2009 Chicago Air Show

[gasher28]

I've been searching around for some useful frequecies to program in my scanner for the upcoming Chicago show; found a few but if anybody has any and is willing to share I'd appreciate it.

Thanks,
Ryan Gash

[rvictor]

The frequencies used by the T-Birds in Milwaukee, WI a few weeks ago were 141.075 and 235.250.

I found that opening the squelch on 141.075 was helpful since the transmissions are very brief and very quick and you will miss a bit of the beginning waiting for the squelch to open.

Dick

[ka3jjz]

Always start with these 3 links - and I wouldn't ignore listings (perhaps some CARMA folks can jump in here) from shows in the past (ask on the Illinois forum, or in the CARMA yahoo group...)

http://www.monitoringtimes.com/MT_Ai...Guide_2009.pdf

Milcom Monitoring Post

Chicago (ZAU) Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC) Scanner Frequencies and Radio Frequency Reference

The first is the MT file which is a PDF; the next is the Milcom blog which will often have new freqs not listed in the PDF file; the third is the ARTCC center in the database (don't use the FAA listings), where it's quite possible you might hear the flights arriving for the show.

This would make a good wiki article (hint, hint)

73 Mike

[FFPM571]

Post a question in the Ilinois monitoring thread. Carma has an extensive listing . They have a yeary outing at the lakefront.

[venson]

I've been working on compiling a list of frequencies for this year, from the various sources. See my list here: Chicago Air & Water Show 2009 Frequencies

If you find errors, or want to add something, let me know by posting here.

[venson]

Got some Thunderbirds hits on Monday - Aug, 10th photo opp session:

139.800
235.250

2 new freq. I'm going to try on Friday's practice session: 124.675 & 141.075.

Anyone have any others?

[rvictor]

Originally Posted by venson

I've been working on compiling a list of frequencies for this year, from the various sources. See my list here: Chicago Air & Water Show 2009 Frequencies

If you find errors, or want to add something, let me know by posting here.

141.075 was used in Milwaukee by the T-Birds on 7/25-7/26 and was also reported on the CARMA list as having been used in Chicago.

Dick

[chgomonitor]

Thunderbirds on Monday morning spotting flights along the lakeshore:

F1 - 141.075 (AM)
F2 - 139.800 (AM)
UHF - 235.250 (AM)

http://www.carmachicago.com/profiles...rshowGuide.pdf

Happy Scanning! - Ted

[chgomonitor]

370.025 (AM) Just popped up active with some USAF Air Combat Command Demo team traffic. Probably the F15E Strike Eagle demo operating out of Gary.

Happy Airshow Scanning! - Ted

[chgomonitor]

Originally Posted by chgomonitor

370.025 (AM) Just popped up active with some USAF Air Combat Command Demo team traffic. Probably the F15E Strike Eagle demo operating out of Gary.

Happy Airshow Scanning! - Ted

Woops, sorry - this should of course be 376.025

[chgomonitor]

Odds and ends today...

-Had a report that somebody, possibly the Thunderbirds, were up on 141.825 (AM) but I didn't catch them.

122.875 (AM) I think this was Lima-Lima, definitely a team working out. They eventually switched from here to 123.150.

There was a lot of flying and jumping in the Chicagoland area today given how nice it was, so I'm not sure everything I caught today was actually show related.

123.475 (AM). Definitely a show related team working here today but I don't think it was the Golden Knights, but it could have been. I think they were trying to coordinate some photo ops w/Sean Tucker at one point.

122.725 Definite jump team working out, but possibly at one of the remote parachuting sites around Chicago. Maybe not show related, but usually an interesting frequency.

122.900 Team practicing.

133.500 This is a Chicago airspace radar advisory frequency and some of the show stuff working today was checking in and out here. Its a fairly busy frequency.

123.750 Chicago Center at Aurora. Heard a jump plane calling jumpers away here. Maybe not show related.

123.725 I heard some traffic here which may have been show airspace related. I have this listed as a Minneapolis Center frequency, nothing local. Might be worth keeping an ear on. Just a few brief comms though.

118.225 and 120.125 These are Chicago Center frequencies at Kankakee. 353.550 is paired with 118.225, usually. I've noticed they are doing a lot of handoffs to and from "Brickyard", which I'm assuming is Grissom AFB Radar in Indiana. So, I'm wondering if perhaps some of the heavies are flying in and out of Grissom this year.

122.850 6-ship prop team working out hard today, a lot of traffic. One of their callsigns is "Taco".

Happy Scanning! - Ted

[venson]

Updated my list of Chicago Air & Water Show 2009 Frequencies with Ted's finds and added a column for confirmed hits.

If anyone confirms more of these or finds new ones, please post here and I'll update the spreadsheet. Friday during the practice session, we should get a fairly good list so I'll update the list again on Friday night and you can upload these into your scanner (perhaps setting some of the 'confirmed' hits to Primary).

Venson

[chgomonitor]

123.150 is AeroShell air to air. Their possible alternate channel is 122.850

122.725 and 122.900 are skydiving freqs at remote sites around Chicago, not directly show related - but I wouldn't totall rule out those freqs, either.

123.475 had a show related team working here briefly on Wednesday near Gary. This should be Golden Knight air.

I'd keep half an ear/eye on the Cubs game today. Thursday is Media Day at Gary and they'll be some lakefront flying today. I don't think the show site's platform at North Avenue is operational today but a friend is en-route there.

123.575 had some team air to air traffic on it briefly this morning. This might be Lima-Lima. Check 123.175 for them, too.

133.500 Chicago Radar looks like a good frequency for some of the involved airspace and is worth monitoring, though it has other traffic south of the O'Hare airspace on it, too.

126.800 / 308.400 has been quiet. It's often used for show site and Gary arrival / departure.

125.600 Gary Tower VHF is handing show site traffic off to 118.400 Midway radar this morning.

Happy Scanning! - Ted / The CARMA Airshow Team

[chgomonitor]

In general and based on past use, the best bets for show arrival and departure tracking include this group of otherwise more or less standard air traffic control operations. All will likely have non-show related traffic on them to one degree or another, as well:

118.400 / 388.000 Midway Radar
126.800 / 308.400 Chicago Radar
120.550 / 290.200 Chicago Radar
133.500 / 349.000 Chicago Radar (former UHF 371.900)
125.600 / 256.700 Gary Tower
118.700 / 226.300 Midway Tower

126.000 and 398.950 have also been used in past for show arrival / departure uses.

Happy Scanning! - Ted

[chgomonitor]

123.150 confirmed visually by a spotter as AeroShell air to air this morning.

376.025 (AM) F-15E Strike Eagle demo is up and working

[chgomonitor]

Although the North Avenue platform is only partially setup and isn't yet on the air, the FAA has allocated a frequency pair for use as control frequencies for the platform. Both are AM Mode:

125.200 / 317.500

Historically these have been subject to last minute change induced by noise reports. But thanks out to our intrepid team of field reporters already deployed at both North Avenue and at Gary today.

It's quite a gift to start pegging these down so early.

Happy Scanning! - Ted

[chgomonitor]

140.400 (AM) T-Birds up and working on this one right now

[chgomonitor]

Originally Posted by chgomonitor

140.400 (AM) T-Birds up and working on this one right now

This is the T-38"s, not the Thunderbirds. The T-38's Victor One channel is Gary Tower VHF.

[chgomonitor]

The air show's helicopters will be operating in and out of Midway airport this year. Happy Scanning! - Ted

[venson]

Confirmed frequencies from today - Aug. 14th

118.700 Midway Tower
122.475 Heritage Flight
123.150 Show Discrete
123.475 Show Discrete
123.575 Lima Lima
125.200 Midway Tower
141.075 TBirds Victor 1
235.250 TBirds Control
376.025 F15E Eagle