USS George Washington, CVN-73 Carrier Srike Group

The USS George Washington, CVN-73 is working off of the Florida Coast. Much of the activity is out of my range, but I was able to hear some AWACS and Sea Control activity yesterday. Thanks to sources closer to the activity that have identified more frequencies and callsigns than I could have.

Frequencies
267.500 SEALORD South Primary
284.500 SEALORD North Primary
120.950 SEALORD North Primary

281.075 Strike
326.975 Marshal
342.825 RED CROWN
245.375 GOLF ROMEO
328.200 GOLF ROMEO

252.200 VFA-143 Tac

238.275 unknown
335.425 unknown
357.350 unknown

292.200 Avon Park Range


Callsigns
WARFIGHTER (USS George Washington, CVN-73)
60# (E-2C, VAW-121)
70# (S-3B, VS-22)
BLUETAIL (E-2C, VAW-121)
MAGIC (E-3, NATO)
VIDAR (S-3B, VS-22)


Mac McCormick, KF4LMT
kf4lmt@comcast.net

Military Monitoring Recap; 01-14 February 2008

Hunter AAF
124.975 - Tower
279.575 - Tower
285.425 - Tower
121.800 - Ground
291.675 - Ground
126.200 - Base Ops
406.1625 - Tower/Base Ops
406.7625 - POL
415.1625 - Trans Alert
77.725 - 224 MI Bn Ops
345.000 - USCG Air Station Savannah Ops

ARMY 45464 (AH-64D, 3-3 AVN)
ARMY 75503 (AH-64D, 3-3 AVN)
ARMY 75504 (AH-64D, 3-3 AVN)
ARMY 75505 (AH-64D, 3-3 AVN)
ARMY 03733 (MH-47G, 3-160 SOAR)
ARMY 03750 (MH-47G, 3-160 SOAR)
ARMY 03754 (MH-47G, 3-160 SOAR)
ARMY 03756 (MH-47G, 3-160 SOAR)
ARMY 03746 (MH-47G, 3-160 SOAR)
ARMY 26189 (MH-60L, 3-160 SOAR)
ARMY 26367 (MH-60L, 3-160 SOAR)
ARMY 26413 (MH-60L, 3-160 SOAR)
SUNNY ## (RC-12N, 224 MI Bn)
COAST GUARD 6533 (HH-65C, Savannah)
COAST GUARD 6542 (HH-65C, Savannah)
COAST GUARD 6553 (HH-65C, Savannah)
COAST GUARD 6561 (HH-65C, Savannah)
COAST GUARD 6532 (HH-65)
COAST GUARD 6576 (HH-65)
COAST GUARD 6578 (HH-65)


Savannah IAP/CRTC
119.100 - Tower
257.800 - Tower
121.900 - Ground
348.600 - Ground
120.400 - Approach/Departure
380.025 - Approach/Departure
125.300 - Approach/Departure
387.100 - Approach/Departure
118.400 - Approach/Departure
307.225 - Approach/Departure
225.750 - 165 AW CP
123.200 - WCM9, Gulfstream Aerospace

DAWG 0# (C-130H, 165 AW)
DAWG 99 (C-130H, 165 AW)
DAWG 45 (C-130H, 165 AW)
GULF TEST ## (Gulfstream Test)


Fort Stewart/Wright AAF
127.350 - Marne Radio
279.626 - Marne Radio


MCAS Beaufort
251.700 - Approach/Departure
301.200 - Approach/Departure
361.800 - VMFA-115 Base
339.500 - VMFA-115 Tac 1
253.100 - VMFA-122 Base
283.400 - VMFA-122 Tac 1
354.325 - VMFA-122 Tac 2
305.800 - VMFA(AW)-224 Base
250.300 - VMFA(AW)-224 Tac 1
310.200 - VMFA(AW)-533 Base
299.300 - VMFA(AW)-533 Tac 2
348.825 - VMFA(AW)-533 Tac 3
354.400 - VFA-86 Base
308.925 - VFA-86 Tac 1
363.825 - VFA-86 Tac 2
228.200 - VMA-223 TDY Base
301.950 - VMA-223 TDY Tac
320.300 - VMA-223 TDY Tac

BLADE (F/A-18A+, VMFA-115)
NIKEL (F/A-18C, VMFA-122)
BENGAL 4# (F/A-18D, VMFA-224)
HAWK (F/A-18D, VMFA-533)
WINDER (F/A-18C, VFA-86)
STONE (AV-8B, VMA-223)
FOX 515 (C-12)


Charelston AFB
349.400 - Command Post "PALMETTO OPS"
344.600 - PMSV


McIntyre JNGB
141.825 - 169 FW V14
143.250 - 169 FW V16

MACE (F-16CJ, 169 FW)
VIPER (F-16CJ, 169 FW)
NIGHTMARE 6# (AH-64, 1-151 AVN, SC ARNG)


Shaw AFB
318.100 - Command Post
311.200 - 55th FS Ops "SHOOTER OPS"
138.300 - 55th FS V9
139.750 - 55th FS V10
141.750 - 77th FS V9

BRAG (F-16CJ, 55 FS)
KILLER (F-16CJ, 55 FS)
MEAT (F-16CJ, 55 FS)
GAMBLER (F-16CJ, 77 FS)


Jacksonville IAP/125th FW
234.800 - 125th FW Aux 6
353.000 - 125th FW Aux 9

FANG (F-15, 125 FW)


Robins AFB
293.525 - 116th ACW "PEACHTREE OPS"
228.050 - JSTARS Discrete
276.075 - JSTARS Discrete
328.025 - JSTRRS Discrete
355.250 - JSTARS Discrete
372.150 - JSTARS Discrete
376.125 - JSTARS Discrete
388.225 - JSTARS Discrete
395.150 - JSTARS Discrete

PEACH 66 (E-8C, 16th ACCS)
ALLEYCAT (Backend, E-8C, 128 ACCS)


Ranges/Military Operating Areas
228.400 - Townsend Range
343.750 - Bulldog MOA
269.000 - Gamecock MOA


SEALORD (USN FACSFAC Jax)
120.950 - North Primary
284.500 - North Primary
267.500 - South Primary
349.800 - W-157 Discrete
376.900 - W-157 Discrete
385.300 - W-157 Discrete


Miscellaneous
DRAGNET (Backend, E-3, 966 ACCS)
HUNTRESS (NOARD Eastern Air Defense Sector)
KING 31 (HC-130, 71 RQS)
PELICAN 12 (P-3C, VP-45)
REACH 191
REACH 992
REACH 9061
SENTRY 60 (E-3, 966 ACCS)

228.225 - ANGEL OPS, 23rd Wing, Moody AFB
310.200 - NAS Jacksonville Base Ops

228.900 - NOARD Discrete
260.900 - NOARD Discrete
293.600 - NOARD Discrete
316.300 - NORAD Discrete

237.150 - AWACS Discrete
335.950 - AWACS Discrete


ARTCC
269.550 - Jax Center Columbia Low
277.400 - Jax Center Brunswick Low
281.550 - Jax Center Florence
282.200 - Jax Center Jekyll Low
285.650 - Jax Center Statesboro High
322.500 - Jax Center Savannah Low
363.200 - Jax Center Allendale Low
370.950 - Jax Center Georgetown High
379.100 - Jax Center Charleston Low

323.000 - Atlanta Center Macon

255.400 - Flight Service


Mac McCormick, KF4LMT
kf4lmt@comcast.net

19th Fighter Squadron at the Savannah CRTC

F-15s from the 19th Fighter Squadron from Elmendorf AFB, Alaska are visiting the Savannah Combat Readiness Training Center. Because of my work schedule and monitoring the Sugar Refinery Operations, I missed their arrival so I'm not sure how long they've been here. I understand that they will possibly be here through the first of March.

Gamecock Ops has been on the CRTC CP frequency 237.000. The usual tower Savannah IAP tower frequency 257.800 and the approach/departure frequencies 380.025, 387.100, and 307.225 have been in use for ATC. They have also used 363.200 and 282.200 for Jax Center while en route to Sealord's warning areas. They have checked in with SEALORD on the usual 284.500 and have been using W-157 Discretes 376.900 and 385.300. Below are the callsigns and air-to-air frequencies they've been using:

Callsigns
BLADE 0#
DEMON 0#
HOOK 0#
REDEYE 0#
TACO 0#
WHAM 0#
WOLF 0#

Frequencies
293.300
328.500
363.900
379.800
355.325

Mac McCormick, KF4LMT
kf4lmt@comcast.net

Montoring the Space Shuttle Launch With a Handheld Scanner

I have been preoccupied with monitoring the Imperial Sugar Refinery explosion and fire operations for the last week, but I did want to mention a good Space Shuttle catch that I had during the launch of the Space Shuttle Atlantis back on 7 February.

I was just getting off from work in Rincon, GA around launch time that afternoon, so I decided to try listening to the Shuttle launch on a handheld scanner. When monitoring the launch from home I can usually hear 5-7 transmissions over an approximately 10 minute period. I idn't expect to hear nearly as much with the portable, but I was pleasantly surprised. Using the BC396 tuned to 259.700 with the stock antenna I heard 3 transmissions including the "negative return" and "press to MECO" calls.

This is good for many of those buying the newer digital scanners that have military UHF capability. Even with just a handheld, anyone with 225-400 mhz capability can catch some communications from the Space Shuttle.

Mac McCormick, KF4LMT
kf4lmt@comcast.net

Imperial Sugar Refinery Explosion Monitoring Notes

I have delayed posting much on the Imperial Sugar Refinery Explosion because the search for the missing is ongoing and they had problems with information going to the media before families were notified. I have finally decided to go ahead and post this for two reasons. First, almost all of these talkgroups are already known and published on RadioReference. Second, if an elected official is going to bypass the correct public information channels, I don't think that this post is going to be a problem.

The agency listing below is most certainly incomplete; it is composed of agencies that I either heard on air or that I heard references to on air.

Fire Agencies Involved:
-----------------------
Port Wentworth FD
Garden City FD
Savannah FD
Pooler FD
Bloomingdale FD
Southside FD
Isle of Hope FD
GA ANG Crash/Fire
Fort Stewart/Hunter AAF FD
Tybee Island FD
Thunderbolt FD
Effingham Fire/Rescue
Bryan Fire
Screven Fire
Metter FD
Bluffton FD

EMS Involved:
-------------
MedStar
Southside EMS
Effingham EMS
Bryan Co. EMS
Bulloch Co. EMS
Fort Stewart/Hunter EMS
Glynn Co. EMS
Liberty Co. EMS
McIntosh Co. EMS
Jasper Co. EMS
LifeStar

Law Enforcement Involved:
-------------------------
Port Wentworth PD
Garden City PD
SCMPD
Chatham SO
Chatham BOE PD
GSP
MCCD
GPA PD

Invesigative Agencies
---------------------
Georgia Fire Marshalls
ATF
OSHA



Chatham-Effingham TRS
---------------------
3632 Fire Tac 1, Incident Command
-ICS Callsigns (i.e. COMMAND, OPERATIONS, etc.), Fire units
using regular callsigns, SUPPRESSION TEAM #, SEARCH TEAM #

37072 Fire Common, Operations
-Fire Units using regular unit numbering, SUPRESSION TEAM #,
SEARCH TEAM #, ICS callsigns (i.e. COMMAND, OPERATIONS, etc.)
-GSAR OPS, GSAR #, GSAR TEAM 1, GSAR TEAM 2
-BLACKHAWK 1 (?)

3664 Fire Tac 2, Tactical
-Fire Units using regular unit numbering, SUPRESSION TEAM #,
SEARCH TEAM #, ICS callsigns (i.e. COMMAND, OPERATIONS, etc.)

3696 Fire Tac 3, Tactical
-Fire Units using regular unit numbering, SUPRESSION TEAM #,
SEARCH TEAM #, ICS callsigns (i.e. COMMAND, OPERATIONS, etc.)

36976 Savannah Fire Fireground 1, Tactical
37008 Savannah Fire Fireground 2, Tactical
54128 SCMPD B11 (P25), Law Enforcement Ops
7920 MedStar Dispatch 1

8016 MedStar Dispatch 2, Medical Transport Coordination
-MedStar Units, 1##, SO #

6256 CEMA 2, Tactical
-Fire Units using regular unit numbering, SUPRESSION TEAM #,
SEARCH TEAM #, ICS callsigns (i.e. COMMAND, OPERATIONS, etc.)

6288 CEMA 3, EMA and Logistics Ops
-LOGISTICS, CEMA #, ICS callsigns

2672 Chatham SO
3824 Southside FD Dispatch
4112 Southside EMS Medic 1
4144 Southside EMS Medic 2
4528 Port Wentworth PD
4592 Port Wentworth FD
4880 Thunderbolt Fire Tac 1
4944 Garden City PD
5040 Garden City FD
5200 Tybee Island FD
5424 Pooler FD
6224 CEMA 1
6640 ANG Crash/Fire
7088 Chatham Co. BOE PD
7760 Isle of Hope FD
12944 MedStar Admin (P25)
24656 Effingham Fire Rescue Dispatch
24688 Effingham EMS Dispatch
25104 Effingham Fireground 1
25136 Effingham Fireground 2
25200 Effingham Fire Rescue Admin 1
25328 Effingham EMA
36912 Savannah Fire Admin
50576 Savannah Vehicle Maintenance
53264 SCMPD A1, PCT 1 Car-to-Car (P250
53280 SCMPD B1, PCT 1 Primary (P25)
53328 SCMPD B2, PCT 2 Primary (P25)
53644 SCMPD B9, Westside Dispatch (P25)
54064 SCMPD (P25)
54112 SCMPD B10 (P25)


Fort Stewart/Hunter AAF TRS
---------------------------
2576 EMS Dispatch
2672 Fire Tac
3504 Hunter Crash/Fire


Conventional
------------
462.975 LifeStar
-LIFESTAR, LIFESTAR BASE

156.800 Marine VHF Ch. 16
-MSU Savannah clg 25671

157.050 Marine VHF Ch. 21
-RESCUE 6542, 6553 (HH-65C, Savannah); debris search and
standby
-25652, 25524, 25671 (25' boat), 192526 (19' boat)
-Auxiliary 770, 577, 957
-Station Tybee, Sector Charleston
-MSU Savannah
-SCMPD Marine Patrol
-6561 for video/survey work on 02-08-08

345.000 USCG Ops Primary
-Air Station Savannah, 6542, 6553

157.100 Marine VHF Ch. 22
-River closing broadcasts

156.650 Marine VHF Ch. 13
-USCG boats wkg vessels entering/leaving security zone
-Moran Tugs (providing water pumping support due to low water
pressure from plant system and hydrants

415.1625 Hunter AAF Transient Alert
-discussion of how many portable lighting units they had
to send to incident

References were made to handheld VHF radios, probably being used to communicate with non-800 FDs like Screven and Bryan Counties.


Aviation
--------
124.975 Hunter Tower
-LIFEGUARD N117LS (LifeStar)
-LIFEGUARD N911AM (Air Med)
-LIFEGUARD N116LN (Emory Flight 2)
-LIFEGUARD N350DH (Rescue Air)
-LIFEGUARD N224LF
-LIFEGUARD N506RA (Rescue Air)
-LIFEGUARD N308CG (Air Med)
-RESCUE 6542 (HH-65C, USCG, Savannah)
-RESCUE 6553 (HH-65C, USCG, Savannah)
-COAST GUARD 6561 (HH-65C, USCG, Savannah)

119.100 Savannah IAP Towr
120.400 Savannah Approach/Departure
-EAGLE 1 (MD 500, Chatham Co.)
-EAGLE 2 (MD-500, Chatham Co.)
-LIFEGUARD N117LS (LifeStar)
-LIFEGUARD N911AM (Air Med)
-LIFEGUARD N116LN (Life Net)
-LIFEGUARD N350DH (Rescue Air)
-LIFEGUARD N224LF
-LIFEGUARD N506RA (Rescue Air)
-LIFEGUARD N308CG (Air Med)
-RESCUE 6542 (HH-65C, USCG, Savannah)
-RESCUE 6553 (HH-65C, USCG, Savannah)
-COAST GUARD 6561 (HH-65C, USCG, Savannah)

123.025 Airborne Operations, Air-to-Ground, probably
working LZ near triage area (PW Elementary?)

Medevac Helicopter Ops were out of the Memorial Hospital Helideck, the Jenkins High Schoool athletic field, Savannah IAP, and the incident scene LZ. Helicopters from Hunter AAF were used for medevacs during the night and early morning of 7/8 February but I did not hear them because I was sleeping. B-169 AVN CH-47s were on standby for water drops on 8 February but not used; ARNG personnel were on scene to provide comms with the CH-47s if needed. EAGLE 2 was used for water drops on 11 February.

Mac McCormick, KF4LMT
kf4lmt@comcast.net

Imperial Sugar Refinery Explosion

As I am sure everyone is aware by now, there was an explosion last night at the Imperial Sugar Refinery in Port Wentworth. Fire Departments, EMS Services, Law Enforcement Agencies, and medevac helicopter services from throughout the area and state responded to assist. This is easily the biggest incident in the Savannah area since 1995's Powell-Duffryn explosion.

I will post more comprehensively on monitored communications later, but here is what was in primary use last night and this morning:

3632 - Fire Tac 1, Incident Command
37072 - Fire Common, Operations
3664 - Fire Tac 2, Tactical
36976 - Savannah Fire Fireground 1, Tactical
37008 - Savannah Fire Fireground 2, Tactical
54128 - SCMPD B11 (P25), Law Enforcement Ops
7920 - MedStar Dispatch 1
8016 - MedStar Dispatch 2, Medical Transport Coordination
6288 - CEMA 3, EMA and Logistics Ops

462.975 - LifeStar
157.050 - Marine VHF Ch. 21
345.000 - USCG Ops Primary
119.100 - Savannah IAP Tower
124.975 - Hunter AAF Tower


Mac McCormick, KF4LMT
kf4lmt@comcast.net

Metro Fire Dispatch Changes and Tac Channel Usage

In the last week or so, Savannah-Chatham Metro Dispatch and the municipal fire departments that they dispatch have made some modifications to how the departments are dispatched and the radio channels they operate on.

Previously, Garden City FD, Isle of Hope FD, Port Wentworth FD, and Thunderbolt FD were dispatched on the Metro Fire Dispatch talkgroup (of the Chatham-Effingham TRS) 3568. Pooler and Bloomingdale FD were dispatched on the Pooler FD talkgroup 5424. Over the last week, I have noticed that all of the above are now being dispatched on talkgroup 3568 (a change that makes complete sense, it must have been a pain for the dispatchers to switch talkgroups when working with the different departments).

They are also making use of the Fire Tac channels that have been listed for so long in the Radio Reference database but never heard. Once the units have been dispatched and arrive on scene to an active incident, Metro Dispatch pushes them to one of the Fire Tac channels for their fireground operations. The use of the Fire Tac channels keep tactical traffic off of the dispatch channel and enable Metro Dispatch to know where to find the units to do safety checks and communicate with the incident commander.

3632 = Fire Tac 1
3664 = Fire Tac 2
3696 = Fire Tac 3
3728 = Fire Tac 4
3760 = Fire Tac 5
3792 = Fire Tac 6


Mac McCormick, KF4LMT
kf4lmt@comcast.net