234.5750 Mhz.

[W4UVV]

As part of a project to program a 996XT for all Va. cities and counties and other radio services of interest I recently finished programing 225-379 mhz. For the past several days I have been hearing frequency AM comms on 234.5750 mhz. As best as I can identify it is an EWACS aircraft identifying as "Echo Whiskey".
Minimally there seems to be at least two supporting intercept patrol aircraft. Their callsigns are "Delta" "Echo", etc. Comms included mention of intercept track numbers, "Uppercut"...possibly a sub-sector of the Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ); escorts and sitreps. The intercept aircraft do not appear to be fighters but aircraft designed for long range patrol such as the old P2V Navy model. The patrol aircraft attempt to visually identify the target aircraft's tail number. This morning two military aircraft airborne off SC called Echo Whiskey providing their callsigns and destination information. I assume they did this so they would not be intercepted by patrol aircraft.

The EWACS and supporting patrol aircraft appear to be operating in the Va. Capes or in the Atlantic off the NC coast. EWACS aircraft have a fuel capacity of 90,000 gallons and can remain airborne for approximately 11 hours on station.

Those living in the Tidewater area should not have a problem hearing the comms.

 

[scoot99]

Re: 234.575

> The EWACS and supporting patrol aircraft appear to be operating in the Va. Capes or in the Atlantic off the >NC coast. EWACS aircraft have a fuel capacity of 90,000 gallons and can remain airborne for approximately >11 hours on station.
>
>Those living in the Tidewater area should not have a problem hearing the comms.[/QUOTE]


I am hearing this traffic weak and barely readable from the Eastern Shore of VA during the 17Z hour. Agree it sure sounds like tracking involving multiple airborne platforms. I am hearing ECHO WHISKEY, DELTA, and refs to UPPERCUT, and possibly RUNAWAY, CAESAR. Latter three appear to be used more as descriptors, e.g. "recommend CAESAR" rather than separate callsigns. DELTA advises EW that (4-digit track??) is enroute Myrtle Beach, suggesting this activity may be occurring further south than VA Capes. I switched to headphones and throttled back on squelch but still barely readable.

Dave
KI4VYW

 

[W4UVV]

> The EWACS and supporting patrol aircraft appear to be operating in the Va. Capes or in the Atlantic off the >NC coast. EWACS aircraft have a fuel capacity of 90,000 gallons and can remain airborne for approximately >11 hours on station.
>
>Those living in the Tidewater area should not have a problem hearing the comms.

I am hearing this traffic weak and barely readable from the Eastern Shore of VA during the 17Z hour. Agree it sure sounds like tracking involving multiple airborne platforms. I am hearing ECHO WHISKEY, DELTA, and refs to UPPERCUT, and possibly RUNAWAY, CAESAR. Latter three appear to be used more as descriptors, e.g. "recommend CAESAR" rather than separate callsigns. DELTA advises EW that (4-digit track??) is enroute Myrtle Beach, suggesting this activity may be occurring further south than VA Capes. I switched to headphones and throttled back on squelch but still barely readable.

Dave
KI4VYW[/QUOTE]

I think the operation is somewhere a few hundred miles out in the Atlantic between NC and SC. One of the patrol planes possibly a relief said he was patrolling international waters. Since Echo Whiskey is noticeably stronger he is running more than 10 watts transmit. Aircraft with a few exceptions are limited to 10 watts input transmit power.

I'm approximately 80-100 miles WSW of the eastern shore depending upon where and am getting good reception using one of my mast mounted pre-amped Scantennas. For improved reception try installing a Radio Shack vhf/uhf/fm mast mount preamp on your current antenna or try the Scantenna with the preamp.. The Scantenna is available from Solid Signal for $34 whereas Grove Enterprises sells the same Scantenna for about $50.

 

[Eugene]

I live in Portsmouth...have a scantenna about 20 ft up. Picking up comm's loud and clear today. Sounds like an AWACS using callsign "echo-whiskey" coordinating 3 different "delta-mike" aircraft on several different tracks and also aircraft callsign "whisky" , "hobie" and "india". They are doing "VID" which I assume is visual ID checks on other aircraft. Also hear one of the aircraft give"echo-whisky" a tracked aircraft id as "VID....commercial flight Pueblo to Myrtle Beach" VERY active today. They seem to be checking all aircraft in the vicinity. Giving Aircraft they are checking out by track numbers and giving thier own track numbers as well.

 

[Eugene]

They are also vectoring air intercepts with "echo" and "whiskey" aircraft and heard them intercept and escort a "Falcon (falcon jet-private) soggie (which I assume is a VOR radial fix) air to ground, will contine escort" at which time "echo-whiskey" says "continue escort till advised". So they are escorting aircraft as well. Must be in the vicinity of NC/SC border as they have id several aircraft coming into and out of Myrtle Beach.

 

[fmon]

4.5 bars on Pro-197

Loud and clear in northeast Suffolk, gotta be Giant Killer out of Dam Neck. The patrols are likely P3's out of Jax. They too can fly over 12 hours. Fact is, on return from Viet Nam in 67', my flight of three P3's flew 15 hours non-stop from Hawaii to Jax. E6 is likely ECHO WHISKEY, DELTA. The US Navy -- Fact File

I'll listen for awhile.

 

[scoot99]

I'm hearing this activity somewhat clearer today and believe the venue is indeed off the NC/SC coast. Heard ref to coordinates 3345N 07515W which by my rough calculation is about 161 nm due east of the intersection of the NC/SC border with the Atlantic coast. Also heard mention of Wilmington Intl Airport as "BULLSEYE" standard AWACS terminology for reference point. As a milair fan, I hear AWACS activity frequently and would observe this current exercise certainly sounds different from the usual Air Combat Maneuvering drills. They've apparently knocked off for the day as I type this. Will check it out again tomorrow.

Dave
KI4VYW

 

[GROCKSHD]

I am picking them up right now. Really clear, I have 3 bars on my 396XT using a Antenex ABSCANC on my truck in Portsmouth. They are using the same C/Signs and are giving more tracking reports.

 

[Eugene]

Still active.....heard one of the aircraft say " I designate myself as alternate air defense commander..aircraft acknowledge by roll call" Also they have made several CAP references. Could these be Combat Air Patrols and if so...why? Or could CAP be jargon for something else. Whatever they are still hard at it.

 

[scoot99]

Re: 234.575

Still active.....heard one of the aircraft say " I designate myself as alternate air defense commander..aircraft acknowledge by roll call" Also they have made several CAP references. Could these be Combat Air Patrols and if so...why? Or could CAP be jargon for something else. Whatever they are still hard at it.

I am more and more puzzled by this activity. It's quite distinct from the normal AWACS-supported exercise activity in the training areas off the VACAPES coast. That it has continued nonstop for so many days is itself unusual. I listened for several hours today, despite the fact that the traffic is marginally hearable (even using milspec receiver and antenna w/ preamp) at my QTH. Fixed frequency, fixed codewords (such as BIRTHDAY, SCUBA, UPPERCUT, etc) and apparently a fixed geographic focus off the NC/SC coast are all unusual. Activity seems to be daylight hours only, also puzzling. I have to confess I am intrigued.

 

[fmon]

Wrong Forum

Sorry...incorrect forum

 

[BMT]

This is the carrier ENTERPRISE.
Ship spent about 2 weeks off the FL. coast.
Anyone log any freqs?? ;-)0

BMT

 

[Eugene]

Scoot99....I to am intrigiued. I have heard AWACS activity off the coast,,,,"huntress" aircraft mostly...with limited supporting aircraft. This has multiple supporting aircraft.....multiple targets..getting visual ID's on aircraft....tracking thier flight plans.....and they are DEFINATELY doing escorts of selected aircraft for quite a distance. Never heard intercepts and escorts before. Last time I heard this type of activity was when I was staying in Richmond about 5 miles from Byrd Field and the Air-Guard F-16s flew over the house every night enroute to DC for CAP duty after 9/11. Could hear the CAP activity over DC......reminiscent.

 

[BMT]

FACSFAC Jacksonville "SEALORD" schedule show's a carrier in the OPAREA 14-31Jan2011.

BMT

 

[GROCKSHD]

BMT is right, the Big E is out to Sea getting ready for deployment. Probably part of their pre-deployment training.