Friday, June 14, 2013

The Beauty of Radio History


Hedy Lamarr, not only is she considered the most beautiful woman in films but she was highly intelligent.  In 1942, Hedy and composer George Antheil patented what they called the “Secret Communication System.”  This is the early version of frequency hopping and would have allowed for radio control missile launching without enemies blocking the frequency.  An idea that would have save countless of lives wasn’t even implemented in the US Navy until 1962 after the patent expired.  Even though the invention was brilliant because of the fact she was a beautiful famous woman no one took her and the invention serious.  Hedy and her invention wasn’t even recognized until 1997 by the Electronic Frontier Foundation.  Hedy’s idea has helped advance in technology in the military and cell phone industry.  





Saturday, June 8, 2013

Monitoring the Buckeye and Brush Creek MOAs







The skies over southern Ohio have provided milair communication monitors with steady activity for years and continues to today. Times have changed somewhat from a few years ago, when the 178th Fighter Wing of the Ohio Air National Guard were the main attraction. The 178th no longer fills the skies with F-16s, they are transitioning to an Intelligence and Reconnaissance Wing, soon to remotely fly the MQ-1 Predator drone. So, who do we listen to now? Let us take a look at how the airspace is used and who is using it now.

Buckeye Military Operations Area (MOA) is FAA regulated airspace over southern Ohio for use by a variety of military flying units for training in Aircraft Combat Maneuvers (ACM) and Aerial Refueling (AR).

Buckeye MOA and the interconnecting Brush Creek MOA are controlled by Indianapolis ARTCC (Indy Center, ZID). For the most part the two MOAs are mainly used by the 180th Fighter Wing of the Ohio Air National Guard based at Toledo, flying the F-16C/D 'Fighting Falcon'.

Other units using the MOAs on occasion are the 163rd Fighter Squadron based in Fort Wayne, and the 107th Fighter Squadron based at Selfridge Air National Guard Base, Michigan. Both of these units fly the A-10 'Thunderbolt II' aircraft.

The 123rd Air Control Squadron (ACS) of the Ohio Air National Guard based in the northern
Cincinnati community of Blue Ash, sometimes conducts training and controls aircraft within
Buckeye and Brush Creek MOAs. They use the callsign 'BLUE ASH'.

The western edge of Buckeye MOA is 35 miles east of downtown Cincinnati.

Normally the airspace is used at least four days each week; Monday-Thursday on normal weeks, Tuesday-Friday on weeks after a UTA weekend (during which they will fly on Saturday and Sunday). Occasional nighttime sorites are also conducted.MOAs are scheduled for the time active. They are for aircraft only. ATCAAs are pretty much the same concept, but they are used to extend the boundaries of MOAs (like the CHARLIE Shelf in Buckeye used for refueling).

BUCKEYE MOA/BRUSH CREEK MOA:

225.700       Brush Creek Tac
290.500       ZID Sector 69 (Pike Low)
316.125       Buckeye Tac*
343.800       Buckeye Aerial Refueling

*316.125 is assigned as a discrete to the Pike Low sector (Sector 69).

123rd ACS - callsign: BLUE ASH

240.350       GCI primary
283.800       GCI secondary
364.200       AICC

Blue Ash also has SATCOM capability, and was heard doing radio checks on
258.650d/299.650u in April 2013...however, usage is rare.

180th FW (112th FS) - callsigns: STING, BUZZ, BUCKEYE, MUDDY (NORAD),        
                                                       LOMA (travel)

141.650       Ops [Aux 1]
338.150       Ops [Pri 1]
248.650       Tac [Aux 6]
312.175       Tac [Aux 7]
357.100       Tac [Aux 8]
367.500       Tac [Aux 9]
139.625       Victor 6*
139.975       Victor 7*
141.600       Victor 8*
138.425       Victor 9*
228.900       NORAD Secondary (primary for training)
260.900       NORAD Primary
260.725d/294.325u      NORAD CONR-2 (SATCOM)

*These are the old tactical freqs, but they still see occasional use.

Buckeye/Brush Creek presets: 316.125 [7], 240.350 [8], 290.500 [9], 225.700 [16]

127th WG (107th FS) - callsigns: DEMON, TEJAS, YALTA, BOSUN, HOWDY

273.000       DEMON Tac [button 11]
326.000       TEJAS Tac [button 12]
307.600       YALTA Tac [button 13]
368.000       BOSUN Tac [button 14]
314.400       HOWDY Tac [button 19]
349.400       Tac - this is a common AMC CP frequency

Buckeye/Brush Creek presets: 290.500 [21], 316.125 [22], 240.350 [23], 225.700 [24]

To find out when the MOAs are scheduled for activity;

1. Go to http://sua.faa.gov/sua/siteFrame.app

2. On the right side of the map, click the "+" for "States" and select Ohio.
     It will zoom automatically.

3. Just below "States," click the "+" for "Map Layers." In most cases, you should select
     the following.
    
    Click "Update Map" when complete.
    - Airspace Types: Air Traffic Control Assigned Airspace, Aerial Refueling Route, 
      Military Operations Area, Other  
   - Altitude Types: all
   - Activation Types: as desired, but do NOT select "Not Scheduled"

4. Hovering over depicted airspace will show the name.
    Clicking on it will display the Zulu times.

If you have any additional tips, tricks or info, please share it in the comments.


*SPECIAL THANKS to Jared Soergel (@jsoergel949) for providing material for this article.

Saturday, June 1, 2013

SW Ohio Mode-S/ADS Military Intercepts 15-31 May 2013



5/15/13:

1348L JESSE 93    90-1793  5246   C-130H  139AW/180AS     ROSECRANS       ADFE5C
1401L REACH 548   07-7179  50197  C-17A   60AMW/21AS      TRAVIS          AE1471


5/16/13:

0947L INDY 81     63-8041  18658  KC-135R 434ARW/74ARS    GRISSOM         AE04EE 
1110L RHINO 50    96-0004  50040  C-17A   445AW/89AS      WPAFB           AE07EE
1120L PAT 903     94-0321  BW-10  C-21V   6-52 AVN/Co B   LOS ALAMITOS    ADFE4D            
1113L             96-0002  50038  C-17A   437AW/14AS      CHARLESTON      AE07EC
1115L             94-0320  BW-9   C-21V   6-52 AVN/Co B   LOS ALAMITOS    ADFE4C
1130L JEEP 42     58-0088  17833  KC-135T 127WG/171ARS    SELFRIDGE       AE04DF
1215L REACH 725   04-4134  50142  C-17A   305AMW/6AS      MCGUIRE         AE123F
1328L REACH 718   99-0060  50064  C-17A   445AW/89AS      WPAFB           AE0806
1333L             58-0087  17832  KC-135E 309AMARG        DAVID-MONTHAN   AE0846


5/17/13:

0857L BATTL 69    84-0079  35A-525 C-21A   110AW/172AS     W.K. KELLOGG    AE0171
1108L RHINO 50    96-0004  50040   C-17A   445AW/89AS      WPAFB           AE07EE
1134L             99-0402  571     C-37A   86AW/76AS       RAMSTEIN        AE0406
1135L INDY 81     60-0363  18138   KC-135R 434ARW/74ARS    GRISSOM         AE0426
1315L TAZZ 52     60-0341  18116   KC-135R 121ARW/145ARS   RICKENBACKER    AE0363


5/18/13:

0947L            95-0094  BW-22    C-12V   2-228AVN/CoA    JOHNSTOWN AP    ADFE93
1158L REACH 548  07-7179  50197    C-17A   60 AMW/21AS     TRAVIS          AE1471
1159L RHODY 71   05-1435  5572     C-130J  143AW/143AS     QUONSET STATE
1205L SODA 81    57-1428  17499    KC-135R 134ARW/15ARS    MCGHEE-TYSON    AE0470
                                      

5/19/13:

1100L BATON 91    96-8153  5454    EC-130J 193SOW/193SOS   HARRISBURG      AE0247
1238L BOXER 38    94-1570  090     C-38A   113WG/201AS     ANDREWS         AE0110
1415L VV 101      166377   5087    C-37B   VR-1            ANDREWS         AE151A
1555L REACH 395   63-7984  18601   KC-135R 117ARW/106ARS   BIRMINGHAM      AE04D1


5/20/13:

1638L RHINO 32    97-0048  50052   C-17A   445AW/89AS      WPAFB           AE07FA
1905L             98-3029  PT-33   T-6A    47FTW/85FTS     LAUGHLIN        AE01F5
1907L             84-0167  BL-97   C-12U   6-52 AVN/A      LOS ALAMITOS    AE03F5
1916L             60-0322  18097   KC-135R 434ARW/72ARS    GRISSOM         AE0685
1917L             64-14834 18774   KC-135R 434ARW/72ARS    GRISSOM         AE042D


5/21/13:

1032L             04-1778  5034    C-37B   USAPAT          ANDREWS         AE13D1
1042L SLUFF 69    60-0341  18116   KC-135R 121ARW/166ARS   RICKENBACKER    AE0363
1116L             94-0321  BW-10   C-21V   6-52 AVN/B      LOS ALAMITOS    ADFE4D


5/22/13:

0918L   PAT 087     86-0087  BP-67  C-12T   DET 22 OSACOM   FT INDIANTOWN   ADFEDD
0939L   GABLESEN    84-0182  BL-112 C-12T   DET 10 OSACOM   INDIANAPOLIS    ADFEC9
0940L   2316        84-24376 BP-47  C-12U-2 DET 15 OSACOM   LANSING         AE08F9
1100L   FUZZY 85    87-9285  5126   C-130H  914AW/328AS     NIAGARA FALLS   AE05E1
1148L               96-0112  UE-256 C-12J   586FTS          HOLLOMAN        AEFF00
1356L   SKULL 71    08-27013 4149   C-27J   179AW/164AS     MANSFIELD       AE272F


5/23/13:


1253L              86-0084  BP-64   C-12T   DET 26 OSACOM   SANDSTON        AEFEDA
1313L  TAZZ 72     58-0083  17828   KC-135R 121ARW/145ARS   RICKENBACKER    AE0157


5/24/13

0705L   REACH 398   06-6160  50169  C-17A   60AMW/21AS      TRAVIS          AE14SE
1054L   RHINO 50    97-0044  50048  C-17A   445AW/89AS      WPAFB           AE07F6
1311L   TAZZ 42     59-1453  17941  KC-135R 121ARW/145ARS   RICKENBACKER    AE0362


5/25/13:

1414L COBRA 72      61-2672  18348  OC-135B 55WG/45RS       OFFUTT          AE08D6


5/26/13:

0905L HOTROD 88   73-1676  20682      E-4B    55WG/1ACCS      OFFUTT          ADFEB3


5/28/13:   

1038L SLUFF 69    58-0083  17828  KC-135R 121ARW/166ARS   RICKENBACKER    AE0157
1053L REACH 171 T 03-3125  50133  C-17A   305AMW/6AS      MCGUIRE         AE1236
1102L MASH 81     60-0363  18138  KC-135R 434ARW/74ARS    GRISSOM         AE0426
1115L             94-0320  BW-9   C-21V   6-52 AVN/Co B   LOS ALAMITOS    ADFE4C
1344L REACH 526   89-1189  50007  C-17A   437AW/14AS      CHARLESTON      AE07CD


5/29/13:

1054L   TAZZ 79     60-0341  18116      KC-135R 121ARW/166ARS   RICKENBACKER    AE0363
1055L   P271C877    98-0009  0505       UC-35A  PATD                            AE036F
1137L   NODAK 69    84-0064  35A-510    C-21A   119WG/177AS     FARGO           AE0199
1200L   INDY 81     58-0076  17821      KC-135R 434ARW/74ARS    GRISSOM         AE04BD   
1207L               61-0324  18231      KC-135R 452AMW/336ARS   MARCH           
1208L   PAT 146     84-0146  BL-76      C-12T   DET 18 OSACOM   CONCORD         AE03FA
1209L               78-23128 BC-64      C-12C   USASOC                          AE03F2
1209L               164996   382-5301   C-130T  VR-64           JRB-MDL 
1240L   SLUFF 69    59-1453  17941      KC-135R 121ARW/166ARS   RICKENBACKER    AE0362
1252L               62-3575  18558      KC-135R 22ARW/344ARS    MCCONNELL
1307L   DIXIE 51    58-0074  17819      KC-135T 171ARW/146ARS   PITTSBURGH      AE0238
1312L   DIXIE 52    57-1453  17524      KC-135R 117ARW/106ARS   BIRMINGHAM      AE04B2


5/30/13:

0619L   REACH 369   07-7181  50199      C-17A   437AW/14AS      CHARLESTON      AE20C2
1109L   RHINO 50    94-0068             C-17A   445AW/89AS      WPAFB           AE07E2


5/31/13:

1103L               97-0048  50052      C-17A   445AW/89AS      WPAFB           AE07FA
 
===============================


Thursday, May 30, 2013

SW Ohio Mode-S/ADS Military Intercepts 1 - 15 May 2013

Since late February I have been using a RTL-SDR R820T Dongle for Mode-S Radar monitoring.
I am using ADSB#, Virtual Radar Server and ADSB Scope into my Acer netbook. I will start posting loggings to the blog here. Please let me know what you think of the format, and if I need to tweak it a little. All Intercepts are from my monitoring position in Southwestern Ohio.


TIME LOCAL/CALLSIGN/REG/CONSTRUCTION#/TYPE/UNIT/LOC/ICAO24


5/1/13:

0919L  BATTL 69   84-0079  35A-525  C-21A  110AW/172AS    BATTLE CREEK
1359L  BATTL 69   84-0079  35A-525  C-21A  110AW/172AS    BATTLE CREEK
1412L  ALLIED 1   84-0128  35A-575  C-21A  103AW/118AS    BRADLEY


5/2/13:

1001L    TAZZ 72  59-1458  17946    KC-135R 121ARW/145ARS  RICKEBACKER    AE0384
1025L    NAF 40   T-235    46956    DC-10   334SQN         EINDHOVEN
1030L    SPAR 294   84-0130 25A-577 C-21A   375AMW/311AS   SCOTT
1041L    HOTROD 99  75-0125 20949   E4-B    55W/1ACCS      OFFUTT         ADFEB6
1056L               N92B            Be65    Dynamic Aviation
1107L    MASH 81    62-3510 18493   KC-135R 434ARW/74ARS   GRISSOM        AE068B
1201L               91-0513 DC-815M C-26E   DET 24 OSACOM  COLUMBIA, SC   
1228L    EASY 41    165741  0529    UC-35C  VMR-4 USMC     NEW ORLEANS

5/3/13:

1135L    TURBO 39    63-8011 18628  KC-135  92ARW/92ARS    FAIRCHILD
1149L    REACH 7E    93-0604 50024  C-17A   445AW/89AS     WPAFB

5/4/13:

1622L    RULER 60    03-3114 50122  C-17A   172AW/183AS    JACKSON, MS
1727L    ROGUE 39    83-0489 5018   C-130H  109AW/139AS    SCHENECTADY

5/5/13:

0936L    SAM 97      09-0017 26272  C-32A   89AW/1AS       ANDREWS
1330L                69-0002 500-33 C-5A    433AW/68AS     SAN ANTONIO
1354L    RHINO 91    99-0060 5004   C-17A   445AW/89AS     WPAFB           AE0806

5/6/13:

1249L    TAZZ 85     60-0341 18116  KC-135R 121ARW/145ARS  RICKENBACKER    AE0384
1341L    SHUCK 80H   79-0003 21757  E-3B    552ACW/966AACS TINKER

5/7/13:

0810L    GABLESEN    84-0182 BL-112 C-12T   DET10/OSACOM   INDIANAPOLIS    ADFEC9
1015L    BLUE 74     64-14839 18779 KC-135R 126ARW/108ARS  SCOTT           AE013D
1102L    VENUS 02    92-9000  23825 VC-25A  89AW/PAG       ANDREWS         ADFDF9
1215L    MASH 71     63-8041  18658 KC-135R 434ARW/74ARS   GRISSOM         AE04EE
1217L    GABLESEN    84-0182 BL-112 C-12T   DET10/OSACOM   INDIANAPOLIS    ADFEC9
1221L    VENUS 02    92-9000  23825 VC-25A  89AW/PAG       ANDREWS         ADFDF9
1224L                63-7991  18608 KC-135R 155ARW/173ARS  LINCOLN         AE04EC
1226L                94-0317  BW-6  C-12V   2-228AVN/CoA   DOBBINS               
5/8/13:

0521L               CNA-OS   4909   KC-130H BAFRA No3 RMAF  KENITRA MOROCCO
0853L               95-6709  5417   C-130H  130AW/130AS     YEAGER AP      ADFDD3
0900L               ZK018    RT009  HAWK T2 4FTS/4SQN       RAF VALLEY   
0929L               98-0009  0505   UC-35A  PATD                           AE036F
1037L    ANVIL 41   94-6707  5399   C-130H  130AW/130AS     YEAGER AP      ADFDEC
1100L    PAT 665    84-0167  BL-97  C-12U   6-52AVN         LOS ALAMITOS   AE03F5

5/9/13:

0930L    PXLFK   
1020L               75-0125  20949  E-4B    55WG/1ACCS      OFFUTT         ADFEB6
1047L    COUGR 94   84-0102  35A-548 C-21A  375 AMW/458AS   SCOTT          AE01BB
1255L    INDY 82    62-3510  18493  KC-135R 434ARW/74ARS    GRISSOM        AE068B
1304L    DILLN 02   86-0377  35A-629 C-21A  140WG/200AS     PETERSON       AE01A4
1306L    INDY 81    61-0272  18179  KC-135  434ARW/74ARS    GRISSOM        AE04E9
1350L               87-0041  500-127 C-5B   439AW/337AS     WESTOVER       AE0586

5/10/13:

0021L    RCH 796T   04-4135  50143  C-17A   305AMW/6AS      MCGUIRE       AE1240
1010L    ROPER 92   85-1365  5078   C-130H  136AW/181AS     FT WORTH      AE02F5
1022L    RCH894     99-0165  50069  C-17A   445AW/89AS      WPAFB         AE080B
1119L    RHINO 50   97-0044  50048  C-17A   445AW/89AS      WPAFB         AE07F6
1142L    COUGR 94   84-0102  35A-548 C-21A  375AW/458AS     SCOTT         AE01BB
                    88-1306  5167   AC-130W 27SOQ/73SOS     CANNON        AE05BB
                    84-0101  35A-547 C-21A  375AMW/3750G D1 WILL ROGERS   AE01BA
1152L    SLUFF 62   59-1458  17946  KC-135R 121ARW/166ARS   RICKENBACKER  AE0384
1157L               84-0090  35A-536 C-21A  119WG/177AS     FARGO
1220L    RCH 065    86-0035  42248  KC-10A  305AMW/2/32ARS  MCGUIRE       AE022C
1226L               167951   34394  P-8A    VX-20           NAS PATUXENT  AE222C
1308L    GABLESEN   84-0182  BL-112 C-12T   DET 10 OSACOM   INDIANAPOLIS  ADFEC9
1342L               91-1234  5284   C-130H  123AW/165AS     LOUISVILLE    ADFE65

5/11/13:

0059L               84-0060 500-84  C-5B    60AMW/22AS      TRAVIS        AE055B
0854L    DERBY 81   91-1234 5284    C-130H  123AW/165AS     LOUISVILLE    ADFE65
1035L               98-1355 5491    C-130J  314AW/48AS      LITTLE ROCK   AE0253
1037L               163692  481     C-20D   VR-1            ANDREWS       AE025B
1050L    REACH 311  90-1797 5250    C-130H  139AW/180AS     ROSECRANS     ADFE60
1055L    JESSE 93   90-1793 5246    C-130H  139AW/180AS     ROSECRANS     ADFE5C
1058L               91-1231 5278    C-130H  123AW/165AS     LOUSIVILLE    ADFE62


5/12/13:

1313L    OTIS 02    167108  5577    C-130J  VMGR-352        MIRAMAR       AE1524
1413L               2141    21      C-2A    VRC-40          NAS NORFOLK   ADFE44
1414L               94-0320 BW-9    C-12V   6-52 AVN/Co B   LOS ALAMITOS  ADFE4C
1620L    PAT 903    94-0321 BW-10   C-12V   6-52 AVN/Co B   LOS ALAMITOS  ADFE4D
1705L               166088  PN-79   T-6B    TAW-5           NAS WHITING   AE2ED5

5/13/13:

0945L    SODA 81    59-1448 17936   KC-135R 134ARW/15ARS    MCGHEE-TYSON  AE047C

5/14/13:

0923L    2316       84-24376 BP-47  C-12U-2 DET 15 OSACOM   LANSING       AE08F9
                    84-24375 BP-46  C-12U-2 2-228AVN/CoA    JOHNSTOWN AP  AE08F8
0927L               79-0118  0382   A-10C   442FW/303FS     WHITEMAN      AE18F9

5/15/13:

1348L    JESSE 93   90-1793  5246   C-130H  139AW/180AS     ROSECRANS     ADFE5C
1401L    REACH 548  07-7179  50197  C-17A   60AMW/21AS      TRAVIS        AE1471

==============================================

Tuesday, May 28, 2013

KC-135s Staying At Rickenbacker



Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base will continue operating the KC-135 'Supertanker' after Air Force officials decided that  Pease Air Force Base in New Hampshire will be host to the new KC-46A refueling aircraft. Despite the efforts of the base and local government officials to be selected, the 121st Air Refueling Wing will keep with the KC-135R for the time being. The 121st ARW can be heard flying on a nearly daily basis on 238.800 and local ATC frequencies.



Saturday, May 25, 2013

THE HERCS ARE BACK!


Photo courtesy of Staff Sgt. Joseph Harwood


After decisive hard work by Ohio lawmakers, the 179th Airlift Wing at Mansfield was spared the BRAC chopping block and has received a new directive by regaining the C-130H 'Hercules' mission. The four C-27J 'Spartan' aircraft the unit has been flying the past several years will be divested. The first two of eventual eight C-130s arrived at Mansfield-Lahm Air National Guard Base to great fanfare on Friday May 24, 2013.

The two C-130Hs, from the Alaska Air National Guard's 176th Airlift Wing arrived with new tail colors representing their new Ohio home. 82-0054 and 82-0056 landed around 1700 Local Time. One was sporting the state flag of Ohio, the other the Ohio State Buckeyes flag in the tail stripe. The 179th is slated to receive the final and eighth C-130H by June of 2016. The new mission will add 200 new jobs to the Mansfield base.