regards,

Arnold

 

[Peter KG6LSE]

Heh I doubt you would get caught on a train at ( we hope 79 MPH)

Practically it's not enforceable on a train.

*

OK PAX take all your phones and tablets and toys and put them in these copper mesh bags .

we dont want ya jamming the largest direct TV dish in east ... * bad humor * :giggle:

some RF is approved . but needs to be coordinated so that If they see any RF on lets say 146.550 they will know its some HAm on 2M not ET phoning home .......

 

[AutoTrDvr]

Heh I doubt you would get caught on a train at ( we hope 79 MPH)

Practically it's not enforceable on a train.

*

OK PAX take all your phones and tablets and toys and put them in these copper mesh bags .

we dont want ya jamming the largest direct TV dish in east ... * bad humor * :giggle:

some RF is approved . but needs to be coordinated so that If they see any RF on lets say 146.550 they will know its some HAm on 2M not ET phoning home .......

I was a bit more concerned with the operating crew maintaining contact with dispatch. I'd think the lack of consumer useable cell towers/service within the zone would make it difficult for PAX to use all those devices... Although it should be fairly easy then for the RF to be monitored as the consists pass through.

Regards,

Arnold (AutoTrDvr) - Retired Technician Class (N2KHS)

 

[Ryan]

Fromt he linked website:

NRQZ coordination is required for all new or modifed, permanent, fixed, licensed transmitters inside the NRQZ,

Trains do not fall under that definition.

From wikipedia:

Not all radio transmissions are prohibited in the Radio Quiet Zone. For example Citizen's Band radios, police and ambulance radios, and fire department radios are used there. However, large radio transmitter owners must typically coordinate their operations with representatives of the National Radio Astronomy Observatory and the U.S. Department of Defense. The Allegheny Mountain Radio company operates the only broadcast radio stations in the inner core of the Quiet Zone, with just one station in the AM band, and several low-power FM stations. Most radio transmitters within the area are licensed by the FCC (just as they are in the rest of the United States). Exceptions to the Radio Quiet Zone restrictions are usually determined on a case-by-case basis, with preference given to public safety concerns, such as remote alarm systems, repeaters for first responders, and NOAA Weather Radio.

Note that a large section of I-81 also runs through the zone. Cell service is available along the entire route, and there is plenty of ham radio activity from within the zone as well.

 

[me_little_me]

Was watching TV this morning, and saw a report on the "National Radio Quiet Zone," an area within both "Virginias" where no radio, WI-fi or other transmission activity is permitted by the FCC, so as not to interfere with the radio observatory station in Green Bank, WV. That means no cell phones, no blue tooth, nothing!

It would seem that the "Cardinal" passes through this zone, albeit not that close to the observatory itself. I guess I was wondering if passing through has any effect on the Cardinal and its ability to keep in touch with dispatch or if pax. can use their cell phones, tablets, etc.

Just curious...

Regards,

Arnold

I think you are misreading it or the people reporting the story did.

 

[AutoTrDvr]

Was watching TV this morning, and saw a report on the "National Radio Quiet Zone," an area within both "Virginias" where no radio, WI-fi or other transmission activity is permitted by the FCC, so as not to interfere with the radio observatory station in Green Bank, WV. That means no cell phones, no blue tooth, nothing!

It would seem that the "Cardinal" passes through this zone, albeit not that close to the observatory itself. I guess I was wondering if passing through has any effect on the Cardinal and its ability to keep in touch with dispatch or if pax. can use their cell phones, tablets, etc.

Just curious...

Regards,

Arnold

I think you are misreading it or the people reporting the story did.

I did not misread/misinterpret the report. It would seem the story might have been "spun" a little to sublimate the premise of a "complete" radio silence zone. Maybe it's enforced a little more, closer to the observatory. They did show one guy going out scanning for emissions and trying to elicit compliance from the "violators." He (the "enforcer") indicated there was little he could do to enforce, except to report the offenders to the FCC and let them handle it. I guess it wouldn't make a good story if they had to say, "Well, *most* emissions are prohibited."

 

[Peter KG6LSE]

HA they have some one with a DFing truck to find the offending Blue tooth dongle .

 

[jb64]

close to the observatory it really is dark. I81 doesn't run that close to it. Back near Greenbank, Cass, and Snowshoe, there is little to no cell service at all. I have wondered about the Cardinal too, but I did know that certain transmissions were still allowed, such as emergency, so I thought they might also be allowed to stay in communication.

 

[jacorbett70]

This got me to look up the maps to see if Prince, WV, is in the quiet zone. It is west of the zone so those who were incommunicado for 21 hours when the Cardinal was stuck do not have this to blame for their situation. One thing about the stations along that part of the Cardinal route: The Amtrak app has something about "checking in" at all stations but unless the app is updated to store information, those stations are downright impossible to "check in" at.

 

[leemell]

HA they have some one with a DFing truck to find the offending Blue tooth dongle .

This page shows what they have and it is a lot more that one truck. They have a whole group devoted to RFI reduction. Here is listing of some of the equipment:

Portable Emissions Measurement Setup

IEEE-299 Portable SE Test Setup

Waveguide SE Test Setup

Anechoic Chamber

RFI Survey Antenna

"Deer Stand" RFI Monitoring/RFI Monitoring Station

Power Line RFI Locating Tools

Cable TV RFI sniffing setup

Now back to Amtrak.

 

[Ryan]

close to the observatory it really is dark. I81 doesn't run that close to it.

I don't know what you're talking about, 81 runs right through it and within 20 miles of Sugar Grove:

 

[jb64]

close to the observatory it really is dark. I81 doesn't run that close to it.

I don't know what you're talking about, 81 runs right through it and within 20 miles of Sugar Grove:

Worded poorly on my part. While 81 is within the zone showed above, it is not really in the dark zone like closer to the observatory, hence why everyone has service traveling down 81. The closer you get to Greenbank, the quieter it gets. Not sure that Sugar Grove is nearly as quiet as Greenbank. I think it is closer to 40 miles from 81 to Sugar Grove and a good 85 miles to Greenbank from 81.

 

[Ryan]

The closer you get to Greenbank, the quieter it gets.

True, but

I think it is closer to 40 miles from 81 to Sugar Grove and a good 85 miles to Greenbank from 81.

is off by about 50%.

Also, the Cardinal doesn't get any closer than 81 (and 64) get to either observatory: