New to Scanning Airband, need some pointers

[Tryton]

Hello everyone,

I just got a better antenna for air band, I Live in a townhouse and my scanner and antenna is inside on the 2nd floor. I live by 3 airports. TIA, PIE, and another Clearwater airpark (Don't know the call) Anyways, when I'm listening, Some come in with full bars and others are very soft. I don't know if I'm hearing the pilots or the tower/ground crews. I don't understand the lingo (They talk so fast). What am I hearing.. I'm at work so later if need be, I can post a few youtube vids to show you what I mean.. Thanks in Advance... Tryton

 

[guitarbrian30]

pointers

AirNav and FlightAware - Free Flight Tracker - IFR Flight Status, Tracking, History, Maps are two good sites to get you up and running.

the first will give your tower, ground, approach and departure freq's. The second will allow you too see what is coming into your airport. On the left side just enter the airport code.

I live to approach, I can only hear one side of the conversation due to my distance from the airport.

You will catch on quickly after a few hours on one freq.

Hope this helps you out.

Happy scanning,

 

[rmiller818]

Big thing to remember is this is line of sight communications. Unless you are pretty close to an airport or a remote transmitter, you are unlikely to hear the controllers. Aircraft on the other hand are easier to hear as they are up high and there is probably less in the way. Don't expect to hear everything or both sides of the conversation.

 

[Tryton]

Thanks for the info, how close do you need to be before you can hear the controllers? I will need to really listen to see what is peggin the needle and who's not.. lol

 

[kny2xb]

I live in Palm Harbor, and usually hear just the pilots.

If I wasn't in a rental house, I'd have an outdoor antenna in an instant.

Clearwater Airpark is CLW if you need the ID

 

[Tryton]

Can someone explane this to me (Taken from Navair) Some of these like Tampa aproach have mulitple freqs, do I program them all in? and what is unicom? Thanks again!!!

UNICOM: 122.95
WX ASOS: PHONE 813-873-7228
TAMPA GROUND: 121.7 269.4 121.35
TAMPA TOWER: 119.5 269.4 119.05
TAMPA APPROACH: 118.15(001-150) 118.8(220-360) 119.65(151-219) 269.1(220-360) 285.625(001-150) 353.575(151-219) 353.75
TAMPA DEPARTURE: 118.15(001-150) 118.8(220-360) 119.65(151-219) 269.1(220-360) 285.625(001-150) 353.575(151-219) 353.75
CLEARANCE DELIVERY: 133.6
CLASS B: 119.65(151-219) 119.9(001-150) 125.3(220-360) 290.3(001-150) 316.05(220-360) 353.575(151-219)
D-ATIS: 126.45(ARR) 128.475(DEP)
EMERG: 121.5 243.0
FINAL-CTL IC: 118.5
WX AWOS-3 at TPF (6 nm SE): 118.925 (813-251-6824)
WX ASOS at PIE (9 nm SW): PHONE 727-531-3456
WX AWOS-3 at VDF (10 nm E): 121.125 (813-630-0924)
WX ASOS at SPG (14 nm S): 118.875 (727-821-4334)
WX AWOS-3 at PCM (20 nm E): 120.025 (813-764-8259)

 

[cbadie]

UNICOM is a general communications freqency with a service provided for (mainly) uncontrolled airports. Keep in mind that an airport which is "controlled" by day may have its tower closed at night so UNICOM services would be used.

Yes, you will need to program in all the approach frequencies - the numbers in the brackets indicat a direction in relation to the airport; so for example 118.15(001-150) basically is for departures and arrivals coming in from the east. The freqs that start in the 100s -118.8; 119.65, and so on are for civil air traffic while the others that start in the 200s and 300s are for military traffic utilizing the same airspace. There is a base nearby if I recall.

Program in all of them if you have the space, but I suspect that you will quickly lock out ATIS, which is an automated recording that pilots are supposed to listen to, provides weather and other information). Ground and tower might be tough to get depending on where you are located, but try them.

Yes....they do talk quickly but remember that in a crowded airspace everyone is busy. Enjoy!

 

[Tryton]

but I suspect that you will quickly lock out ATIS, which is an automated recording that pilots are supposed to listen to, provides weather and other information Enjoy!

LOL Damn your good, I think I did that my first hr of listening! :lol:

 

[GrayJeep]

Some minor touchups:
AWOS, ASOS and ATIS are looping broadcasts of weather, weather, and airport advisory. I listen to an AWOS close to my commute route to learn what the winds really are when things are exciting.

UNICOM 122.95 on an airport with tower is how guys call the fuel truck. And it's self-announce when the tower is closed.

Other UNICOM freqs (123.0,122.7,122.8) are used for self-announce radio calls at uncontrolled airfields.

Lots of info at the FAA under the Aeronautical Information Manual (AIM). (you can google it)

UNICOM is a general communications freqency with a service provided for (mainly) uncontrolled airports. Keep in mind that an airport which is "controlled" by day may have its tower closed at night so UNICOM services would be used.

Enjoy!

 

[kny2xb]

123.0 is Clearwater Airpark UNICOM
122.95 is probably used at both PIE and TPA

In addition, I always keep programmed in:

123.1 which is Search and Rescue [I've never heard anything on it yet, but you never know]
123.025 helicopter air-to-air usually Bayflite announcing its intended course, news &/or traffic choppers, sometimes police/sheriff helos

123.45 fixed wing long range air-to-air, usually hear pilot chat on this one
122.75 fixed wing [short range?] air-to-air, I usually hear activity when there's an air show or demonstration

There's also a couple of freqs for MacDill AFB in South Tampa

If you want, I'll just post what I have programmed in, and you can pick and choose from it.

 

[Tryton]

123.0 is Clearwater Airpark UNICOM
122.95 is probably used at both PIE and TPA

In addition, I always keep programmed in:

123.1 which is Search and Rescue [I've never heard anything on it yet, but you never know]
123.025 helicopter air-to-air usually Bayflite announcing its intended course, news &/or traffic choppers, sometimes police/sheriff helos

123.45 fixed wing long range air-to-air, usually hear pilot chat on this one
122.75 fixed wing [short range?] air-to-air, I usually hear activity when there's an air show or demonstration

There's also a couple of freqs for MacDill AFB in South Tampa

If you want, I'll just post what I have programmed in, and you can pick and choose from it.

Please do! Thanks for your help

 

[kny2xb]

118-136 is Civilian
225-380 is Military
PIE = St. Pete
TPA = Tampa
MCF = MacDill AFB
SPG = Albert Whitted

311.000 Air Combat Command Command Post used for MacDill AFB
122.750 Fixed Wing Air-to-Air
121.500 GUARD Civilian Aviation Emergency
243.000 GUARD Military Aviation Emergency
123.025 Helicopters Air-to-Air
123.450 Long Range Air-to-Air
285.550 MCF Approach
123.700 MCF Tower
294.700 MCF Tower
122.850 MULTICOM
122.900 MULTICOM for Search & Rescue Training
122.925 MULTICOM for Forest Fire Fighting
364.200 NORAD Primary calling
120.600 PIE Clearance Delivery
350.200 PIE Clearance Delivery
121.900 PIE Ground Control
348.600 PIE Ground Control
118.300 PIE Tower
257.800 PIE Tower
123.100 Search and Rescue
282.800 Search and Rescue
127.400 SPG Tower
257.600 SPG Tower
259.700 Space Shuttle Air-to-Ground 1 from liftoff to orbit this is used to communicate with Mission Control, then they switch to satellite comms
286.800 Space Shuttle Air-to-Ground 2
279.000 Space Shuttle spacesuits used on EVAs
118.150 TPA Approach
118.500 TPA Approach
119.900 TPA Approach
120.650 TPA Approach
124.950 TPA Approach
132.525 TPA Approach
134.250 TPA Approach
269.100 TPA Approach
279.600 TPA Approach
285.625 TPA Approach
290.300 TPA Approach
307.175 TPA Approach
353.575 TPA Approach
354.000 TPA Approach
119.650 TPA Approach + Departure
125.300 TPA Approach + Departure
135.500 TPA Approach + Departure
316.050 TPA Approach + Departure
362.300 TPA Approach + Departure
133.600 TPA Clearance Delivery
118.800 TPA Departure
239.300 TPA Departure
121.700 TPA Ground Control
119.500 TPA Tower
269.400 TPA Tower + Ground Control
122.700 VDF Vandenburg UNICOM
122.800 TPF Peter O. Knight UNICOM
122.950 PIE + TPA UNICOM
123.000 CLW Clearwater Airpark UNICOM
123.075 ZPH Zephyrhills UNICOM

These have worked for me so far, but if anyone has other/better/updated info, please jump in.

 

[Tryton]

wow, what a great list and very helpful! +1