Sticky Thread for MilAir

[TinEar]

Since we seem to have a lot of MilAir posts added to other threads, I figured we might as well start one for that purpose. It will also serve the purpose of keeping the info together for reference.

Something I added to another thread, thought better of it and erased it from there is now here.

Several have asked me for freqs for the CAP (Combat Air Patrol) when it flies over DC. When it's done by the 121st Fighter Squadron of the DC Air National Guard out of Andrews, these are their 20 VHF presets in their radios:

1-139.9 SOF 121st fs
2-127.55 Clr del
3-121.8 ground
4-118.4 tower
5-127.275 tactical
6-139.35 tac
7-138.45 tac
8-139.75 tac
9- 139.15 143.15 tac
10-34.3 tac
11-32.65 tac
12-139.625 Warren Grove (PA) range
13-122.9 Dare (NC) range- Air Force
14-122.9 Dare (NC)- Navy
15-41.3 Kiowa (PA) range
16- 138.025 tac
17- 32.85 tac
18- 124.0 Wash App
19-119.3 Andrews app
20- 113.1 Andrews ATIS

And these are their 20 UHF presets:

1-234.8 SOF 121st FS (Watergate & Senate)
2- 393.1 clr del
3- 275.8 ground
4- 349.0 tower
5. 348.725 Wash Dep
6- 257.2 Wash Dep
7- 281.4 Wash ARTCC
8- 317.425 Balto App
9- 281.8 PAX app
10- 238.1 Giantkiller
11- 249.8 Giantkiller
12- 286.2 Warren Grove
13- 349.1 Dare-Air Force
14- 358.0 Dare- Navy
15- 237.2 Kiowa range
16- 277.4 Wash ARTCC
17- 323.0 Wash ARTCC
18-270.275 Wash App
19-335.5 Andrews app
20- 251.05 Andrews ATIS

They normally refer to channels as just V for VHF and U for UHF such as V-4 or U-16. Common language is "Push V-4" or "Button V-4."

I wish this could become a "Sticky" thread like I wished the Major Events would be because it is a general category rather than a specific question or event. I guess if there is enough interest it will stay somewhere on the front page just from the submissions.

 

[wadeless28]

Alan,
You are the man. I was looking for what the rest of the presets were.

Thanks,
Mike

 

[TinEar]

You're welcome. Mike, I think I would discount those low band freqs on the V list. They were valid at one point in time but they just don't use that band any longer. I don't know if they've been replaced with other freqs or not. However, I've never heard them reference those presets so there has been nothing to check against.

 

[Mark]

Good idea Mike and thanks for those freqs.The mid-Atlantic area is always busy with mil-air more than most people realize.

I think I have posted these before but Dover AFB has changed a couple freqs in the last couple weeks.
Dover Approach is used by MD ANG A-10's transiting from Atlantic City range areas just before they call or depart Balt appch 317.4250
Sometimes they also go to Dover and do touch and go's with tower usually all on UHF.

Dover approach new 257.875

Dover Tower new 279.625

Mark

 

[ericcarlson]

Re: MilAir

Several have asked me for freqs for the CAP (Combat Air Patrol) when it flies over DC. When it's done by the 121st Fighter Squadron of the DC Air National Guard out of Andrews...

The Andrews Air Force Base page now has the UHF and VHF preset lists.
http://www.radioreference.com/modules.php?name=RR&aid=2572

-Eric

 

[TinEar]

Thanks Eric. After I posted/submitted those I was thinking I should have cleaned up the abbreviations. You did it anyway. Good job.

 

[ericcarlson]

I think I have posted these before but Dover AFB has changed a couple freqs in the last couple weeks.

We now have a Dover Air Force Base page:
http://www.radioreference.com/modules.php?name=RR&aid=2700
Please submit updates there.

-Eric

 

[Mark]

Sorry Tin(Alan) I meant to credit you...DOH!

I need a long weekend at Dewey beach,Hope wx is ok this coming weekend.
Hopefully they haven't encrypted their radios down there.
Always good for fun on Memorial weekend.

Mark

 

[md_p97]

as long as we are on the topic...has anyone come across a free web site that has real time atcc? I would love to be able to log on someplace and see exactly where a particular plane is that they are chasing or even the ones I hear on final approach. I have checked into some of the comercial sites, but they are cost prohibitive for most casual users. And I have heard, that even those sites are on a 10 minute delay.

 

[TinEar]

I didn't know they were delayed. It makes sense though from a security standpoint. Yes, they sure are expensive - too expensive for me.

 

[Admin0140434]

as long as we are on the topic...has anyone come across a free web site that has real time atcc? I would love to be able to log on someplace and see exactly where a particular plane is that they are chasing or even the ones I hear on final approach. I have checked into some of the comercial sites, but they are cost prohibitive for most casual users. And I have heard, that even those sites are on a 10 minute delay.

the FAA has a website (not sure of the exact address) that ASIG (old Signature Flight Support) uses to track the international flights they service coming into BWI. not sure if they pay some sort of fee to use it or not.

 

[ka3jjz]

Re: MilAir

Several have asked me for freqs for the CAP (Combat Air Patrol) when it flies over DC. When it's done by the 121st Fighter Squadron of the DC Air National Guard out of Andrews...

The Andrews Air Force Base page now has the UHF and VHF preset lists.
http://www.radioreference.com/modules.php?name=RR&aid=2572

-Eric

Actually, there's something else here, too, and it wouldn't surprise me if this had changed as well; all milair allocations are supposed to be moving to a .x25 split standard across the board for all services. That includes the milair side of the Potomac TRACON for Washington National/Reagan. One or two of those freqs don't fit the pattern - 257.2 comes to mind. It's too far away from me to hear it; is it still being used, or has that changed too?

There's a very good list of at least some of the changes in a recent MT. If I can put my hands on it, I will post where it is, along with what it says for the new changes 73s Mike

 

[ka3jjz]

You're welcome. Mike, I think I would discount those low band freqs on the V list. They were valid at one point in time but they just don't use that band any longer. I don't know if they've been replaced with other freqs or not. However, I've never heard them reference those presets so there has been nothing to check against.

Yeah, one other change there, too (so what else is new?) All the approach/departure freqs are now under the Potomac TRACON; the ARTCC freqs remain unaffected. I've submitted that to be changed

73s Mike

 

[TinEar]

Mike, there is also the danger of being TOO precise. You are absolutely correct that the TRACON freqs are Potomac but it helps to know which of the local airports the frequency is associated with rather than the homogenized name they've been given. A name like BWI Approach means a whole lot more to the listener than does Potomac Approach which could be any of four airports. Perhaps a label like "Potomac Approach (Reagan National)" would work better. Just a thought.

 

[ka3jjz]

Great minds think alike; I wrote something very similar up for the update team.

Anyway, I finally found the article I was alluding to earlier; it's in the 2/2005 MT Milcom column pp51 and 52. It lists a few other Potomac frequencies that I wouldn't doubt would get slid into the radios if the assignment warrented it;

282.275
290.475
343.775
348.725

These fit the new .x25 patterns. 73s Mike

 

[TinEar]

The Cessna that was intercepted and escorted to Gaithersburg Monday evening was not squawking the right transponder code and had no radio because it had taken a lightning strike while enroute from Knoxville - according to newspaper reports.

The Washington Post also reported that during the Cessna incident on May 11, Defense Secretary Rumsfeld gave authorization for the plane to be shot down if it had not diverted when it did. The two aboard are very lucky to be alive today. Their apparent lack of flying skills and the fact they froze up under the stress of the intercept almost cost them their lives.

[Edit] Just heard from the BWI ground controller in response to a pilot that the Blue Angels flight has been "suspended due to weather" and she doesn't think it's going to happen.

 

[TinEar]

F-16s, flight of two, took off from Andrews using callsign WILD (1 & 2, with 2 being a female pilot). Freq is V-5 (127.275) at the moment.

13:58 WILD 1 & 2 getting ready to land at Andrews on Runway 1 left and right. Landing on Andrews Tower freq 349.00.

 

[cohenner5377]

What freqs do the brave units fly on?

David
MAR018

 

[TinEar]

They'll be on any of the tac freqs used by the 121st FS as posted above.

 

[ka3jjz]

Re hearing the DC ANG; I've kept rather careful record of what freqs have been utilized over the last year and a half or so; and while there's no way to say this is a complete list - no list when you are dealing in milair ever is- it's a good place to start. Most of these don't fit the new .x25 patterns, so all this is historical. These freqs were used in training, or in comms with other units such as tankers out of McGuire; [note that this list doesn't include the freqs that were noted in the first message on this thread]

138.025
138.975
139.45
139.50
243.60
260.9
266.5
269.0
288.35
292.30
305.20
338.20
350.0
351.8
373.10

This brings me to a question; you can't keep this stuff scribbled down on a piece of paper somewhere; it has to be scanned and updated from time to time. What program(s) are folks using? I know Scanstar is pretty popular for this - I know more than a few folks that use it - and of course I use Radiomax. But surely there are others?

73s Mike