Woo hoo! Finally heard my first military air . . .

[KB2GOM]

A bit of background: Three scanners are monitoring the airwaves most mornings when I run the Commuter Assistance Network -- Commuter Assistance Net

A 436 monitors Rensselaer County first responders. a BC125AT listens to New York Thruway Units; and an SDS-200 keeps an ear on the State Police and the Help Trucks.

Also in the shack is a Uniden 196 (I think) and an Icom R6, both of which are programmed with various military air frequencies . . . and in hours and hours of scanning I have heard exactly nothing from them.

So over the weekend, I punched up military air frequencies on the SDS-200 and this morning, while preparing for the Commuter Net, it lights up with "Military Tower Common at Civilian Airports. The frequency is 257.800. It's clear as a bell and the tower is giving directions to flights preparing for take-off.

Now, here's the question: I could not hear any response from any of the aircraft, even though the SDS-200 was scanning all its known military frequencies. Is there something I am doing wrong?

 

[N4GEX]

If that frequency is used by an ATC tower at a civilian airport then it's likely that the tower is simulcasting on a frequency in the VHF civilian air band. The aircraft are most likely on that same VHF frequency.

 

[vagrant]

If that frequency is used by an ATC tower at a civilian airport then it's likely that the tower is simulcasting on a frequency in the VHF civilian air band. The aircraft are most likely on that same VHF frequency.

Indeed - I have the same at my nearby civilian airport. There is a California ANG wing out of that same airport and the tower simulcasts as well. It is mostly chatter with civilian aircraft, so I rarely monitor/scan the UHF Mil Air frequency used for that.

 

[EAFrizzle]

N4GEX is right, the plane was probably on the local VHF. While scanning can be like hunting a needle in a haystack, MilAir scanning is like hunting a needle in a 1000-acre wheat field.


Congratulations on your first MilAir catch

 

[KB2GOM]

If that frequency is used by an ATC tower at a civilian airport then it's likely that the tower is simulcasting on a frequency in the VHF civilian air band. The aircraft are most likely on that same VHF frequency.

Displaying my ignorance: would the tower be simulcasting all the time or only when dealing with a military aircraft?

 

[ecps92]

A bit of background: Three scanners are monitoring the airwaves most mornings when I run the Commuter Assistance Network -- Commuter Assistance Net

A 436 monitors Rensselaer County first responders. a BC125AT listens to New York Thruway Units; and an SDS-200 keeps an ear on the State Police and the Help Trucks.

Also in the shack is a Uniden 196 (I think) and an Icom R6, both of which are programmed with various military air frequencies . . . and in hours and hours of scanning I have heard exactly nothing from them.

So over the weekend, I punched up military air frequencies on the SDS-200 and this morning, while preparing for the Commuter Net, it lights up with "Military Tower Common at Civilian Airports. The frequency is 257.800. It's clear as a bell and the tower is giving directions to flights preparing for take-off.

Now, here's the question: I could not hear any response from any of the aircraft, even though the SDS-200 was scanning all its known military frequencies. Is there something I am doing wrong?

AS others have indicated the tower is transmitting on both the VHF and UHF at the same time
257.8000 and 119.5000 both show for Albany

AirNav: KALB - Albany International Airport

Complete aeronautical information about Albany International Airport (Albany, NY, USA), including location, runways, taxiways, navaids, radio frequencies, FBO information, fuel prices, sunrise and sunset times, aerial photo, airport diagram.

www.airnav.com

Sometimes it will be All the time, others maybe when/if MilAir is in the region - or it could be just that One Operator. YMMV
The only way to know is from your listening of both frequencies

 

[KB2GOM]

AS others have indicated the tower is transmitting on both the VHF and UHF at the same time
257.8000 and 119.5000 both show for Albany

AirNav: KALB - Albany International Airport

Complete aeronautical information about Albany International Airport (Albany, NY, USA), including location, runways, taxiways, navaids, radio frequencies, FBO information, fuel prices, sunrise and sunset times, aerial photo, airport diagram.

www.airnav.com

Sometimes it will be All the time, others maybe when/if MilAir is in the region - or it could be just that One Operator. YMMV
The only way to know is from your listening of both frequencies

Roger that. Very helpful!

So it would probably be useful to have second scanner listening to the CivAir frequencies . . .to sort stuff out.

 

[ecps92]

Roger that. Very helpful!

So it would probably be useful to have second scanner listening to the CivAir frequencies . . .to sort stuff out.

Yes
You will also notice from that AirNav link, they have other channels that can/maybe used in a similar fashion
Albany Ground, Departure, Class C, Emergency, IC, NG Ops

 

[AirScan]

Also in the shack is a Uniden 196 (I think) and an Icom R6, both of which are programmed with various military air frequencies . . . and in hours and hours of scanning I have heard exactly nothing from them.

Just out of curiosity what frequencies do you have programmed ? I'm surprised you are not hearing anything. You should be able to catch the F-15s out of Barnes, the MQ-9s out of Syracuse, the F-35s out of Burlington, plus the Air Refueling routes that are nearby, all are very active. I would suspect that Albany Tower simulcasts on 257.800 and 119.500 H24, curious if this is what you are hearing. Can you also hear the controllers on the approach frequencies 118.050, 132.825, 307.200, 263.075 as clear as the Tower ?