USCG

[doctordave]

I found a number of cited USCG freqs on the freqofnature website. Age of the info is not clear....and the website data favors the West Coast anyway. I suspect most of the UHF CG freqs are no longer valid after the changes that went into effect back in 1/05. The 381/383 freqs, I'm pretty certain, are no longer good and have been replaced by the four new UHF USCG freqs listed in our database. Are any of the other freqs known to be used in this region?

VHF Search & Rescue 123.1000
UHF Search & Rescue 282.8000
US Navy Fleet Warning & Tactical 277.8000
UHF Law Enforcement 353.9000
Air Support Primary 381.8000
Air Support Secondary 381.7000
Air Support 381.4000
Air Support 383.9000
Air Operations Tac 1 162.1250
Air Operations Tac 2 162.3250

 

[TinEar]

Dave, the only one I can comment on is 123.10. I've had that programmed as long as I've owned a scanner (a long time) and have never heard it active.

 

[Llwellyn]

123.1 is the airband search and rescue frequency; it's AM and usually low power, so unless you're right near the operation you're not going to hear anything. Also, they have a tendency to just use guard (121.5) or Marine 16 or one of the USCG-only marine channels.

When I was in CAP, 123.1 was kind of a "last resort" frequency, only used if no one had a compatible set of other frequencies to use... SAR ops with law enforcement usually happened on the LE frequencies and not on the airband.

 

[Admin0140434]

...guard (121.5)...

isnt this the air emergency frequency? old notes i have suggest that it is.

 

[Llwellyn]

Yes, 121.5 is the VHF-AM Emergency frequency, but in recent months has become VHF-AM "Guard" as well. The military equivalent is 243.0. Aircraft are advised to maintain an active watch, and this is the first place a military aircraft is going to try if they need to raise a civilian aircraft. There's an unofficial "chitchat" frequency of 123.45 but most pilot-pilot comms will start on 121.5 now... it's mostly become like Marine 16 and to some extent CB9 with a little of CB19 thrown in. It was reserved for ELT use and emergency use only, but there is very little enforcement of this now. Also, by 2007 (I think), all ELTs and EPIRBs are supposed to be switching to UHF, meaning that 121.5 will be obsolete as an ELT frequency. When I was in CAP (9 years ago now...wow), 121.5 was "sacred"... no voice comms unless you were declaring an emergency... but that is very far from the case now, especially out here with all the Class B airspace and restricted airspace.

 

[doctordave]

Thanks for the replies. I'm also amazed at how often 121.5 is used for what is clearly non-emergent chatter.