mystery traffic on 408.5875 in Tucson

[GlobalNorth]

What does DOE use copters for?

SRP, TG&E, APS use helicopters to inspect and service high tension lines. The DoE may do the same on lines owned by the US as well.

 

[Wilrobnson]

They do. WAPA flies them. I posted above that maybe they've shifted from VHF but no one seemed to notice.

 

[ruffzarf]

So just heard 616 again (N616DE), "Departing Newman with 3, enroute Picacho". Then he dropped off 2 there, now headed to Phoenix/Deer Valley (Thx to Terry with the full AC ID I was able to pull up his whole flight log over the last couple of weeks, the guy gets around, seems to be getting gas & ferrying personnel). Very interesting. Freq must be DOE Flight Ops Dispatch. I saw that Picacho is an Army base here in Marana, haven't looked up Deer Valley yet, never would have known that was in Phoenix except for the flight log. He seems to land at really SMALL places...

 

[ruffzarf]

I think Will Robinson (ex-space explorer??) nailed it, WAPA power line inspectors. 616 final tx before going off duty said he would be working Oracle tomorrow.
Mystery solved. One final note about DOE, The NEST team was doing a training exercise in San Diego somewhere around 20 some years ago, and had a portable comms unit set up. They used 173.000 (A1) simplex 171.950 (A3, called "TEAMS" channel, simplex), and then a portable repeater on 171.200 with a 172.450 input. That was a long time ago, but if you plug 'em in, you never know what you might hear.
Thanks for all the input!

 

[Wilrobnson]

One wonders if it's going to be a big switch since they were co-channeling with CBP a/c for a long time and eventually CBP just changed their NAC?

Not an ex-space explorer, just someone who enjoys buying tech companies for fun.

 

[waynedc]

NAC associated with 408.5875 is 2AB.

Wayne
Marana, AZ