Sticky Thread for MilAir

[n3bxv]

1845 HARASS 33/34 up on CAP then push <300.100> for chat. 33 asks 34 if Have Quick is setup, then back to Huntress<260.9>, will return to 300.100 when setup
1935 HARASS 33 with Tanker 61 for A/R <260.9>
Comment - The CAP is pretty BORING.... I'm only half listening so don't expect a blow by blow...
2000 HARASS 34 with Tanker 61 for A/R <260.9> Tanker is from 157 ARW

 

[TinEar]

I just got home and turned the scanners on and am hearing OMAHA 1 calling CRAB SHACK on Customs freq 282.425 which he identified as Blue 1. He wants to know if the Blackhawk is on the deck. I've never heard the CRAB SHACK callsign before this.

[Edit] OMAHA 1 just reported he was going to RTB on «282.425»

This got me wondering if that exercise Falcon Virgo is going to finally happen tonight. If we hear a pair of F-16s take off from Andrews I guess that means it's on.

 

[freqhopping]

NOTE: That 283.75 freq was once on an old list for Andrews but I have no reference to a unit that might have used it.

I was listening to this last night as well. I have 283.75 programmed as the 457th Airlift Squadron.

 

[TinEar]

As soon as you said 457th I had to slap my forehead and shout...DAMN! Jack, not only did I have that freq programmed in a different bank in my scanner, I had submitted it to the database for the 457th at Andrews and it's right there listed under Andrews. I just pulled a total blank when I heard it last night. Thanks for the wake up.

0107: As I shut down for the night, the CAP is still going strong. HARASS 35/36 are the F-15s from the 94th Fighter Squadron at Langley and they are being serviced by TANKER 61. Primary freq is still «260.9». HARASS 35 has tail number FF 80-0012 and 36 is FF 81-0050.

 

[JackTV]

Got some activity today on
142.3
138.75
299.4
255.0

 

[TinEar]

Who was using 138.75 Jack?

1307: COLT 45 (A-10, MD-ANG, Martin State) with BayWatch Advisory on «354.8»
1308: THOR calling OMAHA 1 (Customs) to ask if he's 10-7 on «282.425» Asked a couple of times and then acknowledged which I guess confirmed that OMAHA 1 told him he was indeed 10-7.
1310: HARASS 33/34 in the CAP still going strong on «260.9»
1333: HARASS 35/36 checking into the CAP on «288.35» with GUARD DOG and then over to HUNTRESS on «260.9»
1335: HARASS 35 does the Alpha check on DATALINK and then heads for TANKER 64 on same freq «260.9»
1335: Have what sounds like a DC-ANG flight on SOF «139.9», then on ZNY-Matawan NJ «282.3», then to ZNY-Colts Neck NJ on «307.8». No callsigns heard yet.
1339: HARASS 33/34 announce one hours fuel left «260.9»
1341: HARASS 35's tail # is 83-0025 and 36's is 83-0026. «260.9»
1342: DC-ANG flight back on SOF «139.9» Seems to be a flight of two...still no callsigns used.
1344: The DC-ANG flight mentions freq 286.2 (old freq for Warren Grove) while on «139.9»...and at the same time I hear activity on the Warren Grove Range freq «283.1»
1346: HARASS 33/34 cleared out of the CAP and head for home. «260.9» Chat freq for both pairs is «228.175»
1410: MD-ANG A-10s from Martin State are up and flying..using tac «142.3»
END REPORT...back to the yard work for now.

 

[ka3jjz]

Additional - 341.75 has come up a couple of times with Reach 600 saying he was climbing to 30k and proceeding on a heading...364.2 has also come up with Reach 458 (once with someone for a r/c but didn't catch the call). 237.2 has also been active for Bollen Range...135.525 came up once or twice with a Tanker saying he was heading out, and wanted a certain altitude...

Just cross wired my old PRO2004 with an old Grove preamp into an antenna I got at a hamfest earlier this year for USD20 - it's hearing everything the 895 is, and somewhat better because of the preamp. I think I have a keeper here....73s Mike

[Edit] forgot to mention - some of these boys are likely Langley's -228.175 has been up with some chit chat...

 

[TinEar]

Right Mike...the last pairs of HARASS F-15s flying the CAP have used 228.175 for tac chat while doing the HUNTRESS thing on 260.9. I just turned everything back on and heard someone say they were leaving the Bollen Range to the southwest. A-10s from Martin perhaps? I never did hear a callsign for the DC F-16s from earlier before I shut everything down. Oops...there's the A-10s coming home to Martin State right now with mother hen on 347.2.

Sounds like you've put together a decent setup Mike. I can't use a preamp with the outdoor antenna. All it does is overload everything to the point of creating silence across the bands. I can use it however with the radio whip if I wanted to listen in other parts of the house but it doesn't do exceptionally well with the MilAir stuff other than the VHF 138-148 band.

TANKER 65 left Milwaukee a little earlier and was heard passing through Chicago and then Cleveland so he should have relieved 64 by now and taken over CAP duties.

1743: HARASS 37/38 coming on station to replace 35/36 in the CAP. The flying gas station is TANKER 65. 37/38 go to «324.0» for refueling.
1759: HARASS 35/36 check out of the GUARD DOG area on «288.35» and head for home using «228.175» for chat.

 

[ka3jjz]

Around 4:30 or so, things started quieting down a bit; still some tfc on 260.9, but the others are silent,, at least for now.

A little more info here - 324.0 came up with someone saying they had an engine that was 'shaking' and wanted someone to fly by and see if there was any leaks. I didn't hear anyone reply, so I assume they went to another freq for that- there were other checkins there, too, but nothing out of the ordinary.

It sounds like some folks had to make up some flight time due to the crapy weather we've had all week. It certainly came in handy to test out the new hookups. I just wish I could put an antenna or two (OK, maybe 3...) outside so I can get some more of the stuff you do, Al.

73s for now....Mike

 

[TinEar]

324.0 is the boom freq being used by some of the F-15 pairs in the CAP. The newest pair - 37 & 38 - is using it with the tanker. The freq itself is a normal HUNTRESS assigned freq.

1948: TANKER 65 given permission to RTB. He'll be heading back to Milwaukee. «260.9»
1949: TANKER 65 goes to boom freq «324.0» and tries to contact TANKER 66 with no joy after several calls. TANKER 66 is definitely on the way. He was heard with Indianapolis at 1925.
1956: TANKER 66 checks into the GUARD DOG area.
2125: HARASS 37 and 38 finish refueling with TANKER 66 on «260.9» The fighters couldn't make contact with 66 on the refueling freq (324.0) and 66 said he had a lot of noise there so they'd just stay with the primary CAP freq for refueling.
2127: HARASS 38 trying to call his replacement - 41 - on tac freq «228.175». Note they are skipping 39/40 once again.
2133: HARASS 37 tells HUNTRESS their replacements are going to be launched one and then the other about 20 minutes later. «260.9» 37/38 chat about who will stay and wait for the second replacement aircraft and 38 says he'll do it.

Continued below if warranted....

 

[Mark]

This afternoon HAGAR 65 Dover C-5 trainer was doing approaches at NCC Delaware Wilmington airport (tower 126.000) and was swinging wide his approaches over nearby Maryland where I live.
So I stepped out the front door and took this shot as he came right over my house.
I didn't get a good pic focus lock but aircraft was about 2k feet up.
I think they keep runway pattern approaches low below 2500 feet so they don't have to mess with Philly appch freq 119.750 and stay with Wilm Tower.
Sure makes you step outside though and say..What the Heck was that?
Love that C-5 engine whine!

 

[TinEar]

So where's the picture?

 

[Mark]

Had an temp upload problem but there it is!!

 

[TinEar]

Great picture Mark...that's a beauty of a plane. Thanks very much for posting that. Same tail as your avatar...gee, what a coincidence.

2151: HARASS 41 checks into the CAP, does an Alpha check of his DATALINK and repeats that 42 will be along in about 20 minutes.

 

[n3bxv]

2150<269.8> Harass-41 calling Huntress here after confusion on OPs<357.1> on what is correct freq, then contacts Huntress on <260.9>

{Edit}Alan - The 269.8 freq was passed to HArass-41 and read back on the Ops freq, then he called Huntress on it twice before moving to 260.9.....

 

[Mark]

Just heard Huntress on Langley 357.100 req correct freqs for BLUE 9.Heard 269.800 as primary but didn't hear secondary..

 

[TinEar]

269.8? Wonder where that one came from.

 

[Mark]

I think there was some confusion like Army mentioned...probably not a valid freq..

OK that was a valid freq.thought i was hearing things...
Thanks Army!

 

[TinEar]

Yeah...after I saw the edits that's what I was thinking. Good, because I was having a hard time trying to decide what I could replace to get that entered.

By the way, these tankers have been coming from the unit at Milwaukee. From another source I was told they use air-to-air freq 321.0. They are KC-135s from the 128th Air Refueling Group of the WI-ANG. When they are not part of the CAP they use callsign UPSET.

They seem to be having trouble raising IRON Ops on 357.1. And 41/42 are now in synch on the CAP track. On 228.175 they mention that the CAP freqs on the card are incorrect. AUX 5 should be 260.9 rather than what's there...269.8 I presume. Now I won't add it to the scan rotation making the edit below become moot.

2236: HARASS 42 refueling from TANKER 66...taking 4,000 pounds...his tail # is 82-00112. 41's tail # was 82-0019. As soon as he's refueled, 38 is officially released from CAP duty and can go home, sit in the O club and have a cold one.

2239: HARASS 41 tells 38 to have them correct the HUNTRESS freqs on the card when he gets home. «260.9»
2240: HARASS 38 punches his card and goes off duty with GUARD DOG on «288.35»
2241: HARASS 41 asks HUNTRESS for the secondary freq since his card is wrong and decides 228.9 will be it.
2243: HARASS 41 heads for the tanker.
NOTE: F-15s use about 6,000 pounds of fuel per flying hour - and that's without burners. Fuel capacity is just over 13,000 pounds internally. They can also carry three external tanks and bring it up to over 21,000 pounds.
2254: Per chat on 228.175 HARASS 42 was late to the CAP due to a radio problem...when they said it would take about 30 minutes to fix it, he just changed jets but this one has no crypto. Oh well, you can't have everything.
0044: TANKER 66 giving some gas to HARASS 42 before he leaves station to be replaced by TANKER 67 who's on his way to GUARD DOG


[Edit] Thanks Chuck for the update.

 

[TinEar]

0134: Thought I'd put this part of the CAP in a separate message because it deserves it. HARASS 41 talking with the tanker on 260.9 was asked if they had the F-22 Raptors at their base. 41 replied that there's 11 of them there now.
As a side note, the only new callsign I've heard from Langley fighters recently was on Friday and the callsign was CONGA. No telling yet if that's for the Raptors but it's one to keep in mind.

0138: HARASS 32 (that's what he used heading in but I think his call was really 43) is heading in as a replacement in the CAP. He mentioned being in the area of Andrews and going through the authentication procedure with the HUNTRESS controller. When he did that I could hear the ground station controller - a female - loud and clear. I took it from the overall conversation that she was at Andrews and the signal strength should confirm that. Although the original conversation took place on 260.9, that controller is not the same one running the CAP which I cannot hear.

0148: TANKER 67 is now on station. HARASS 43 is heading in his direction.
0153: HARASS 43 is tail #83-0025 and 44 is 79-064.
0202: HARASS 41 & 42 report RTB. The local ground controller at Andrews wished them a goodnight. «260.9» Then as 43/44 start talking to HUNTRESS it's apparently the other controller than I can't hear that takes over control.

And I'm going to RTB too. Goodnight all.