Mid-Atlantic MilAir 2023

[mdmonitor]

10:35 EDT Backy 51 & 52 KC-46 238.9 air to air over SE VA.

Backys heading out to AR 636 w/P-8 # 168435.

 

[AirScan]

0950 EDT- Dogfighting exersize up in Viper.

Sounds like the VT ANG was dogfighting with the GSB F-15s staging out of PSM. I didn't catch any of the GSB A-A freqs ?

1103- ZBW 377.100, unid in Viper RTB to KPSM.

 

[n4jri]

It’s getting pretty bad in Hampton Roads. Tinting the sky

Hi All,
Was presented with a weekday off on Wednesday 6/7, so I took off Tuesday night for NC. I don't get any of this from home, but carried a mobile setup with 2 TRX-1's and a PSR-600 hooked up to a Stridsberg multicoupler fed by an antenna cut to 300 MHz. Am processing a couple thousand recordings, but have little new to contribute. Here's what I encountered on my drive to NC from Richmond, about 2130L on Tuesday:361.300 - began hearing around Zuni, VA with action in W72--assuming Langley F22's due to the freqs involved.

238.100 - climing to 230 to work W72
262.025 - JEDI 01 & 02 mentioned and 'Push 38' - assuming 357.4, but nothing heard
361.300 - JEDI 2 checking in to W72, cleared to 1A
262.025 was always loud & clear, and seemed to be in charge. AWACS or Screwtop, maybe? I have it on a list as 27FS
228.450 - appeared to be air/air for at least some JEDI's. 27FS
361.300 - SKUNK 1 cleared for W72A
319.850 - SKUNK 1-2-3-4 goggles off (this freq went secure intermittently after 'Go secure, 16Aux'. Digital noise very strong in Suffolk, VA)
357.400 - SKUNK 1 cleared for 1A
262.025 - at some point, I believe I heard 'Knock it off', then 'JEDI push 10aux'' bringing up 341.8

Stayed overnight in Edenton, and on Wednesday visited the Frying Pan and watched the Dare Ranges for a while. A number of ops cancelled due to the smoke, and very few visible aircraft. Am processing a lot of recordings, so I may be back with some questions. One new freq came up possibly for VMA223. A flight using one of their reported air/air's told GK he'd be on 364.35 wherever he was operating.

Sorry to say that I have little to contribute to the knowledge base at this point. Had a fun trip down to Dare, but didn't need to go that far in order to hear traffic, and the NWR roads are to sandy to be much fun on the bicycle. Hoping some stuff will come to light as I process more recordings. It definitely paid off to have a special MilAir V-Scanner in the TRX's, with everything divided up for cherry-picking. Need to expand on that concept further for the next opportunity.

Thanks to all who share info

73/Allen (N4JRI)

 

[AirScan]

Sounds like the VT ANG was dogfighting with the GSB F-15s staging out of PSM.

Checking the tape confirms it was VT ANG F-35s CHEVY 11 and THUMPER 21 vs GSB F-15s ADLER 21 out of KPSM. MAINE 85 stayed in the area and dropped down to FL190 to AR with a C-130. During the fight heard one of the ADLERs call to push what sounded like 289.475 or maybe 289.425 ? Anyone have current GSB 4FW/334FS A-A frequencies ?

 

[mdmonitor]

1220- Spicy 52 (E-6B # 163918) off PAX. Looks to be heading southwest, so maybe heading back to the barn at Tinker. Working Shado Ops (310.15) on departure.

1230- Troy 220 (DHS helo) working Wash Helo (134.35) advising they are off Tipton and heading to Manassas.

 

[Frequency1]

1233- DEMONs and WILDs in W107
238.175/255.0/294.725/298.6/339.725

 

[Larry51]

Hi All,
Was presented with a weekday off on Wednesday 6/7, so I took off Tuesday night for NC. I don't get any of this from home, but carried a mobile setup with 2 TRX-1's and a PSR-600 hooked up to a Stridsberg multicoupler fed by an antenna cut to 300 MHz. Am processing a couple thousand recordings, but have little new to contribute. Here's what I encountered on my drive to NC from Richmond, about 2130L on Tuesday:361.300 - began hearing around Zuni, VA with action in W72--assuming Langley F22's due to the freqs involved.

238.100 - climing to 230 to work W72
262.025 - JEDI 01 & 02 mentioned and 'Push 38' - assuming 357.4, but nothing heard
361.300 - JEDI 2 checking in to W72, cleared to 1A
262.025 was always loud & clear, and seemed to be in charge. AWACS or Screwtop, maybe? I have it on a list as 27FS
228.450 - appeared to be air/air for at least some JEDI's. 27FS
361.300 - SKUNK 1 cleared for W72A
319.850 - SKUNK 1-2-3-4 goggles off (this freq went secure intermittently after 'Go secure, 16Aux'. Digital noise very strong in Suffolk, VA)
357.400 - SKUNK 1 cleared for 1A
262.025 - at some point, I believe I heard 'Knock it off', then 'JEDI push 10aux'' bringing up 341.8

Stayed overnight in Edenton, and on Wednesday visited the Frying Pan and watched the Dare Ranges for a while. A number of ops cancelled due to the smoke, and very few visible aircraft. Am processing a lot of recordings, so I may be back with some questions. One new freq came up possibly for VMA223. A flight using one of their reported air/air's told GK he'd be on 364.35 wherever he was operating.

Sorry to say that I have little to contribute to the knowledge base at this point. Had a fun trip down to Dare, but didn't need to go that far in order to hear traffic, and the NWR roads are to sandy to be much fun on the bicycle. Hoping some stuff will come to light as I process more recordings. It definitely paid off to have a special MilAir V-Scanner in the TRX's, with everything divided up for cherry-picking. Need to expand on that concept further for the next opportunity.

Thanks to all who share info

73/Allen (N4JRI)

Good report, Allen. Thanks for posting.

 

[n4jri]

Good report, Allen. Thanks for posting.

A few items/questions from the 6/7 recordings:
1 - Can't find a callsign SCOOTER in any of my stuff, but he ID's as an A-4 and appears to mostly working W122. Navy or Marine adversary?
2 - 355.1 has appeared as BigEye 3, and evidently has an RCAG somewhere in the general area of the Dare Rangers. Sounds like a fair amount of air/ground presumably with GK. However, I also have it listed as 'AIR 5' in a group of 8 freqs where it would be paired with AIR 1 384.500, which wasn't hearing. (part of a set of 8 freqs, divided into 4 pairs) Have heard reference to AIR this and AIR that I think for W122, but they might be saying 'AREA' instead. Can anyone provide enlightenment? Everything I've heard on 355.1 sounds to me like either ACM or practice intercepts and the sequences appear to lead to W72. Another 'AIR' freq that I've heard was 233.525, which I think most agree is Aux for Langley F22's. I believe it was 'AIR 4' on whatever list I saw, but don't think I've heard it in a GK context. Heard nothing on the other 6 'AIR' freqs. No idea how old that list might've been.

73/Allen (N4JRI)

 

[mdmonitor]

1310- Jugum 51 (E-6B # 162783) crossing paths w/Spicy 52 over Charlottesville VA. Presume Jugum 51 inbound to PAX.

 

[hrspotter]

Hi All,
Was presented with a weekday off on Wednesday 6/7, so I took off Tuesday night for NC. I don't get any of this from home, but carried a mobile setup with 2 TRX-1's and a PSR-600 hooked up to a Stridsberg multicoupler fed by an antenna cut to 300 MHz. Am processing a couple thousand recordings, but have little new to contribute. Here's what I encountered on my drive to NC from Richmond, about 2130L on Tuesday:361.300 - began hearing around Zuni, VA with action in W72--assuming Langley F22's due to the freqs involved.

238.100 - climing to 230 to work W72
262.025 - JEDI 01 & 02 mentioned and 'Push 38' - assuming 357.4, but nothing heard
361.300 - JEDI 2 checking in to W72, cleared to 1A
262.025 was always loud & clear, and seemed to be in charge. AWACS or Screwtop, maybe? I have it on a list as 27FS
228.450 - appeared to be air/air for at least some JEDI's. 27FS
361.300 - SKUNK 1 cleared for W72A
319.850 - SKUNK 1-2-3-4 goggles off (this freq went secure intermittently after 'Go secure, 16Aux'. Digital noise very strong in Suffolk, VA)
357.400 - SKUNK 1 cleared for 1A
262.025 - at some point, I believe I heard 'Knock it off', then 'JEDI push 10aux'' bringing up 341.8

Stayed overnight in Edenton, and on Wednesday visited the Frying Pan and watched the Dare Ranges for a while. A number of ops cancelled due to the smoke, and very few visible aircraft. Am processing a lot of recordings, so I may be back with some questions. One new freq came up possibly for VMA223. A flight using one of their reported air/air's told GK he'd be on 364.35 wherever he was operating.

Sorry to say that I have little to contribute to the knowledge base at this point. Had a fun trip down to Dare, but didn't need to go that far in order to hear traffic, and the NWR roads are to sandy to be much fun on the bicycle. Hoping some stuff will come to light as I process more recordings. It definitely paid off to have a special MilAir V-Scanner in the TRX's, with everything divided up for cherry-picking. Need to expand on that concept further for the next opportunity.

Thanks to all who share info

73/Allen (N4JRI)

Great report. I’ve been meaning to go down to Dare, does the range still have open days? Or are the planes visible from the NWR?

 

[jsoergel]

A few items/questions from the 6/7 recordings:
1 - Can't find a callsign SCOOTER in any of my stuff, but he ID's as an A-4 and appears to mostly working W122. Navy or Marine adversary?
2 - 355.1 has appeared as BigEye 3, and evidently has an RCAG somewhere in the general area of the Dare Rangers. Sounds like a fair amount of air/ground presumably with GK. However, I also have it listed as 'AIR 5' in a group of 8 freqs where it would be paired with AIR 1 384.500, which wasn't hearing. (part of a set of 8 freqs, divided into 4 pairs) Have heard reference to AIR this and AIR that I think for W122, but they might be saying 'AREA' instead. Can anyone provide enlightenment? Everything I've heard on 355.1 sounds to me like either ACM or practice intercepts and the sequences appear to lead to W72. Another 'AIR' freq that I've heard was 233.525, which I think most agree is Aux for Langley F22's. I believe it was 'AIR 4' on whatever list I saw, but don't think I've heard it in a GK context. Heard nothing on the other 6 'AIR' freqs. No idea how old that list might've been.

73/Allen (N4JRI)

“Scooter” is the unofficial nickname for the A-4. It’s still operated by adversary contractors, maybe Draken or Top Aces.

 

[n4jri]

Great report. I’ve been meaning to go down to Dare, does the range still have open days? Or are the planes visible from the NWR?

Navy used to open 3rd Thu each July. No more after the ‘recycling’ scandal. AF traffic can be seen from a bridge just west of their entrance on 264. Saw nothing from the Frying Pan. A local told me they be really high up both there and Phelps lake. Also the nature of things has changed. When I visited Navy Dare in the 90’s there were a lot of close air support sorties. F16s from Richmond and A10s from Pope. Wednesdays action was higher altitude than I remember from before. Mostly F18s @ Navy and F15Es at AF. Nobody from Cherry Pt AFAIK.

 

[hrspotter]

Navy used to open 3rd Thu each July. No more after the ‘recycling’ scandal. AF traffic can be seen from a bridge just west of their entrance on 264. Saw nothing from the Frying Pan. A local told me they be really high up both there and Phelps lake. Also the nature of things has changed. When I visited Navy Dare in the 90’s there were a lot of close air support sorties. F16s from Richmond and A10s from Pope. Wednesdays action was higher altitude than I remember from before. Mostly F18s @ Navy and F15Es at AF. Nobody from Cherry Pt AFAIK.

That’s unfortunate. Only takes one person to ruin it for the rest of us.

Is it the bridge at 35.6461217, -75.8904997 ?

 

[mdmonitor]

US Navy receives first upgraded E-6B ‘doomsday plane’

The U.S. Navy has received the first E-6B Mercury 'doomsday plane' upgraded under the Integrated Modification and Maintenance Contract (IMMC). According to a press release from Northrop Grumman, the Corporation successfully delivered the first E-6B Mercury aircraft under the IMMC back to the...

defence-blog.com

First production MH-139A aircraft enters final assembly

Aerospace giant Boeing has announced that the first MH-139A Grey Wolf production aircraft for the U.S. Air Force reaches final assembly. According to a press release from Boeing, the U.S. Air Force authorized the production of the first 13 MH-139A aircraft intended for operational use. The Grey...

defence-blog.com

 

[AirScan]

Everything I've heard on 355.1 sounds to me like either ACM or practice intercepts and the sequences appear to lead to W72.

355.100 is a Giant Killer Common frequency used in the W72 area called TCTS North (2A-2B), Button 10 for the Oceana Navy F-18s. The secondary is 291.200, not sure the Button number ?

I'm working on a chart for that area, this is what I have so far. It needs a bit of tweeking in spots but should give you an idea.





- The position of the central cooridoor needs to be moved to the W72A/W72B boundary.
- 271.500 is listed for areas 2C-2F and 3C-3E but only seems to be used if required, otherwise 289.900 covers all of W72B

 

[KO4RJX]

Biden and company enroute to Fort Liberty

 

[mdmonitor]

1440- NTPS busy this afternoon. T-38s, T-6Bs and Navy TP 40 (SW-4 ) all active in the local PAX area. Finishing up this week's flying before breaking for weekend.

 

[hrspotter]

1548 - R20152 (08-20152) AE485E UH-60 in central Chesapeake all the way from KTRI Tri-Cities Regional Airport, TN. Appears to be heading for KNTU.

1550 - PAT099 (95-00099) C-12 departed KORF Norfolk Intl.

 

[N4TX]

The Martinsburg air show will be August 26 and 27, opening at 10am each day. See wvairshow.com – West Virginia's Greatest Airshow

Hottest aircraft on the ticket seems to be an F-22. We've been told by a retired ANG crewman that the ANG usually has one or more of its C-17s open for visitors. The Website, though, doesn't promise that. It does specifically say that scanners are permitted, which I thought was a nice touch.

 

[n4jri]

355.100 is a Giant Killer Common frequency used in the W72 area called TCTS North (2A-2B), Button 10 for the Oceana Navy F-18s. The secondary is 291.200, not sure the Button number ?

I'm working on a chart for that area, this is what I have so far. It needs a bit of tweeking in spots but should give you an idea.


View attachment 143349


- The position of the central cooridoor needs to be moved to the W72A/W72B boundary.
- 271.500 is listed for areas 2C-2F and 3C-3E but only seems to be used if required, otherwise 289.900 covers all of W72B

Have downloaded that before, and was wondering about the source. Everything I've listened to so far is consistent with what I see here. I like the update with R5314! I see what I assume are Button #'s to the right of each freq box. Who's #'s are they...Oceana?