Air Traffic Control

[Landgrenade]

So, I occasionally look at aviation radars because why not. I noticed last night that there is this weird plane circling the metro for hours at a time and I can’t seem to find out why. Any of you guys know what channel the USAF would be using to communicate with the ground if it’s not digitalized? I would think they’d be tied in with normal ATC but at the same time seems like a security thing. And between the two Tower channels Radioreference provides, does anyone know which is the prime one? Thanks! The plane doesn’t have any info to it besides the name ALLIED1 and the speed and elevation. Can’t figure it out.

 

[Landgrenade]

I realize not a lot of people probably listen to the Aviation channels and neither do I but I’m hoping someone here does ��

 

[W7LZN]

Often times military will use the uhf portion for communication, but I also heard a lot of talk between F-16s and Sioux Falls tower on the vhf frequency. Here is a chart of the frequencies used in Des Moines.

Brad

Sent from my LM-V350 using Tapatalk

 

[AI7PM]

At that altitude and flight pattern they wouldn't be on the tower frequency, but on a TRACON ("Des Moines Approach" "Des Moines Departure" frequency.

DES MOINES APPROACH: 123.9 307.15 118.6 135.2 350.3 360.7
DES MOINES DEPARTURE: 123.9 307.15 118.6 350.3

 

[AI7PM]

You can also find frequencies for the Chicago and Minneapolis ARTCCs that broadcast from a radio site in Des Moines in the RR database,, but with two innacurate entries for Minneapolis. 118.82 should read 118.825, and 135.77 should read 135.775. You will hear controllers and pilots not say the 5, as it's implied in 12.5khz freqs. You'll hear "Delta345 contact Minneapolis Center one three five point seven seven." When they dial it up in the cockpit, the radio adds the 5.

 

[AngelFire91]

Usually these types of flights are associated with Law Enforcement or Dept. of Homeland Security flights.

https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/peteraldhous/spies-in-the-skies

 

[RaleighGuy]

Often times they won't be talking to the airport at all unless they are arriving or leaving, they talk plane to plane a lot of times on 123.025, 123.050, and 123.075 & similar common air channels https://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?aid=7758

The popular commercial sites like Flightradar and Flightaware limits the amount of information, or excludes them all together. They are great for typical aircraft tracking, but when you run into a situation like this you should switch to the free, less filtered site like this one ADS-B Exchange

 

[AngelFire91]

I guess I should have put in my last post. Chances are they are talking to ATC on the App/Dep frequency 123.9 and using a standard tail number. However, They are VFR and at that altitude have no obligation to be talking to anyone as the Des Moines Class C airspace stops at 5000ft.

 

[mws72]

ALLIED11 is a USAF C-26. It has been seen around the country. I have it occasionally passing through on ADB-S