Got to the radios very late and (reading above messages) and what I'm hearing now seems kind of interesting. Everyone is up and testing their comms for the activity running from tomorrow through the 20th. Some of what I've heard in just a few minutes listening in early 1200 hour...
BANDSAW-Lima (E-3) calling BACKBURNER on 288.4 (BANDSAW-L = E-3C, 79-0003)
PELICAN 01 (airborne) in contact mostly with SANDHOG 03 (ground) and earlier with JAGUAR on 324.0
Various Customs units on their repeater freq 165.2375 including RAVEN Ops (at MTN), some OMAHA units (including 10) and now to THOR (JADOC) from OMAHA 10.
Unknown units in encrypted comms on 165.825
HUNTRESS on 228.9 sounding like he's transmitting from a local antenna (signal strength equal to Martin State). HUNTRESS calling PELICAN here.
Meanwhile, BANDSAW-Lima is also working Langley aircraft for ACM activities on 292.3.
1310: An Andrews KC-135R (57-1479) is being noted on Mode-S with "S3831Z" in the callsign block. There has been a C-20B from the 99th AS at Andrews (86-0203) with that same callsign error programmed in its Mode-S since the end of November. Looks like the same avionics tech is working for both units and makes the same error.
Thanks Ed [jetcrafter] for the tipoff they were in your area.
1320: MAZDA 41 flight w/ZDC-Sea Isle...281.45 (checking onto freq and telling Washington Center to stand by a minute)
1321: MAZDA 41 flight told they should be on 257.7 w/ZDC-Salisbury and they check in there (flight of six)...FL 280 in 2 mile, non-standard formation...257.7
1322: MAZDA 41 flight also interflight chat on 305.6 sending the rest of the flight to 257.7
1322: Freq 305.6 (Huntress freq) is also being used by the military net setting up for the Nobama spectacle.
1324: MAZDA 41 flight requesting direct Seymour when able...cleared direct Seymour...257.7
1325: MAZDA 41 looking for lower altitude when able...apparently gets it...257.7
1328: Confirming interflight freq 305.6 for the MAZDA 41 flight.
1329: MAZDA 41 flight cleared from FL 280 down to 220...257.7
1331: MAZDA 41 flight handed off to ZDC-Cape Charles...check in as a flight of six, FL 220 non-standard...256.8
When they checked onto the 257.7 freq, there were only four of them...not sure where they suddenly picked up two more. Perhaps that was what happened on 305.6 at 1322 when he was sending others to the 257.7 freq.
1334: MAZDA 41 flight handed to Norfolk TRACON (East) and check in as a flight of six at FL 220...says they're going to Seymour Johnson...370.925
1335: MAZDA 41 flight vectored to course 236...370.925
1336: MAZDA 41 reports cleared direct Norfolk, direct Seymour Johnson...370.925
1336: MAZDA 41 tells controllers they are two, six ship flights, separated by 50 minutes....says it's an entire different cell with six of his own fighters...370.925 (So, I'll be looking for the second flight -- MAZDA 51?)
They are loud and clear on the ATC freqs but very weak on the 305.6 interflight freq.
1340: MAZDA 41 flight leader tells flight to "push 269.42 Main"....I'm there but am hearing nothing yet. (269.425 is also a Norfolk TRACON freq)
1340: TANKER 02 (KC-135R, 62-3577, 77th ARS Seymour Johnson) to HUNTRESS also on...324.0
1348: TANKER 02 calling HUNTRESS on 228.9 and he has the stuck mic there also...228.9
1349: TANKER 02 back to 260.9 and says he's got 228.9 in the other radio so they'll have positive contact throughout...each freq he goes to, he puts the open mic there...it's the backup radio that has the stuck mic...carrier now on 228.9 while he's talking on 260.9...so they should be okay on the primary I guess.
1353: TANKER 02 going back and forth from 260.9 to 228.9 radio checking w/HUNTRESS...open mic still on 228.9 but has comms on 260.9
1356: TANKLER 02 tells HUNTRESS he'll continue to work 260.9 but monitor 228.9...and then he brings the stuck mic to the 260.9 freq...wish he'd get this figured out. He's got a very strong carrier (full six bars on S meter) but weak modulation on both freqs. TANKER 02 has been flying at FL 260 since he came into the area which is not the standard Guard Dog CAP altitude (which is FL 240). Not sure where he's working but HUNTRESS is not being heard here on either freq. Was kind of hoping he'd be transmitting from MTN.
1400: RAMROD 31, flight of three, w/ZDC-Cape Charles...256.8
1401: RAMROD 31 to ZDC-Salisbury reporting flight route...Franklin, Raleigh, Seymour...257.7
1403: TANKER 02 continues with the open mic on 260.9
1403: RAMROD 31 handed to ZDC-Norfolk and check in at FL 280...327.8
1406: N140HS (Customs) calling Charlie-100 (Customs D.C. area ground honcho)...165.2375
1409: Someone trying to check onto 260.9 but is being blocked by TANKER 02's open mic...260.9
1411: Sounded like ARROW 13 flight (Eglin AFB F-15s) checking into Guard Dog...350.25 (Heard on 284.7 a couple of minutes ago coming in)
1411: TANKER 02 and ARROW 13 do a radio check with no problems...TANKER 02 says, "It sounds like Have Quick is screwing us up"...260.9
1413: ARROW 13 flight to Guard Dog reporting 5 minutes south of the CAP at FL 230...cleared into the CAP...350.25
1415: ARROW 13 flight cleared for the block FL 210-250...350.25
1415: MAZDA 51 flight w/ZDC-Sea Isle...281.45
1416: ARROW 13 flight sent to backup freq and check in there...228.9
1418: ARROW 13 and TANKER 02 radio check on 228.9 but he brings the open mic carrier with him...then they go back and forth checking radios on 260.9 and 228.9....they're going to be screwed up until someone realizes the carrier is from the tanker. Boomer also trying to do radio checks and his radio is good. It's the front end of TANKER 02 and their radio with the problem.
1422: MAZDA 51 flight reporting at FL 280...281.45
1424: MAZDA 51 flight...check in as a flight of six at FL 280 w/ZDC-Salisbury...257.7
MAZDA 51 flight working 341.75 (a refueling freq) for interflight. I had been hearing something on that freq for the past 10 minutes but couldn't copy it and didn't realize fighters would be using it for interflight. This has been strange...the first flight used a NORAD HUNTRESS freq and now these guys on an AR freq.
1426: All six in the MAZDA 51 flight report Code 1 maintenance status at this time...341.75
1426: The ARROW 13/14 F-15 have been refueling w/TANKER 02 but I'm keeping volume down low on that freq due to the carrier blocking...pain in the butt to listen to it...260.9
1426: Candian Air Force CC-150 in the area...tail 15003 from 437 Squadron...at FL 370 going through.
1431: MAZDA 51 flight still chatting on interflight but starting to get weak...341.75
1432: They just figured out it's TANKER 02 responsible for the open mic...they send him to VHF 139.7 and say they'll maintain this freq as primary...no carrier on this radio...ARROW 13 checks in here too...meanwhile TANKER 02 and ARROW 14 are finishing their AR op and then will move to the new freq...139.7
1434: MAZDA 51 flight handed to ZDC-Norfolk...and check in as six ship, non-standard formation at FL 280...327.8
1435: Oh-oh...TANKER 02 moved his primary radio to 139.7 and brought the carrier with him...ARROWs trying to check in....HUNTRESS is extremely loud and clear on this freq...139.7 (Carrier now gone)
1436: ARROW 13 and 14 trying to talk..say they couldn't hear any of the conversation between HUNTRESS and TANKER 02...139.7 (funny...the carrier is gone from the freq but when the ARROWs transmit, it's there and blocking them. I'm beginning to wonder if the interference is really from TANKER 02 or if they're being blocked by an outside transmitter.)
1438: The ARROW fighters sound like they're transmitting in FM when they use the 139.7 freq.
1440: TANKER 02 tells HUNTRESS (who I can no longer hear) that the ARROW flight is having no joy on this freq and will move to 260.9 and that he'll move there too...139.7
And, as soon as he moves to 260.9, the open mic sound came too...TANKER 02 is hearing HUNTRESS there it seems with no problem now but the carrier is there. TANKER 02 then goes to 139.7 for a relay....ARROW 13 comes up but is terrible sounding...he can't establish comms there.
1443: All three of the CAP aircraft are getting their transmission blocked when trying to transmit on 139.7. Seems they're all having trouble on the other freqs too. I wonder if this isn't some part of the communications tests that are taking place around the area for the inauguration hoopla? If it's not, there's a major problem brewing and someone has the ability to block out the CAP comms on all freqs. That's not a good thing.
1445: MAZDA flight leader announces, "Switch 1"...341.75 (And that's all he said)
1446: TANKER 02 asking HUNTRESS if he can monitor 149.32...says the ARROWs are on 260.9 and can't hear HUNTRESS....139.7
1446: MAZDA 51 flight getting a descent (but couldn't hear what he said the altitude would be)...327.8
Believe the MAZDA 51 flight is now out of range...they sure didn't say much coming through this area. If they were handed to Norfolk (and probably were), I didn't hear the switch. However, we know they're going to Seymour Johnson so nothing really missed.
1451: Meanwhile, the ARROW flight is still trying to establish comms with HUNTRESS on 260.9. Managed to do it but loud carrier is still on freq. Saying weak but readable...HUNTRESS can't copy them however.
1453: TANKER 02 to HUNTRESS on VHF...says they were given a discrete freq of 269.5 and will be monitoring that freq...139.7
(269.5 is a Potomac TRACON freq in the ADW/DCA area) I'm listening there now.
1455: TANKER 02 asking HUNTRESS if he can operate on 269.5...says he'll standby there to see if he can hear them...139.7
1455: ARROW 13 to HUNTRESS on the backup freq and has loud and clear comms there...228.9
1456: HUNTRESS to "All Players" with a radio check on 228.9...ARROW 13 reports loud and clear...he then calls TANKER 02 who apparently isn't monitoring this freq.
1457: ARROW 13 and TANKER 02 make contact on 269.5 and is told HUNTRESS wants him on 228.9. but 02 says he's waiting for HUNTRESS on 269.5.
1457: TANKER 02 and HUNTRESS make contact on 139.7 to talk about giving someone fuel...139.7 (Can't hear HUNTRESS on this freq - only on 228.9 where he's l/c)
1459: HUNTRESS tells TANKER 02 to go to 228.9...as soon as he says that, the carrier comes up on 228.9 and TANKER 02 then can't contact HUNTRESS there. It now looks definite that the carrier is coming from TANKER 02. As soon as he switched the radio that was on 260.9 to 228.9, the carrier left 260.9.
1500: ARROW 13/14 on 228.9 attempting contact with TANKER 02 but the carrier is there and they don't have comms with anyone.
Sure wish I could talk to these guys and let them know the problem is with one of TANKER 02's radios.
1501: TANKER 02 talking to HUNTRESS about refueling SENTRY 41 (E-3C)...139.7
1502: ARROW 13 and TANKER 02 make good contact on 269.5 but say they can't on any freq that HUNTRESS controls. Meanwhile the carrier is on his radio that's sitting on 228.9. Wonder if they'll ever figure this out? TANKER 02 tells ARROW 13 he couldn't copy him when he was 50 feet behind the tanker.
1504: TANKER 02 wants to know if HUNTRESS has another tanker coming since he'll be giving his fuel to SENTRY 41...139.7
1505: TANKER 02 tells HUNTRESS that if SENTRY 41 is 30 minutes out, he can give 32-34K fuel to him...he then asks what BANDSAW-Lima is - that he's unfamiliar with that....139.7
BANDSAW-Lima I mention above somewhere is 79-0003
(Continued below...character limit)
Noise in here is unbelievable...3 radios with Customs crackling...4 radios on the Guard Dog CAP with all that nonsense and trying to listen for the MAZDA flight. Where's my damn shotgun?
Ref René below: Thanks for the confirmation of MAZDA 51 René. Much appreciated.
