Air Med Monitoring

[MNRotrMedic]

Hi all,
I haven't done any air monitoring at all but i live reasonably close to the regional level II trauma center so i hear ther local air med helicopters Central MN: Life Link III, North Air Care) calling the hospital on a fairly regular basis.

In doing some reading it sounds as though there is a way to use transmissions emitted from aircraft while they're in flight to 'track' the positions of those aircraft using a scanner or other radio tied into the soundcard of a computer.

Are air medical helicopters required to do this same position reporting that other aircraft are? Would the position reporting software that's available track these helicopters as they transit to and from their bases, scenes and hospitals?

What hardware and/or software would i need? Has anyone actually seen the software work in this way?

Thanks in advance for any replies.

Matt

 

[GrayJeep]

Inflight tracking

Hi all,


In doing some reading it sounds as though there is a way to use transmissions emitted from aircraft while they're in flight to 'track' the positions of those aircraft using a scanner or other radio tied into the soundcard of a computer.

Are air medical helicopters required to do this same position reporting that other aircraft are? Would the position reporting software that's available track these helicopters as they transit to and from their bases, scenes and hospitals?


Matt

You might be mixing several ideas. (or there's something else out there)

Aircraft have transponders on them (except for those that don't go near areas where they are required) which is essentially a radar return enhancer. For positively controlled airspace these transponders can be set by the pilot to squawk a code assigned them by air traffic control so ATC knows who is where on their radar screen. The code is assigned the a/c by ATC for each flight.

Visual Flight Rules (VFR) where it's see-and-avoid only the code is 1200 for all aircraft.

Seems to me that if you don't have a radar to query the transponder you can't get the data unless the FAA is somehow making their radar pictures available. Then you still would need to know what code is assigned to what flight.

 

[MNRotrMedic]

So there's no system that will enable enthusiasts to monitor the position of aircraft? You're probably right about me being horribly confused!

Matt

 

[GrayJeep]

No system?

So there's no system that will enable enthusiasts to monitor the position of aircraft? You're probably right about me being horribly confused!

Matt

If you were thinking of the airline flight tracker that is accessible on the internet - that's not quite realtime data based. It's a system that sort of shows that a scheduled flight with its assigned code is in the tracking system and where it was last reported. That means that a filed flight plan has been filed and activated and that ATC is talking with them. It's pretty good for airline flights and it will show small plane flights who file flight plans and have activated them but med-evac flights don't file a flight plan. They go when called and they don't file paperwork on the flight with the FAA.

Kind of like the difference between your local bus line filing paperwork and saying that the bus has a schedule table and it has departed the station vs your local ambulance being dispatched.

The news media has not helped folks understand what a flight plan is and what it isn't.

There might be something out there I'm unaware of.

I fly little planes and sometimes file a flight plan as a way for searchers to know where to look for me if I don't show up.

 

[MNRotrMedic]

Thanks for your patience and quick replies!
Matt

 

[nd5y]

I have heard Air Evac Lifeteam mention using SkyTrac http://www.skytrac.ca

 

[radiowaves]

Flight Aware

Hey Group,

Here is a neat web site that allows you to track any commerical or private aircraft that files a flight plan.

http://www.flightaware.com

Click on Live Tracking once you load the page.

I'll listen too say Denver Center or my local airport frequency, listen for the aircraft's call sign and then type it in and track the aircraft that just called in.

There is about a 5 minute delay from actual to what you see, still pretty neat.

Matt: Might not be the complete answer to you question, but still neat and cool to see.

GL,
Chad
N0YK

http://users.wbsnet.org/n0yk

 

[DCHarris]

Most, if not all, give in-flight position updates every 15 minutes. The ones I am familiar with five readings in Lat/Long formats, i.e. degrees/minutes/seconds, which would have to be plotted. I don't know if there are computer programs which will do this, i.e graphically show a location on a map based on these.

 

[k9rzz]

Well, you pretty much know where they are going (down to a few hospitals at least) and you can probably determine where they've been (or vice versa I guess), so if they say that they're 20 minutes out, that nails it down pretty well doesn't it? I know that if I hear them coming, by the time I grab my camera, they're gone!

Me and a good friend chased those guys once. We heard the dispatch and knew where the accident was (about 35 miles away) and immediately jumped in the car. "LETS GO!" "Should we??" "YEAH!!" Less than half way there by freeway, we were passed by two med choppers and when we got to the scene they were on their way back already. (It was a nasty crash too.)

 

[GrayJeep]

Locations & coordinates

Most, if not all, give in-flight position updates every 15 minutes. The ones I am familiar with five readings in Lat/Long formats, i.e. degrees/minutes/seconds, which would have to be plotted. I don't know if there are computer programs which will do this, i.e graphically show a location on a map based on these.

They are announcing on their company frequencies? My previous answers were for aircraft normal capabilities. Air ambulances probably have some other stuff that I don't know about.

A GPS program such as Garmin's MapSource product could be used to show location if you typed in the coordinates and did a couple of other manipulations. Not an automatic entry though.

 

[gcgrotz]

The one's around here give position reports back to the Hospital on the UHF MED-9 channel. This will vary around the country for your locality. Mostly they are flying VFR and don't have flight plans filed. Once in a while they will fly IFR and can be heard on local ATC freqs. They also will check in with the local tower when departing/arriving at the hospital and enroute back to the airport for landing.

The University of Virginia helicopter Pegasus now has an automatic position reporting telemetry system when they are in range of MedComm. Don't know any frequency info. When they travel to a distant location the still use verbal lat/long reports. They did a test years ago using some local ham APRS equipment to see how it worked.

 

[nd5y]

Most, if not all, give in-flight position updates every 15 minutes. The ones I am familiar with five readings in Lat/Long formats, i.e. degrees/minutes/seconds, which would have to be plotted. I don't know if there are computer programs which will do this, i.e graphically show a location on a map based on these.

You write down the latitude and longitude coordinates that you hear and enter them in Google Earth or on a map website.

 

[Viper43]

Delorme Steet Maps will give locations if you put in coordinates

V

 

[K4ZXT]

There is something that I didn't see anywhere in the replies. What about APRS, used alot on amatuer radio? All it takes is a simple gps and a transmitter to send out the id/coordinates. I know it's mostly used for amateur radio but there are several ambulances/police deptartments in my area that use them. I have never messed with it so I don't know how it is decoded or shown on screen or whatever.

 

[gcgrotz]

There is something that I didn't see anywhere in the replies. What about APRS, used alot on amatuer radio? All it takes is a simple gps and a transmitter to send out the id/coordinates. I know it's mostly used for amateur radio but there are several ambulances/police deptartments in my area that use them. I have never messed with it so I don't know how it is decoded or shown on screen or whatever.

See my post above. Amateur radio equipment is not flight certified by the FAA. I'm just guessing but the commercial equipment works pretty much the same way.

If anybody knows of this equipment maybe we could get a link posted?

 

[kicktd]

I think he is thinking of ACARS position reports which some commercial and private aircraft are equiped with and yes you can use a scanner and software (ACARSD) to monitor these and map the position reports given BUT I would highly doubt that it would be installed in a helicopter. Also the position reports given are not frequent enough to "track" it in real time. Best bet is to listen to local approach/departure or UNICOM frequencies as they will usually state where they are to other traffic or to the ATC.

 

[nd5y]

I have heard Air Evac Lifeteam mention using SkyTrac http://www.skytrac.ca

Look at the web site I posted earlier. SkyTrac is a satellite based tracking, flight following and communications system. There are probably other air ambulance services besides Air Evac Lifeteam that use it.

 

[MitchS]

Position Reporting

I know North Air Care updates their dispatch every 15 minutes with a position report that says the helicopter's Lat/Long, ETA, how many souls are on board, and remaining fuel time. I live in Lakeville and I hear them go to the St. Cloud Hospital quite often actually, but the one that goes there the most is Air Care 4 from Princeton (and LL3 from St. Cloud).

 

[trumpetman]

Mama

Our MedEvac helicopter in Asheville (MAMA), uses flight following rules. Coordinates are used as a go between and ATC is notified their direction of flight when they depart. They are required to notify communications and the tower every 15 minutes as to their location. It's nothing special or complicated, but most MedEvac helos don't rely on as much technology besides radios and GPS.