Who is on 159.480?
- Thread starter JackTV
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troymail
Silent Key
in what area?
TinEar
Member
STATCom is working that freq with MEDEVAC helicopters.
Will have to check to see if they're still working 155.265 too or if they've changed.
[Edit] They are working off a repeater. Not sure where it is but it sounds like somewhere in my back yard. It's so loud it's almost at the point of being overmodulated.
PL for the 159.48 freq is 103.5 - the same as it was for the 155.265 freq which doesn't seem to be operating any longer.
Will have to check to see if they're still working 155.265 too or if they've changed.
[Edit] They are working off a repeater. Not sure where it is but it sounds like somewhere in my back yard. It's so loud it's almost at the point of being overmodulated.
PL for the 159.48 freq is 103.5 - the same as it was for the 155.265 freq which doesn't seem to be operating any longer.
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Whistler
Member
FCC Database
Jack not sure if you have used this before but it gives you a great start getting frequecies and who uses them. Of course the PL's are up to you.
http://svartifoss2.fcc.gov/reports/index.cfm
Jack not sure if you have used this before but it gives you a great start getting frequecies and who uses them. Of course the PL's are up to you.
http://svartifoss2.fcc.gov/reports/index.cfm
Whistler
Member
On the database it looks like a lot of energy companies use that frequency, Exxon, Mobil, Connoco, etc.
TinEar
Member
I submitted this freq to the database but it wound up in the PA section. The 159.48 freq is being used by STATcomm for dispatching the MEDEVAC 10 aircraft from Martin State Airport. The ground station is very strong from my location and most likely also broadcasting from a Martin State located antenna. If they are dispatching other helos on this freq I haven't heard them yet.
The old 155.265 freq seems to have disappeared. I'm not sure if they took it off the Martin State repeater and are just using it up in PA or if 159.48 has replaced it everywhere. However, as mentioned, I'm only hearing MEDEVAC 10 being dispatched.
It's a Maryland based aircraft dispatched from a Maryland based transmitting site. But find it in the PA database.
The old 155.265 freq seems to have disappeared. I'm not sure if they took it off the Martin State repeater and are just using it up in PA or if 159.48 has replaced it everywhere. However, as mentioned, I'm only hearing MEDEVAC 10 being dispatched.
It's a Maryland based aircraft dispatched from a Maryland based transmitting site. But find it in the PA database.
Doesn't shock me. I'm from Washington County and I think the county has a few towers in Franklin Co, PA. Maybe due to location for better reception or maybe due to elevation? Anyway, I'm in OKC now and they have multiple towers for OKC in different counties.
I've added this to the Maryland medevac page. Please include as much detail as possible in your submissions. Based on the original submission it was not clear if you were monitoring a Pennsylvania frequency in Maryland or if it was actually in use in Maryland. The clearer you make the submission the easier it is for me to put it in the most appropriate place. Thanks.TinEar said:
-Eric
TinEar
Member
You're absolutely correct Eric. Mea culpa with an addendum...I didn't realize when I submitted it that the *only* helo being dispatched was MEDEVAC 10 based at MTN. Maybe I should have waited longer to submit the freq until more details were known. I still don't know where the PA helos are being dispatched since I hear nothing at all on the old 155.265 freq which I used to be able to hear from here with PA activity. I'm wondering if they've figured out a way to key up only the applicable transmitting antenna for the helo being dispatched. Perhaps someone closer to PA could monitor both 155.265 and 159.48 to see if additional activity can be heard. Doctordave, if you have time please.
Alan
Alan
No there is a Med-Evac based out of York Airport Stat 13 that serves all of York Co as well as parts of Adams and flies frequently to York Hospital.
Stat Med-Evac 10 is out of Martins Airport in Maryland.
Stat Med-Evac 10 is out of Martins Airport in Maryland.
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TinEar
Member
Heard Medevac 13 tonight on 159.48 who is based at York as Nathan mentioned above but he was down this way going to Johns Hopkins. I guess that explains why I could hear him along with the dispatcher from the Martin State antenna. I still haven't heard anything on this new freq that isn't Maryland associated.
I cant find any liscenses for 159.480 in the FCC Database in the Maryland Area and only a handful in Pennsylvania but nothing even close to the Baltimore Area.
TinEar
Member
It's strange Nathan that it isn't listed anywhere in Maryland in the FCC database. The freq is listed for the "Center for Emergency Medicine" in Pennsylvania which is the correct company that runs STAT Medevac. However, they have two licenses - WQDU481 that has 12 transmitter sites in PA and OH and WQDW204 that has 8 transmitter sites also in PA and OH. Nothing at all out of the 20 sites are listed for Maryland. Are they bootlegging it?
By the way, we mentioned Medevac 10 based at Martin State but there's also Medevac 12 which is based at Hagerstown since last August so we should probably expect to also hear that one on this new freq off the Martin State antenna -- maybe.
(Added) About 1130, Medevac 13 is landing at Martin State to refuel before going back to York.
At 0001, Medevac 13 leaves Martin State heading for Frederick to pick up a crew.
By the way, we mentioned Medevac 10 based at Martin State but there's also Medevac 12 which is based at Hagerstown since last August so we should probably expect to also hear that one on this new freq off the Martin State antenna -- maybe.
(Added) About 1130, Medevac 13 is landing at Martin State to refuel before going back to York.
At 0001, Medevac 13 leaves Martin State heading for Frederick to pick up a crew.
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Whistler
Member
Isn't there a STAT Medevac base in Hagerstown now. A buddy of mine works for them part-time. Could they just be using the PA license to okie doke usage?
TinEar
Member
Whistler, yes, there is a Medevac 12 at Hagerstown as mentioned above.
I notice they are using alert tones on this freq which I never remember hearing on the old 155.265 freq. They were just used prior to a transmission from Medevac 10 announcing a trip from Howard County General to Johns Hopkins. It almost appears those tones are being used to select the repeater (in this case the repeater at Martin State.) If so, this confirms what I suspected in a message above about just keying the repeater that applies to a particular flight area rather than the entire net the way they did on 155.265.
1300: Medevac 13 on the MTN repeater coming into Johns Hopkins. Didn't hear anything from or about him until he was ready to arrive at Hopkins which probably means he was talking off a different repeater on this freq (or maybe even on 155.265 if that's still in use farther north in PA.)
1305: Medevac 13 off Johns Hopkins with five SOB heading for Shady Grove. «159.48»
For those not familiar with military type terminology, SOB is pilot shorthand for Souls On Board.
I notice they are using alert tones on this freq which I never remember hearing on the old 155.265 freq. They were just used prior to a transmission from Medevac 10 announcing a trip from Howard County General to Johns Hopkins. It almost appears those tones are being used to select the repeater (in this case the repeater at Martin State.) If so, this confirms what I suspected in a message above about just keying the repeater that applies to a particular flight area rather than the entire net the way they did on 155.265.
1300: Medevac 13 on the MTN repeater coming into Johns Hopkins. Didn't hear anything from or about him until he was ready to arrive at Hopkins which probably means he was talking off a different repeater on this freq (or maybe even on 155.265 if that's still in use farther north in PA.)
1305: Medevac 13 off Johns Hopkins with five SOB heading for Shady Grove. «159.48»
For those not familiar with military type terminology, SOB is pilot shorthand for Souls On Board.
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This new frequency seems to be the new frequency for all of Stat dispatching. The previous 155.265 frequency has been quiet since the new freq was announced. On Wednesday night, Stat flew a mission into York County to search for a downed aircraft (which was unfounded) and I was able to hear both sides of the comms on this new 159.480 frequency - obviously a repeater system. The old channel was quiet.
And if the alert tones you're talking of sound like standard quick-call tones, they are used to alert the airbases of a mission. On the old frequency, if you were close enough to the airbase being dispatched, you could hear the base station repeat the tone for confirmation of reciept of dispatch at StatComm.
Taken from the Stat Medevac website:
"There are 12 radio tower sites that provide aircraft communications to STAT MedEvac and encompasses 4 states: Pennsylvania, Ohio, New York and Maryland. All flight information is communicated to every crew member on the aircraft through 2 different simultaneous methods. The dispatching software automatically sends flight data to each crew member via text pager. A Klaxton alarm at the base site is activated via radio. The base site radio automatically sends a tone back to the Communications Center notifying the Communications Specialist that the Klaxton alarm was properly activated and that the flight crew was alerted of the flight request. The Communications Specialist then notifies the flight crew of the flight request via specific radio verbiage"
TinEar - you keep mentioning a "Martins State Antenna"... are tiy just speculating, or is there for certain a StatComm antenna at Martin State?
And if the alert tones you're talking of sound like standard quick-call tones, they are used to alert the airbases of a mission. On the old frequency, if you were close enough to the airbase being dispatched, you could hear the base station repeat the tone for confirmation of reciept of dispatch at StatComm.
Taken from the Stat Medevac website:
"There are 12 radio tower sites that provide aircraft communications to STAT MedEvac and encompasses 4 states: Pennsylvania, Ohio, New York and Maryland. All flight information is communicated to every crew member on the aircraft through 2 different simultaneous methods. The dispatching software automatically sends flight data to each crew member via text pager. A Klaxton alarm at the base site is activated via radio. The base site radio automatically sends a tone back to the Communications Center notifying the Communications Specialist that the Klaxton alarm was properly activated and that the flight crew was alerted of the flight request. The Communications Specialist then notifies the flight crew of the flight request via specific radio verbiage"
TinEar - you keep mentioning a "Martins State Antenna"... are tiy just speculating, or is there for certain a StatComm antenna at Martin State?
TinEar
Member
Once upon a time I was told by someone in the business that STATcomm had a repeater located at Martin State. That was during the 155.265 days. I'm just assuming this new freq is also transmitting from that antenna but I have no proof if that's what you're asking for. I just took his information on good faith that he knew what he was talking about.
You mentioned....
This new frequency seems to be the new frequency for all of Stat dispatching.
Are you hearing anything but Maryland traffic on it? I haven't. I'm hearing units that are based in Pennsylvania but only when they are performing a mission within Maryland like Medevac 13 coming into Johns Hopkins. That's why I was asking for someone close to the PA line to check to see if they could hear traffic on the same freq that is perhaps coming off a different repeater in PA.
You mentioned....
This new frequency seems to be the new frequency for all of Stat dispatching.
Are you hearing anything but Maryland traffic on it? I haven't. I'm hearing units that are based in Pennsylvania but only when they are performing a mission within Maryland like Medevac 13 coming into Johns Hopkins. That's why I was asking for someone close to the PA line to check to see if they could hear traffic on the same freq that is perhaps coming off a different repeater in PA.
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