0900 hour:
A couple of flights of A-10s from the PA-ANG Willow Grove are up on their squadron tac channels 143.25/138.30 and Willow Grove Range freq 283.10 (new). Callsigns are UGLY and FLYER.
Northrup Gruman BWI freq 123.20 active with N161NG test flight and then to the Patuxent River area on BayWatch freqs 354.80 and 291.15.
1000 hour:
Flight of A-10s from MD-ANG Martin State operating on squadron tac freq 142.30.
PA-ANG activity continues on 283.10.
F-16 flight of six from Andrews off the deck at 1020. Callsign SPEEDY on 127.275 and 139.90. That's a new callsign for the DC-ANG - if it is indeed the DC-ANG. Could be someone staging from Andrews I suppose.
And another flight of four F-16s off from Andrews at about 1035, callsign SPAD, freq 143.15. This callsign is also new for the DC-ANG - if it is DC.
Have a pair of KC-10A tankers from McGuire AFB NJ, TEAM 40 & 41 talking to each other on the tanker interplane freq 139.875 and have the SPAD flight talking about "when we refuel."
Copters buzzing around the area on normal freqs..Phillips 126.15, Weide 126.20 and MUSSEL 292.20. The transport activity normal for Andrews 378.10/141.55, Dover 319.40/134.10, McGuire 349.40
1100 hour:
Have the tankers 41 and 42 now working on 351.20 and testing comms on "Comm 1" which turned out to be 276.50.
The SPEEDY and SPAD flights of 10 fighters have not been heard since about 10 minutes after takeoff. They have obviously flown out of the area which might account for why they were using new callsigns - which they do when travelling. A couple of weeks ago I speculated here they might be getting ready for a deployment because of the heavy training and simulated Iraqi war training they had been doing. I wonder. If so...Godspeed guys and be safe.
Boeing test flight freq 321.70 from Wilmington DE active 1120.
Kiowa Range 237.20 active 1121...RAVEN A-10 aircraft from MD-ANG. They are using 142.30 as their tac freq while at the range.
Northrup Gruman flight finally got his spotter airborne about 1115 and began working their normal 123.20/123.225 freqs. While on 123.225, he had an argument with a poacher trying to use his freq. He moved him away from it.
At 1142 the RAVEN flight tells BALKY (Kiowa) they are "Winchester" (out of ammo) and must RTB. They chat on 142.30 on the way home, contact RAven Ops on 347.20 upon nearing Martin State, announce Code 1 and Code 2 conditions of the aircraft.
1200 hour:
The RAVEN flight is still up, just contacted Martin State tower on 297.20 but seem to be in no hurry to get home. Will do a low approach, go around and then a full stop landing. By 1210 they were done.
All is quiet this hour other than the usual transports to/from Andrews, McGuire, Dover.
Somewhere above, I mentioned a 303.65 freq for BWI. Disregard...it's more than likely a mix or spur of the 291.625 freq.
1300 hour:
BANDSAW KILO (E3B Sentry Tinker AFB OK) operating on 364.20. I can't make out the callsign he's calling...sounds like SPORTSTAR [only the STAR part is clear] - although it could be DARKSTAR which is valid as another E3B callsign. This is an unknown freq (to me). He also mentioned being unable to make contact on freq 341.75 secure. The 364.20 freq could be a unit tactical freq if he was really talking to DARKSTAR and that would probably do the same for the 341.75 freq.
1315 fighters on 249.80 GK freq..no c/s yet. Heard for just a couple of minutes, then disappeared.
1345 Raven Ops 347.20 MD-ANG talking to aircraft on the ground..flight coming?
PA-ANG A-10 flight on 143.25 squadron tac freq...also on 138.30. Seems both PA and NJ use that 138.30 freq. At 1352 they come up again on 283.10 at the range - as they did this morning. Callsigns UGLY and FLYER again.
1400 hour:
As expected, flight of two A-10s MD-ANG Martin State take off at 1408, callsign COLT, freq 142.30. And another off the ground at 1413. By 1418 they check in with BayWatch (Pax River) on 270.80. Within a couple of minutes the flight leader says they'll be in the Pax River area for 10 more minutes and then want to go to Dover. They didn't say why. One of the COLTs has a problem of some sort. He's over Vienna. The Vienna reference on BayWatch is always to Vienna MD, not VA.
1426 have ANVIL 27 (C-130H, WV-ANG, Charleston) coming in to Weide AAF on 229.40.
At 1457 the COLT flight leader finally says he's leaving Pax River area and wants IFR direct clearance to Dover.
1500 hour:
1505 the COLTs are ready to enter the landing pattern, apparently at Dover, and are grumbling about all the NOTAMs.
A couple of U/I acft moving around the Pax River area on 270.80 with BayWatch control and using Pax River's 350.90 for chat.
Fighters entering GK area at 1522 on 249.80..say they'll be there for next 30 minutes.
The COLTs are up and buzzing again on 142.30. Short trip? Looks like they're coming home to Martin. Contact with Martin State tower 297.20 at 1531 confirms they're coming home. More A-10s coming home, using callsign WARDOG at 1550.
National Guard helo 761 with Phillips AAF on 126.15.
Couple of US Army Priority Air Transport aircraft PAT 667 and PAT 007 arrive at Andrews this hour. 667 going on to Albany and 007 to Indianapolis. Both will take Space A passengers if any. Both used 141.55 at Andrews.
Those U/I acft at Pax River were SALTY DOGs (Strike Aircraft Test Squadron at Pax). RTB at 1536.
Fighters mentioned above on 249.80 in GK area are F-15s from Langley, callsign LION.
1600 hour:
At 1601 had aircraft DOWN 61 Heavy checking in on HUNTRESS freqs 228.90 and 260.90. He was told to go to 139.15 (normally a DC-ANG tac freq where HUNTRESS has also been known to work with scrambled fighters). At 1603 he did a radio check on 139.15. No listing for him but suspect because of the "Heavy" designator he could be a tanker. Possible GUARD DOG Combat Air Patrol indicator???
END OF DAILY REPORT...for now.
