AirCare at Leesburg Executive Airport

[dtscho]

I'm trying to clean up the AirCare frequencies on the Virginia Medevac page. The AirCare helicopter frequencies appear to be linked (as has been mentioned in other threads over the years). Each helo doesn't have its "own" frequency; rather, there is a frequency in use at each helo base.

Medevac (Virginia) Scanner Frequencies and Radio Frequency Reference

Scanner Frequencies and Radio Frequency Reference for Medevac (Virginia)

www.radioreference.com

Currently, 458.4250 is listed as being in use at Leesburg Executive Airport (base for AirCare 3). But according to the AirCare license, 462.9625 should be in use at Leesburg. 453.4250/458.4250 is only licensed for Martin State Airport in Baltimore County, Maryland. Could someone confirm 462.9625 is in use at Leesburg? (I realize this is the same frequency as Inova Fairfax Hospital, so they're probably using different CTCSS tones.)

FCC Callsign WQKB746 (PHI AIR MEDICAL, LLC)

FCC Callsign WQKB746 (PHI AIR MEDICAL, LLC)

www.radioreference.com

Thanks,
Dave

 

[dtscho]

Tip: the AirCare repeaters are not particularly strong - scanning the input frequencies may allow one to monitor more traffic from the helos when they are in the air.

Dave

 

[freqhopping]

I'm not far from KJYO. While I was out this evening my 436HP recorded a few conversations. The scanner was always stopping on the inputs rather than the outputs. The conversations were simulcasted on the inputs 458.225 192.8 and 467.9625 229.1.

First was Aircare2 from Shannon to an incident to the north then to Medstar in DC.

A later conversation on 458.425 was Aircare1 lifting off from Fairfax to return to Manassas. Then I heard Aircare1 on 467.9625 as they were reporting a few minutes out and then on final for Manassas.

 

[dtscho]

Thanks. The conversations were simulcasted on the inputs? That's not what I'd expect - I would think the only simulcast would be on the output of a linked system. So you didn't monitor any repeater output from KJYO? That's really what I'm trying to find - the output freq/tone for each AirCare base. About how far away were you from the airport? The repeaters aren't strong - they're only putting out 30 watts from not-very-high elevations.

Dave

 

[freqhopping]

It really sounds like the inputs aren't really inputs. I'm only two miles away. I keep a spreadsheet with everything I've logged from home. The only 453.425 activity I've ever had has been MWAA. I do get 462.9625 192.8.

This is my recording from yesterday. MAH00209.MP4

 

[freqhopping]

I also receive 460.1125 114.8 very well and it's certainly not coming from Winchester. The mountains of western Loudoun block nearly everything to the west.

 

[dtscho]

OK, thanks. Looks like we have much more research to do on AirCare's setup. I guess their license doesn't reflect the current state of things.

Dave

 

[trainman111]

Where are the description in the database coming from for AirCare? They don't quite coincide with their current bases which are currently:

AirCare 1: Manassas Regional Airport (current listing for Inova Fairfax?)
AirCare 2: Shannon Airport (correct in DB)
AirCare 3: Leesburg Executive (correct in DB)
AirCare 4: Front Royal/Warren Co. Airport (current listing for Winchester Regional?)
AirCare 5: Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport (correct in DB)

My only thought is that the repeaters aren't necessarily located at each of the bases, which might be the case for AirCare 1 and 4.

 

[dtscho]

The descriptions are supposed to reflect where the transmitter is, not necessarily where a particular helo is based. That's why 462.9625 [229.1] is listed as Inova Fairfax Hospital instead of Manassas Regional Airport.

Dave

 

[trainman111]

Makes sense. I suppose we can confirm with more monitoring, but does it seem like the association I made with the specific AirCare bases coincide with the transmitter locations?