Sticky Thread for MilAir

[TinEar]

(Moved the TROOPER 6 traffic to the other Sticky thread)

Approximately 2045 I heard a very weak aircraft calling HUNTRESS several times on «295.8» but he was too weak to pick out any of the traffic.

And now it's time to watch this week's installment of "24" so the Falcon Virgo exercise is just going to have to wait until at least 10 p.m. to start - if it does.

 

[Mark]

>TIN wrote:1946: CANFORCE 3955 makes contact with Dover on «269.125» and reports he'll be arriving at Dover at 0100Z, needs 5,000 pounds of fuel, ground power, crew transportation and a parking spot. He says he's picking up several pallets and wants confirmation they'll be standing by<

Caught that also.Don't get many Canadian Defense Forces aircraft into Dover surprisingly.
Not sure the type but sounded like Jet and not C-130.Maybe a 737 type but 5k fuel request seems low.
Good one!

Mark

 

[TinEar]

Yeah, 5,000 pounds of fuel is enough for about an hour's worth of flight even on the smallest of aircraft that could pick up "several pallets." Of course, it could be enough just to top off if he came there from somewhere close. From the distance it was from my location, I couldn't tell if it had the C-130 engine scream and I was listening for it. I've spent enough time on that aircraft that I can hear that sound in my sleep.

 

[TinEar]

Here we go...I think....looks like Falcon Virgo is about to start.

2243: Have HUNTRESS talking to BRAVE 61 (F-16 DC-ANG Andrews) still on the ground at Andrews. «139.7»
2245: HUNTRESS giving BRAA to BRAVE 61....226/22/4000/South....HUNTRESS says he's just giving a heads up. «139.7»
2247: "Holding on the alert," per HUNTRESS. «139.7»
2247: HUNTRESS asking if BRAVE 61's saddle is working...and how about BRAVE 62? «139.7» (He's asking if they are getting the track on their DATALINKs)
2248: New BRAA...245/22/4000/tracking north....from HUNTRESS on «139.7»
2250: HUNTRESS asking if the F-16s are ready for the flight. «139.7»
BRAA=Bearing, Range, Altitude, (flight) Aspect
BRA=Bearing, Range, Altitude
2256: HUNTRESS telling the BRAVE F-16s to standby for the word. «139.7»
2256: HUNTRESS telling BRAVE 61 that he's going to have tac control on this freq for the GUARD DOG CAP and that if they lose contact they go to Alert 1 or Alert 2....at 2257, HUNTRESS clears them to proceed. «139.7»
2258:30 BRAVEs are up on «139.7» and with POtomac TRACON on «348.725» climbing to 13,000

2301: BRAVE flight with GUARD DOG getting clearance and altitudes 21-25,000. «288.35» and HUNTRESS tells them start time is 2315 over on «139.7»
2312: Last word from HUNTRESS was that some of the other players are slow getting their act together and it will start at 2320. «139.7»
2320: BRAVE flight leader asks status of the mission...HUNTRESS tells them to stand by, he's checking «139.7»
2324: HUNTRESS gives BRAVE a track and BRAA to test his DATALINK. «139.7»
2329: HUNTRESS tells the BRAVE flight that one of them is red air and one is blue air. «139.7»
2330: BRAVE 61 over to GUARD DOG to set this up «288.35»
2338: BRAVEs change callsigns to ALERT 1 & 2.
0015: Exercise still under way but it's two fighters against empty sky. «139.7/288.35/348.725»

It's up Dan. Primary will be 139.7...they'll get clearances from 288.35 and work with normal TRACON freqs on climbout...but stick with 139.7

Sure did Chuck...thanks very much...I was listening on a different radio....all fixed now.
Glad you caught that Chuck...I just moved that freq this afternoon and never noticed that it changed mode on me.

Bob...tune into my webcast and listen to it.

That was really neat listening to HUNTRESS talking to the F-16s while they were still on the ground.
NOTE: I also have radios on the GUARD DOG freq 288.35 and hearing the ground response from the Swann ground controller but I can't possibly switch freqs fast enough to get it all on the webcast. I'm sticking with primary 139.7 and, when I can, I'll go to 288.35 to pick up anything important.

Chuck, I just started to type in that this whole exercise is one big Cluster**** and then noticed you typed about the same thing. And it sure is!!

Russ, HUNTRESS is the NORAD controller...he should be located at or near Andrews. I'm surprised you can't hear him from your location.

Someone? Anyone? Is the HUNTRESS controller coming through okay on the webcast? I hear him pretty well here but I'm hearing directly out of the feed.

That "sparkle" activity of the red/green laser that Dan's hearing is obviously associated with this exercise.

 

[n3bxv]

Saddle AKA SADL= Situational Awareness Data Link

Hey Alan, you've got 139.7 as FM instead of AM on the webcast Thanks for the change!

Wow, this is quite the Cluster this evening.. I guess the Civil Air Patrol were no shows, the ATC guys seem confused, and well lets see what happens next.

HUNTRESS is coming through on the webcast loud and clear..

 

[Dank]

Any luck you will do streaming MilAir once Falcon Virgo gets underway?

Thanks Alan! I was joking at the time, but I really appreciate it as 139 is a little fuzzy from my house. Less than 10 minutes to go.

Just heard activity on 118.4 Andrews Tower

I had no idea my comment would be so well received. My apologies to your tired fingers!

Alan just picked up a faint female voice on 148.1250
now reporting sparkle red to green and back to solid red

 

[russ29643]

Frequencies

I only have my pro-96 with me at work tonight. I have 139.7 programmed and am hearing a little bit. Any more frequencies outside of the milair band that may be used this evening for falcon virgo?

Never mind, I am monitoring Tinear's scanner stream...

No luck with the webcast...most likely hardware on my end. I am able to hear a lot from my vantage point near the NDW. These guys are really loud. I can hear Brave 61 talking to Huntress (what is Huntress?) but cannot hear Huntress.

 

[BK217]

Hearing activity on 139.7 but since this piece of crap BC895XLT thinks it should be FM, anything in the 139's is distorted

Listening in now Alan ...Thanks
Little bit of a delay

Nice manual operation there Alan....
He's going to go from FL180 to 5500 ft ????wow

Not much sleep in the District tonight..

 

[russ29643]

the sparkle

is one of the means to get an errant pilot's attention in conjunction with the Omaha and Brave flights. It is directed at the cockpit of the plane.

Thanks for clarifying what HUNTRESS is. Still learnng...

 

[Dank]

Saddle AKA SADL= Situational Awareness Data Link

Hey Alan, you've got 139.7 as FM instead of AM on the webcast Thanks for the change!

Wow, this is quite the Cluster this evening.. I guess the Civil Air Patrol were no shows, the ATC guys seem confused, and well lets see what happens next.

Chuck, I have heard at least 4 transmissions on 148.1250 referring to the lasers changing from sparkle red to green and back to solid red. I didn't know this was a Civil Air Patrol freq until I just checkrf the RRDB.

 

[TinEar]

Sorry Dan...I should have mentioned what that 148 freq was as soon as you posted it. I *assumed* you knew....and you know how that goes. Good catch on it by the way.

Still waiting for someone to tell me if they can hear HUNTRESS on the webcast. I hear it fine but I'm patched directly into the feed.
Thanks Chuck

0054: The exercise is done per HUNTRESS and the two F-16s are going to head for runway 1R at Andrews.
0059: Final transmissions between HUNTRESS and the two F-16s. «139.7»
0101: HUNTRESS says..."End of exercise, terminate, terminate." «139.7»
0101: First BRAVE (62) F-16 reports gear down with Andrews Tower on «349.0» 61 is still with TRACON on «348.725»
0105: BRAVE 61 with Tower on «349.0» 7 miles to the south, heading for runway 1R.
0106: BRAVE 61 reports gear down, full stop «349.0»
THE END

Alan

 

[Dank]

I had a description of CAP secondary for that freq. My mindset was thinking combat air patrol, not civil air patrol. My goof was seeing the ham callsign as his screen name and addressing a post intended for Chuck to Mike. Sorry about that.

 

[ka3jjz]

Hearing activity on 139.7 but since this piece of crap BC895XLT thinks it should be FM, anything in the 139's is distorted

Don't blame the poor 895; it is, after all, a nearly 20 year old radio. They didn't know then what we know now, hi.
I use a 895 with Radiomax software for the 225-380 mhz stuff, and a old but still working PRO2004 for the VHF stuff. With an equally old Grove preamp, it works pretty good, tho I have to contend with some BCI from time to time. 73s Mike

 

[BK217]

895

I know Mike..but I have a Radio Shack PRO64 hanheld that is older than the 895 and it allows you to override the recv mode to AM. O well Uniden just wasn't thinking when they designed it. It would be nice if it was possible for a firmware upgrade or something though......Cya Bob

 

[freqhopping]

At about 1650 had what sounded like "ARMY-01053" calling Langley Dispatch on 141.75.

Is this really a Langley Dispatch freq? I currently have this one programmed as "unid". Must've heard it some other time.

1729- 354.8 is active with an AXEMAN. Comms are scratchy and generally hard for me to copy.

1733- 378.1 An inbound to ADW, probably a JOSA flight . Arriving at 2245Z with 4 pax, status A-2 for a taxi light, requesting 2,000lbs of fuel and departing at 0130Z. Asked about the time of a ramp freeze, but did not hear a time.

1742 Had a Bobcat-6 calling Potomac Approach on 343.7. One of my callsign lists has that as a C-21 USAF VIP ferry aircraft. Same flight as above?

Have had some quick hits on 138.3 all the while.
1752- Finally hearing 138.3 better. It is AXEMAN at the range. They got 20 and 30mm and some GBU-12s and GBU-38 JDAMs. Have BICEP-1 and -2 and an AXEMAN flight.
Some else called WHITE LIGHTNING is there and I presume to be marking targets.

 

[JackTV]

Sounds like Axeman & Bicept are both on 138.3
F-16's and A-10's gotta love it!!!
They are waiting for the tanker.They might be at Pax.Lightning could be a guy on the ground
18:29- 143.25 active A/A
18:31- 143.8 active A/A
18:32- 264.550 active Tanker
18:38- 288.0 active Tanker "Mover 22"
18:48- 145.0 active NEW FREQ!!! A/A with controller?? Wardog & Flyer are on this freq
20:11- 228.45 active
20:12- 233.525 active
20:41-238.1 7prime Bugsy flight
Jack

 

[ka3jjz]

Hearing 138.3 very loud over here in GB; mentioning Redskins, and evidently targeting a vehicle near 'Alpha 1' - sounds like they're over the Fishmarket area, and someone also near the stadium (confirmed the Fishmarket ref - they just mentioned again...) 73s Mike

 

[TinEar]

Good job guys. I did enough logging and listening yesterday to last all week so it's good to see others picking up the slack.

Travis, yes, that 141.75 freq is the VHF Langley PTD freq.

Jack, the 264.55 freq is Pax River Baywatch freq. It's not used as an advisory freq as often as 270.8 and 354.8 but that's what it is. I also heard the BICEP 21/22 flight use it this evening as they checked out of the Pax River Range area near Vienna MD. It was kind of interesting that they were working with the AXEMAN flight. There was also a DEVIL flight from NJ working Pax at the same time as the BICEPs in the 1900 hour.

Also heard a MOVER 25 tanker looking for his receiver BOLAR 71, a C-5, from Dover CP on 134.1.
And the PA-ANG guys doing their thing.

And that was all in the first 30 seconds after I turned the radios on this evening. Sounds like a busy night.

1952: Langley tac freq 228.45 active.
1953: Northrup-Grumman test flight freq 123.225 active with two aircraft.
1954: Fighters entering Giant Killer area on 249.8. Say they'll be there next 30 minutes. Didn't get the freq in time to get a callsign.

 

[ka3jjz]

Yeah, and I think - I'm not quite sure - but I got 'strafed' during that last run. BICEP 22 was pointing at 2 'buildings to the north' and at that time, I could hear them very clearly while eating dinner. Interesting thing, eating dinner and having either a F15 or A10 (couldn't see the a/c) coming near me...wonder what my neighbors would think if they knew something like that had just happened? I'm not going to tell them (they don't know what I have in my spare bedroom....)
Anyway, I heard 3 different variations of 'Lightning', and I had it on my recording - there was 'White Lightning', just plain 'Lightning' (which is possible part of the one before) and 'Lightning Rod'. They exited via Snow Hill and were very clearly NJ guys.
Looks like one guy might have had a bad fuel cover of some kind- at oine point the Tanker reported seeing some fuel spray, and a few minutes later one flight exited and RTBed.
Interesting way to spend a dinner....73s Mike

 

[TinEar]

I've got to make a correction here...

All during the past two weekend CAPs, I've listed the callsign for the F-15s from Eglin AFB as AERO. The correct call should be ARROW. That is confirmed by their flight plan filing.

Don't ask.

2006: Hear what sounds like BUZZY 11 (that's my best guess on the callsign but not sure of it) working ZDC-Cape Charles «256.8» checking in FL 230
2008: the BUZZY 11 flight checks into GK's area on «238.1» and I also hear him working Langley tac freq «233.525» That tac freq is 36 Prime. These are almost surely F-22As from the transmitter sound and terminology. (Wish I could get that callsign right though.) The more I listen, the more I realize the callsign is not BUZZY but I still can't pull it out.

Jack, yes, that's one of about 20 choices I've jotted down too but I'm not sure of that one either.
YEAH...LET'S GO WITH BUGSY...Good catch Jack.