|
|
|
March 2001 Milcom column - By Larry Van Horn, N5FPW
Equipment
- Frequencies - Performance Schedule
There
is no thrill as great as watching the Blue Angels or Thunderbirds flight
demonstration team strut their stuff in front of thousands of fans, unless it's
adding the element of radio to the visual drama. The 2001 air show season starts
this month, so we present Milcom's annual review of equipment to use,
frequencies to monitor, and the military flight demonstration team schedules for
the year (Table One).
Most
of the handheld scanners currently being marketed are not suited
for air show monitoring. All of the Uniden brand scanners currently being sold
(except for the BC-780) cannot be used for air show monitoring due to their lack
of independent mode selection. If
you are going to an Air Force Thunderbird show you will need a scanner that can
monitor the 138-150 MHz military land mobile band in the AM mode. Almost all the
Uniden scanners currently available (including all their handheld models) will
not be able to receive any of the VHF T-bird transmissions because these
scanners lock you into the FM mode in that frequency range.
You
also need a scanner that has the 225-400 MHz military aeronautical band in it.
Most of the action (especially the Blue Angels) will be heard in this UHF
portion of the spectrum. This criteria narrows down our choice of scanners even
more.
I
am frequently asked on the Grove Tech line what scanner we do recommend for air
show monitoring. Below is a list of those units that we feel should be
considered for this task. This list has grown considerably over last year’s
edition, and I am happy to report that scanner enthusiasts now have a wider
range of products and prices to chose from. We have also included in this
year’s list base/mobile models that would be suitable for monitoring, plus a
couple of inexpensive portable power supplies you can use to power these rigs at
the show.
Information
below includes current Grove stock codes/prices for the items indicated, but the
price does not include shipping or taxes (if applicable). Prices are subject to
change without notice, so be sure to call our order department at 800-438-8155
for current pricing or email Grove.
Handheld
Unit
Grove Stock No
Price
Alinco DJ-X2T
SCN03
$299.95
Alinco DJ-X10T
SCN01
$359.95
AOR AR-8200 Mk IIB
SCN50
$559.95
Icom R-2
SCN05
$189.95
Icom R-3
SCN07
$499.95
Icom R-10
SCN04
$289.95
Yaesu VR-500
SCN06
$324.95
Base/Mobile
Unit
Grove Stock No.
Price
AOR-3000AB
SCN26
$1062.95
AOR-5000 +3
RCV42P
$2139.95
AOR-8600
SCN08
$899.95
Icom R-8500
RCV14
$1469.95
JRC NRD-545 w/converter
RCV21DS/ACC11DS
$1795.95+$349.95
Uniden BC-780 Base/Mobile
SCN49
$349.95
Yaesu VR-5000
RCV51
$899.95
Computer
Receivers
Grove Stock No.
Price
Icom
PCR-100
RCV44
$199.95
Icom
PCR-1000
RCV45
$349.95
WinRadio
WR-1550e
RCV47-E
$549.95
WinRadio
WR-1550i
RCV47-I
$499.95
WinRadio
WR-3150e
RCV48-E
$1849.95
WinRadio
WR-3150i-DSP
RCV48-I
$1849.95
WinRadio
WR-3500e
RCV49-E
$2395.95
WinRadio
WR-3500i-DSP
RCV49-I
$2395.95
WinRadio
WR-3700e
RCV50-E
$2895.95
WinRadio
WR-3700i-DSP
RCV50-I
$2895.95
Portable
Power Sources for Base/Mobiles
Grove Stock No. Price
WinRadio
Portable Power Source
PWR05
$199.95
Portable
Power Station
PWR01
$69.95
Another
purchase you should consider is an extra set of charged batteries for your
handheld. Murphy's law ensures that your NiCads will die half way through the
show with your replacements at home in the shack.
Finally,
if you'd like to see this list expanded to include used equipment or antennas,
let me know and we'll show them next year. Email to: larry@grove-ent.com.
You
will need to concentrate on three different bands for air show activity. Search
in the 138-150.8 MHz band (minus 144-148, in both the AM and Narrow FM modes in
12.5 kHz steps), 118-136 MHz (AM mode in 25 kHz steps), and finally 225-420 MHz
(AM in 225-400 in 25 kHz steps/Narrow FM in 406-420 MHz in 12.5 kHz steps).
The
following discrete frequencies were reported in use by the U.S. Navy Blue Angels
during the previous two seasons.
U.S.
Navy Blue Angels
Frequency
Usage
142.000
Ground support (Comm Cart)
143.600
Ground support, occasional Air-to-Air reported here
164.900
Engine Start/Taxi Out Ground support (Comm Cart)
168.900
Engine Start/Taxi Out Ground support (Comm Cart)
169.400
Engine Start/Taxi Out Ground support (Comm Cart)
170.900
Engine Start/Taxi Out/Maintenance Ground support (Comm Cart)
236.450
Miscellaneous Air-to-Air (Eastern U.S.)
238.150
Show center/Delta formation (Eastern U.S.)
251.600
Solo formation (Aircraft 5/6) Air-to-Air
256.250
Usage unknown
263.350
Fat Albert (Blues C-130 Transport Aircraft), plus FA JATO flight
demonstrations
263.500
Blue Angels/Fat Albert
264.550
Diamond/Solo formations
275.350
Diamond formation (Aircraft 1-4) Air-to-Air
286.000
Usage unknown
302.150
Miscellaneous Air-to-Air (Western U.S.)
307.700
Show center/Delta formation (Western U.S.)
321.100
Blue Angel Operations
345.900
Solo formation (Aircraft 5-6) Air-to-Air
The
U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds are always a crowd favorite. The following
frequencies have been reportedly used by the Thunderbirds during the last couple
of seasons.
U.S.
Air Force Thunderbirds
140.400
Support Aircraft: Cross Country Air-to-Air
141.850
Four ship formation (Victor 1) Show Air-to-Air which is linked to public
address system (AM mode)
143.850
Four ship formation (Victor 2) air-to-air which is linked to public
address system (AM mode)
235.250
Thunderbird Control
269.900
Thunderbird Control to Air Boss
322.950
Solo aircraft (5-6) Show Air-to-Air
413.025
Maintenance/ground teams <channel 1> (NFM 146.2 PL tone)
413.100
Maintenance/ground teams <channel 2>
Both
the Navy and the Air Force have aircraft special demonstration units in addition
to the flight demonstration units mentioned above. Here is a list of known units
and their frequencies.
US
Air Force A-10 Flight Demo Teams
(Nationwide): 32.350 34.125
34.175 34.375
34.575 36.150
36.350 36.850
38.670 40.200
46.650 49.750
139.675 140.000 (all
tentative identifications, confirmation requested)
US
Air Force F-15 Flight Demo Team (Misc):
275.675
US
Air Force F-15 Flight Demo Team
(East): 228.450 233.525
238.825 252.775
257.075 264.975 276.675
282.675 282.800 (S)
298.350 359.225
US
Air Force F-15 Flight Demo Team
(West): 384.550
US
Air Force F-16 Flight Demo Teams (Shaw
units): 260.400 282.800
US
Air Force F-117 Flight Demo Discrete:
304.900 (very tentative)
US
Navy F-14 Flight Demo Teams: 299.500 311.500 341.200
342.900 342.950
345.000
US
Navy F/A-18 Flight Demo Teams: 333.300
(very tentative)
US
Coast Guard Rescue Demo Teams: 381.800
Military
Parachute Teams
The
colorful U.S. Navy Seal Parachute Team, known as the Leap Frogs, are frequent
visitors around the country at various sporting events and air shows. Look for
their communications on 407.500 MHz.
The
U.S. Army Parachute Team is known as the Golden Knights. They also make the
rounds during the air show season. Look for their communications on 123.400,
123.475 or 123.500 MHz. You should also keep an eye on 32.300, 122.575, and
367.700 MHz for possible activity.
Foreign
Air Demonstration Teams
The
Canadian Forces aircraft demonstration team is known as the Snowbirds. The
following have been recently reported for this popular aerial team: 246.500,
272.100, 299.500, and 333.300 MHz.
Several
years ago Daryll Symington in his popular book Monitoring The Military
had the channel list below for the Snowbird team. It is unknown how accurate that list is now
and we provide it here only for reference purposes.
227.600
(F4), 236.600 (F15), 239.800 (F20), 240.500 (F6), 245.000 (F19), 245.700 (F11),
266.300 (F8), 272.100, 275.800 (F1), 283.900 (F16), 289.400 (F18), 294.500 (F9),
295.600 (F2), 310.800 (F3), 316.500 (F12), 322.800 (F10), 344.500 (F13), 356.600
(F14), 363.800 (F17), 378.500 (F7)
Some
other foreign and US flight demonstration teams that have been reported to us
this last year include:
130.500
Spanish Military Aguila Flight Demonstration Team
136.175
Chilean Military Halcones Flight Demonstration Team
136.975
UK Army Air Corps Blue Eagles Helicopter Flight Demonstration Team
138.450
France Air Force La Patrouille Adecco Flight Demonstration Team
141.825
France Air Force La Patrouille Adecco Flight Demonstration Team
143.100
France Air Force La Patrouille Adecco Flight Demonstration Team
243.450
UK Air Force Red Arrows Flight Demonstration Team
252.500
Spanish Military Aguila Flight Demonstration Team
P255.100
UK Air Force Falcons Flight Demonstration Team
264.400
Turkish Military Stars Flight Demonstration Team
279.600
Turkish Military Stars Flight Demonstration Team
288.850
Swiss Military Patrouille Suisse Flight Demonstration Team
307.800
Italian Military Frecce Tricolori Flight Demonstration Team
P465.100
UK Air Force Falcons Flight Demonstration Team
469.500
US Confederate Air Force Tora Team
469.550
US Confederate Air Force Tora Team
During
the 2000 season we want to hear from our readers about active demonstration/air
show frequencies. If you attend an air show, please pass along what you hear!
You can reach me via e-mail at larry@grove-ent.com with a subject line of
Airshow Intercepts, or you can write us at: Milcom, P.O. Box 98,
Brasstown, NC 28902.
Thanks
to our many contributors who took the time to share their air show reports with
us last year. In the meantime, we will see you again in two months and good
hunting to all.
Table
One: Military Demonstration Teams 2001 Performance Schedule
Demonstration
schedules dates are subject to change.
Group
Abbreviations
BA=USN
Blue Angels
TB=USAF
Thunderbirds
SB=Canadian
Snowbirds
GKBT=Golden
Knights, Black Team
GKGT=Golden
Knights, Gold Team
GKHQ=Golden
Knights Headquarters Unit
Base
Abbreviations
AFB
= Air Force Base
ANG=Air
National Guard
ARB=
Air Reserve Base
JRB=Joint
Reserve Base
MCAS
- Marine Corps Air Station
NAF
= Naval Air Facility
NAS=Naval
Air Station
Dates
Group: Locations
March
10
BA: NAF El Centro, CA
March
15-16
GKGT: Style Team LULAC Youth Conference, Tucson AZ
March
17-18
BA: Mesa, AZ
March
18
GKBT: Boy Scout Jamboree Atlanta, GA
March
21
GKHQ: Army NASCAR Introduction Stanley, NC
March
24
TB: Patrick AFB, FL
March
24-25
BA: Altus AFB, OK; GKBT: Punta Gorda, FL; GKGT: Riverside, CA
March
25
TB: Tyndall AFB, FL
March
31-April 1
BA: MCAS Cherry Point, NC; TB: Glendale, AZ; GKBT: Tyndall AFB, FL; GKGT:
Augusta, GA
April
7 TB: NAS Point Mugu, CA
April
7-8
BA: MacDill AFB, FL
April
8 TB: Beale AFB, CA
April
14-15
GKBT: Chattanooga, TN
April
21-22
BA: NAS Corpus Christi, TX
April
21
TB: Barksdale AFB, LA
April
22
TB: Maxwell AFB, AL
April
28-29
BA: NAS Norfolk, VA; TB: Lincoln ANG Base, NE; SB: Robins AFB, GA; GKBT:
Fort Sam Houston San Antonio, TX; GKGT: Altus, OK
May
4-6
SB: Ft Lauderdale, FL
May
5-6
TB/GKGT: Ft. Lauderdale, FL; GKHQ: 600 Festival Concord, NC
May
10 SB:
Shaw AFB, SC
May
12 SB:
Sudbury, ON
May
12 TB:
Millington, TN
May
12-13
GKBT: March ARB, CA; GKGT: Knoxville, TN
May
13 TB:
Ft. Smith, AR
May
16 SB:
Wiarton, ON
May
18 GKGT:
Pentagon Jump
May
19 BA:
Charleston AFB, SC
May
19-20
TB/GKGT: Andrews AFB, MD; SB: Mont Laurier, PQ; GKBT: "Indy 500 Time
Trials" Indianapolis, IN
May
23 SB:
Peterborough, ON
May
23 & 25
BA: US Naval Academy Annapolis, MD
May
26-27
BA: NAS Patuxent River, MD; TB/GKBT: Columbia, MO; SB: Barrie, ON; GKGT:
Randolph AFB, TX
May
27 GKHQ:
Coca-Cola 600 Charlotte Motor Speedway Charlotte, NC
May
30 TB:
US Air Force Academy, CO
June
2-3
BA: Lakehurst, NJ; TB: NAS Fallon, NV; SB: Ottawa, ON; GKBT: Belfield,
ND; GKGT: Scott AFB, IL
June
9 TB: Hill Air Force Base, UT
June
9-10
BA/SB: Quebec City, PQ; GKBT: Grantsville, UT; GKGT: Belmont, NY
June
10
TB: Cannon Air Force Base, NM
June
12
SB: Kingston, ON
June
14
SB: Elliot Lake, ON; GKBT: San Diego Padres Game, CA; GKGT: NY Yankees
Game, NYC
June
16-17
BA: Syracuse, NY; TB: McChord AFB, WA; SB: Hamilton, ON; GKBT: McConnell
AFB, KS; GKGT: Willow Grove, PA
June
20
SB: Leamington, ON
June
22-24
SB: London, ON
June
23-24
BA: Davenport, IA; TB: Tullahoma, TN; GKBT: McChord AFB, WA; GKGT: Van
Nuys, CA
June
27
SB: Arnprior, ON
June
29-30
SB: St Hubert, PQ
June
30
TB: Scott AFB, IL; GKGT: Ft Drum NY
June
30-July 1
BA: Evansville, IN; GKBT: Travis AFB, CA; GKGT: Clayton, NY
July
1 TB: Niagara Falls, NY; SB: Canada Day - Ottawa, ON
July
4 TB/SB: Battle Creek, MI
July
7-8
BA: Muskegon, MI; TB: Pope AFB, NC; SB: Moose Jaw, SK; GKBT: Opsail 2000,
NYC; GKGT: Cape Giradeau, MO
July
13-14
BA: Pensacola Beach, FL
July
14 TB: Columbus AFB, MS
July
14-15
GKBT: Pensacola, FL; GKGT: Davenport, IA
July
15 TB: San Angelo, TX
July
21-22
BA: Bozeman, MT; TB/GKBT: Dayton, OH; SB: Fort St. John, BC; GKGT:
Selfridge, MI
July
25 TB: Cheyenne, WY; SB: Smithers, BC
July
28 SB: Kelowna, BC
July
28-29
BA: NAS Lemoore, CA; TB: Latrobe, PA; GKBT: Billings, MT; GKGT: Elmendorf
AFB, AK
July
29 SB: Comox, BC
August
1
SB: Trail, BC
August
4-5
BA: Seattle, WA; TB: Otis ANG Base, MA; SB: Red Deer, AB; GKBT: North
Bay, ON; GKGT: Mountain Home, ID
August
8
SB: Cranbrook, BC
August
10
SB: Abbotsford, BC
August
11
TB: Minot AFB ND
August
11-12
SB: Abbotsford, BC; GKGT: Westover MA
August
12
TB: Ellsworth, AFB, SD; GKBT: Champlain Valley, VT
August
18-19
BA: Kansas City, MO; TB: Chicago, IL; SB: Lethbridge, AB; GKBT:
Bloomington, IL
August
19
GKGT: National Science Center Augusta, GA
August
21
GKBT: "Army Night" Cominsky Park Chicago, IL
August
23
SB: Windsor, ON; GKBT: Saratoga, NY
August
25
SB: St. Georger, PQ
August
25-26
BA: Duluth, MN; TB: Mid-season break; GKBT: Rochester, NY; GKGT: Offutt
AFB, NB
August
26
SB: Mont Joli, PQ
August
29
SB: Brantford, ON
September
1
GKGT: VA Tech vs Akron Blacksburgh, VA
September
1-3
BA/GKBT/GKGT (3rd only): Cleveland, OH; TB: Bay St. Louis, MS;
SB: Toronto, ON
September
6
SB: Fredricton, NB
September
8
TB: Muskogee, OK
September
8-9
BA: NAS/JRB Willow Grove, PA; SB: Shearwater, NS; GKGT: Smyrna, TN
September
9
TB: Sioux City, IA; GKBT: Colorado Springs, CO; GKBT: Kirkland, NM
September
11
SB: Stevenville, NF
September
13
SB: Deer Lake, NF
September
15
GKBT: 100th Airborne Div Louisville, KY; GKGT: Houston VS USMA
September
15-16 BA:
Smyrna, TN; TB: Salinas, CA
September
16
GKBT: "Motorola 300 CART FedEX Series" St. Louis, MO
September
16-17 SB:
Sault St. Marie, ON
September
20-October 28
TB: Pacific Tour (Specific locations to be announced)
September
22-23 BA:
NAS Brunswick, ME; SB/GKBT: NAS Oceana, VA; GKGT: Elmira, NY
September 26
SB: Wolfville, NS
September
29
BA: NAS Meridian, MS; GKBT: University of Delaware Dover, DE
September
29-30 SB:
St. Catherine's, ON; GKGT: Liberal, KS
October
3
SB: Aspen, CO
October
6-7
BA: San Francisco, CA; SB: Page, AZ; GKGT: Fort Worth, TX
October
7
GKBT: Laughlin AFB TX
October
10
SB: Tucumcari, NM
October
13-14
BA/GKBT: MCAS Miramar, CA; SB/GKGT: El Paso, TX
October
20-21
BA: Alliance Field Fort Worth, TX; GKBT: Moody AFB, GA; GKGT: Langley
AFB, VA
October
27-28
BA: Lafayette, LA; GKBT: Kings Park, NY; GKGT: New Orleans, LA
November
3
TB: Seymour-Johnson AFB, NC
November
3-4
BA/GKBT: Jacksonville Beach, FL ; GKGT: Keesler AFB-Biloxi, MS
November
4
TB: Moody AFB, GA
November
7
GKBT: FT Bragg Saftey Fair, NC
November
9-10 BA:
NAS Pensacola, FL
November
10-11 TB:
Daytona Beach, FL; GKGT: Columbia, SC
November
16-18
GKBT/GKGT: "Black and Gold Parachute Competition" Raeford, NC