Sticky Thread for MilAir

[TinEar]

I'm not going to recap the day's activity but I do have a question today. I don't pretend to be an expert when it comes to military terminology in spite of half a lifetime spent there. It changes rapidly. Sometimes (well, often) I just shake my head in bewilderment at some of it. Here's what got me today...and never mind what it sounds like and despite what you're going to be thinking, don't type it. :lol:

I was listening to an A-10 AXEMAN flight at the Kiowa Range doing his attacks. At 19:05:00Z he reported, "Hack" as he released his simulated missile. Then he said, and I quote precisely, "I'd like my balls to be splashing at 19:07:30." What did he mean? Yes, I'm serious.

Elsewhere, I found it interesting that a flight of F-16s (SLAM) from VA-ANG Richmond was working together with two flights of F-15s from Langley (RAPID and COACH) in the GIANT KILLER area. Lots of military air activity today. I think everything from Langley is flying, including flights of PANAMA and MEXICO F-15s. All the old callsigns are coming out of the woodwork and being heard again.

If you don't have 234.60 on your list for HUNTRESS (NORAD Controller), you can add it.

 

[TinEar]

Had to post this one....

Just had an aircraft (ASCOT 4631) calling "Command Post" on 385.90 which is CRAB Ops at Martin State Airport. After calling several times, he finally made contact and stated that he is a flight of British C-130J aircraft and wanted to divert to Martin State because of problems. He then announced to his crew that "They will be delighted to take us on." After some chat, without describing his problems, in his very proper British accent, announced that, "I will look forward to meeting you." He was about 30 miles out at this time.

 

[Mark]

Rgr Tin good catch as I get ASCOT's often along Eastern seaboard usually with Mil wx metro's UHF looking for forecasts for usually Florida or points West.
Problem with ASCOT callsign is that they could be one of many type transports..ASCOT RAF (Air Support Command Ops Task)
They are easy to understand with usually excellent English as compared to Saudi or Greek Air Forces.

I have heard C-130's,Airbus aircraft and even RAF Tristar L-1011 Tankers use ASCOT...Usually they self id with metros.
People would be surprised how many UK Mil transports and other NATO aircraft move around the USA but nothing compared to how many US Mil transports move around the UK and Europe.

As for KIOWA range A-10 bombing I can only guess as he could have been using dummy anti-tank/vehicle cluster bomb hence the balls term.Bombing from altitude would take a couple minutes to bouncing balls.
Never heard term that used but anything is possible...

Mark
Northeast Maryland

 

[TinEar]

This ASCOT fortunately identified his flight as specifically being C-130J types which made it easy and no doubt explains why he went into Martin State which has support for that type aircraft.

And thanks for the serious guess at the "balls splashing" but I don't think that's it. I halfway expected a bunch of jokes (and couldn't blame anyone that did). A cluster bomb falls rather rapidly and would fall from 50,000 feet faster than that - and they were much lower. I don't believe the 2 1/2 minute span had to do with time of fall but rather that he was looking for the event to happen or perhaps show on a screen at that time. I wish I knew more about some of these new displays they have available in the cockpits. They get updated often.

 

[TinEar]

Plenty of MilAir activity today but not quite the level of yesterday. F-16s from Andrews (ANGRY) went to the Kiowa Range as did A-10s from Martin State. SALTY DOG aircraft active in the Patuxent River area.

Also had CRAB 54 (C-130J MD-ANG) up with Crab Ops on 385.90 getting a weather report. Ops used the HAVE QUICK system to give it to him but the pilot couldn't understand any of it and had her repeat it in the clear. The HAVE QUICK system breaks a conversation down into little pieces scattered across many frequencies and the receiver is supposed to keep up with it and put it all back together again. It was Humpty-Dumpty this time though.

15:00 SPAD flight of four F-15s up from Langley in the GIANT KILLER area.

 

[TinEar]

The A-10s from the 103rd Fighter Squadron at Willow Grove PA (callsign FLYER) are up at the Kiowa Range 237.20. Also heard them on 139.625. Flight leader mentioned that Ravens will also be working the targets there so we can look for Martin State to become active.

 

[Dank]

last night

Alan,

Did you happen to catch any of the action last night when fighters from Andrews were sent to intercept the plane that later landed in Winchester?

 

[TinEar]

No, sure didn't Dan. I mentioned over on the Sticky Major Events thread last night that I went out to cut grass and missed the whole thing. I was ragging on everyone else for not hearing it and posting it. I got the report after the fact, unfortunately.

 

[Dank]

Dare Bomb Range

I know this may be more suited to the NC forum, but my question is related to MD. Do you hear Milair traffic going south to the range in Dare County, NC? Or do units from MD go to the Kiowa range instead. Either way from that area the Giantkiller freqs should be real active. I just learned that I won't be far from there over the 4th. I'm going to Washington County, NC to visit the inlaws and may take a drive out that way. I know I probably wont see much ( as targets go) but overheard aircraft could be interesting.

Dan

 

[TinEar]

The locals seem to use Kiowa much more often but if they go to Dare, the DC-ANG has 122.9 and 349.1 as presets in their radios for there - as do the VA-ANG fighters. I've got two freqs for Navy use of Dare which are 358.0 and 358.8. Agree that the GIANT KILLER Virginia Capes traffic should be golden from your location. I don't know about seeing them but you sure should hear them. All that Langley traffic should also be no problem at all. They've been extremely busy over the past few weeks.

Looking at the map, it looks like easy driving over to the barrier island around Kill Devil Hills and Kitty Hawk. Bet the listening from there would be outstanding.

[Edit] RISKY and RECAP F-15s from Langley up now in the GIANT KILLER area.

 

[Dank]

thanks

Tonight, if time and more importantly, my wife allows I will finish reprogramming my radio using a file I created using your previous email as a major beginning. I'll have my digital camera so I can pas along any photos once I return.

 

[md_p97]

CNN is showing video and reporting on a (what appears to be the rear of an "F-18") fighter that crashing into a hanger at an AFB in, I believe, in Colorado.

 

[TinEar]

It was from the Naval Air Station in Virginia Beach. No telling what they were doing at an Air National Guard base - Buckley AFB, CO.

 

[md_p97]

If anyone hasn't caught it yet.....Omaha 04 is up doing excercises tonight on their usual 165.2400 fm..... they are chasing a cessna 172 registered to the Civil Air Patrol out of Maxwell AFB.

Huntress can be heard occassionally on 260.9000 am

They are also testing the "sparklers."

But I do have one question, I know the 138-139 mhz range is am, but does am continue for the 141 - 144 range as well, or does is switch to fm?

And is the 30-40 range am or fm?

P

* the cessna is working on 149.5375 fm

 

[ka3jjz]

For anyone keeping track - the 165.24 freq Paul reported is really 165.2375 with the correct spacing...

As for 141-144 Mhz - yes, normally it is AM but there are exceptions (recall the new Blue Angels ground freq - it was in the 142 mhz range and narrow FM). You should follow the local conventions and whatever is reported.

Re the 30-40 Mhz range; I do believe that's all FM, even the few ANG flights I've heard on that freq range use FM

73s Mike

 

[TinEar]

Appreciate that freq info for the Cessna Paul. I kept hearing it on the Martin State Fire freq 149.545 and knew it was slightly off freq but was too busy with other things to find the correct freq. At the time, I didn't know it was a Cessna doing practice operations. It sounded like a woman from what I could hear. Was it a female pilot or might I have been hearing the ground station?

Mike pretty well answered your other questions. The rule of thumb is that if it's airborne it's AM. I think the last time I heard aircraft on the low band was well over a year ago. It would appear they've dropped that range.

Lots of testing of the red/green laser system has been taking place the past couple of months. "Sparkles" is the name they've given the system although I don't know if that's officially the name or if it's one of the hundreds of instant pilot nicknames given for almost anything they run into. Airmen are very creative when it comes to designing nicknames and those names spread like wildfire through the community.

I've been trying to redesign my computer/radio room to accomodate this little piece of equipment:
http://www.ncsradio.com/m_rx.html
I'm hoping it will solve the problem of multi-radio sounds.

 

[md_p97]

Thanks Mike and Al,

The "sparklers" are the acronym for the lasers around DC.

I did hear a female on the CAP frequency, but she was ground based. THe pilot was a male and he RTB'd to Manassas airport, a little after 1 am...he flew over my house last night just before making his final run. I live right at the edge of the ADIZ, and he was following the outer edge.

Just prior to excersise starting last night, I think I saw one of the cover fighters overhead as well....he was up, I guestimate, at about 20,000 and traveling southeast and travelling at a pretty good speed, when all of a sudden, he made a sharp left turn and headed due north...it was about 11:45pm. I guess it could have been a lear jet, but it was pretty fast moving. Its very dark out here in the country, so planes are easy to spot.

As for the 141-144, Mike, I was under the impression they were AM, but picked up a comm last night that turned out to be FM, though I don't remember the freq off hand (possibly 141.5500), was two pilots talking, thought maybe I had them all programed in wrong....will switch them back today. :?

 

[md_p97]

Harass 31 and 32 are up and have been working with Huntress and the Tanker for the last couple of hours. The usual freq's... 260.9000 the tanker was on 293.6000.

The President is spending the weekend at Camp David. I don't know if he traveled by land or air, but I heard his entrage arrive at the park a little while ago.

This IS a National Holiday Weekend, so it should be great up my way for MilAir comms.

Huntress and Harass are also working on 228.9000 (secondary?) and I heard some misc comms on 344.6000.

I'll edit in anything else I pick up.

10:00 pm....(just got back in) Harass talking to unknown ops on 364.1250...says western half of cap is unuseable due to thunderstorms as high as 30,000 ft. Also heard comms on 315.8500

7:45 pm...Harass talking plane to plane on 135.525

Happy 4th everyone

Paul

 

[TinEar]

Thanks Paul. Yeah, guess Langley has drawn the CAP duty again this weekend. They get real interesting in the middle of the night when they start getting bored and start doing and saying nutty stuff. It also helps to piece things together to get IDs. I remember the night one of the fighters asked for a phone patch from the SAM Command Post on 378.10 to the 94th Fighter Squadron at Langley. It was a neat way to identify which squadron he was from at Langley since there are several to choose from. I think it was the first night we heard the HARASS callsign. And those poor tanker guys...just flying in circles for hours and hours with a boom operation every hour or so. At least they've got some room to wander around during the flight - unlike those fighter pilots.

On another note...I think it's going to be a good reception night...again. I can already hear NYC fire freqs and several of the PA State Police freqs across the state and the sun is still shining.

 

[ka3jjz]

For those that don't subscribe to Milcom - Kevin Eiler reports CAP up until the 5th. In addition to the new 293.6 Paul reported (Jack got it on Scan DC) there's the usual suspects, and one new one...

new 333.15
260.9
228.9
358.85
138.0 a/a

Stay cool everyone; I know I won't - my A/C went on the blink the other day


73s Mike

[edit] Looks like much of the traffic is on 315.85 and 260.9. Also had Brave flight RTB on 288.35. Also got the Tanker on the new 293.6 as reported earlier.