twolf816
Member
does any military or government aircraft use the normal air band 108-137mhz? or do they always use the 200-etc?
Military Aircraft
- Thread starter twolf816
- Start date
- Status
Couple of years back I was on a commercial flight from Chicago to LAX and heard a Military communication on the Centers civil (133.0) freq. I believe we were over Colorado, and I heard the pilot called the Center and complained on how close they were, passing the opposite way. Pretty neat I caught a glimps of the F-!6 just bellow us. 8)
colheli
Member
ward8vfd said:
Yes, when they are flying through FAA controlled airspace, they will often be directed by the normal FAA center. If they are flying in airspace controlled by the local military installation, then they will be on the mil. freqs. I believe that they do all of their air-to-air communications on the military band.
JoeyC
Senior Member
colheli said:
The FAA maintains transmitters on UHF for military aircraft that are simulcast with the VHF.
colheli said:
Similarly, I've heard VHF simulcasts of military towers as well.
colheli
Member
JoeyC said:
That makes sense. You would want the commercial traffic in the area to know where the military aircraft are, in space. Military aircraft (at least everyone that I ever worked on) have VHF capability. The F-14 Tomcats use an ARC-51 VHF. The F/A-18s, P-3s, and UH-60s used AN/ARC-182s.
Belay my last: The ARC-51 is UHF. The Tomcats also used the AN/ARC-182.
Lar
Member
Re: mil aircraft comms
It's hard to make generalizations, cause you're always proven wrong,.. but typically in ANG/USAF aircraft comms... Tankers and cargo aircraft communicate with the ARTCCs via VHF, while fighters and bombers favor UHF.
As stated, each ARTCC sector has a UHF/VHF pair on which the controller side is simulcast. Mil aircraft choose to use the VHF or UHF side of the pair to comm with the controller. Some aircraft have no choice, since both radios in the aircraft are UHF, such as the MA ANG F-15s. As these radios are upgraded, the choice of UHF/VHF will be afforded to more aircraft.
F-15s typically use UHF (225-400) for air/air, while F-16s use HI VHF (118-144 or 148-151) for air/air. Bombers tend to favor UHF for air/air. That said, the A-10s who used 30-80 megs extensively in the past (and still do) for air/air, have favored HI VHF in the northeast for the last few years. The KC-10s favor HI VHF for air/air and the KC-135s are often found on UHF air/air.
It's been my experience listening to Navy aircraft, as is the norm with the Navy in general,... they do whatever they want, wherever they want to do it!
Best, Lar
Glens Falls, NY
It's hard to make generalizations, cause you're always proven wrong,.. but typically in ANG/USAF aircraft comms... Tankers and cargo aircraft communicate with the ARTCCs via VHF, while fighters and bombers favor UHF.
As stated, each ARTCC sector has a UHF/VHF pair on which the controller side is simulcast. Mil aircraft choose to use the VHF or UHF side of the pair to comm with the controller. Some aircraft have no choice, since both radios in the aircraft are UHF, such as the MA ANG F-15s. As these radios are upgraded, the choice of UHF/VHF will be afforded to more aircraft.
F-15s typically use UHF (225-400) for air/air, while F-16s use HI VHF (118-144 or 148-151) for air/air. Bombers tend to favor UHF for air/air. That said, the A-10s who used 30-80 megs extensively in the past (and still do) for air/air, have favored HI VHF in the northeast for the last few years. The KC-10s favor HI VHF for air/air and the KC-135s are often found on UHF air/air.
It's been my experience listening to Navy aircraft, as is the norm with the Navy in general,... they do whatever they want, wherever they want to do it!
Best, Lar
Glens Falls, NY
Not to mention numerous AIRINC assignments. 123.0, 122.975 123.45 are common for Government communications. DEA have a few Listings in 118-138mhz. Customs, BIA, BLM, USFS, FAA, virtually every Governmental departmental have listing in the band. and do use the band from time to time. But, as in the case of 123.0 it's also common trafficed by many civilian users so if they are using a discreet callsign, it might be monitored as routine traffic and not suspected for federal, thus ignored.
Starion
Member
Lar did a great job summerizing the information. Thanks Lar.
I heard military aircraft between 118 - 144 and 225 - 400 MHz. I haven't heard aircraft communicating to the ARTCC between 118 and -136.975 MHz, only above 225 MHz though.
I heard military aircraft between 118 - 144 and 225 - 400 MHz. I haven't heard aircraft communicating to the ARTCC between 118 and -136.975 MHz, only above 225 MHz though.
Itr also depends on what the Controller is doing in regards to a specific zone/area.... Sometimes they will use both, sometimes just VHF, sometimes just UHF, though most commonly military comms with ARTCC will be on UHF. Now as for how its done on TRACON, and on local Towers, thats another story. I have monitored New Orleans, Jackson, MS.., and Charleston, SC... I have heard both in use- UHF for say TRACON, and VHF for Tower comms. And I have heard vice versa... Except for on 9/11/01.... That day after a general announcement to all aircraft on both Gaurd freqs,.. Military went strictly UHF... And remained so for the duration of the time I lived in Charleston.... Except for the occaisional warning from USAF, or USMC aircraft to civialian craft to change flight level and heading and contact Approach Immediatly or get fired on....
Anyway, hope we helped you out.
Anyway, hope we helped you out.
twolf816
Member
yall did, thx, really appreciate it 
- Status
