Aircraft Down in SC - Update

I just got word from a fellow radio hobbyist in SC that the aircraft is down in Jasper County, SC. He mentioned that Jasper County FD and a Coast Guard helicopter are involved in the search; the USCG helicopter is probably 6565, which I have heard Sector Charleston replying to on 157.050. No further info is available at this time.

Mac McCormick III, KF4LMT

Aircraft Down in SC?

Have heard some traffic on 159.450 (South Carolina Forestry Repeater) and 157.050 (Marine VHF Ch. 21) about a possible aircraft down. A forestry unit on 159.450 mentioned the search and I heard Sector Charleston working an unknown asset in reference to an ELT search/possible aircraft down; Sector advised there would be no re-tasking unless they got more information. The unknown asset is possibly 6565, today's AirFac Charleston duty helicopter.

Mac McCormick III, KF4LMT

Georgia QSO Party Part 2

Location: Savannah

I'm back at the Georgia QSO Party effort at the Coastal Amateur Radio Society Club Station at Southside Fire Department Station 1. I'm here with Kevin Bell, KW4B and Steve Jonas, K4SDJ. The contest resumed at 1000 this morning and after having poor results on 20 Meters, Kevin got the station cranked up on 40 Meters with decent results. A recent check of the log shows 96 stations worked since 1400 yesterday.

If you're up on HF, listen for us. We're using the club callsign W4LHS.

Mac McCormick III, KF4LMT

Georgia QSO Party and Scanning Demo

This morning, I'm going to meet the Savannah hams for breakfast at Sunny Side Up then go over to Southside Fire Station 1 on White Bluff to help set up the Coastal Amateur Radio Society's club station for a Georgia QSO Party effort. While the club is operating today, I'll also have a computer aided scanning demonstration set up using the laptop, BCD396T, and ARC396 Pro.

Look for tweets throughout the day to update the activity. I'll also be tweeting with the CARS twitter account, which you can see here or at the CARS website here.

If you want to make a contact with us on the ham bands, listen out for W4LHS.

Mac McCormick III, KF4LMT

I recently did some minor modifications to the home Monitoring Post/Amateur Radio Station. I'm using the HP laptop as my primary computer now, it travels back and forth between Brunswick and Savannah now. The desktop computer is being used to run radio control software for the scanners and for TweetDeck to keep up with Twitter and Facebook. During severe weather, I also use the desktop to keep a radar loop up.

Mac McCormick III, KF4LMT

Military Monitoring Recap; March 2010

Hunter AAF
124.975 - Tower
279.575 - Tower
285.425 - Tower
121.800 - Ground
291.675 - Ground
126.200 - Base Ops
345.000 - USCG Air Station Savanah Ops
323.125 - Hunter AAF ATIS
127.525 - Hunter AAF ATIS (New)
77.725 - 224 MI Bn "SUNNY OPS"
127.650 - GCA
143.200 - GCA
307.125 - GCA
317.475 - GCA
406.1625 - Hunter Tower/Base Ops
406.7625 - Hunter POL
415.7625 - Hunter Trans Alert

ARMY 26490 (MH-60L, 3-160 SOAR)
ARMY 26961 (MH-60L, 3-160 SOAR)
ARMY 03750 (MH-47G, 3-160 SOAR)
ARMY 03754 (MH-47G, 3-160 SOAR)
ARMY 03757 (MH-47G, 3-160 SOAR)
ARMY 03761 (MH-47G, 3-160 SOAR)
SUNNY ## (RC-12N, 224 MI Bn)
TESTHAWK ## (H-60, OLR)
COAST GUARD 6510 (MH-65C, Savannah)
COAST GUARD 6542 (MH-65C, Savannah)
COAST GUARD 6565 (MH-65C, Savannah)
COAST GUARD 6604 (MH-65C, Savannah)
BOXCAR ## (C-27, Robins AFB)
COAST GUARD 102
COAST GUARD 2004 (HC-130J)
COAST GUARD 6526 (MH-65C, HITRON)
DAWG ## (C-130H, 165 AW)
GUARD 70013 (CH-47D)
HURRICANE ## (CH-53E)
LANCER 03 (P-3C, VP-10)
NAVY HQ 461 (SH-60, HSL-46)
NAVY HP 446 (SH-60, HSL-44)
NAVY LF 11 (P-3C, VP-16)
NAVY LL 06 (P-3C, VP-30)
NAVY LL 46 (P-3C, VP-30)
OTIS 28 (KC-130, VMGR-252)
PAT 022
PAT 038 (C-12)
PAT 374
PAT 705
PAT 8009
PEACH 33 (E-8C frontend, 330th CTS)
PEACH 35 (E-8C, 330th CTS)
PHEONIX ## (CH-53E)
SCEPTER 12 (HC-130, 71 RQS)
SCEPTER 17 (HC-130, 71 RQS)
SPARKY 02 (RC-12)
TEAL 56 (WC-130, 53rd WRS)
TIGER ## (P-3C, VP-8)


Savannah IAP/CRTC
119.100 - Tower
257.800 - Tower
121.900 - Ground
348.600 - Ground
120.400 - Approach/Departure
353.775 - Approach/Departure
125.300 - Approach/Departure
371.875 - Approach/Departure
118.400 - Approach/Departure
307.225 - Approach/Departure
225.750 - 165th AW CP
225.050 - 165th AW air-to-air
138.625 - CRTC CP
237.000 - CRTC CP
234.800 - 125th FW Aux 6
253.700 - 125th FW Aux 7
314.200 - 125th FW Aux 8
343.000 - 125th FW Aux 9
293.300 - CRTC Discrete
328.500 - CRTC Discrete
363.900 - CRTC Discrete
379.800 - CRTC Discrete
233.550 - 103rd FS air-to-air
140.2125 - CRTC
141.6375 - CRTC
149.4875 - CRTC
123.200 - WCM9, Gulfstream
123.575 - Gulfstream Test Ops

DAWG ## (C-130H, 165th AW)
FANG ## (F-15, 125th FW)
SNAKE ## (F-15, 125th FW)
RATTLER ## (F-15, 125th FW)
VENOM ## (F-15, 125th FW)
IRON ## (F-15C, 71st FS0
KNIGHT ## (F-15C, 71st FS)
STEEL ## (F-15C, 71st FS)
MADHOG ## (A-10, 103rd FS)
UGLY ## (A-10, 103rd FS)
GULF TEST ## (Gulfstream Test Flight)


Fort Stewart/Wright AAF
127.350 - Marne Radio
279.626 - Marne Radio
126.250 - Wright AAF Tower
269.275 - Wright AAF Tower

GUARD 72048


MCAS Beaufort
328.425 - Approach/Departure
292.125 - Approach/Departure
281.800 - Base Ops
264.500 - PMSV
361.800 - VMFA-115 Base
339.500 - VMFA-115 Tac 1
225.675 - VMFA-115 Tac 2
274.500 - VMFA-115 Tac 3
253.100 - VMFA-122 Base
283.400 - VMFA-122 Tac 1
354.325 - VMFA-122 Tac 2
269.700 - VMFA-122 Tac 3
344.200 - VMFA(AW)-224 Base
250.300 - VMFA(AW)-224 Tac 1
258.900 - VMFA(AW)-224 Tac 2
336.225 - VMFA(AW)-224 Tac 3
313.800 - VMFA-251 Base
290.000 - VMFA-251 Tac 1
327.475 - VMFA-251 Tac 2
376.425 - VMFA-251 Tac 3
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

Note: At some point it seems that VMFA-312 switched to F/A-18Cs
for carrier deployment

KAISER 1# (F/A-18, MAG-31)
NIKEL 3# (F/A-18A, VMFA-122)
BENGAL 4# (F/A-18D, VMFA-224)
TBOLT 5# (F/A-18C, VMFA-251)
CHECK 6# (F/A-18A+, VMFA-312)
HAWK 8# (F/A-18D, VMFA-533)
FOX 515 (C-12, MCAS Beaufort)
FOX 081 (C-12)
PAT 894 (C-12)


Brunswick/Golden Isles Airport
122.800 - CTAF

NAVY 7C 025


Charleston AFB
349.400 - Charleston AFB "PALMETTO OPS"
134.100 - Charleston AFB "PALMETTO OPS"
233.950 - PMSV
372.200 - PTD
118.150 - North Field CCT
235.775 - North Field CCT

IMPAC ## (C-17, 437/315 AW)


Shaw AFB
320.525 - 79th FS "TIGER OPS"
139.925 - 79th FS Air-to-Air

FANG ## (F-16C, 79th FS)
TURBAN ## (F-16C 79th FS)


McIntire JNGB
298.300 - 169th FW "SWAMP FOX OPS"
141.825 - 169th FW V14
143.625 - 169th FW V15
143.250 - 169th FW V16
141.925 - 169th FS V17

MACE ## (F-16C, 169th FW)
VIPER ## (F-16C, 169th FW)
DEMON ## (F-16C, 169th FW)
HEAT ## (F-16C, 169th FW)


Jacksonville IAP
322.400 - Jacksonville App/Dep
351.800 - Jacksonville App/Dep
377.050 - Jacksonville App/Dep
317.700 - Jacksonville IAP Tower
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

FANG (F-15, 125 FW)
SNAKE (F-15, 125 FW)
RATTLER (F-15, 125 FW)
DEMO 01 (Unknown)


NAS Jacksonville/Mayport NS
322.400 - Jacksonville App/Dep
351.800 - Jacksonville App/Dep
377.050 - Jacksonville App/Dep
340.200 - NAS Jax Tower
118.750 - NS Mayport Tower
239.300 - NS Mayport Tower

NAVY CD 1## (T-45)
NAVY CD 2## (T-45)
NAVY HK 404 (SH-60, HSL-40)
NAVY LF 11 (P-3C, VP-16)
NAVY LN 45D (P-3C, VP-45)
BUZZARD ## (P-3, VPU-1)
MAD FOX ## (P-3C, VP-5)
PELICAN ## (P-3C, VP-45)
TIGER ## (P-3C, VP-8)


Robins AFB/JSTARS
293.525 - 116th ACW "PEACHTREE OPS"
228.050 - JSTARS Discrete
276.075 - JSTARS Discrete
318.300 - JSTARS Discrete
328.025 - JSTARS Discrete
335.975 - JSTARS Discrete
341.750 - JSTARS Discrete
346.675 - JSTARS Discrete
355.250 - JSTARS Discrete
372.150 - JSTARS Discrete
381.000 - JSTARS Discrete
395.150 - JSTARS Discrete

PEACH 33 (E-8C frontend, 330th CTS)
NIGHTSTAR (E-8C backend, 12th ACCS)
PEACH 66 (E-8C frontend, 16th ACCS)
STRIKESTAR (E-8C backend, 16th ACCS)


Ranges/Military Operating Areas
119.225 - Townsend Range
228.400 - Townsend Range
252.900 - Townsend Range
343.750 - Bulldog MOA


SEALORD (USN FACSFAC Jax)
120.950 - North Primary
284.500 - North Primary
267.500 - South Primary
133.950 - South Primary
313.700 - North Secondary
385.300 - W-157 Discrete
311.500 - BRISTOL Discrete
320.500 - BRISTOL Discrete


DOUBLESHOT (W-161/177)
127.725 - Primary
381.350 - Primary
258.400 - Discrete
279.725 - Discrete


Miscellaneous
364.200 - NORAD AICC
293.600 - NORAD Discrete
316.300 - NORAD Discrete
228.225 - Moody AFB "ANGEL OPS"
225.450 - 71st RQS U1
236.075 - Grand Bay Range, Moody AFB
275.650 - 23rd FG air-to-air
300.925 - 4th FW air-to-air
301.025 - 4th FW air-to-air
289.700 - Raccoon AR Track
324.600 - AR-207
236.250 - ECHO Base (Grumman, St. Augustine)
275.200 - GRUMMAN OPS (Grumman, St. Augustine)

ADVANCE (JTAC)
ADLER 1# (F-15E, 4th FW)
BARLEY 3# (F-15E, 4th FW)
GREYHAWK 05 (E-2C, VAW-120)
GRUMMAN 07 (Grumman Test Flight)
HUNTRESS (NORAD EADS)
ROMAN ## (F/A-18, VFA-106)
SCEPTER ## (HC-130, 71s RQS)
SKULL 50 (B-52H, 2nd BW)
SKUNK 0# (A-10, 23rd FG)
SODA ## (KC-135, 151st ARS)
TUFF 43 (B-52H, 2nd BW)
TURBO 85 (KC-135, 22 ARW)
TYRANT (JTAC)


ARTCC
256.900 - Jax Center
269.550 - Jax Center Columbia Low
273.525 - Jax Center Charleston/Metta
277.400 - Jax Center Brunswick Low
282.200 - Jax Center Jekyll Low
282.300 - Jax Center Alma High
285.650 - Jax Center Statesboro High
290.400 - Jax Center Waycross Low
322.500 - Jax Center Savannah Low
351.700 - Jax Center Summerville High
363.200 - Jax Center Allendale Low

323.000 - Atlanta Center Macon


Mac McCormick III, KF4LMT

Butel ARC396 and ARC996 Pro Software for the Uniden BC396 and BC996

I recently upgraded both my ARC396 and ARC996 software to the Pro versions. The Pro versions add computer logging and recording to the already excellent ARC basic software. I've been messing around with ARC396 Pro here in Brunswick the last two days and plan on doing some mobile logging/recording with ARC396 Pro next week. Already I believe that both of these programs, available at www.butel.nl, are excellent additions to a scanning or monitoring "toolbox." The cost for the Pro versions is $69.99, but it is well worth the purchase considering the scanners are near $500. Both programs allow you to do unattended logging with the added beneift of recording which means you can not only log talkgroups or frequencies but attempt to ID them through the associated recordings.

The software logs talkgroup or frequency hits to the virtual control screen with the option to also log the hits to a .csv file. The virtual control screen shows what talkgroups or frequencies have seen hits, the number of hits, frequency it was for a talkgroup, and date/time. The .csv file logs the same info, but logs each individual hit. You can open up the file in Excel and easily sort out the fields to utilize the information.

The software can also record audio from the talkgroup and frequency hits as .wav files. Each individual "intercept" by the scanner is recorded as a seperate .wav; if several transmissions are made before the scanner resumes scanning, those will all be in one file, if only one transmission passes before resuming, just that transmission is recorded. The files are named with a combination of date, time, and talkgroup or frequency in folders specific to the systems and groups programmed into the scanner, thus they are easily identified and located to listen to. It isn't hard at all to ID what frequency or talkgroup you listening to a recording from or what time it was made.

If you are just a casual listener, ARC396 and ARC996 Pro may not be for you but if you are interested in searching and discovering new things with your scanner these two programs are definitely for you.

Mac McCormick III, KF4LMT