Sticky Thread for MilAir

[TinEar]

1758: DC 32 (KC-135 Andrews AFB) active...just happened to hear his request to Washington Center on ZDC-Swann «134.5» to go from FL 140 to 150.
1806: TBOLT 1 & 2 (VA-ANG F-16 Richmond) active on tac «141.875» Flight leader told #2 to go to Langley's 270.1 and get the QNH (barometric altimeter reading). Also mentioned W-386 area and landing on runway 26 which is a Langley runway, not Richmond. Later push 238.1.
1807: TBOLT 41 flight of two (1/2 on squadron freqs) with ZDC-Patuxent on «281.4» mention going to W-386
1809: TBOLT 41 flight enters GIANT KILLER's area on «238.1» to report going to W-386 and ask for surface to unlimited altitudes but are told someone is working below 5,000 feet but didn't mention who it was.
1817: TBOLT flight using tac «141.875» for chat again and possibly for ops in W-386
1830: VA-ANG tac freq «139.625» also active...not sure yet if this is a different flight or the TBOLTs....Nope, not the TBOLT flight since they were talking at the same time TBOLTs were talking on 141.875 but no callsigns heard yet.
1839: The VA-ANG F-16s on «139.625» are BASH 1 & 2.

1907: Have a VIKING 32 working on «311.0» didn't use a base name for the command post.
1908: A u/i BATON aircraft on Harrisburg Command Post freq «395.1» arriving 20 after the hour, A-1 with a minor writeup in the front and in the back.

2008: Langley tac freq «276.675» active
2013: U/I aircraft with Pax River on «310.15» says winds will prevent him from landing and is diverting to the south.

NOTE: I wonder if that Falcon Virgo exercise goes off tonight, will the DC-ANG at Andrews have aircraft to participate? It seems most of them - if not all - have deployed. It could be interesting to see who scrambles.

 

[n3bxv]

2120«364.2» Reach-284 calling HUNTRESS for "Parrot Check" - {edit} I haven't heard that in a long time either...
2121«351.2» ?? Calling Liberator
2128 «351.2» DeeCee32 calling Liberator - Right again Alan!
2142 «351.2» Dee Cee 32 finally gets someone to answer, reports inbound, requests parking
2146 «124.2» DeeCee 32 with Approach

Going to bed... G'Nite

 

[TinEar]

Could be DC 32 with LIBERATOR Chuck that was heard earlier going northeast.
Parrot check? Haven't heard that one in a long time. "Choke the parrot," etc. Must have been an old-timer.

 

[Mark]

Once in a while I'll hear aircraft departing from Dover or Andrews check in with Huntress for Parrot and India checks.I assumed was for the 2 different modes of mil aircraft squawk codes like either type 3 or 4 that only mil aircraft have.
I'll have to ask around on that for terminology.

Mark

 

[TinEar]

Yeah Mark, that parrot corresponds to Mode 3 I would imagine but even civilian pilots used to use it just to refer to a transponder/IFF squawk. And it was that term "squawk" that led to calling it a parrot which led to all kinds of smart-ass terminology.

Almost forgot about this although it pertains to CivAir rather than MilAir...
A couple of nights ago at about 4:00 a.m. (don't ask but the short answer is that I have a scanner on the night table next to the bed and was awake) I heard an aircraft talking to BWI Tower on 119.4. The tower controller told him to contact Leesburg Radio on 122.2 so I poked that frequency in and, sure enough, the aircraft called Leesburg and the ground station answered him and was loud and clear - as loud as the BWI ground controllers are from here. So, does that mean Leesburg can transmit from a BWI antenna? It certainly wasn't transmitting from a Leesburg based antenna. And now that I remembered it, I need to program it into my scanners to see what shows up there in the future.

 

[TinEar]

0943: Langley tac «233.525» active with callsign COWBOY. Flight of four. Air combat exercise.

1004: Air Evac 126 to Andrews on «378.1» wants to know if ambo is waiting for his patient, will arrive in 15 minutes and has no pax but will upload 2 for the outbound flight. Also needs 2500 pounds of fuel.
1006: COWBOY 11 to GIANT KILLER on «238.1» (Didn't hear the msg)
1013: TESTER 08 with BayWatch on «354.8» vertical manuevering from 10,000 down to 4,500 feet.
1014: Have two copters buzzing around the Aberdeen Range on «248.4»
1015: Pair of aircraft working the Northrup Gruman test flight freq on «123.225» mentions over Waterloo going direct Snow Hill.
1033: VENUS 44 with Phillips Tower on «126.15» mentions doing an NDB approach.
1042: VENUS 44 is going to do two more touch and goes at Phillips and then leave for his destination of Wilmington. «126.15»

1059: Langley's tac freq «315.85» is active. Distinctive sound to the transmitters of the two I'm hearing. Might this be the F-22 sound? We'll eventually know the answer to that question. The sound is more like F-16s than F-15s.

1105: DEVIL 11 flight with ZDC-Falls Church on «327.0» mentions going to Atlantic City
1108: DEVIL 11 FL210 «327.0»
1112: DEVIL 11 to Devil Ops on «138.125» reports 15 minutes out and is Code 2 for his targetting pod.
1114: GRAYHAWK 2 (E2C VAW-120 Norfolk NAS) with ZDC-Snow Hill «256.8» leaving 12K for 11K...and has that Sabreliner visual
1116: Warren Grove Range active on «283.1»
1121: DEVIL 11 with ZDC-Kenton «277.4» reports out of 15,500 for 5,000 and then a minute later to Atlantic City Approach on «327.125» to report direct Atlantic City.
1123: DC 41 (KC-135, 756th Air Refueling Squadron, Andrews AFB) with Tiger Ops on squadron freq «351.2» mentions going to Pax River to see if they can do some approaches there...then he's heard on Pax River freq «344.4» asking about approaches, winds, active runway and must not have gotten the reply he wanted because he goes back to «351.2» and asks Tiger Ops to check Dover's wx and says the winds may prevent him from doing the checkout ride. By now it's 1127.
1129: DC 41 (who first calls himself TIGER 41) calls Tiger Ops to say he didn't check out the Dover NOTAMs so wants to know the conditions at the airport. «351.2»
1131: PECOS 61 (F-15 Langley) flight with GK on «238.1»
1132: OTIS 12 (KC-130, VMGR-252, MCAS Cherry Point NC) on «339.6» calling someone (haven't deciphered the callsign yet). Believe this freq is associated with McGuire tankers. OTIS 12 still calling at 1137.

Continued below....

 

[Whistler]

Scanner/Receiver Question

This MilAir thread looks really interesting. I am wondering a few things. Is all the Air traffic you are hearing AM or FM? Depending on which one what is the best scanner/receiver to use to hear this traffic? I do listen to commercial traffic on the Aircraft band on my scanners but I only receive 122 or so to 135 s. I am unable to receive the 200's and 300's that you guys are hearing. Can I hear that on an FM UHF receiver or do I need to get an aircraft band radio and get those frequencies. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[TinEar]

All aircraft transmissions are in AM mode - with the small exception of some FM freqs in the 30-40 mHz range used by A-10 aircraft occasionally. You need a radio that can hear AM in the 138-149 range and AM in the primary MilAir band of 225-400 mHz. All Uniden radios from the 780 up through the 396 have this capability. There are also some Radio Shack models that have the right capabilities such as the PRO-2042 if, for instance, you wanted to start with a used, cheaper radio. Although I primarily use Uniden 785s for MilAir, I also picked up a used PRO-2042 from the Equipment For Sale thread here on RR for 60 bucks and it's a pretty good MilAir radio. There are other Radio Shack models that will do the job and maybe some others can chip in here with specific models.

 

[cipher66]

This MilAir thread looks really interesting. I am wondering a few things. Is all the Air traffic you are hearing AM or FM? Depending on which one what is the best scanner/receiver to use to hear this traffic? I do listen to commercial traffic on the Aircraft band on my scanners but I only receive 122 or so to 135 s. I am unable to receive the 200's and 300's that you guys are hearing. Can I hear that on an FM UHF receiver or do I need to get an aircraft band radio and get those frequencies. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Looks like Tin Ear beat me to it........

Hi Whistler,

All (except for the rare 30-40MHz stuff) is transmitted in AM mode. There are only a few scanners out there that can receive the 225-400Mhz band in AM mode.... Since I am a handheld user I can easily recommend the Radio Shack Pro-97 (which is currently on sale for $149 at the shack), the Uniden BCD396T (High end & price Uniden digital trunktracker), and some others that you might find on Ebay would be the RS Pro-43, Yupiteru MVT-7100, etc.... There are also alot of base station type models that receive very well such as the Uniden BC780XLT and BC785D that I am familiar with. Hope that helps..... 73

 

[TinEar]

1201: SNOWSHOE 544 (Unknown), IDs as a KingAir into Martin State for landing on runway 33 «121.3»
1206: The Northrup Grumman pair is still flying using primary freq «123.225» and occasionally going to Pax River «119.275».
1212: MCGRUFF flight (A-10, CT-ANG Bradley) with ZNY-Ship Bottom NJ on «307.8» This must be either a flight to or from Warren Grove Range.
1215: Chat on tanker freq «339.6» Not sure if this is still the OTIS 12 flight.
1219: WATERBUG 958 (Force Aircraft Test Squadron, Pax River NAS) into BayWatch area using «270.8»
1224: DC 42 (KC-135 Andrews) calling LIBERATOR on squadron freq «351.2» He's very weak...must be very low or very distant.
1226: MARINE 402 reports going to Andrews via Nottingham direct with Pax River on «270.8» and then «120.5»
1228: DC 41 (KC-135 Andrews) calling LIBERATOR on «351.2»...minute later makes contact and says he's 24 minutes out, is A-1 and has 38(000) on the fuel.
1229: DC 41 and 42 chat...42 says something about at Dover. «351.2»
1232: ???? 01 through the ZDC area with Whaleyville VA on «327.8» reporting at flight level 240.
1234: DRAGNET (E3B Tinker AFB OK) to VA-ANG Command Post on «289.3» mentions a flight of four aircraft and all I got was the end time of 1910Z. Also mentions SLAM 11 flight and gives a frequency that he'll be monitoring that I can't hear.
1242: MARINE 402 with Andrews Tower on «118.4» for landing
1243: VENUS 44 landing will be full stop reported to Andy Tower on «118.4» and at the same time on «378.1» to report landing in 5 minutes, A-1 and needing crew transportation for 3. (We heard him earlier at Phillips AAF)
1246: DC 41 for landing runway 19 with Andrews tower «118.4»
1248: MARINE 402 reports seeing a bald eagle about 3 miles to the north of runway 1R at Andrews «118.4»
1256: MARINE 402 reports doing one more touch and go before landing «118.4»

1306: GATOR 11 (Lots of choices for this callsign) to Potomac TRACON (Reagan) on «343.7» with no reply so he tries «257.2» and reports direct Gordonsville at FL140.
1311: NJ-ANG active on «138.875»
1312: VENUS 31 asking Andrews Tower for a wind check «118.4»
1314: VENUS 31 reports gear down for landing «118.4»
1320: JOSA 326 reports takeoff from Andrews at 1812Z...D/V late (as always) «378.1»
1326: TROOPER 2 (MD State Police helo) to Pax River on «120.05» reports on his way home (to Andrews)
1326: TROOPER 1 to Martin State «121.3» on his way home (to Martin State)
1331: TROOPER 11 (yes, 11) inbound to Martin State...12 miles out. «121.3»
1332: PAT 949 and PAT 168 both on final for Andrews runway 1L...168 two miles behind 949. «118.4»
1334: JOSA 412 to Andrews on «141.55» arriving Andrews...reports he'll be going from Andrews to Maxwell to Scott and says his D/V may be early, up to 45 minutes so they'll need to rearrange their takeoff time. (An early D/V? Unheard of.)
1340: BANGER 22 (F-16 NJ-ANG Atlantic City) into GK's area using «255.0» (Seems to be a single ship which might explain the lack of tac freq comms.)
1343: POLAR 8612 to Dover Command Post on «134.1» reports arrival time is 1915Z and needs parking spot and transportation. (I'm fairly sure of the callsign being POLAR rather than BOLAR and the four digit suffix was repeated a couple of times. He seemed to take care pronouncing the P and the LAR part of the callsign was a very short A sound rather than the stretched out LAR sound when they use BOLAR. Whew! Am I off the hook yet?)
1349: Flight enters GK's area on «249.8» (missed callsign)
1350: CRAB 51 (C-130J MD-ANG Martin State) cleared to Phillips AAF by Martin State Ground «121.8» (What's that...a two mile flight?) Martin State tells him to use 119.0 on the climb out which is standard for aircraft leaving that airport.
1353: DEVIL 11 flight (F-16 NJ-ANG Atlantic City) on V-1 «138.125»
1355: DEVIL 52 checking in with ZDC-Falls Church VA on «381.5» He's sent to 319.1, repeats the freq...and I never hear him check in there.
1356: Believe it was DEVIL 51 I hear checking in with GK on «249.8» (Subsequent traffic doesn't seem to support a DEVIL 51 being there...fuggetaboutit.)
1358: REACH 276 arriving Andrews «378.1»

1400: Two F-16s on NJ-ANG tac «138.875» and others on «138.125» and some on «138.425»
1402: DEVIL 52 calls Potomac Approach on Reagan TRACON freq «343.7»
1404: Very unusual...DEVIL 11 with Cherry Point Base Ops on «305.7» (Think he hit the wrong button.)
1405: DEVIL 52 still calling Potomac Approach on «343.7» and doesn't seem to be getting a reply.
1406: DEVIL 11 with BayWatch now on «270.8»
1406: DEVIL 52 to ZDC-Sea Isle on «285.4» reports 25 miles northwest of Dover...no reply
1408: DEVIL 52 to ZDC-Kenton DE on «277.4» and makes contact. Reports he's heading for R-5002 and will fly east for 80 miles at FL115.
1411: DEVIL 52 to Warren Grove Range controller WHACKER... says he doesn't see anyone on the range and wants to drop in for a minute...apparently he's told someone is due on on the range and says he'll leave when they get there. Again calls WHACKER to explain that he'll just be there a minute. (Callsign WHACKER is new to me.)
1414: Pair of DEVILs doing ground attack/buddy lase exercises on tac «138.425» in the Pax River Range. This must be the DEVIL 11 flight which has nothing at all to do with DEVIL 52 who seems to be on his own.)
1431: SLAM 11 flight (F-16, VA-ANG Richmond) with ZDC (something or other - missed the freq)
1433: Believe I just caught SLAM 11 on «138.2» That seems to be a catch-all freq for just about everyone lately.
1435: Langley tac freq «233.525» active
1436: DEVIL 11 flight reports they'll be heading direct Atlantic City to BayWatch on «270.8» but are still in ground attack mode on tac «138.425»
1437: Confirm SLAM 11 flight of four F-16s on tac «138.2»
1445: SLAM flight in air combat exercise on «138.2» and the U/I fighters from Langley on «233.525» are doing the same. They may be facing off against each other...remember the DRAGNET message from this morning to the Richmond Command Post.
1450: Warren Grove Range active on «283.1»
1451: DEVIL 11 flight on the way back to Atlantic City on ZDC-Sea Isle «285.4» for now. Leaving 15500 for 11000. Still chatting on «138.425»
1453: Confirm DRAGNET is working the SLAM flight on «138.2»
1453: Langley flight working GK's ops freq «391.2» with DRAGNET. Sure wish they'd use a callsign.
1455: Someone (SLAM?) reporting RTB Richmond to GK on «249.8» but DRAGNET is still vectoring someone on «138.2» .... perhaps it was only one aircraft since I just heard SLAM 1/3/4 all on «138.2»
1458: NJ-ANG working tac «138.875» not sure if this is still the DEVIL 11 flight

1501: SLAM 1/3/4 reporting into GK for RTB on «238.1» after just hearing DRAGNET thanking them for good work on «138.2»
1503: DRAGNET to GK on «238.1» saying he's turning W-386 back to him...that DRAGNET is done working it.
1504: Langley fighters working GK's «292.3»
1510: SKID 11 (Unknown) passing through GK's area on «249.8» (Confidence factor high for callsign SKID...was repeated several times.)
1516: SKID 11 with ZDC-Snow Hill MD on «256.8» requests direct Cape Charles when able.
1518: Langley fighters still using tac «233.525» and I still haven't heard a callsign - just suffix numbers 31 through 33.
1522: Boeing test flight freq «321.7» active
1528: Belgian Air Force 630 (Believe this is a C-130 aircraft, right Mark?) to Andrews Command Post on «141.55» for landing...needs refueling and unloading.
1535-? PACER 04 doing pattern work around Andrews, using both Approach freq «119.3» and Tower freq «118.4»
1558: Belgian Air Force 630 just getting ready to land on Andrews Tower freq «118.4»
1559: Northrup Grumman test flight pair still flying around the area and testing various functions. «123.225»
1600: END OF REPORT

 

[Dank]

Any comms from the NORAD excercise?

 

[TinEar]

Not that I heard Dan. I shut down a little after midnight last night and heard nothing. Skies were overcast so maybe they didn't run it last night.

Alan

 

[n3bxv]

1559: Northrup Grumman test flight pair still flying around the area and testing various functions. «123.225»

Saw this pair of aircraft climb out of BWI in formation around 1530...


1757«351.2» DeeCee 43(KC-135, USAFR, Andrews) with Liberator, Airborne at 2245....
1811«141.825» Brief activity here, Possible VA ANG
1815«118.4» Marine-402 with Andrews Tower for landing...
1815«238.1» unknown checks in, with GK
1859«138.875» -1 with -2, going direct Salisbury, "we've got a ways to go"
1900«238.1» Aircraft(??) working GK are RTB...
1907«281.8» Aero-21(NJ-ANG), flight of two with PAX approach looking for entry into R-4006
1907 «138.2» Air to Air talking about JDAM drop
1908«364.2» Cobra calling Dragnet Uniform
1907 «257.2» Cobra-??(VAQ-209) Departing Andrews with POTOMAC Tracon
1913«354.8» (Aero)-21 with Baywatch
1933 «138.2» Air to Air for the Aero-21 flight, designating and lasing Targets
1958«254.8» Aero-21 to depart Area in 5 Mins
2000«138.875» Someone else air to air here...

2004«277.4»Aero-21 "pushes 7" and comes up on «285.4» ZDC-Sea Isle...
2006«385.5» Bicep-11 with Atlantic City approach

 

[ka3jjz]

This MilAir thread looks really interesting. I am wondering a few things. Is all the Air traffic you are hearing AM or FM? Depending on which one what is the best scanner/receiver to use to hear this traffic? I do listen to commercial traffic on the Aircraft band on my scanners but I only receive 122 or so to 135 s. I am unable to receive the 200's and 300's that you guys are hearing. Can I hear that on an FM UHF receiver or do I need to get an aircraft band radio and get those frequencies. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

We now have a pretty extensive Wiki page on scanners that cover the UHF milair band- you can find that here. There are many choices, and some perform better than others. Be sure to read the various reviews linked there (and for those that have Wiki pages, you may find even more).

73s and happy hunting...Mike

 

[TinEar]

That 138.2 freq sure is popular...AERO F-16s using it now...guess they have to coordinate with others like the VA-ANG for the freq these days.

BICEP 11 (F-16, NJ-ANG Atlantic City) flight onto Pax Range using tac «138.425» Ids as two F-16s and giving mission ordnance to range controller
2000: BICEP to Ops on V-1 «138.125» report 1 is Code 1 and 2 is Code 2.
2000: AERO switched to tac «138.875»
2002: AERO 21 flight to ZDC-Kenton De on «277.4» as they head home to Atlantic City...23 miles north of Salisbury at FL165
2005: AERO flight to V-1 Ops on «138.125» to report maintenance status
2007: AERO 21 to Atlantic City Approach on «327.125» say they're going in for full stop landing.
2008: BICEP 11 to Atlantic City Approach on «327.125» same stuff, different flight.

2047: DC 43 (KC-135 Andrews) to LIBERATOR on «351.2» 15 minutes out A-1, has 25K fuel...late because of additional offload...states they refueled 12 F-15s. He's going to do touch and goes before full stop landing.
2101: DC 43 with ZDC-Grantsville MD on «285.6» and then to Reagan's Potomac TRACON on «343.7» and to squadron freq «351.2» to report he's 5 minutes out.
2112: TROOPER 2 (MD State Police helo) landing at Andrews with Tower on «118.4»
2136: CRAB 51 (C-130J, MD-ANG Martin State) with Martin Tower «121.3» in the pattern around the field.
2212: DC 44 has been in the pattern around Andrews doing touch and goes for the best part of the past hour...just reported he's ready to do a full stop «118.4»

 

[TinEar]

1032: Northrup Grumman test flight activity...two aircraft on «123.2» and then they enter BayWatch Pax River area using «270.8»
1039: TESTER 09 with BayWatch on «354.8»
1045: BOLAR 71 (C-5 Dover AFB) to Dover Command Post on «349.9» trying to work out an earlier time for some event (I think refueling) and suggests 1730Z as a time to do it.
1049: Pair of tankers chatting on interplane freq «139.875» suffix 53 and 54 heard. One mentions a route of VCN-VINSE-AIR (spelled out phonetically). One of them also is talking to NY Center on 121.02 and the other to Washington Center on 125.45 according to their chat.
1059: DC 52 (KC-135, Andrews) reports to LIBERATOR that he's airborne. «351.2»

1100: U/I aircraft on Pax River «264.15» with some kind of problem. He's going to drop his landing gear and have someone fly under him to check for whatever he thinks is wrong. (They must have changed freq because I heard no more here.)
1104: WILD 1 (DC-ANG F-16, Andrews) with Potomac TRACON (Reagan) on «348.725» cancelling IFR. (WILD appears to be a single ship flight)
1105: WILD 1 to ZDC-Patuxent MD on «281.4» reports direct Pax River.
1106: TESTER 15 (female driver) with BayWatch on «270.8»
1106: WILD 1 to BayWatch on «281.8» where he's sent to «279.8» says he's going into R-6609 and wants the maximum altitude he can get cleared for but then announces he'll be working 3-250.
1111: TESTER 08 and TESTER 24 working BayWatch on «354.8». Believe 08 was the guy with the landing gear problem above. Sounds cool now. Says he's going to burn off some fuel and then land.
1112: Pair of DC tankers chatting on squadron freq «351.2».
1118: TESTER 18 with BayWatch on «354.8» Vertical maneuvering.
1118: DC 51/52 chatting again on «351.2» 52 wants to know if 51 is going down to FL210...he is.
1119: SALTY DOG 535 with BayWatch on «354.8»
1122: DC 51 and DC 52 are trying to meet up. They also agree this freq «351.2» is "Comm 1, Button 10"...52 mentioned he had tried button 3 but got no reply. I didn't hear him anywhere else so can't identify that freq.
1123: TESTER 08 tells BayWatch he keeps calling him TESTER 24 so does he want to change his call from 08 to 24. «354.8» (I think he was just being sarcastic and ragging on BayWatch for making a mistake.)
1130: WILD 1 to BayWatch on «270.8» reports 5 minutes left.
1130: REACH 910 trying to "reach" Andrews on «378.1» not getting a reply.
1133: REACH 910 makes contact, arriving 20 minutes has 11 pallets, pax and 1 rolling stock to download. «378.1»
1136: REACH 7429 reports airborne from Andrews at 1629Z «378.1»
1140: WILD 1 coming home...«270.8» with BayWatch and then to Potomac TRACON freq «270.275»
1144: TESTER 16 calling BayWatch on «354.8» "just to let you know we'll be climbing vertically."
1147: DC 51 and DC 52 tankers meet up...looks like they may be practicing refueling techniques together «351.2»
1152: Langley's «364.125» active.
1155: TROOPER 17 reports 8 miles to the east of Martin State Airport and coming in for landing on tower freq. «121.3»
NOTE: TROOPERs 1-8 are MD State Police helos primarily used for medevac purposes and are scattered at various airports around the state. 9/10 are fixed wing aircraft of the MD State Police. I've been told the 17 suffix is used for ferrying helos around the state. Also had a TROOPER 11 within the past couple of days and have no idea what that might be.

1201: JOSA 437 to SAM Command on «141.55» to report arriving Andrews at 1725Z, tail #40099, A-1, offloading 6 duty pax, will take 4 Space A pax on outbound and plans to depart at 1920Z. Parking in 3 Row.
1210: DC 52 reports level at (altitude) 250 and heading south «351.2» "We are about to do a descent down to 15."
1217: Chat on tanker interplane freq «143.825» suffix 50 and 51 heard.
1220: TESTER 16 on Pax River «256.5» reports runway in sight
1221: More chat on tanker interplane freq «143.825» This time it's 41 and 45. A minute later it's 50 and 51 again - or at least 51 calling 50 with no reply after several attempts and he IDs this as the interplane freq.
1225: Tankers 50 and 51 make contact and report altitudes as 270 and 280 «143.825» They are about to swap altitudes but decide they'll be at 275 and 280 to reverse whatever role they're performing. They have now switched to calling each other GOLD 1 and GOLD 2 if these are the same two.(Turns out it is the same two) The GOLD callsign is used for trans-Atlantic tanker flights, west to east. Coming the other way they use callsign BLUE.
1233: GOLD 1 reports at FL240 and GOLD 2 at FL245. «143.825»
1242: GOLD 1 and 2 still descending...going now to 11 and 12,000. "GOLD leader say airspeed." "310 knots."
1244: Now calling each other 50 and 51 again..."We're going to push it up to 330." "Cool," is the reply.
Guess they were too low and too distant because that's the last I heard from them - at least over the next 20 minutes that has gone by.

1304: DC 52 Heavy to Andrews Approach on «119.3» to do pattern work.
1312: PAT 143 to Navy Ops on «139.3» reports 7 minutes to blocks and 4 minutes to wheels down. (Notice they use both 139.3 and 139.4 for Navy Ops at Andrews)
1313: PAT 143 reports visual on the airport to Andrews Approach on «119.3»
1319: DC 52 still going 'round and 'round at Andrews with Approach «119.3»and Tower «118.4»
1325: NJ-ANG F-16s active on tac «138.425» Callsign DEVIL
1326: DC 52 on squadron freq «351.2» mentions DC 51 is over Dover right now.
1332: DC 52 mentions he's going to stay up another 45 minutes to an hour. «351.2»
1336: NJ-ANG flight of two F-16s in ground attack exercises...they sound like they're in this area considering signal strength...but have not heard them on any of the Center freqs nor on a Pax River freq...just on tac «138.425»
1339: Finally...it's the DEVIL 11 flight from Jersey with ZDC-Kenton DE on «277.4»
1340: DEVIL 11 flight going home. They report 10 minutes out and 1 is Code 1 and 2 is Code 2 to Ops on «261.0» and then switch to Victor freq for Ops on «138.125» where DEVIL 2 reports ground is weak but readable. Then back to tac «138.425» This was sure a short flight.
1343: DEVIL 11 flight to ZDC-Sea Isle on «285.4» and reports out of 11,000 for 9,000
1346: DEVIL 11 flight to Atlantic City Approach on «327.125» checking in at 8,000 and then to 7,000
1349: NJ-ANG tac freq «138.875» freq active. This may be the landing activity of the DEVIL 11 flight..very weak. Nope...hear them again on this freq at 1352 and it's a BANGER flight but still very weak.

1413: SLAM flight (Possibly F-16 VA-ANG Richmond but many other units use this callsign) with ZDC-Green Bay VA on «269.4» (Questionable ID on the callsign because I'm not hearing any of the VA-ANG tac freqs active)
1420: Either DC 51 or 52 mentions he's going to change plans and land in a couple of minutes. «351.2»
1423: Northrup Grumman guys report airborne on their «123.2» freq
NOTE: Chuck, you mentioned watching these guys take off the other day. They do use the main runways - not the short 15L/33R runway, correct? I'm in the approach pattern for that short runway but have never seen them overhead in either direction. Come to think of it, I haven't seen or heard that Piaggio P-180 recently either. He was a daily in/out visitor for months. When I didn't see him, I sure could hear those screaming engines.
1428: N-G guys to their main freq «123.225» Primary test aircraft is asking someone how this radio works - indicating the other had a problem. He then says he's ready to start the first test and "the speed will be one five...15 miles per hour." (That sure has me curious. What's he driving, a horse and buggy?)
1435: TROOPER 3 into Martin State on Tower freq «121.3»
1439: NJ-ANG tac freq «138.425» active and just heard someone on ZDC-Sea Isle «285.4» which I believe is the same flight. Callsign DEVIL 11
1440: Have a pair of fighters on Pax River's «256.5» freq. Id by one is 123 which probably makes him a SALTY DOG aircraft and no ID at all from the other.
1442: U/I aircraft - partial ID 539 and sounded like November Tango in front of the 539. No reply on GIANT KILLER's «350.0» freq so he switches to «255.0» and reports he's going into W-107 at altitude Bravo.
1446: DEVIL 11 flight at FL160 on ZDC-Snow Hill MD on «256.8»
1449: BOLAR 71 (C-5 Dover AFB) with Dover Command Post on «349.4»
1451: DEVIL 11 flight checking into BayWatch area on «354.8»
1454: DEVIL flight of two F-16s hard to hear...flight leader is weak and muffled. #2 aircraft just said he has trouble hearing him also. Setting up for their exercise on «138.425»
1459: NJ-ANG tac freq «138.875» also active. Callsign BANGER, flight of two.

1500: BANGER 21 flight into BayWatch area on «270.8»
1500: REACH 01 reports airborne at 1956Z to Andrews Command Post on «378.1»
1510: Both DEVIL and BANGER flights are in ground attack exercises on the Pax River Range in southern Maryland. Comms from DEVIL flight leader improved but the wingman is still asking for repeats of many transmissions because of the signal quality from the #1 man. DEVILs are low and BANGERs high altitudes. «138.425/138.875»
1538: BANGER flight headed home...now with ZDC-Snow Hill on «256.8» IDs as two F-16s RTB Atlantic City.
1538: DEVIL flight was just in front of them...now with Atlantic City Approach on «327.125»
1542: BANGERs with ZDC-Sea Isle «285.4» direct AC.... landing runway 31 reported on tac «138.875»
1545: BANGER 21 flight with Atlantic City approach on «327.125» report leaving 10 for 7, straight in approach to runway.
1547: TESTER 00 (zero-zero) with Pax River on «256.5» leaving 17,000 for 12,000
(TESTER 00 and a REACH 01 today - both callsigns I've never heard before.)
1549: TESTER 03 with Pax River on «256.5» reports vertical maneuvering.
1553: VENUS 32 reports full stop landing to Andrews Tower on «118.4»
TESTERs 00, 03, 08, 09, 15, 16, 18, 24 all heard today. Busy day for them.
1600: END OF REPORT

 

[TinEar]

Late Addition..tried to add it to the above message but it went over the 10,000 character limit:
1604-1614: BODE 61 flight (KC-135, 434th ARW, Grissom AFB IN) with Potomac TRACON at Reagan on «322.3» Then BODE push «269.0» and they come up on that freq where they report leaving 8,000 for 3,000 and mention landing on Runway 1, tower's discretion (meaning left or right). Then it's off to Andrews Tower on «349.0» for landing and he says he's going to the Navy side. At 1614 he thanks the tower for his help today and reports gear down for full stop. (I'm about 90% on that callsign but not absolutely positive. I'm not sure at the moment of the ID for the 269.0 freq either.)

 

[n3bxv]

NOTE: Chuck, you mentioned watching these guys take off the other day. They do use the main runways - not the short 15L/33R runway, correct? I'm in the approach pattern for that short runway but have never seen them overhead in either direction. Come to think of it, I haven't seen or heard that Piaggio P-180 recently either. He was a daily in/out visitor for months. When I didn't see him, I sure could hear those screaming engines.

I was on Post when I saw them climbing out, so they most likely departed from the 10/28
Runway and as they climbed turned over Arundel Mills and the Fort...

(TESTER 00 and a REACH 01 today - both callsigns I've never heard before.)

Reach 01 Should be the commander of Air Mobility Command if I remember correctly...
1825«138.425» (NJ-ANG) Air to Air Chat, giving out the scenario for this flight. Bicep with a notional ground element(his wingman), designating Targets, Calling "Danger Close" for target withing 300 meters and asking for ground commander's initials, and getting a heads up for the incoming "dustoff".
1911«139.625» Another Flight up A/A here, Aero Flight, 1 and 2...
1911«270.8» Someone(probably Aero) checked into Baywatch
1914«256.8» Bicep going back to ACY with ZDC-Snow Hill
1940«256.8» Aero Flight going back to ACY(Atlantic City)
1940«261.0» Aero 22 with Command post, Aero 21 and 22 code 1
1941«277.4» Aero 21 flight checks in with ZDC-Smrna, DE

 

[n3bxv]

☺2311«139.7» Brave-61 with Huntress "Confirm Headbutt south"
also with Potomac TRACON «257.2»
Mentions "Exercise Exercise" so looks to be the delayed "Falcon Virgo"
2316 «139.7» "Bugout Southeast"
2316 «257.2» Brave-61 Coord entrance into Guarddog CAP...
2323 Brave 61 and 62 push to «288.35» check into Guardog CaP
Not hearing any other A/A
Brave-61 chats with "Guard dog" «288.35»about which callsign to use for the exercise intercepts. Interestingly, the ZDC Swann controller is "Guard Dog" and is simulcasting on «360.7», so I can hear both sides...
«139.7» Brave(S) running intercept on target, then Omaha-03 comes up and has visual on target...
2348 «139.7» OMAHA-03 classifying target as "high wing cessna" trying Headbutt.. Negative Headbutt, negative voice comms....
«288.35»Braves cleared out of CAP to go after target...
«288.35» Braves bug out to the North
Braves went back to the CAP, all is quiet... For Now

Brave-61 reports 45 minutes of playtime, but I'm not lasting that long... G'nite

 

[TinEar]

I heard OMAHA 3 (Customs helo) in there somewhere on «139.7» also so that must be a specific freq assigned for this exercise.

And either these guys, including Omaha, are flying over the top of my house or they have a repeater going on «139.7»

I can just barely hear the HUNTRESS controller but he's uncopiable.