2022 Edwards AFB Airshow

[b52hbuff]

Aerospace Valley Air Show – Edwards Air Force Base (avairshow.com)
Edwards AFB to Host First On-Base Air Show in 13 Years (avgeekery.com)

Thunderbirds will be headlining the show. Pretty diverse lineup that will be provided by Edwards flight test. The KC-46 will be another unique performer demo.

I'm working on my SDS100 profile. Anyone have anything to share other than what is in the RR.com database?
Started with this:
United States Air Force (157) Trunking System, Various, Multi-State (radioreference.com)
...and pared it down to the Edwards sites and TGIDs.

Started with AirNav for airfield frequencies:
AirNav: KEDW - Edwards Air Force Base

 

[Eng74]

Not sure if you will be able to bring the scanner to the air show on the base. Might want to check their page. I know some bases do not allow them.

 

[kearthfan101]

Scanners or Aviation portable radios are not listed under permitted or prohibited items on the airshow website, and I'm not seeing anything on Edwards website. Might as well bring it (at your discretion) but with the understanding that you may have to leave it in the car..

 

[b52hbuff]

Scanners or Aviation portable radios are not listed under permitted or prohibited items on the airshow website, and I'm not seeing anything on Edwards website. Might as well bring it (at your discretion) but with the understanding that you may have to leave it in the car..

You beat me to it.

That is the absolute worst. Up to the discretion of the individual gate guard and whatever instruction or preconceived notions he has about what is or isn't allowed.

Grateful that scanner technology has advanced to the point where a single small box can receive and record all at once. I never lived through or messed with a tape recorder. But I did schlep a laptop and a mobile scanner to record a TRS I was interested in. So if I get sent back, may do some scanning from the car and then leave it running to record what I can throughout the day.

Anyone else going? I'm still working on my SDS100 profile. Will probably post in a day or so.

 

[SteveSimpkin]

I tried bringing my scanner to one of the airshows I attended at EAFB and was told at the check-in entrance that I could not bring it in. Luckily that was back when they had parking that was near the entrance (unlike later events that used remote parking with shuttles). I was able to walk back to my car, put my scanner away and re-enter the airshow.

 

[b52hbuff]

Potentially bad news. Just called the Public Affairs line and the dude said he didn't think scanners would be allowed. He put me on hold, and asked a few of his buddies and they he came back and said most people thought that scanners would not be allowed. So I asked him to update the web page.

As is always the case, your mileage may vary, and unless explicitly banned or allowed, the reality is that it is up to the individual at the gate whether you're allowed in with a radio.

Good luck.

 

[kearthfan101]

Yeah I also talked to someone yesterday who has gone in years past and he said no, they WILL turn you around. Oh well. Should still be a fun one. First time I'm going.

 

[b52hbuff]

Here is my Edwards AFB hpe profile.

 

[CORN]

It would be cool if someone (I’m not smart enough) could make a setup to remotely work your scanner from your phone while leaving the scanner in the car. I’ve seen it done on a larger scale thru a regular computer but haven’t yet on a smaller scale mobile environment.

 

[Shadowhawk1AV]

Went to the show yesterday and got the scanner through security. But halfway through the Thunderbirds demo two guys came up to me and were asking questions about my video camera and scanner as well as if I worked in aviation or did any reporting, etc. Anyway I was told to turn off both the camera and scanner.

 

[b52hbuff]

We’re they USAF security police or someone else?

I met a Brit at the show and we hung out for a bit. There was a set of air stairs that wasn’t roped off. He climbed to top to get a panoramic shot of the statics. I followed him fearing that if he drew attention to himself that they would tell others not to do it.

Anyway, security rolled up in their quads and asked us to step down. I was shooting with my iPhone, but he had some pretty serious glass. The SPs hassled him for not having a permit or a media pass to carry the lens.

the encounter lasted about 15 minutes as they radioed in his British drivers license and collected information. They asked for my DL and I politely declined.

I was concerned about lack of clarity on radio policy, so I left the radio in the car. When I saw my Brit friend bring in his radio, I decided to have a go the next day.

The USAF PD asked if my radio transmitted, and I told her no. After several seconds of mulling it over, she let me in. No issues but I didn’t draw attention to myself and was listening via earpiece.
What were you doing that go your scanner noticed? We’re you playing audio from speaker?

 

[Shadowhawk1AV]

They said they were "with the base." I assumed they were possibly Air Force Office of Special Investigations agents, but was a little confused because i've had interactions with AFOSI and Security Forces before and these guys didn't look like either. Didnt't ask me for ID, didn't have credentials, weapons, or radios, and had on civilian clothing. Tshirts and shorts.

They noticed my camera at first since I was shooting with a rather larger than normal professional video setup and shoulder mounted stabilizer. I missed the deadline on applying for media passes so I didn't have media credentials.

When they came up to me to ask me about my camera that's when they noticed the antenna sticking out of my pocket and asked me about what it was and what I was listening to. Told them it was a scanner, was listening to thunderbirds and incapable of transmitting. I was also listening via earbuds but they said I had to turn off the scanner anyway to "prevent radio interference" and apparently I wasn't allowed to record video with the camera I had due to not having media credentials.

I didn't really understand the reasoning because the webpage didn't have any restrictions on lenses or camera types.

 

[b52hbuff]

Sorry to hear about your experience. Given these two, I’m tempted to write a nice letter to the base. But my concern is whether it will do more harm than good.

I totally understand that as civilians we are on the base as guests and subject to their rules. What is harder to accept is that the rules need to be applied equally to all. If the security checking us into the field allowed an item, then it should be acceptable to use on the flight line. Everyone had to empty purses and bags. We were given a list of prohibited items.

it wasn’t like anyone could sneak a scanner or a 600mm lens through the security checkpoint.

Did the people that accosted you have blue t-shirts?

 

[Shadowhawk1AV]

Sorry to hear about your experience. Given these two, I’m tempted to write a nice letter to the base. But my concern is whether it will do more harm than good.

I totally understand that as civilians we are on the base as guests and subject to their rules. What is harder to accept is that the rules need to be applied equally to all. If the security checking us into the field allowed an item, then it should be acceptable to use on the flight line. Everyone had to empty purses and bags. We were given a list of prohibited items.

it wasn’t like anyone could sneak a scanner or a 600mm lens through the security checkpoint.

Did the people that accosted you have blue t-shirts?

It's ok. I had already filmed a majority of what I needed by the time they had approached me and I share the same thoughts about writing to the base as well.

If i'm not mistaken I recall scanners being specifically on the prohibited items list one year but not for the last show in 2009. I brought the scanner that year and I didn't have any issues nor have I had any issues at any other show this year or years previously.

One of them had a black t-shirt on and the other had a white striped polo shirt no visible logos or markings. It was hard to take them seriously as that doesn't really give the impression of authority.

 

[Eng74]

When China Lake had it’s air show back in 2018, scanners were on the list of prohibited items. Nice thing is there are places to park off base in the desert that are near the air field and you can watch the show.

 

[b52hbuff]

Did anyone try the hpe file I uploaded?

I managed to listen to the following frequencies...



I was surprised that they didn't just re-use the EDW tower VHF frequency. I also have a bunch of recordings from the trunked system. Found several new TGIDs. I'm still analyzing it with the Universal Scanner Recorder and Excel.