Fighter Jet freqs

[natedawg1604]

Hi there,

When a fighter jet flies over you for a couple minutes, is there any way to guesstimate in advance what freqs they could be using (aside from normal ATC or Unicom freqs for nearby airports and Buckley Airport freqs), so as to avoid full-scale UHF air-band & HF band searches?

-Nate

 

[ScannerSK]

I typically use Spectrum Sweeper / Close Call, etc. Most often, they will be using military aircraft frequencies between 225-406 MHz however also use civilian aircraft frequencies between 108-137 MHz and both FM and AM modes in the 137-144 and 148-151 MHz ranges.

At one point, I had a scanner dedicated to searching military aircraft frequencies while at work. It would automatically collect all the frequencies in which activity took place each day. I had all these frequencies programmed in a bank so when military aircraft were around, I could just flip on that bank full of military aircraft frequencies commonly used in this area.

Shawn

 

[abqscan]

Just because a plane or helicopter is flying over doesn't mean they are talking to anyone but ATC.

 

[trumpetman]

Just because a plane or helicopter is flying over doesn't mean they are talking to anyone but ATC.

+1

Especially if they're by themselves, then there's no one to talk to usually but very brief comms with ATC.

Hopefully the units near you are more chatty so you do have a chance to hear some inter-plane comms when they do happen.

 

[KK4JUG]

Just because a plane or helicopter is flying over doesn't mean they are talking to anyone but ATC.

And they may not be talking to ATC either. You have access to the transmitted frequencies for such a short time, there's a really good chance you won't hear anything..

 

[W8RMH]

Aviation comms is not like public safety or business where they are on certain licensed channels all the time. Frequencies may change at any time at the discretion of ATC or the agencies themselves.

They also speak very very fast compared to public safety and if they fly over you at 800 MPH you aren't going to hear much if anything. If you are nearby an airport or military installation you may pickup some chatter.

 

[stealthradios]

Aviation comms is not like public safety or business where they are on certain licensed channels all the time. Frequencies may change at any time at the discretion of ATC or the agencies themselves.

They also speak very very fast compared to public safety and if they fly over you at 800 MPH you aren't going to hear much if anything. If you are nearby an airport or military installation you may pickup some chatter.

I have been listening to Military Aviation comms for years from at home and while traveling on business. I have found just the opposite. I find more comms to listen to than when I was listening to public safety especially since encryption on the PS bands. Maybe its by luck that I live and go to active areas?

Ask around and research for frequencies. While many old-time milair listeners are not very willing to share their frequencies there are still a few good open-source listeners.

One that I use is MilAirComms Real-Time Frequency Logger MilAir Comms Spotter Network you can find a lot of active frequencies here. That was the old MilAirComms site which is making a comeback. You can hear many recorded comms here: Military Comms Recorded Military Aviation Communications where you can hear that mil pilots can be come pretty chatty

If anyone knows of some other good milcom sites that are active please let me know.

 

[poltergeisty]

The one and only time I heard audio from military jets were the Blue Angels at the Northern Colorado Regional airport. Which was named Fort Love. It was interesting to hear them chat to each other and say how they couldn't believe how Loveland built up since the last time they were here.

Not too many military AC in this area. Perhaps if you lived near Buckley it be a different story. I have seen the occasional blackhawk and Huey.

 

[Mojaveflyer]

Mil Air Coms

There are frequent military visitors to both Rocky Mountain Metro Airport in Broomfield and Centennial Airport on the south side of the Denver Metro Area. Usually they are on cross country flights, land, get gas, have lunch, and then depart. There's also frequent over night stays at both airports, too. Many times they use the civilian side of comms with the tower just so everybody is on the same page...

 

[GrayJeep]

There are frequent military visitors to both Rocky Mountain Metro Airport in Broomfield and Centennial Airport on the south side of the Denver Metro Area. Usually they are on cross country flights, land, get gas, have lunch, and then depart. There's also frequent over night stays at both airports, too. Many times they use the civilian side of comms with the tower just so everybody is on the same page...

Former Navy rotorhead friend of mine says that cross-country stops are often picked on the basis of freebies such as "free Subway sandwich with fillup" offered by the FBOs. Which might explain why they go to Jeffco instead of Buckley.

 

[fourthhorseman]

between 225-406 MHz however also use civilian aircraft frequencies between 108-137 MHz and both FM and AM modes in the 137-144 and 148-151 MHz ranges.

What step size are you using?
I like the idea of close-calling while they are in the area

I have a fair amount of activity directly over my house,,
what look like F15& F18's..saw a pack of 11 heading east about a wk ago..
Chinook & UH60's...Army jets,(Leer/private Sized) Tons of USAF cargo...@ low levels..
even refueling tankers low enough to spot by eye..

Im near WESTOVER AFB...

Close call may work out very well here.. But lost on the step..

 

[Scanman12345r]

Buckley AFB has been fairly reasonable to listen to just recently.