Sticky Thread for MilAir II

[SquelchKnob]

1713: 1st FW up. 315.85. GK freq 249.8. I think I heard they were heading into W-386. Also have a couple weak hits on 118.125 & 125.375 for GK

 

[TinEar]

Today, the FAA posted an official list of the freqs for the three Potomac TRACON ADIZ Sectors around our area. The only change is to the ADIZ East Sector and confirms the ones I recently found and posted to the forum. They are...

ADIZ East Sector: 132.775/342.425
ADIZ West Sector: 127.325/236.775
ADIZ South Sector: 125.125/291.775

Those new freqs for ADIZ East replace 126.75/291.625. However, those two freqs are apparently still part of Potomac TRACON's Chesapeake Sector transmitting from BWI.
****************************************************
There were also changes posted for Easton/Newman Field (KESN):
Tower: 118.525
Ground: 119.075
ATIS: 124.475
****************************************************
There were also several airspace fixes for ZDC airspace in Virginia that were added. All of them show as "Military Reporting Points" and "Military Charting." They are:
CIGVE-FIRUT-FOSOR-HAVUB-HOBLU-IMORE-JABUP-JARON
JAVDA-LASIC-NEBGE-RABIE-SYOG-TABUE-WENID-WEVKU

There was also one added in Pennsylvania: OSMIE for Military Charting

I've got the lat/longs for all of those if anyone does map plotting for the fixes. They will no doubt be added to whichever website you use to retrieve those. My experience has been that it takes a month or two for that to happen. They didn't provide a list of any they were deleting but those may come in the future.
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Second half of the 1700 hour has a ton of activity all over the area. One of the freqs I've been listening to is a U/I tanker working 252.8. He just mentioned to someone that I can't hear that he understands the BASH flight will be up soon.

Confusing: At 1725, a REACH 8212 called Dover CP with his arrival message. After that first call, he began calling himself REACH 9008. He also gave his tail as 90008 which confirms he's a C-5A, 69-0008 from the 105th AW NY-ANG. I'm not sure where he got the REACH 8212 numbers. This was on the Dover CP 349.4 freq.

There have also been a couple of THUGs flying around the area today. Last THUG mission was by the 62nd AW at McChord. But today, they are McGuire C-17s -- THUG 01 is 03-3126 and THUG 02 is 04-4135.

Around 1630, I had a German Air Force flight depart Dulles. He was flight GAF 129, an A-310-304, tail 10+22. He was noted about 45 minutes later flying over Cape Cod so is probably on his way home.
At 1216, there was a Royal Air Force C-130J (C4), tail ZH870 from the Lyneham Transport Wing arriving in the area. Heard over Nantucket an hour or so earlier.
At 1121, an Italian Air Force Piaggio P-180AM (the world's noisiest aircraft), tail MM62207, overhead the area.
And at 0944, a Qatar Government A-330-203 with tail A7-HJJ returned to the area. I had him departing the area earlier around 0615. He used callsign AMIRY 7.

Early in the 1800 hour, the Raptors from Langley are still going back and forth to the W-386 offshore area for work. They are using the usual 249.8 for Giant Killer, 370.925 for Norfolk TRACON and various Langley interflight freqs - including 252.775 and 315.85 which I just heard.

On one of the other message boards (can't remember which) there was mention that eight KC-135R tankers are going to be transferred from the 99th ARS at Robins GA to the 108th ARW at McGuire and that the 108th will retire eight of its old KC-135E models. This is supposed to happen in early-2008. So, I'll be watching for tails that equate to the 99th flying in this area for tips they may now be working from McGuire.

1825: There's a couple of DC tankers (KC-135R, 58-0075 and 61-0307) departing Andrews. They are chatting on their old squadron ops freq as they climb out - 351.2
Well, the 58-0075 bird is definitely climbing out. I'm suddenly not sure if 61-0307 was outbound or just landing. DEECEE 43 (DC 43) is the 58-0075 bird and DEECEE 44 is 61-0307 and, yes, they are both climbing out. 43 is squawking 5602 and 44 is 1302. DC 44 is trying to call LIBERATOR on 378.1 with no joy.
1838: DC 43 is climbing much faster than 44. At this time, 43 is at FL 240 and 44 is just at 17K..351.2
They *still* use that silly looking DEECEE callsign (DECEE on the flight plan) and I always shorten it to the much better looking "DC"
1846: DC 43 to 44 to report they're doing 250 knots...they mention using AR Primary, Comm 1...351.2
1847: DC 44 to LIBERATOR to report they took off at 27 past the hour...378.1
1848: DC 43 is calling 351.2 "Comm 2" and asks 44 if he can come up on "Comm 1"...351.2 (can't find that other freq...yet)

1848: BLACKJACK 01 and 02 (HH-65C, USCG DCA) are setting up for some practice intercepts on Marine Channel 21A...157.05
1851: AR freq 252.8 active again.

Enough...back later.

 

[BM82557]

Notam 7/8422

Effective 1600 Utc 12/21/07 (1100 Local 12/21/07) Until 1530 Utc 12/26/07 (1030 Local 12/26/07)

Looks like he's going to Texas for New Year's after spending Christmas in Maryland. "EFFECTIVE 0712261740 UTC (1140 LOCAL 12/26/07) UNTIL 0801011830 UTC (1230 LOCAL 01/01/08)."

 

[Mateo]

1925: In the last 10 minutes, had SAM 2099 and SAM 2079 both arriving ADW. Handoff sequence was 119.85>128.35>118.4.
1952: SAM 2064 arriving ADW (118.4)
1953: NAVY JT 129 (id as C-9 by ATC) )vectoring towards ADW (119.85>128.35)
2020: EVAC 64631 inbound ADW (C-130J 06-4631 Little Rock)
2022: something (023) - caught the tail end of the comm, but he's packing a V-4, gassing, and going (378.1)

 

[ScanManQSL]

1959: I just heard MUSSEL- 06 on Dulles Approach (120.45) being handed off to the tower (128.425)

 

[TinEar]

1925: In the last 10 minutes, had SAM 2099 and SAM 2079 both arriving ADW. Handoff sequence was 119.85>128.35>118.4.
1952: SAM 2064 arriving ADW (118.4)
1953: NAVY JT 129 (id as C-9 by ATC) )vectoring towards ADW (119.85>128.35)

Just to slap some IDs on those guys...
SAM 2099 (C-37A, 99-0402, 99th AS Andrews) (Departed San Francisco area around 2000Z)
SAM 2063 (C-20B, 86-0204, 99th AS Andrews)
And surprise...
SAM 2079 (C-40B, 01-0040, 76th AS Ramstein AB/USAFE) (Last hit on the other side of the pond - heard in Glasgow, Scotland in 1700Z hour...before that all over the UK, Belgium, Netherlands and starting in Suttgart Germany in the 1300Z hour)

NAVY JT129 (C-9B, 160050, VR-52)

 

[ka3jjz]

Today, the FAA posted an official list of the freqs for the three Potomac TRACON ADIZ Sectors around our area. The only change is to the ADIZ East Sector and confirms the ones I recently found and posted to the forum. They are...

ADIZ East Sector: 132.775/342.425
ADIZ West Sector: 127.325/236.775
ADIXZ South Sector: 125.125/291.775

Those new freqs for ADIZ East replace 126.775/291.625. However, those two freqs are apparently still part of Potomac TRACON's Chesapeake Sector transmitting from BWI.

Tin, would that be 126.75. not .775? Typo? And a dumb question - I see East, West and South covered - but what about North? Makes no sense they'd put an Air defense zone across 3 compass points but not the fourth. Of course, this is the government....updating the wiki now. We should also insure that these freqs get to the database.

73s and thanx...Mike

 

[TinEar]

Tin, would that be 126.75. not .775? Typo? And a dumb question - I see East, West and South covered - but what about North? Makes no sense they'd put an Air defense zone across 3 compass points but not the fourth. Of course, this is the government....updating the wiki now. We should also insure that these freqs get to the database.

73s and thanx...Mike

Thanks for noticing that Mike. I had a stutter-finger attack. Yes, it should be 126.75 which I've now corrected.

Actually, the ADIZ East area covers most of the northern area too. If you can find the original post on this topic by Airfire in this thread, he included a map with it that shows the areas that each of the three zones covers. If I remember correctly, each area covered approximately 120 degrees accounting for just three zones. I suppose they could have been 1-2-3 or A-B-C rather than East-South-West but who am I to argue with the "powers-that-be?"
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2050: OPEC 48 and a suffix 16 are chatting about an upcoming AR mission - no doubt in AR-636. They were working 238.9 and just said to switch to secondary and came up on 319.7 as expected.

 

[BM82557]

Actually, the ADIZ East area covers most of the northern area too. If you can find the original post on this topic by Airfire in this thread, he included a map with it that shows the areas that each of the three zones covers.

Here's the map Tin referred to:

 

[freqhopping]

SquelchKnob,

Could you check for a control channel on 411.15? While down there on Thursday I received a very weak control channel on it that displayed as being Pax NAS. It took an amp to receive it. I forgot to change modes and check for sysid and site. I'm thinking there may be a second site somewhere.

 

[SquelchKnob]

SquelchKnob,

Could you check for a control channel on 411.15? While down there on Thursday I received a very weak control channel on it that displayed as being Pax NAS. It took an amp to receive it. I forgot to change modes and check for sysid and site. I'm thinking there may be a second site somewhere.

Do you suspect it's part of the NDW system?? Or the old PAX system??

Whatever the case I just punched it in. No sign of a Control Channel. Once I finish getting the shack a little better organized I will set up a rig and search 380-420 for the heck of it.

 

[JohnFB]

20-12-07
THU

some stuff .......

1216Z : JOSA 037 [C-21 84-0077 457AS] KBED CP 397.100 ETA 1229Z, need fuel, p/u DB code Sierra 4 & one duty PAX
1512Z : JOSA 037 [C-21 84-0077 457AS] KBED CP 397.100 T.O. 1503Z, de-ice was good, cll AICC pls.

1255Z : RCH 486 wkg ETHYL 58 AR20NE 305.500

1509Z : MAPLE 81 X1 [F-16 158FW] heading S thru ZBW, usual 'no-joys'

1556Z : MAPLE 83 x2 [F-16 158FW] <138.625> and clg MAPLE 81 <138.525>; so many 'no-joys' they gave up & went Victor thru ZBW until they hit SIE59 281.450. direct SWL Snow Hill, but had to explain to ZDC who & what they were [which seemed odd].

1636Z : Navy 7C 121 [C-12 NAS Oceana?] KBED CP 397.100 ETA 15min, pax rdy? He originally made his calls on 271.500, which I presume was simply a mis-dial.

1826Z : KILLER 1 [A-10 103FW] headed SW thru Pawling on Uniform .... never heard him return. Maybe another Bradley A-10 riding off into the sunset.

 

[SquelchKnob]

Something I just noticed. The ZDC UHFs are now back in the IFR. I have a couple of old copies and they only show the VHFs. The latest has the UHFs as well.

 

[JohnFB]

Blackjack reports

If someone would be so kind, ..... I've forgotten what each element means:


TANGO - ???
UNIFORM - Fuel remaining
VICTOR - ETA
WHISKEY - ???

TIA

 

[freqhopping]

Do you suspect it's part of the NDW system?? Or the old PAX system??

Whatever the case I just punched it in. No sign of a Control Channel. Once I finish getting the shack a little better organized I will set up a rig and search 380-420 for the heck of it.

This would be the Pax 400mhz Motorola system currently in use. NDW is VHF and EDACS.
I figure you should be able to pick up control channels on 386.3, 388.1125 and 385.175/385.6875 also.

0920- SCARY flight heading out. TRACON 348.725>317.425
0923- Three of them by the sound of it, using 139.15 for interflight.
0925- WILD-1 heading out too, direct PALEO. 348.725 WILD flight using 143.6.
0928- WILD-1 standard formation. ZDC-Swann 360.7
0930- WILDCAT-11 cleared direct KESSEL
0941- WILDCAT-11 at FL220 ZDC-Montebello 284.7
0944- No answer back to ZDC-Irons given VHF to try. 121.675
0945- Then told to contact ZDC on 282.2.
0948- WILDCAT-11 requesting that when they come off route they would like to go from Blackstone>SBV>FKN>TABUE>Oceana at FL170. I think he's heading for VR43.
0954- Switching to 285.6 ZDC-Blue Ridge.
1027- WILDCAT-11 377.1 > missed it

1045- SONIC-03 with ZDC-Franklin 290.425 This should be the CAP fighters. Langley F-22s
1047- Switch to ZDC-Calvert 281.4
233.525 is being used for air>air.
HUNTRESS is just barely audible today, Potomac is heard perfectly as usual.
1105- Just heard a female say "Contact" on 277.35. Guess they'll being using that for AR.

1224- MACE-91 with ZDC-Calvert. I think this is guy I heard climbing out of ADW heading to McIntire AFB.

 

[Mark]

Camp David CAP?

1036 local TANKER 01 in the green with Huntress 260.900
1058 SONICS Langley aircraft going to Tanker on 260.900

Mark

Looks like a long week ahead for this Camp David CAP.
Tanker early so fighters must be in soon..

Issue Date : December 18, 2007 at 2300 UTC
Location : Washington Center, Hagerstown/Thurmont, Maryland near MARTINSBURG VORTAC (MRB)
Beginning Date and Time : December 21, 2007 at 1600 UTC
Ending Date and Time : December 26, 2007 at 1530 UTC

 

[TinEar]

Yeah, when Brian first posted the CAP schedule for Christmas and New Year weeks, all I could think of was "those poor crews!"

SONIC 03 and 04 are F-22A types from the 94th Fighter Squadron at Langley.
TANKER 01 is (KC-135R, 59-1498, 132nd ARS ME-ANG Bangor), Mode 3=3477

Primary freq w/HUNTRESS (NORAD) is 260.9
Potomac TRACON Guard Dog CAP airspace control is 135.525 and 350.25
Boom freq is 277.35...female boomer aboard TANKER 01

During the AR around 1150, only the boomer was heard on the 277.35 freq as she cleared SONIC 03 for pre-contact. The Raptor was not heard at all indicating strict use of the boom intercom rather than the radio for their AR chat.
1156: SONIC 03 off the boom after taking 6800 pounds of fuel...again, just the boomer heard and nothing from the fighter.
1224: SONIC 04 with TANKER 01 on the boom freq and, again, all that can be heard is the boomer giving pre-contact and contact commands - nothing from SONIC 04...277.35

Yesterday, I posted the new freqs for Easton airport that the FAA reported. Today, they've added a remark for that ATIS freq that it's operational 24 hours a day.

 

[trainman111]

Tin and SquelchKnob, I'm going to be doing some adjustments with my antenna today to see if I can hear the PAX are better. I'm hoping that I can, that way I can help you guys out with finding those first few handoff freqs. Like you said Alan, I should definately be able to hear them when they fly down by this area. The hard part is going to be sorting them out from the rest of the VHF traffic.

 

[TinEar]

Tin and SquelchKnob, I'm going to be doing some adjustments with my antenna today to see if I can hear the PAX are better. I'm hoping that I can, that way I can help you guys out with finding those first few handoff freqs. Like you said Alan, I should definately be able to hear them when they fly down by this area. The hard part is going to be sorting them out from the rest of the VHF traffic.

Very good Nick. Those E-6Bs seem to always takeoff to the south so aren't too far from you by the time they make their turn onto whichever course their mission takes them for that flight. I've got antennas at different parts of the house (front and back) and it makes no difference for me. Pax is just a relatively dead zone for me once you go south of the field for the next 20-30 miles or so. Same situation to the west of Pax for me. Once out of that particular area, I'm fine with the comms. Unfortunately, while in the dead zone is where they make the change to ATC and also change from BuNo to callsign.
*****************************************************

1408: TANKER 02 called TANKER 01 to establish comms and swap Mode 3 squawks....said he was about 10 minutes out....he's coming in at FL 250...260.9
TANKER 02 = KC-135R, 60-0315, 126th ARS WI-ANG Milwaukee, Mode 3=5662
1419: TANKER 02 finally makes contact with Potomac on 135.525 after trying several times...asks for another freq...I think he was sent to 126.55
1422: TANKER 01 released to RTB...picks up his clearance from Potomac and is handed off to New York Center...he's departing with the same Mode 3 he's been using for the entire flight - 3477. Normally, Potomac will give them a new squawk code when they depart the CAP. Not this time...126.55
1425: SONIC 03 is refueling from TANKER 02 and they are now using primary for the AR op rather than switching to a separate boom freq...260.9
1429: TANKER 02 reports leaving FL 250 for 240 (now that TANKER 01 has departed the area)...260.9

1513: SONIC 05 flight on the way from Langley to the CAP...currently with ZDC-Franklin...290.425
1518: And then SONIC 05 flight over to ZDC-Calvert...281.4
1523: SONIC 05 and 06 to HUNTRESS freq...260.9
1524: SONIC 05 flight changes to 27 Prime and comes up with Potomac Guard Dog controller to enter the CAP area...350.25
1525: SONIC 05 and 06 announce going to the tanker for boom checks...still 65 miles from the bullseye (Thurmont)...260.9
1525: SONIC 03/04 to Potomac to pick up clearance back to Langley...350.25
1528: SONIC 03/04 thought they were leaving for home...HUNTRESS turned them around and told them to get back on station until 05/06 completed their boom checks....260.9/350.25
1533: SONIC 03/04 are now released from the CAP and go to Potomac to advise them they're leaving....handed off to ZDC-Calvert ...260.9/350.25
SONIC 05 and 06 are using primary 260.9 as a boom freq with TANKER 02.

CRAB 54 (C-130J, 97-1354, 135th AS MD-ANG Martin State) departed Martin State in the 0900 hour this morning. He made a cross country flight and is being heard in Phoenix around 1530 EST. He must have been paddling slowly - 6 1/2 hours cross country. These guys seldom leave this general area unless they get the occasional REACH mission so this is unusual.

Pittsburgh International Airport (KPIT) has a new departure freq posted by the FAA today. They deleted the 118.65 freq and replaced it with 125.275. That departure freq was noted as covering the Wheeling WV airport (KHLG) also.

 

[CitationJet]

12.21.2007

12.21.2007

1928Z 119.300 PT APP - NAVY 7C 972 (UC-12B NAS Oceana NFD) - 5000' for 3000' going to the Navy side reqs 1R gets 1L.
1930Z 123.825 PT DEP SAM 2062 - dir McRay join J518.
1950Z 142.300 - MD ANG A-10 IF - RAVENs up w/ACM.

2009Z 260.900 - PT HUNTRESS - SONIC 3/4 - wkg TANKR 02 - need 2K fuel apiece. Weapons safe, nose is cold for SONIC 3 and is cleared to the tanker @ 2011Z. Also copies that SONIC 5 is airborne from HUNTRESS.
2015Z 133.550 ZDC-Linden - PAT 1527 (C-26B) - @ 12000' QSY ZDC-Blue Ridge 133.650.

2015Z-2033Z:

260.900 CAP covered better by Tin. I had some local QRM that destroyed reception for a time.

2044Z PT APP 118.675 REACH 5143 - 15000'-13000'-11000' X AML @ 8000' QSY PT APP 119.850. ELDEE2 arrival WIE 12.20.2007 and guys were being given WIZRD @ 10000' ELDEE @ 8000'. ELDEE1 has been deleted according to the PT controller.