Help with AFB freqs

[HoDo]

I am trying to program with the Uniden UASD 396T software the freqs for AFB. I went under PG County like Alan (TinEar) told me and I found the freqs (406.3500, 406.9500 etc...) It says it is a Mot Type II Smartnet. So I set the bank as 800 MHz Type II Standard and I try to put in the first freq and it comes back FREQUENCY OUT OF RANGE, what am I doing wrong? Sorry if this is obvious, I programmed Balto Co, City, AA Co Carroll all fine, just cant do this one. In addition, where do I find the freqs for BWI airport for the ground, arrival/departure, tower?

 

[TinEar]

Howard, you're trying to program the trunked net. That's not what you want to be doing - at least I don't think you do. You'll never hear that net from your location. You want the frequencies the aircraft at Andrews use. Those are listed in that same place (under PG County, at the bottom of the page is a link for Andrews AFB). You'll find listings for the 121st Fighter Squadron. Those are the freqs you want to program.

P.S. -- The trunked net you're trying to program would not be an 800 mHz, type 2 system. It's a UHF system. The freqs are in the 400 mHz range, not the 800.

 

[Dank]

Andrews TRS

Howard,
I'm in Laurel, just at the Howard County line and I am able to hear some of the Andrews TRS traffic. You need to set it up as a UHF system, since the freqs are in the 406-7 range. As you can see the number of talk groups excedds 100. The highest numbers are new (since I set up my radio.) The most active ids I have found are : 240, 3216, and a couple moe for refuelers. I would like imput from anyone who has a list the most active ids to program for Andrews. I also have the convention freqs programmed as well.

 

[HoDo]

Dan you are 100% correct. I couldnt figure it out because I am a newbie so I called Uniden tech support. Jason (tech) told me to program it as UHF and it programmed fine. I didnt program any TG so I guess I will scan it in ID SEARCH and not ID SCAN or else it wont pick up anything I dont think. I think I am understanding this a bit. I wasnt clicking on the link below AFB and I was seeing the 100MHz freqs and I was trying to program them, that is why it wasnt working. Dan do you have a 396 also?

 

[Dank]

No, I'm using a 296D handheld. I got it as a gift last x-mas so I can't complain about it being free. If I had been in the market to purchase a digital, I may have waited until the 396 arrived. I was ok w/o a digital, even though I counldn't listed to Montgomery or Howard counties, or DC. I think my next purchase (no time soon) may be a desktop. I'll be away this weekend, but I may delete all my ids for Andrews and enter them 1 by 1 as I see them come active.

 

[HoDo]

Where do I look to find the freqs for BWI airport? Are they 400MHz UHF also like AFB?

 

[Dank]

Bwi

Howard,
see the following link here in the RRDB
http://www.radioreference.com/modules.php?name=RR&aid=1113

The next link has the washington center freqs (BWI, Dulles, and National)

http://www.radioreference.com/modules.php?name=RR&aid=2247

 

[HoDo]

Dan what set of freqs do I want to program. On the first link on the far left in green it ranges from 118. - 453. So how do I program it? Or are they not the correect ones to program? If you want give me a call, it is easier than typing, 410-882-8772 and if that is long distance you can reach me on 1-888-712-2245

 

[Dank]

Use the freqs under the Air Traffic Control heading. MTA is airport security, etc. I'm not familiar with the 396, but many of the air traffic control freqs 118-132 are in the air search band on my 296. Be sure to enter them as AM mode. The Potomac consolidated section below is also important. From my understanding the Potomac freqs are for regional control of air traffic with different freqs for different altitudes. When planes get close to their destination they are 'handed off' to the local tower directly for final approach info. Like wise a plane taking off would talk to the BWI tower and then be handed off the the Potomac freq as the plane travels to its destination and changes altitide.

 

[HoDo]

Can someone with a 396 tell me what system to program BWI under (VHF?)

 

[Dank]

Can someone with a 396 tell me what system to program BWI under (VHF?)

The air traffic control freqs are conventional. Not trunked. There is some trunk activity at BWI, but I think its mostly 1 airline's system. The 118-132 Mhz AM and even the Potomac Consolidated freqs are consolidated.
sorry for the confusion.

 

[HoDo]

Great, I got them programmed, I hope . Now I think Alan said the duckie that came with my unit should work fine to listen to AFB & BWI. I will go home tonight and try it out. Antenex makes a antenna, EXC-400-999SM for AFB I assume it will work okay, I called ANtenex and they said to use that one for 400MHz. I guess I would need a different duckie to listen to BWI if I didnt want to use the regular generic duckie in the 100MHz - 300MHz range..

 

[Dank]

Great, I got them programmed, I hope . Now I think Alan said the duckie that came with my unit should work fine to listen to AFB & BWI. I will go home tonight and try it out. Antenex makes a antenna, EXC-400-999SM for AFB I assume it will work okay, I called ANtenex and they said to use that one for 400MHz. I guess I would need a different duckie to listen to BWI if I didnt want to use the regular generic duckie in the 100MHz - 300MHz range..

Glad to hear it. one other item of interest for you. tonite log on to Alan's website www.mdscanner.com Hopefully he will have some MilAir on and you can hear how good the combat air patrol comms come it for him.

 

[HoDo]

Wow Dan, Alan has a website. So what does he do, play what he hears on his scanner over the internet? I will have to check it out tonight. Never knew it. Thanks!

 

[ka3jjz]

Howard, I'm not sure where in Baltimore you are, but unless you are fairly close to Anne Arundel county and the airport, I don't think you'll have much luck with hearing the various tower and ground freqs. A duckie is pretty much a compromise antenna and is actually very lossy unless it's been designed to work on some specific range. You would most likely need a good outdoor antenna to do much more.
However, for now, I would stick with the Potomac TRACON frequencies; basically, these are the ones that control the approach/departure routes for our area.
There is, as you can see, actually at least 2 trunk systems at BWI; as I understand it - I don't have the capability of monitoring them at the moment - the 400 Mhz United system is not being used very much since the cutbacks. And as I understand it, the ARINC/USAir system is slowly being phased out as well, though I still get an occasional hit when I have it in my scanner.

Yes, ole Tinear does put one of his scanners up on the web from time to time; in fact, there are a few of them around. Keep this website handy....

Capitol Hill Monitors

73s for now...Mike

 

[HoDo]

ka3jjz: where would I find the Potomac TRACON frequencies? I can program other (Baltimore Co & Baltimore City, etc...) okay but these air freqs are very confusing to me for some reason, I cant find them on the RRDB and I cant figure out the UHF, conventional, etc... systems. I guess it wouldnt have to do with I am a newbie and I dont know what in the heck I am doing. BTW, I do hear BWI APPROACH on my 396 tonight.

 

[TinEar]

Disregard...did not format correctly. I tried to post the BWI freq portion from the database.

And I responded to Mike where he said...
Yes, ole Tinear does put one of his scanners up on the web from time to time
The web scanner is on every night, seven days a week from 8 to midnight - at times earlier than 8 and later than midnight but always during those core hours.

 

[HoDo]

I did program them, but I didnt see where you put AM, I just made the SYSTEM as Conventional. I see on my scanner Approach, depart and I hear airliners, so I guess it is working. I want to but a duckie for the 100-300MHz range and for AFB 400MHz range.

 

[TinEar]

Howard, I have the scanner on the website now copying F-16s from the DC-ANG if you want to hear what they sound like.

 

[ka3jjz]

Howard, if you are hearing a/c by programming the TRACON frequencies that are listed on the BWI page that Dank gave you, you're in business. Basically, the facility controls all the approach/departure traffic from Reagan, Dulles, BWI and Andrews (along, as I understand it, with some smaller Va. based airports). So while you might still see approach/departure frequencies listed as 'BWI', this is just a way to know to whom the frequency used to belong.
While you might hear some a/c on 134.5 or their UHF equivalent, likely as not you won't hear too much on the Washington Center freqs until the antenna is improved.
Now as to better duckies - take a look at the Antennas wiki. There's a link there for the Strong Signals antenna page; there's lots of information to be had there.
While many folks say that the telescoping whip is a very good antenna, there is a caveat - it's fine if the radio is not being moved about, but if it is, make VERY sure it's fully collapsed. Fully extended, it puts a HUGE amount of stress on the antenna connector. Be very careful if you decide to go this route.

73s Mike