Omaha Eppley (KOMA) ATIS Not Broadcasting?

[dunestalker]

So my scanner (BCD436HP) doesn't constantly stop on the airports' ATIS channels around me, I have put all of them on permanent 'Avoid'. However, I was in the middle of testing something yesterday and wanted to verify my audio settings were working properly and (since I was already on one of Eppley's channels anyway) decided to tune-in their ATIS channel. However, I wasn't hearing anything on that frequency. Mind you, I have received their ATIS transmissions in the past; I can't remember when, but that's why I put that frequency/channel on permanent avoid when I initially setup my scanner.

According to the AirNav site (AirNav: KOMA - Eppley Airfield), Eppley's ATIS channel is supposed to be on 120.4 MHz. That's what RR has indicated, as well. I was tuned-in to that frequency on two separate radios (my new BCD436HP and my old BC245XLT), but neither of them would pick-up the ATIS broadcast, and we all know it's supposed to be running 24x7.

Anyone else in the Omaha area mind verifying whether or not Eppley is broadcasting anything on their ATIS channel (120.4 MHz)?

Thanks!

 

[dunestalker]

So I received a reply from @autovon in the Iowa forum indicating that he can hear the broadcast on Eppley's ATIS channel this morning. Since I'm at work for the day, I'll check it again when I get home tonight (after 6pm). In the meantime, I just did a Google search for D-ATIS and found the following on this page:

ATIS is traditionally a voice recording of someone reading the weather. D-ATIS is a way to deliver the information digitally so onboard equipment can interact with it. From the requirements

Digital ATIS is an enhancement of the Tower Data Link Service (TDLS) and uses the Pre-Departure Clearance (PDC) System microcomputer to automate the delivery of airport and terminal area operational and meteorological information to aircraft flightcrews. Two phases of development are planned. The first phase will provide, via data link, a digital version of the ATIS /4 to flightcrews. Voice recording will continue to be utilized in the preparation of the ATIS broadcast. The second phase will add automated voice generation for the ATIS broadcasts.

Its part of a larger data link system that allows aircrafts and controllers to communicate certain things (weather info, clearances etc) with out clogging the radio channel.

Some ATIS systems now have a voice synthesizer reading out the reports so that no one needs to manually update the recording every hour.

This may explain why I could not hear anything yesterday, but we'll see when I get home tonight and can check again.