What does an RCAG look like?

[cipher66]

In case there are some newer people or even some of us more seasoned aviation monitors out there that want to know what an ARTCC RCAG site looks like, I have a picture that I took today of the Effingham, IL RCAG site (Remote to Kansas City ARTCC for VHF 124.3, 135.05, and 133.225). I must say that the scanner audio near the RCAG was awesome!!!! Anyways, here they are:

 

[KB4REA]

Cool, thanks

I like to consider myself a "more seasoned aviation monitor" but have never seen a photo of an ARTCC facility.

There's at least 2 sites in my area that I can regularly receive both controller and aircraft. On good days I can pick up a third.

 

[majoco]

Brewkelyn said:

There's at least 2 sites in my area that I can regularly receive both controller and aircraft. On good days I can pick up a third.

A third what?

I have about 12 aircraft frequencies to choose from rangeing from local ground/tower/approach to high level transit stuff but it's always on a one controller/one aircraft basis - who's the third?

 

[KB4REA]

A third what?

a third site...so on a good day I can hear both controller & aircraft on 3 different center frequencies.

 

[EMD91123]

Out of curiosity which do you get ? I know there would probably be St. Augustine and Jacksonville. Who's the third ?

 

[KB4REA]

Out of curiosity which do you get ? I know there would probably be St. Augustine and Jacksonville. Who's the third ?

The 2 I hear regularly are:

126.3500 - Sector 58 St. Augustine - Low/High
​

127.4750 - Sector 75 Green Cove - High
​

The 3rd not so regular and faint is:

132.8250 - Sector 87 Lawtey - Ultra High
​

Also, I've heard the controller (but not recently) on:

135.4500 - Sector 76 Keystone - Ultra High
​

These are all listed under the St. Augustine RCAG that I believe is located no more than 15 miles south of where I live in St. Johns county (2 years ago I lived half that distance to the site).

So I never thought about it but are all these freqs being transmitted from this site? I always assumed they were transmitted from the city in the sector name.

 

[EMD91123]

cool beans on the reply. I know 135.45 is stilla ctive. I heard it today down here in Boynton on my PRO-95. I am 9 miles from the Palm Beach RCAG serving Miami ARTCC 135.175,133.4,132.15, and 125.325. My complex has a lot of interference so in the Apt. I cant get controller however when I am outside pilot/controller is loud and clear.

 

[captkel]

It's here

Bing Maps

 

[captkel]

It's here... zoom in to see it

KEL

Bing Maps

 

[captkel]

cool beans on the reply. I know 135.45 is stilla ctive. I heard it today down here in Boynton on my PRO-95. I am 9 miles from the Palm Beach RCAG serving Miami ARTCC 135.175,133.4,132.15, and 125.325. My complex has a lot of interference so in the Apt. I cant get controller however when I am outside pilot/controller is loud and clear.

And it looks like this:

 

[ff-medic]

Oh kay , not meaning to hijack the thread..but what about a NORAD antenna / site.

Anyone up this time of PM have a clue? Where , locations...appearances?

FF- Medic !!!

 

[rmiller818]

What about an HF site? Do they look different than one of the VHF ones? Just thought about it and cannot think of seeing what an HF one looks like if it is different.

 

[WayneH]

Oh kay , not meaning to hijack the thread..but what about a NORAD antenna / site.

Anyone up this time of PM have a clue? Where , locations...appearances?

You'll often find NORAD stuff in FAA facilities. At least what I've seen in NorCal.

I've got some photos of a few RCAGs and other various FAA radio sites I can post up when I get the time to dig them up. They're not that hard to notice when you see them. FAA tends to follow a certain way of doing things.

 

[ff-medic]

You'll often find NORAD stuff in FAA facilities. At least what I've seen in NorCal.

Ahhhh, Mr.Moderator..with great respect ( smile ). What about NORAD encryption? Would it not be
compromised? NORAD comms as a whole compromised, open for sabatoage?


FF- Medic !!!

 

[nd5y]

Wichita Falls RCAG
There are two sites right next to eachother
Bing Maps

Mineral Wells RCAG
Bing Maps

Fort Worth Center
Check out the HF LPDA antenna to the SW of the buidings
Bing Maps

and Fort Worth AFSS
Bing Maps

 

[shaft]

St. Louis ARTCC Google Maps its located about 40 mins west of KSTL.

 

[majoco]

Shaft said:

located about 40 mins west of KSTL.

...at what speed?

 

[shaft]

52kts ground speed

 

[b7spectra]

Ahhhh, Mr.Moderator..with great respect ( smile ). What about NORAD encryption? Would it not be
compromised? NORAD comms as a whole compromised, open for sabatoage?


FF- Medic !!!

It would not be compromised at all. Coming out of Cheyenne Mountain are lots and lots of fiber optics that go to different AT&T locations throughout the US. From those CO's (Central Offices), they take different routes to the tower sites (back up systems - if say CYMTCO-SNFCCA route went down, it can be re-routed to say CYMTCO-DLLSTX-SNFCCA -CYMTCO is Cheyenne Mountain Colorado, SNFCCA is San Francisco California, DLLSTX is Dallas Texas). When the signal leaves CYMTCO, it is already encrypted so it will go over the HF/UHF frequency that way. Hope that make sense. I spent 31 years with AT&T helping install these pathways.

 

[KB4REA]

The 2 I hear regularly are:

126.3500 - Sector 58 St. Augustine - Low/High
​

127.4750 - Sector 75 Green Cove - High
​

The 3rd not so regular and faint is:

132.8250 - Sector 87 Lawtey - Ultra High​

For those interested, I posted a short clip of me monitoring these 3 freqs on my 310.

Receive was pretty good this evening.