Hurricane Dean

Hurricane Dean is now a Category 4 Storm and drawing a bead on Jamaica. By the time it reaches Jamaica, it could very well be a Category 5 Storm. With Dean's forecast track putting it in the Gulf of Mexico next week, NASA will be bringing the Endeavour back a day early in case there are evacuations in Houston (where Mission Control is). The Hurricane Watch net on 14.325 USB has been active over the last couple of days as Dean approached the Caribbean

Dean is also a very large storm, as seen in the IR satellite image below. Hurricane force winds extend out 70 miles from the center of the storm. Tropical Storm force winds extend out 230 miles from the center of the storm.

This is definitely a time to keep the people of Jamaica in our prayers.

Mac McCormick, KF4LMT
kf4lmt@comcast.net

Hooray JSTARS! Boo Encryption.

To butcher the Red Stripe Beer commercials... Hooray JSTARS! Boo Encryption.

I hadn't heard any JSTARS activity in quite awhile until Monday and Tuesday. STARGATE (E-8, 330 CTS) was active both days, although most of the activity was encrypted. On Monday, 138.575 (AM) was active with some voice traffic. Tuesday found 328.025, 381.000 and 364.200 (AICC) active with traffic from STARGATE.

Mac McCormick, KF4LMT

kf4lmt@comcast.net

TS Dean Heading for the Gulf of Mexico

For now, it looks like the coastal Georgia area can breathe easier. It appears that Tropical Storm Dean will be heading for the Gulf of Mexico rather than turning more northerly towards the coast. We're still not out of the woods yet. Things are looking better, but it would still be prudent to watch the forecast for Dean over the next few days.

Mac McCormick III, KF4LMT
kf4lmt@comcast.net

Tropical Storm Dean

The first tropical storm we really need to keep our eyes on has developed in the Atlantic. Tropical Storm Dean is currently in the Atlantic Ocean and is forecast to be in the Caribbean Sea by Sunday. Here is the latest predicted track from the US Navy's NAVMETOCCEN:

According to the Crown Weather Services: "As for next week, the fact that many of the models are trending towards a brush with or landfall on the US East Coast is troubling and this is something to keep a very close eye on."

This storm is not something to worry about now, but it wouldn't be a bad idea to start thinking and planning ahead should it come our way. It would be a very good idea to start keeping good tabs on the predictions the end of this week and during the weekend. As far as the radio monitoring and scanning end of things, check out one of the Key Klix articles I posted earlier this year: Hurricane Monitoring - 2007.

Space Shuttle Endeavour Launch

The Space Shuttle Endeavour launched from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida this evening at 1836 local time. I've had no luck monitoring HF communications using my indoor setup despite Al Stern's excellent postings on the email groups but I was able to get five good transmissions out of the UHF air-to-ground communications on 259.700:

"Two Engines...."

"Negative Return"

"Press to AG?"

"Single Engine...."

"Press to MECO"

This is about average for what I get from here in Savannah during a shuttle launch: five to six transmissions. There was a sixth transmission between "Single Engine..." and "Press to MECO" but it was quite garbled and I was unable to make it out.

Here's to Good Luck on the the STS-118 Mission.


Mac McCormick, KF4LMT
kf4lmt@comcast.net

Coastal Georgia MilCom; 15-31 July 2007

Frequencies

Hunter AAF
133.550 - Hunter AAF Tower
279.575 - Hunter AAF Tower
126.200 - Hunter AAF Base Ops
32.350 - 3/3 AVN Ops
38.150 - B-169 AVN Ops
157.175 - USCG Air Sta Maintenance Control
345.000 - USCG Air Station Savannah
406.1625 - Tower/Base Ops
406.7625 - POL
415.1625 - Trans Alert

Savannah IAP/CRTC
120.400 - Savannah App/Dep
380.025 - Savannah App/Dep
125.300 - Savannah App/Dep
387.100 - Savannah App/Dep
118.400 - Savannah App/Dep
307.225 - Savannah App/Dep
119.100 - Savannah Tower
257.800 - Savannah Tower
225.750 - 165th AW Command Post
225.050 - 165th AW
237.000 - Savannah CRTC CP
138.625 - Savannah CRTC CP
140.500 - 113th FS air-to-air

Marne Radio/Fort Stewart
127.350 - Marne Radio
279.625 - Marne Radio

MCAS Beaufort
118.450 - MCAS Beaufort App/Dep
301.200 - MCAS Beaufort App/Dep
251.700 - MCAS Beaufort App/Dep
119.050 - MCAS Beaufort App/Dep
340.200 - MCAS Beaufort App/Dep
361.800 - VMFA-115 Base
339.500 - VMFA-115 Tac 1
320.200 - VMFA-115 Tac 2
253.100 - VMFA-122 Base
283.400 - VMFA-122 Tac 1
354.325 - VMFA-122 Tac 2
228.200 - VMFA-312 Base
301.950 - VMFA-312 Tac 1
320.300 - VMFA-312 Tac 2
310.200 - VMFA(AW)-533 Base
299.300 - VMFA(AW)-533 Tac 2
348.825 - VMFA(AW)-533 Tac 3
256.250 - Operation Carolina Guardian Exercise freq
250.300 - Operation Carolina Guardian Exercise freq
258.900 - Operation Carolina Guardian Exercise freq
336.225 - Operation Carolina Guardian Exercise freq
305.800 - Operation Carolina Guardian Exercise freq
327.475 - Operation Carolina Guardian Exercise freq

Shaw AFB
381.300 - Shaw AFB CP
311.200 - 55th FS "SHOOTER" Ops
139.750 - 55th FS V10
143.425 - 55th FS V11
273.700 - 77th FS "GAMBLER" Ops
141.750 - 77th FS V9

McEntire ANGB
298.300 - 169th FW "SWAMP FOX OPS"
125.125 - 169th FW V1
140.125 - 169th FW V17
141.925 - 169th FW V18
141.825 - 169th FW V19
138.025 - 169th FW air-to-air

Jax IAP
251.250 - 125th FW Maintenance/Ops
273.900 - 125th FW SOF
234.800 - 125th FW Aux 6
253.700 - 125th FW Aux 7
314.200 - 125th FW Aux 8
343.000 - 125th FW Aux 9

Ranges/MOAs
228.400 - Townsend Range
252.900 - Townsend Range
343.750 - Bulldog MOA

Sealord
120.950 - SEALORD North Primary
284.500 - SEALORD North Primary
313.700 - SEALORD North Secondary
133.950 - SEALORD South Primary
267.500 - SEALORD South Primary
349.800 - W-157 Discrete
376.900 - W-157 Discrete
385.300 - W-157 Discrete
301.000 - South TACTS Range
350.000 - South TACTS Range
381.875 - North TACTS Range

Doubleshot
127.725 - DOUBLESHOT Primary
279.725 - DOUBLESHOT Primary

USS Truman/CVW-3 Carrier Strike Group
3.167 - USS Harry S. Truman Hotel Foxtrot
289.650 - USS Harry S. Truman Marshal
235.550 - USS Harry S. Truman Strike
271.900 - USS Harry S. Truman Red Crown
273.350 - USS Harry S. Truman Hotel Zulu
278.150 - USS Harry S. Truman unknown
283.650 - USS Harry S. Truman Hotel Papa
242.125 - VFA-11 Tac
245.325 - unknown Tac
343.575 - unknown Tac
367.625 - VAW-126 Tac
225.350 - Pinecastle Range
289.200 - Pinecastle Range
322.700 - SILENT WARRIOR/Opfor

Miscellaneous
134.100 - Charleston AFB CP "Palmetto Ops"
138.350 - FAA "Flight Check"
228.225 - ANGEL OPS, 23rd Wing
251.600 - GIANT KILLER
271.400 - Sea Control Wing Atlantic Base
285.000 - FIDDLE, USN TSC Jacksonville
310.200 - NAS Jacksonville Base Ops
311.525 - VMFA-542 Tac
349.400 - Charleston AFB CP "Palmetto Ops"
360.500 - VMGR-252, AR with LUSTY AV-8Bs
371.350 - CPRW-11 Base

Air Traffic Control
277.400 - Jax Center Brunswick Low
282.200 - Jax Center Jekyll Low
285.650 - Jax Center Statesboro High
322.500 - Jax Center Savannah Low
346.250 - Jax Center
351.700 - Jax Center Summerville High
363.200 - Jax Center Allendale Low
379.100 - Jax Center Charleston Low
306.925 - Charelston App/Departure
255.400 - FSS

Coast Guard
157.050 - Marine VHF Ch. 21
157.100 - Marine VHF Ch. 22


Callsigns

Hunter AAF
ARMY 65005 - AH-64D, 3-3 AVN
ARMY 65010 - AH-64D, 3-3 AVN
ARMY 65017 - AH-64D, 3-3 AVN
ARMY 95134 - AH-64D, 3-3 AVN
ARMY 95136 - AH-64D, 3-3 AVN
ARMY 05184 - AH-64D, 3-3 AVN
ARMY 05222 - AH-64D, 3-3 AVN
ARMY 15246 - AH-64D, 3-3 AVN
ARMY 15280 - AH-64D, 3-3 AVN
ARMY 15283 - AH-64D, 3-3 AVN
ARMY 15284 - AH-64D, 3-3 AVN
ARMY 26189 - MH-60L, 3-160 SOAR
ARMY 26408 - MH-60L, 3-160 SOAR
ARMY 03746 - MH-47G, 3-160 SOAR
ARMY 03747 - MH-47G, 3-160 SOAR
ARMY 03748 - MH-47G, 3-160 SOAR
ARMY 03751 - MH-47G, 3-160 SOAR
ARMY 03752 - MH-47G, 3-160 SOAR
ARMY 03753 - MH-47G, 3-160 SOAR
ARMY 03755 - MH-47G, 3-160 SOAR
SUNNY - RC-12N, 224 MI Bn
GUARD 00249 - CH-47D, B-169 AVN
GUARD 00252 - CH-47D, B-169 AVN
GUARD 00295 - CH-47D, B-169 AVN
GUARD 00296 - CH-47D, B-169 AVN
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 6575 - HH-65C, Savannah
KING 15 - MC-130, 71st RQS
MAD FOX 96 - P-3C, VP-5
NAVY AX 238 - C-130
REACH 796 - DC-10

Savannah IAP/CRTC
DAWG - C-130H, 165 AW
REACH A612 - C-130H, 165 AW
RACER - F-16, 113th FS
PUSHER(?) - unknown
SAM 1648

MCAS Beaufort
BLADE 2# - F/A-18A+, VMFA-115
NIKEL 3# - F/A-18C, VMFA-122
CHECK 6# - F/A-18A+, VMFA-312
HAWK 8# - F/A-18D, VMFA(AW)-533
MAD FOX 01 - P-3C, VP-5

McEntire ANGB
MACE - F-16CJ, 169th FW
VIPER - F-16CJ, 169th FW
DEMON - F-16CJ, 169th FW

Shaw AFB
CONAN - F-16CJ, 55th FS
NAIL - F-16CJ, 77th FS
POKER - F-16CJ, 77th FS
TIGER - F-16CJ, 79th FS

Jax IAP
FANG - F-15A, 125th FW
SNAKE - F-15A, 125th FW
RATTLER - F-15A, 125th FW
VENOM - F-15A, 125th FW

USS Truman/CVW-3 Carrier Strike Group
AMBUSH - F/A-18
BICEP - E-2C, VAW-126 frontend
CLOSEOUT -E-2C, VAW-126 backend
HAMMER - F/A-18
RATTLER 06
RIPPER - F/A-18F, VFA-11
SEAHAWK - E-2C, VAW-126
SHIELD - F/A-18

Miscellaneous
BAMA - F-16, Alabama ANG
BANDSAW - E-3, 964th ACCS backend
BOLT - KC-135, 6th ARW
COAST GUARD 1707 - HC-130
DRAGNET - E-3, 966th ACCS backend
DIXIE - KC-135, 117th ARW
EVAC 50035
GATOR - F/A-18, VMFA-142
GOLIATH - E-3, 960th ACCS backend
GUARD 26601 - UH-60L, 1-171 AVN
JE 24R - P-3C
JE 30C - P-3C
LOCKHEED 99 - C-5M
LUSTY - AV-8B, VMA-542
NAVY LF 161 - P-3C, VP-16
MARAUDER 4# - AH-64, SC ARNG
OTIS - KC-130, VMGR-252
REACH 121
REACH 268T
RULER - C-17, 172nd AW
SCOUT - E-3 frontend
SENTRY 06 - E-3, 960th ACCS frontend
SENTRY 40 - E-3, 964th ACCS frontend
SENTRY 60 - E-3, 966th ACCS frontend
THUMPER - E-3 backend
VANGUARD 24A - unknown
YETI - unknown (RTB Shaw AFB)


Mac McCormick, KF4LMT
kf4lmt@comcast.net

Lack of Blog Activity

I apologize for the lack of actitivy here over the last month or so. I have picked up additional duties and responsibilities at work over the last month and I'm just now getting adjusted to them. Hopefully I'll be getting back into the swing of posting regularly quite soon. Not only have I not been able to post regularly, I just haven't been able to listen regularly either.

I promise some updates over the next few days, including a milcom recap.

Thanks for your patience,
Mac McCormick, KF4LMT
kf4lmt@comcast.net