Monitoring Military Flight Demonstration Groups MT’s Annual Air Show Guide By Larry Van Horn, MT Milcom/Assistant Editor, N5FPW Courtesy Snowbirds ir show! Nothing stirs up excitement more activity in the new portion of the civilian aero Aerial Refueling 289.800 for the aircraft enthusiast than those two band: 136-137 MHz. Be sure to check out this Cross Country Air-Air 143.600 (AM) 237.800 238.150 284.250 magical words. frequency range out for civilian and military A demo aircraft communications Tower-Comm Cart 173.825 (NBFM) May no Bottom line: there is nothing quite as thrilling 122.7-123.575 AM 25 kHz steps longer be used as going out to one of the many public air shows 138.0-144.0 AM/Narrowband FM (NBFM) Tower Observer 143.000 (AM) across the country any given weekend and watch- 12.5 kHz steps ing one of the military or civilian demonstration 148.0-150.8 AM/NBFM 12.5 kHz steps Other frequencies reported in past years, but teams strut their stuff in front of thousands of air- 225.0-389.0 AM 25 kHz steps not heard in the last year include: 389.0-400.0 AM/NBFM 25 kHz steps plane fanatics. But, if you add to the visual drama 406.1-420.0 NBFM 12.5 kHz steps in front of you the element of monitoring the team’s 236.450 238.150 249.625 254.500 256.250 radio communications, you will experience a whole 262.850 263.350 264.350 273.300 286.000 new perspective of the show that few attendees can U.S. Navy Blue Angels 302.150 307.700 381.000 MHz realize or enjoy. The U.S. Navy (USN)/Marine Corps (USMC) Since the new 2006 air show season starts in military team is represented on the air show circuit U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds the second week of March, we present our seventh by the Blue Angels flying their F/A-18 Hornet The premier U.S. Air Force (USAF) flight annual Milcom Air Show column in this issue. You aircraft. The other major piece of hardware in demonstration team is known as the Thunderbirds. will get the frequencies to monitor, air show radio the squadron is their C-130 Hercules transport This team uses six F-16C Fighting Falcon aircraft, equipment list, and the military flight demonstra- aircraft, affectionately known as “Fat Albert.” performing formation flying and solo routines. The tion team schedules for the upcoming air show It is the only Marine Corps aircraft permanently four-aircraft diamond formation demonstrates the season. (See page 52 for the continuation.) assigned to support a Navy squadron and is flown training and precision of Air Force pilots, while by an all-Marine Corps crew of three pilots and the solos highlight the maximum capabilities of FREQUENCIES five enlisted personnel. “Fat Albert” flies more the F-16. The pilots perform approximately 30 than 140,000 miles during the course of a show maneuvers in a demonstration. The entire show, season. including ground and air, runs about an hour and Where do you hear the action? 2005 did After a wild 2004 season of searching for provide air show monitors with a few challenges, 15 minutes. new Blue Angel team frequencies, the 2005 season The frequency list below has been used by especially following the frequency changes of the was somewhat quieter in this regard. The primary Navy’s Blue Angel team communications. But the teams over the last seven air show seasons. It UHF frequencies monitored during 2005 season should be noted that at some shows the 143.850 when changes were made by the teams and our an- included (MHz): nual list didn’t have the new frequencies, seasoned and 235.250 MHz roles are reversed from what is published below. veterans knew the right bands to search to find the 237.800 new frequencies being used. 251.600 Frequency Usage So what bands do veteran radio monitors 255.200 140.400 Support/Cross country air-to-air search for new frequencies? You should concen- 264.550 (AM) trate on the bands listed below to locate air show 265.000 141.850 Pre-take/Four ship/Diamond forma- 275.350 activity in your area. tion linked to PA system (AM)/Cross 284.250 country air-to-air <Channel 2> 289.800 Aerial Refueling Milair Search Bands (MHz) 142.575 Program audio/Air-Ground commu- 299.650 nications (NBFM) 118.0-137.0 AM mode (AM) 25 kHz steps 302.100 <Fat Albert Secondary> Note: We have reports of a lot of new air show 143.850 Diamond formation/Cross country 305.500 <Fat Albert Primary> air-to-air (AM) <Channel 1> 346.500 Maintenance Courtesy Thunderbirds It has been reported that a new ground cart was in use by the team in 2005 and two new ground frequencies made their appearance last year – 139.8125 <Alpha> and 142.6125 <Bravo> MHz. The old 162-174 MHz frequencies are apparently no longer used and we have deleted all but one of them from our list. I encourage those of you with Signal Stalker and Close Call capability to watch the 138-144 MHz closely for new additional 12.5- kHz splinter frequencies being used by the team’s ground crews. Courtesy Blue Angels 10 MONITORING TIMES March 2006 235.200 Thunderbird Control/ComCart US Navy S-3 Viking aircraft demonstrations North Carolina. The team aircraft used during air 235.250 Pre-Engine Start and Solo aircraft 263.400 shows is either the C-31A Friendship or UV-18A on/off show center <Uniform 1> US Navy SAR demonstrations Twin Otter. Look for their communications on fre- 322.950 Engine Starts/Solo aircraft (5-6) Air-Air 242.500 282.000 283.100 <Uniform 2> quently reported frequencies of 123.400, 123.475 or 123.500 MHz. You should also keep 32.300, Maintenance/Ground teams (NBFM) Military Parachute 32.400, 122.575, 124.875, 284.900 and 367.700 142.175 MHz plugged in for possible Golden Knight activ- 143.900 Demonstration Teams A new addition to our Military Parachute ity. 413.000 Digital During 2001 and 2002 seasons I received 413.025 Analog/digital <Channel 1> Demo teams list is the U.S. Special Operations 413.100 Analog/digital <Channel 2> Command Parachute Team based out of MacDill several reports that the Golden Knights were us- 413.250 Analog AFB in Florida. They were heard on the following ing GMRS frequencies 462.625, 467.5625, and 413.275 Analog frequencies: 122.450, 123.450, and (no, this is not 467.6125 MHz. In addition to air show demo 413.350 Digital crews, vendors and other military ground units 413.375 Digital a misprint) 151.625 MHz, a nationwide business itinerant frequency. have also been heard using GMRS frequencies. The colorful U.S. Navy Seal Parachute Team, You should make these frequencies part of your Other Military Flight Demo the Leap Frogs, is a frequent visitor around the scanner load-out prior to the air show. Teams country at various sporting events and air shows. A B C Both the Navy and the Air Force have other This team has been regularly reported on 270.000 462.550 467.550 462.5625 special flight demonstration units in addition to (AM) and 407.500 MHz (NBFM 131.8-Hz PL 462.575 467.575 462.5875 those units mentioned above. All transmissions tone) nationwide the last several years. 462.600 467.600 462.6125 are in the AM mode. An asterisk * indicates a new The U.S. Army has quite a few parachute 462.625 467.625 462.6375 teams that perform on the air show circuit. We 462.650 467.650 462.6625 frequency used in 2005 and ** denotes a primary 462.675 467.675 462.6875 frequency. have received reports for only two of the teams. We 462.700 467.700 462.7125 would appreciate reports on frequencies used by 462.725 467.725 Heritage Flight (F-15/F-16/F-86/P-51) the following U.S. Army teams if you catch them (462.675/467.675 National Emergency Frequency 122.475* 123.150* 127.150* 132.950 performing this air show season. pair) 136.575* 376.025* 384.550* USAF A-10 Thunderbolt demonstration teams All American Free Fall Team Legend: 122.475* 123.150 123.475 136.575 Fort Bragg, North Carolina, 82nd Airborne A. Base station, Mobile relay, Fixed station, or 138.050 138.100 138.200 138.250 138.300 Mobile station 138.475 138.500 139.625 139.725 Green Beret Parachute Team B. Mobile station, Control station, Fixed station 139.800 139.975 140.400 142.200 236.850 Fort Bragg, North Carolina operating in Duplex mode. 269.900 305.400 327.700 341.500* C. Intersticial frequencies, base and portable 343.000 343.000 384.550 Screaming Eagles simplex USAF B-1B Bomber Flyover Fort Campbell, Kentucky, 101st Airborne Division 238.150 We have received several reports of the USAF B-2 Bomber Flyovers (509BW) Black Knights 388.850** US Military Academy, West Point, New York ground pyrotechnics personnel from the Tora Tora USAF B-52 Bomber Flyovers Tora and Warbirds flight demonstration team using 376.025 FRS radios for communications during shows. You Another addition to our list this year is the Sil- USAF F-15 Eagle demonstration teams will also find military monitoring enthusiasts at- ver Wings team. This is the Fort Benning, Georgia, 122.775 123.150* 225.650 228.450 228.950 tending an air show using FRS radios to coordinate Command Exhibition Parachute Team.