Ref the CAP that Jack mentions above:
The current fighter pair is using callsign HARASS 33 and 34 which are F-15s from Langley AFB VA. Primary CAP freq with HUNTRESS (NORAD) is on «260.9» for this mission. The 360.7 freq that Jack mentioned is Washington Center Swann Sector which is to the east of BWI airport and very unusual for Langley fighters to use, however, it wouldn't be unusual for the supporting tanker aircraft to use if coming from McGuire AFB for instance. The 288.35 freq is also a combination Washinton Center/GUARD DOG freq. GUARD DOG is the name of the Combat Air Patrol mission that is flown over this area. The fighters and tanker used to support them must clear into and out of the area using either the 288.35 or 135.525 frequencies. Normally, the fighters use 288.35 and the tanker 135.525 but that isn't set in stone. And that's the story of the CAP.
NOTE: The reason for spelling this all out is because I've received a couple of emails that complained that we tend to abbreviate everything down to the point that someone new to MilAir couldn't follow what we're talking about. That's often valid.
1340: HARASS 35/36 are about to take over CAP duties and are heading for the tanker as their first order of business.
1358: NJ-ANG (F-16, Atlantic City) active on tac freq «138.425» flight of three, callsign BICEP
1359: BICEP flight to ZDC-Cape Charles VA on «257.7»
1400: HARASS 33/34 report RTB «260.9»
1401: TANKER 13 leaving the CAP and heading home. «260.9» He's a KC-135 from the PA-ANG Pittsburgh.
1405: HARASS 33 reports into ZDC-Patuxent MD on «281.4»
1406: TANKER 14 has taken over refueling duties in the CAP «260.9»
1407: HARASS 33 descending from 20 to 10K «281.4»
1408: BICEP flight doing air combat exercises on their tac freq «138.425»
1409: TANKER 13 to STEEL Control on «311.0» STEEL is the callsign for the KC-135 tanker squadron at Pittsburgh. 13 is 25 minutes out from home, is A-2 for an autopilot problem and will be landing with 6,000 pounds of fuel on board.
1427: The BICEP trio is still performing air-air combat exercises with one of the aircraft playing the part of a DARKSTAR E3B aircraft manuevering the other two F-16s toward the target - which is him. They are about to finish their activity and head for home shortly. «138.425»
1432: BICEP flight ends the exercise and gets back in formation to head home. Currently at 17,000 feet. «138.425»
1435: BICEP 11, flight of three, reports in with ZDC-Snow Hill MD on «256.8» report leaving 17,000 for 10,000. They go back to tac «138.425» to report they are all Code 1. BICEP 3 (or 13) is cleared to switch to Devil Ops on «261.00» to report mission and maintenance status.
1438: BICEP 11 back to «256.8» to report descent and then switch to ZDC-Sea Isle on «285.4» for further descent as they approach Atlantic City.
1440: BICEP flight clears with ZDC and presumably switches to Atlantic City Approach...they are about 11 minutes from landing at this point.
1514: REACH 550T reports airborne at this time to Andrews Command Post on «141.55»
1518: HARASS 36 heading for the tanker to top off his tanks. «260.9»
1533-35: REACH 1007 to Dover Command Post on «349.4» Female jockey states she's a C-130 heading for Hurlburt Field (Florida) and requests a phone patch to DSN ***-**** (Phone # omitted) to advise them of an updated arrival time of 2300Z. Wants that patched to make sure squadron will have someone there when they arrive.
1545: HARASS 35 does a DATALINK and authentication check with HUNTRESS «260.9»
1548: HARASS 35 with TANKER 14 for refueling. «260.9»
1726: HARASS 36 off to the tanker(TANKER 14) again. Just over two hours between fill ups. «260.9»
1734: HARASS 36 off the tanker...HARASS 35 reports clouds moving into the area with tops up to 24-25,000 feet....he's taking his flight up to 25,000 to stay above them and wants HUNTRESS to get approval to move the CAP higher «260.9»
1740: HARASS 35 tally the tanker to fill his tanks too. «260.9»
1746: HARASS 35 filled up and back on station «260.9»
1747: TANKER 15 coming on station. «260.9»
1756: TANKER 14 clears off station «260.90 then clears out of GUARD DOG area on «135.525»
1809: HARASS 37/38 six miles from coming on station «260.9»
1809: HARASS 37 with ZDC-Patuxent MD «281.4» ascending 21 1 to 25,000
1812: HARASS flights using Langley tac «358.85» for chat
1812: TANKER 15 ascending to 29,000 flight level. «260.9»
1818: HARASS 37/38 reporting onto station and requesting to head to the tanker «260.9»
1822: HARASS 37/38 flight says they're assigned 25-28,000 but but tanker is at 29,000 feet. TANKER 15 decides he can descend to 28.000 to solve the problem «260.9»
1824: HARASS 35/36 switches to tac «358.85» to chat on the way home
1827: HARASS 35 flight from 25,000 down to 21,000 with ZDC-Patuxent MD on «281.4»
1828: HARASS 37/38 with the tanker.
1829: HARASS 35 flight down to 16,000 «281.4» leaving 16 for 10,000 at 1831
1832: FORCE 93 (KC-10A, McGuire AFB) to McGuire Command Post on «319.4» Reports 30 minutes out, no pax, no cargo, landing with 80,000 pounds of fuel aboard. Also mentions he'll wait for the MASH (KC-135 Grissom AFB IN) flight to takeoff.
NOTE: Have a report elsewhere of an emergency with a KC-135 talking to Battle Creek MI Approach...has smoke and needs to divert to closest place with an 8,000 foot runway. They have 16 SOB. Apparently will try landing at Battle Creek. Later report says he landed without incident at Battle Creek MI airport.
1839: TANKER 15 volunteers to stay at 28,000 feet rather than ascending back to 29,000.
1840: HARASS 37/38 performing Alpha check of DATALINK system. «260.9»
NOTE: While HARASS 37/38 were just entering on station and 35/36 were setting up to leave, I heard brief transmissions from one of the pairs on «327.0». I don't have an ID for that freq other than for Cleveland Center. I guess that's possible because the Cleveland Center (ZOB) covers a little piece of far western Maryland and our bullseye for the CAP is Thurmont.
Anyone unfamiliar with the areas covered by each of the Centers, can go to the following URL and see the map of their coverage. ZDC=Washington, ZNY=New York (and look at how little of New York it actually covers), ZBW=Boston, ZOB=Cleveland, ZID=Indianapolis
http://www.milaircomms.com/artcc_frequencies.html
Be careful with the freqs listed there. It hasn't been updated in awhile. Most are still correct but there are errors. It's still a good place to start.
1853: REACH 3116 off from Dover on «349.4» reporting wx on his way up.
1904: HARASS 37/38 switch to MAN AUX (chat freq) «358.85» to discuss freqs being used. 38 was confused about the tanker freq and thought it was 288.35 rather than on the primary 260.9. HARASS 37 straightened him out.
1932: HARASS 37 reporting sitting right on top of the cloud deck at FL 260 and experiencing a lot of turbulence. «260.9»
I wonder if they'll do the usual and skip 39/40 when the next pair comes in to replace 37/38. They've done that several times for whatever reason.
1938: TANKER 15 is told to go over to 288.35 but gets no reply so returns to primary «260.9»
1939: TANKER 15 then tries calling GUARD DOG on «260.9» without result.
2000-2100: Not much happening...37/38 just flying their track and complain a bit about weather - wanting to change their assigned block from 25-28,000 down to 20-24,000 because of cloud layers where they are. TANKER 15 still on station. Primary mission freq is still «260.9»
2105: HARASS 37 says their replacements are due around 2145. Squadron will call them back in a bit to let them know for sure. «260.9»
2116: HARASS 37 reports replacements are about to take off in 2 minutes.
2117: TANKER 15 going to 240 FL «288.35»
2131: TANKER 16 entering the area to take over refueling duties...says he has 48,000 pounds of fuel to offload and will be on station shortly. «260.9»
2132: HUNTRESS asks HARASS flight if they're okay on fuel and 37 responds they'll be okay as long as the next tanker gets on station as fragged. «260.9»
2133: Langley tac freq «228.175» active...must be the replacements.
2134: TANKER 16's first order of business is to get the latest World Series score «260.9»
2137: HARASS 37 talking with his replacement on «228.175» He reminds him to enter the 23rd as the date (they're on Zulu time) in the data system.
2141: TANKER 15 clears out of his station and starts his return home. «260.9»
2142: TANKER 15 switches to GUARD DOG freq «135.525» to get clearance out of the area. (Yeah Chuck...I got the Morgantown and missed the next point too.) Morgantown is in WV.
2150: HARASS 41/42 flight refueling with TANKER 16 on «320.6» (And, yes, they skipped 39/40 again.)
2152: TANKER 15 tells HUNTRESS he's outside the area «260.9»
2152: HARASS 41/42 using «228.175» for chat.
2156: HARASS 41/42 ID as being from Langley and have tail numbers 83-0013 and 82-0019 as they meet up with TANKER 16 to top off. «260.9»
2202: HARASS 37 flight checks in with ZDC-Patuxent on «281.4» on their way back to Langley.
2204: HARASS 37 flight to 11,000 feet. «281.4»
2208: TANKER 16 wants World Series score again...we know where his head is tonight. «260.9»
2304: TANKER 16 asking World Series updata yet again...first thing said in almost an hour. «260.9» He's adding Auburn-LSU and Baylor-Oklahoma scores to his wish list.
2307: HARASS 41 heading for the tanker. «260.9»
2312: 41 has contact with the boom «260.9»
2317: 41 disconnects from the boom...says his wingman won't need gas for about another 20 minutes. «260.9»
2336: 42's going for gas «260.9»
And since I'm completely out of "go pills" I think I'll quit for the night.
