CAP is active early in the 1200 hour on HUNTRESS primary freq «228.9» It is manned by F-16s from the North Dakota ANG, deployed to Langley. Callsigns are SPIDER 45/46 for the fighters and they are supported by a TANKER 04 from Pease in NH. Fighter tac is «138.025». Earlier, the TANKER 04 KC-135 was heard on Andrews Metro freq «344.6» asking about weather at 1800Z for PSM (Pease NH) and 1830Z for KBGR (Bangor ME) and KGTB (Ft. Drum NY).
1305: This is an almost silent CAP. In the past 45 minutes there have been two transmissions on 228.9 - both with the tanker - and two on tac between the fighters
Arriving at Andrews at 1243 were two F-16s from the ND-ANG using callsign NODAK 1. They used Reagan TRACON freqs «343.7» with difficulty and then «322.3» before switching to Tower on «349.0» to land.
At 1249, TRAP 71 (F-15 Langley) flight with Norfolk TRACON «370.925» and then over to Giant Killer on «249.8» to work for the next 30 minutes with a LIMEY flight (also F-15s from Langley). A few minutes later, TRAP 73 is asking GK about a P-3 in the area. Ops freq in GK's area is «373.1» TRAP 71 is a flight of at least five aircraft.
BANDSAW (E3C from Tinker AFB OK) is controlling the fighters today. He's also working with GK on «249.8»
1309: Bollen Range active with a single aircraft «237.2» scouting out the range for two more aircraft to follow. Heard someone a bit earlier on the Philadelphia Approach freqs so it's probably A-10s out of Willow Grove. At 1315, the aircraft at the range mentions waiting for UGLYs to get there which confirms Willow Grove A-10s.
1316: TANKER 04 calling "Any Metro on 344.6"
1317: HUNTRESS tells TANKER 04 to coordinate his clearance to RTB at 1730Z and then gives 04 the weather for Pease. «228.9»
1319: HUNTRESS tells SPIDER 45 to coordinate clearance to RTB «228.9»
1319: TANKER 04 with GUARD DOG on «135.525» for clearance back to Pease and mentions it'll be in another 10 minutes when he clears out.
HUNTRESS is so loud and clear that again he sounds like he might be transmitting from an antenna at BWI. He's every bit as loud or louder than the aircraft.
1325: SPIDER 45 to GUARD DOG on «135.525» to announce 5 minutes to RTB time. Wants direct Langley at FL 210.
1329: HUNTRESS clears TANKER 04 to RTB. «228.9» 04 switches to 135.525 to pick up clearance and says he's heading for EMI (Westminster VOR)
1329: HUNTRESS clears SPIDER 45 flight to RTB. «228.9» SPIDER 45 reports low fuel and both Code 1. 45 then tells 46 to switch to V-19 on 288.35 and they do to pick up their clearance back to Langley. They are now also on tac 138.0. (He said "Victor 19" but he obviously meant Uniform 19 for 288.35.)
1335: SPIDER 45 flight with ZDC-Calvert «281.4» on their way home.
1335: Fighter tac freqs «138.15» and «138.55» active. Unknowns.
1340: SPIDER flight beginning descent to 14,000 feet «281.4»
1342: TANKER 04 calling Andrews Metro «344.6» He spells his callsign phonetically - twice. He wants wx for 1830-1930Z for primary PSM (Pease), alternates BGR (Bangor), CEF (Westover), GTB (Ft.Drum). At this point he's becoming weak as he flies out of the area. He receives the wx for each airport over the next six minutes.
1345: Fighter tac freq «141.575» active. Unknown.
1346: RABID 71 flight (F-15 Langley) into GK's area «249.8»
1346: SPIDER flight with Norfolk TRACON «370.925» and then it's "Push 11."
1349: RIDER 81, flight of two, (F-15 Langley) to GK on «238.1» with no joy so over to «249.8» to enter the area. Confirms they'll be working with RABID flight. Change to 16 and come up on ops freq «389.1»
1352: Customs aircraft OMAHA 1 active on «282.425»
1400: RIDER aircraft in air combat maneuvers on «389.1» are mentioning targets between 52,000 and 61,000 feet. Not sure who/what they're going after but it's certainly a high flying son-of-a-gun.
1406: Tanker interplane «365.7» active...couple of aircraft chatting about broken things on the aircraft. I next hear the same aircraft with Dover CP on «349.4» talking about the boom not retracting. No callsign yet.
1407: Refueling freq «320.6» active with RABID F-15s. This is the freq I most often hear Langley fighters using for refueling.
1410: REACH 3894 going into Dover IDs as a C-130. Twenty minutes out and A-1...needs 25K fuel. «349.4»
1410: Also have REACH 6002 into Dover on «349.4»
1413: Warren Grove Range active «283.1»
1430: Fighter tac freq «138.75» active. Unknown.
1434: REACH 337 with Andrews Approach on «119.3» I mention this only because he called multiple times on «378.1» beginning at 1412 and called all the way until he was ready to enter the pattern and never did get heard on the Command Post freq.
1434-39: BANDSAW LIMA calling someone (not HUNTRESS) on «364.2» Called twice, both times ground callsign blocked.
1443: Langley tac «233.525» active.
1445: Warren Grove Range still active «283.1» and it is the same aircraft on tac «138.75» Probably PA-ANG A-10s from Willow Grove.
1452: Finally caught that callsign BANDSAW LIMA is calling on AICC «364.2». It's OKIE SAM at Tyndall AFB FL. Callsign is associated with AWACS but I'm not sure what that association is. He had contact for a few seconds and then began calling again.
Jack, you know, right?
1457: RATS 21 flight (F-15 Langley) into GK's area on «249.8»
1459: BANDSAW LIMA in contact with someone else - not OKIE SAM - and says that he's heading home. «364.2»
1500: BANDSAW LIMA mentions to someone that he's in the NEADS area but is not sure where the dividing line is (I guess he's talking about the point where he'll leave that area.)
1503: LIFTER 31 (C-17, 437TH AMW, Charleston AFB SC) arriving McGuire on CP freq «319.4» 30 minutes out.
1505: Have what I believe is KANSAS 01 with Reagan TRACON on «270.275» and then with Andrews Tower on «349.0» as he landed. If I heard that callsign correctly, it's a B-1B bomber of the 127th BS from McConnell AFB KS. Wish I was positive of that...I'd take a quick run down to Andrews to take a look at it. I've seen them in the air but never up close and personal.
1520: Martin State A-10s active on tac «142.3» It's a flight of four. Callsign RAVEN.
1527: RAVEN flight of A-10s is in BayWatch area on «270.8» asking for a discrete freq if able.
1530: RAVEN flight working with a FAC at the Pax Range - callsign BROKEBACK. «142.3» (So who picked that callword?)
1534: RAVENs changing to discrete freq «264.55» and call RAINCHECK. They are giving coordinates for a simulated SA-6 missile site they must attack. They also call BALLPARK a few minutes later and continue their chat on tac «142.3» while setting up for their attacks on the discrete freq. BROKEBACK seems to be the primary FAC at the range.
1600: Quitting time...END OF LOG
