08-06-25
My trip to Alpena airport for NORTHERN STRIKE 25-2.
Departed home just before 6am, VIA the I-75 North VFR LOW Route. In Rochester Hills just north of the Mall, I ran into a pretty heavy Thunderstorm for about 15 minutes. Then it was clear sailing from there, except for the Zilwaukee bridge north bound was closed so I took the I-675. I stopped in Standish @ 07:54am for some food, & headed for Wurtsmith. I made it there at 9am. Nothing interesting that I could see. That's a nice drive along US-23 to Alpena. I arrived at the airport around 10:30am. They still have the aircraft viewing area open on the south side of the airport.
LOBO 11 x 4 (SD F-16's)
121.350 APN twr, cleared for take off contact departure, 10:29am.
HUNTRESS, GNARLY (E-2C Frontend) & CLOSEOUT (E-2C Backend)
364.200 HUNTRESS & CLOSEOUT (E-2 Backend?) Closeout gives target info to HUNTRESS, then HUNTRESS passes info to MUDDY 41 x 2 on 228.900. )
HUNTRESS
364.200 HUNTRESS & CLOSEOUT (E-2C) 10:44am. HUNTRESS calling out targets for COMMIE 12 (L-39), 10:48am.
STING 11 x ? 248.650 A/A,
BUZZ 21 x 2 (TOL F-16's)
282.600 HUNTRESS, CLOSEOUT (E-2C), calling out targets for BUZZ, 10:40am.
312.175 A/A,
256.600 ABSOLUTE, 10:54am. (Used to be called BREWTOWN).
BATTLE 11 (MQ-9 REAPER)
234.900 BLACK TALON, airspace brief while still on the ground, 10:45am. (The BLACK TALON building is on the base)
275.800 APN clearance, 10:52am.
379.300 APN dep, 11:25pm.
256.600 ABSOLUTE, 11:28AM.
MUDDY 41 x 2 (TOL F-16's)
228.900 HUNTRESS,
238.900 AR-632 Prime, BREWER (WI KC-135) with MUDDY 41 x 2, 11:12am.
132.200 ABSOLUTE & WARRIOR, 11:49am. GNAT 1 (JSF Mini Sirrus SF-50) 11:44am. MUDDY 41 x 2 (TOL F-16's), 11:47am. ABSOLUTE to COMMIE 22 your dead, 11:48am.
SNAKE 11 x 4 (FWA F-16's)
234.900 BLACK TALON, 11:03am.
226.025 A/A, 4 is JOKER, 11:36am.
238.900 SNAKEPIT Ops,
COMMIE 21 (L-29)
128.425 APN app, RTB, 11:32am.
121.350 APN twr, 11:33am.
WOLF 13 (UH-60)
121.350 APN twr, cleared to land, 11:38am.
128.425 APN app, somebody calling ?
266.600 STEELGATE R-4201, Might've been BATTLE 11 (MQ-9 REAPER) checking in, 11:47am.
LOBO 11 x 4 (SD F-16's)
282.600 CLOSEOUT (E-2C), calling out targets for LOBO flight, 11:50am.
GNAT 14 (JSF)
121.350 APN twr, cleared to land, 11:55am.
GNAT 12 (JSF)
121.350 APN twr, cleared to land, 12:05pm.
COMMIE 12 (L-39)
121.350 APN twr, High Key, 12:03pm. cleared to land, 12:08pm.
BATTLE 11 (MQ-9) & EAGLE ?
261.200 STEELGATE R-4201 Secondary, 12:10pm. EAGLE might be the JTAC controller on the ground.
LOBO 11 x 4 (SD F-16's)
128.425 APN app, cleared Tactical initial, 12:09pm.
121.350 APN twr, 12:18pm. Landed, 12:20pm.
150.200 APN twr, for some reason I was hearing tower on this freq also. Maybe it's a twr / ground freq? I was even hearing the aircraft respond on this freq.
318.100 APN twr,
GNAT 13 (JSF)
121.350 APN twr, cleared to land, 12:29pm.
GNAT 11 (JSF)
121.350 APN twr, cleared to land, 12:45pm.
GUARD COPTER 20799 x 2 (UH-60's)
121.350 APN twr, cleared to land, 12:48pm.
DARKWING 11 x 2 Unknown?
261.200 STEELGATE R-4201 Secondary, 01:53pm.
Some misc freqs heard.
136.925 ?
148.9625 Maintenance.
165..1375 APN ground, Sweeper One x Two, getting permission to go back home.
173.4875 ?
173.5875 ? One of these 2 were ENC.
That's the morning action.
I lost power for about 10 seconds when I was just starting to post the afternoon action 05:24am. Fortunatly I didn't loose any info.
Afternoon action.
GUARD COPTER 20799 x 2 (UH-60's)
121.900 APN ground,
121.350 APN twr, cleared for take off, 02:38pm.
GNARLY 21 (E-2C)
121.350 APN twr, 02:40pm.
128.425 APN dep, 02:41pm.
256.600 ABSOLUTE, checking in, 02:42pm.
DINGO 21 x 4 (SD F-16's)
121.900 APN ground, 02:49pm.
234.900 BLACK TALON, while on the ground, 02:49pm.
150.200, & 121.350 APN twr, cleared for take off contact departure, 03:09pm.
128.425 APN dep, 03:10pm.
305.750 A/A, 03:11pm. Ops check, 03:11pm.
364.200 HUNTRESS AICC Prime, 03:25pm.
282.600 HUNTRESS,
228.900 HUNTRESS, 03:38pm.
GNAT 21 x 2 (Single engine prop planes)
121.350 APN twr, 03:12pm.
COMMIE 21 x 2 (L-29 & L-39)
129.950 A/A, 03:36pm.
121.350 APN twr, cleared for take off, 03:15pm.
128.425 APN dep, 03:18pm.
132.200 BRA calls from WARDEN,
GUARD COPTER 095 (MI CH-47F)
121.350 APN twr, cleared to land. wanted to park further down the ramp near the Cobra helo's & some others, 03:17pm. Departed @ 03:31pm.
Has anybody heard those COBRA's & UH-1's yet. They didn't fly when I was there.
WOLF 12 (UH-60)
121.350 APN twr, cleared for take off, 03:23pm.
128.425 APN dep,
GNAT 22 (Prop plane)
121.350 APN twr, cleared to land, 04:14pm.
GNAT 21 (Prop plane)
121.350 APN twr, cleared to land,
DINGO 21 x 4 (SD F-16's)
128.425 APN app, 04:26pm.
121.350 APN twr, 04:27pm. overhead Tactical approach, 04:29pm. All 4 did multiple low approaches. #4 had a light grey nose cone.
150.200 APN twr, could be a ground freq also, 04:38pm.
DEMON 11 x 2 (MI A-10's)
273.250 A/A, 04:56pm.
266.600 STEELGATE R-4201, 04:58pm.
261.200 STEELGATE R-4201 Secondary, calling SABRE, 05:00pm. Now calling Apache 04 (JTAC), 05:08pm.
GNARLY (E-2C)
256.600 ABSOLUTE, 05:22pm.
128.425 APN app, 05:26pm.
121.350 APN twr, 05:27pm. overhead pass 05:30pm.
BATTLE 11 (MQ-9 REAPER) landed on runway 19, so I never saw him.
At 05:42pm I departed Alpena for Grayling. Taking 32 to Gaylord & I-75 south to Grayling. I crossed the 45th Parallel multiple times on US-32.
229.125 a recorded message saying, Grayling Range Control stand by for new message. 07:20pm.
the Grayling airport had at least 12 UH-60 on the ramp. lot's of construction going on there, & it looks like they have a new tower.
I refueled the car & started heading for home, but I soon realized that I needed to stop & get some rest. I pulled into a rest area & was able to take a nap after being up for about 24 hours straight. I felt much better when I woke up. I was able to get home before midnight. That was a good trip.
Chuck in Detroit / NODAK 1