Active Boston or N.Y. Freq's ?

[BOBRR]

Hello,

Will blame all my problems on old age now.

Live about 20 miles due west of Logan Airport (Boston)
Very good receiver (R8600), and a Scantenna up in the attic for VHF.

Would like to try and pick up "any" aircraft related comms.

Have been trying 129.900 and 125.925
Nothing.

I think the correct mode would be AM, and these two freq's should be
active as ARINC. Apparently out of N.Y.
True ?

Before I go to the trouble to verify my ant., do you folks
think I should be receiving anything on these two freq's from my near Boston location ?

Any suggestions for more likely, or active freq's., for the near Boston location
of mine would be most appreciated.

Regards,
Bob

 

[jrothwell]

This is what you want. Unicom, ground, tower, clearance is for communication at and surrounding the actual airport. Approach and departure are for communication in airspace outside of this area, before handed off to the tower, controlled by the Boston TRACON in Merrimack, NH.​

​

Airport Communications​

UNICOM:​	122.95
WX ASOS:​	135.0 (617-567-5762)
BOSTON GROUND:​	121.75 121.9
BOSTON TOWER:​	124.725 ;HELICOPTERS 128.8 ;WEST 132.225 ;EAST 257.8
BOSTON APPROACH:​	118.25 ;NORTH 120.6 ;WEST 127.2 ;SOUTH
BOSTON DEPARTURE:​	133.0
CLEARANCE DELIVERY:​	121.65 257.8
PRE-TAXI CLEARANCE:​	121.65
CLASS B:​	124.1 ;091-269 124.4 ;270-090
D-ATIS:​	135.0 ;ARR 135.0 ;DEP
EMERG:​	121.5 243.0
IC:​	120.6 ;WEST
RAMP CTL:​	134.05
WOONS STAR:​	120.6

 

[jaymatt1978]

If you have a scanner antenna in your attic you should hear ALL of the Boston Center frequencies

 

[andy51edge]

Bob,

129.9 is part of the "Maritimenet" It is primarily used by pilots to get HF frequency assignments before entering oceanic airspace. Nowadays it is sparingly used (but I am certainly not saying that it is not used, pardon the double negative). It all depends on the airline but typically the dispatcher can now look at this website and transmit the HF assignments to the pilots over ACARS or the pilots can look it up for themselves before departure if they are leaving from an east coast airport.

125.925 is part of New York Oceanic Center airspace. Oceanic center sectors are often combined up with each other. I would recommend adding 121.125, and 133.5 to the list and see what that yields. More New York Center freqs can be found on this Letter to Airmen (LTA). Boston Center freqs can be found on this LTA.

I think the correct mode would be AM

Correct

Apparently out of N.Y.

Correct, The ARINC specialists that are part of New York Radio are physically located on Long Island with remote radio sites.

 

[BOBRR]

Hi,

Quick thans.

Just what I needed.
Much appreciated. Very.

Let me ask here, too:

When scanning, most of the ATIS frequencies are preceded
by a very shrill "whistle" for a few seconds.

Do I have the mode wrong ? What should be the ATIS mode ?

What is this ?
Normal ? etc. ?

Bob

Bob

 

[alcahuete]

The ATIS is AM just like any other airband frequency. Never heard a shrill whistle or anything like that. Doesn't do that on any radios I have.

 

[spanky15805]

Could be the 8600...

"The IC-R8600 utilizes FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) and DSP units for demodulation, decoding and most of signal processing. Direct HF signals and intermediate frequency signals, which are converted from VHF/UHF signals, are digitized in a 14-bit A/D converter and transferred to the FPGA and DSP for optimal processing. The high-rate 122.88MHz sampling frequency used for the A/D converter results in superior aliasing and image reception reduction."

So maybe the 8600 has a problem? All the files/firmware up to date? Maybe the ATIS is a little "off" $0.02

 

[BOBRR]

Hi All,

Regarding Boston ATIS on 135.0 ?

Thanks for thoughts on this.
Trying to learn.

Going back to 135,0 am, it seems the whistle is only for that frreq.

Could it be simply that it is digital ATIS, not not like
many of the other ATIS freq's that are (presumably) am ?

Hence my whistle with the R-8600 when I tune to it ?

*If anyone has a spare moment, take a listen and perhaps
post here what you hear ?

Does Logan have any analog ATIS ?
If so, freq's please ?

Great Group; thanks so much for
thoughts and help.

Bob

 

[jrothwell]

Hi All,

Regarding Boston ATIS on 135.0 ?

Thanks for thoughts on this.
Trying to learn.

Going back to 135,0 am, it seems the whistle is only for that frreq.

Could it be simply that it is digital ATIS, not not like
many of the other ATIS freq's that are (presumably) am ?

Hence my whistle with the R-8600 when I tune to it ?

*If anyone has a spare moment, take a listen and perhaps
post here what you hear ?

Does Logan have any analog ATIS ?
If so, freq's please ?

Great Group; thanks so much for
thoughts and help.

Bob

I think Boston ATIS is digital. I saw it listed somewhere as D-ATIS. I can't receive that either, but I can receive other ATIS just fine.

 

[andy51edge]

Could it be simply that it is digital ATIS, not not like
many of the other ATIS freq's that are (presumably) am ?

Even though it's a digital ATIS, you shouldn't hear the whistle. Probably some sort of radio frequency interference. It happens and it is location and radio dependent. For me, I frequently get similar interference on 132.0.

Even though it is digital ATIS, the weather information is read by a digitally synthesized voice, similar to a NOAA Weather Radio.

The antenna for D-ATIS and regular ATIS is on the airport and (presumably) mounted low to the ground. The assumption being that the users are aircraft either on the ground at the airport or aircraft high in the sky. Being on the ground far from the airport you will not have good line of sight.

The Boston digital ATIS can be received via phone call at 617-455-3003 this is the same audio being broadcast at 135.000. This is what it will sound like over the radio. Alternatively you can see the text of the digital ATIS at FAA Digital ATIS

 

[StoliRaz]

Hello,

Will blame all my problems on old age now.

Live about 20 miles due west of Logan Airport (Boston)
Very good receiver (R8600), and a Scantenna up in the attic for VHF.

Would like to try and pick up "any" aircraft related comms.

Have been trying 129.900 and 125.925
Nothing.

I think the correct mode would be AM, and these two freq's should be
active as ARINC. Apparently out of N.Y.
True ?

Before I go to the trouble to verify my ant., do you folks
think I should be receiving anything on these two freq's from my near Boston location ?

Any suggestions for more likely, or active freq's., for the near Boston location
of mine would be most appreciated.

Regards,
Bob

133.000 initial departure and 126.500 (Final 1) are usually busy. Depending on which runway is in use, try 118.250 Rockport approach for planes landing from the north shore (when we have south winds it is usually the case) or on a day like today where we have crazy N-NW winds I bet 4L-4R or even 33L will be in use. I would try 120.600

Lastly 118.500 is Bedford tower (Hanscom Airport) which is due west of the city

 

[jaymatt1978]

So it's been awhile since to first post.. I wonder if you had any luck ?