VMFA-122 Frequencies

Back on 19 March, I wrote about VMFA-122's return to MCAS Beaufort. They have returned to the air around Beaufort this week using the same frequencies that they did prior to their deployment to MCAS Iwakuni.

253.100 - Base
283.400 - Tac 1
354.325 - Tac 2


Mac McCormick, KF4LMT
kf4lmt@comcast.net

VS-24 Disestablished

From the 22 March, 2007 edition of Jax Air News:

http://www.jaxairnews.com/stories/032207/mil_vs24.shtml

VS-24, the SCOUTs, will officially deactivate on March 31, 2007. The formal ceremony, however, occurs today at NAS Jacksonville. I will sorely miss hearing the SCOUTs. It wasn't unusual to hear them transiting near the Savannah area or working down at Townsend Range. I also was occasionally able to hear them working up with carrier strike groups.

Unfortunately this will not be last S-3B unit to disestablish; the Navy is gradually phasing the venerable S-3 out. One can only wonder if they will be able to replace it with a platform as steady, durable, versatile, and dependable as the S-3B has been.

Mac McCormick, KF4LMT

kf4lmt@comcast.net

Robins AFB Command Post Callsign Change

Posted on the MilCom email reflector this morning:

COMMAND POST FREQUENCY 311.0 AND 321.0 CALL SIGN "BLACK KNIGHT CONTROL".RAYMOND19 CALL SIGN WILL NO LONGER BE AVAILABLE FOR USE. 25 MAR 00:01UNTIL 11 MAY 00:01

BLACK KNIGHT CONTROL comes from the 19th Air Refueling Group, the Black Knights, based at Robins AFB. I wonder if all of the RAYMOND Command Post callsigns will be changing or just Robins? Unit-based callsigns like these are easier for me to remember by location because they associate with a unit tied to the location.


In similar news, it was reported on the email reflectors recently that Charleston AFB Command Post has begun using the callsign PALMETTO OPS. PALMETTO OPS is indeed in wide use now, an unusually high number of users seem to have gotten the message. Usually it takes quite awhile for users to get used to a callsign change...


Mac McCormick, KF4LMT
kf4lmt@comcast.net

Savannah NWS Weather Radio Transmitter to Move

It was mentioned during the Skywarn weather spotters class I attended last night that the National Weather Service Weather Radio transmitter (162.400) that covers Savannah will be moving from the downtown Savannah area to a tower in Jasper County, SC. Placement on the tower will be higher (I forget the height because I didn't write it down) and will give the transmitter improved coverage.

I also hope that this improves the RF situation in downtown Savannah. The powerful signal on 162.400 bleeds over on 234.800 on my Uniden equipment as well as bleeding over on various other federal VHF frequencies on almost all of my equipment.

Mac McCormick, KF4LMT
kf4lmt@comcast.net

Skywarn Spotter Training

Earlier tonight, I attended a National Weather Service Skywarn weather spotters class at the Effingham Fire/Rescue training center. I've been a trained spotter for several years, but I needed to get a refresher class. The last class I took occurred when the NWS had first started using a Power Point presentation instead of the old slides and videos. I was not very impressed with the power point presentation being used at that time; it was too "busy" and distracting. The presentation they are using now, however, is excellent. It is concise and to the point with the bonus of using photos from the Charleston office's area when possible. I strongly recommend this training for all amateur radio operators and anyone with an interest in public service. You don't have to be an amateur radio operator to be a weather spotter!

The next available training will be (From the NWS Charleston website):

April 5th , 700pm-900pm
Chatham County annex building
295 Police Memorial Drive
Savannah, Georgia 31405
Dustin Hetzel, 912-201-4500

To reserve a spot in this class...please call Dustin Hetzel at 912-201-4500 or email him at DJHetzel@Chathamcounty.org


For amateur radio operators who are spotters or are interested in being trained as a spotter, don't forget the Lowcountry Skywarn Net on the first and third Tuesdays of the month; 9:00 PM on the 146.970 repeater. This net will go weekly once hurricane season begins.

Mac McCormick, KF4LMT
kf4lmt@comcast.net

Military Monitoring Recap; 12 March to 18 March 2007

Frequencies
Savannah Approach/Departure
120.400 - Approach/Departure
380.025 - Approach/Departure
125.300 - Approach/Departure
387.100 - Approach/Departure

Hunter Army Airfield
133.550 - Tower
279.575 - Tower
121.800 - Ground
291.675 - Ground
126.200 -Base Ops
51.050 - Common Frequency
45.900 - VIPER OPS (1-3 AVN)
49.800 - KNIGHTHAWK OPS (2-3 AVN)
36.100 - A/2-3 AVN
49.900 - ASSAULT OPS (4-3 AVN)
82.100 - SUNNY OPS (224 MI Bn)
38.150 - HURRICANE OPS (F-131 AVN)
406.1625 - Tower/Base Ops
406.7625 - POL
415.1625 - Trans Alert

Savannah IAP/CRTC
119.100 - Tower
257.800 - Tower
225.750 - 165 AW CP

Fort Stewart
127.350 - Marne Radio
279.625 - Marne Radio
126.250 - Wright AAF Tower
269.275 - Wright AAF Tower
280.800 - Range Control

MCAS Beaufort
119.050 - Tower
340.200 - Tower
301.200 - Approach/Departure
251.700 - Approach/Departure
361.800 - VMFA-115 Base
339.500 - VMFA-115 Tac 1
320.200 - VMFA-115 Tac 2
253.100 - VMFA-122 Base
228.200 - VMFA-312 Base
301.950 - VMFA-312 Tac 1
320.300 -VMFA-312 Tac 2
310.200 - VMFA(AW)-533 Base
289.275 - VMFA(AW)-533 Tac 1
299.300 - VMFA(AW)-533 Tac 2
348.825 - VMFA(AW)-533 Tac 3

JSTARS (116th ACW, Robins AFB, GA)
225.725 - JSTARS Discrete
376.125 - JSTARS Discrete

169th Fighter Wing (McEntire ANGB, SC)
298.300 - 169 FW Ops
125.125 - V1
140.125 - V17
141.925 - V18
141.825 - V19

125th Fighter Wing (Jacksonville IAP, FL)
251.250 - 125 FW Ops
234.800 - Aux 6
253.700 - Aux 7
343.000 - Aux 9

Townsend Range
228.400 - Range Control

Sealord (offshore operating areas)
120.950 - North Primary
284.500 - North Primary
267.500 -South Primary
133.950 - South Primary
349.800 - W-157 Discrete
376.900 - W-157 Discrete
385.300 - W-157 Discrete
350.675 - North TACTS Range
301.000 - South TACTS Range
350.000 - South TACTS Range

Miscellaneous
236.250 - unknown
255.400 - Macon Radio
269.000 - Gamecock MOA
291.400 - Unknown
343.750 - Bulldog MOA
360.500 - VMGR-252
364.200 - NORAD AICC

Jacksonville Center
277.400 - Brunswick Low
282.200 - Jekyll Low
285.650 - Statesboro High
363.200 - Allendale Low

Coast Guard
156.800 - Marine VHF Ch. 16
157.050 - Marine VHF Ch. 21
157.150 - Marine VHF Ch. 23
157.175 - Marine VHF Ch. 83
345.000 - USCG Air Station Savannah Ops


CALLSIGNS
Hunter Army Airfield
ARMY - Miscellaneous Army aircraft
VIPER - AH-64D, 1-3 AVN
HOOKER - CH-47D, B/2-3 AVN
SHARK - AH-64D, 3-3 AVN
TIGERSHARK - AH-64D, 3-3 AVN
ASSAULT - UH-60L, 4-3 AVN
SUNNY - RC-12N, 224 MI Bn
GUARD - Miscellanous Army National Guard Aircraft
TESTHOOK - H-47, OLR
COAST GUARD - Miscellaneous USCG Aircraft

Savannah IAP/CRTC
DAWG - C-130, 165th Airlfit Wing

MCAS Beaufort
BLADE - F/A-18A+, VMFA-115
SLIP 5#, 6# - F/A-18A+, VMFA-122
Note: SLIPs were VMFA-122 returning from deployment
CHECK - F/A-18C, VMFA-312
HAWK - F/A-18D, VMFA(AW)-533

JSTARS
STRIKESTAR - E-8C, 116 ACCS

169th Fighter Wing
MACE - F-16CJ, 169 FW
VIPER - F-16CJ, 169 FW
DEMON -F-16CJ, 169 FW
HEAT - F-16CJ, 169 FW

125th Fighter Wing
FANG - F-15A, 125 FW
SNAKE - F-15A, 125 FW

Miscellaneous
BOLT - KC-135, 6 ARW
EAGLE - OH-58D
EVERGREEN - Evergreen Airlines
JAWS - MC-130?
LOCKHEED - Lockheed Test Flight
OTIS - KC-130, VMGR-252
NAVY JV ### - C-40, VR-58
NAVY LL ## - P-3C, VP-30
PAT - US Army Transport
REACH - misc. airlift
THUNDER - MV-22, VMM-263
VDA #### - An-124, Volga-Dnepr Aviation
YANKEE -KC-130, VMGR-452


Mac McCormick, KF4LMT
kf4lmt@comcast.net

VMFA-122 Returns to MCAS Beaufort

F/A-18s from VMFA-122 returned from their MCAS Iwakuni Japan rotation to MCAS Beaufort, SC on Friday. I caught two cells returning as SLIP 5# and SLIP 6#. I heard a weak and garbled callsign ??????? 3# on Beaufort's VHF tower frequency; I assume that it was the supporting tanker. Both SLIP flights checked in with NIKEL Base (VMFA-122) on 253.100 before landing.

Mac McCormick, KF4LMT
kf4lmt@comcast.net