A Dry Spell

Apologies for the long dry spell. Things have been rather slow around here Milair-wise, on top of that I am now working day shift for the summer so that has cut into my monitoring time.

RNLAF training continues on 143.8750 and 138.3500.
I have also noticed the 121st ARW out Rickenbacker ANGB has been quite active lately on 238.800.

Please feel free to let us know what you are hearing in the comments section below.

The Flying Dutchmen in Ohio Skies

On Tuesday May 8th in the 9 - 11 AM time frame we heard the first training session flown by the Royal Netherlands Air Force over the Buckeye State. We were unable to catch a callsign, but there seemed to be at least 3 pilots using a combination of Dutch and accented English. Nearly all of the communications took place on the 178th FW Air Tactical frequency of 143.875. The RNLAF Squadron 306 training over Ohio has begun!

ROYAL RECEPTION

This coming Saturday May 5th presents a chance for some interesting monitoring for our area.

Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip will be attending the 133rd running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville.

The current trip itinerary is for her to travel on a chartered Boeing 777 (most likely British Airways). The published schedule does not mention any stopovers in Lexington, but she does own a horse farm in the area. Arrival via Norfolk, VA may be Friday evening or Saturday morning at either Lexington or Louisville or both.

If the 777 is flown by the Royal Air Force No. 32 Squadron it may be using the callsign "KITTYHAWK", followed by several numbers, then followed by "ROMEO" to signify a Royal Family Flight. KITTYHAWK is the callsign of RAF Royal Squadron.

Both Louisville International Airport - Standiford Field (KSDF)and Blue Grass Airport (KLEX)in Lexington are controlled by Indianapolis Center (ZID). We will have to chance to hear them on ZID frequencies and approach frequencies for Lexington and Louisville.

Click on the links to the right for Indianapolis Center frequencies, here we list the approach frequencies for KSDF and KLEX:

LEXINGTON - KLEX

120.150 -- Approach/Departure (040-220)
120.750 -- Approach/Departure (221-039)
125.000 -- Approach/Departure
259.300 -- Approach/Departure (040-220)
298.900 -- Approach/Departure (221-039)


LOUISVILLE - KSDF

123.675 -- Approach/Departure West
132.075 -- Approach/Departure East
134.150 -- Approach
327.000 -- Approach/Departure


Expect this aircraft to be handled in the same manner as Air Force One.

RNLAF Units at Springfield

We have more information on the RNLAF units now based at Springfield-Beckley (KSGH).


The Dutch pilots being trained at KSGH are members of the 306th Training Squadron based at Vokel Airbase. However, the F-16s are a mixture from various other Royal Netherlands Air Force squadrons. In particular the first wave of aircraft are from the 322nd and 323rd Squadrons based out of Leeuwarden Airbase. The current Dutch aircraft present at KSGH should be:

J-208 -- F-16BM
J-623 -- F-16AM
J-209 -- F-16BM
J-367 -- F-16AM
J-369 -- F-16AM
J-010 -- F-16AM




Frequencies from the RNLAF aircraft we should be monitoring are:


306th Training Squadron "Hawks"




142.975 V13
142.275 V16
142.075 V17
142.475 V18
143.275 V19


322nd and 323rd Squadrons

129.275
140.125
140.225
140.575
140.625
142.025

Locally in the Netherlands the 306th Sqn are known to use the following callsigns:

BOXER, CONDOR, NAF306, RAZOR, REBEL, ROVER and SPIDER.

A big THANK YOU to Marcel for passing along the above information!

Get your receivers programmed and let the monitoring begin!!

Major Exercise Scheduled: ARDENT SENTRY/NORTHERN EDGE 2007

Beginning next week in the April 30 through May 10, 2007 time frame. A major federal exercise will take place in FEMA Region 1 (CT, MA, ME, NH RI, VT). The Military code name is: "ARDENT SENTRY/NORTHERN EDGE 2007" and it will simulate a landfall by Hurricane Yvette. This should still pose a listening opportunity for those of us in and around Ohio.

Keep an ear on the NORAD NE Sector frequencies:

228.900 -- HUNTRESS (NORAD NE SECTOR)
234.600 -- NORAD BLUE 34
252.000 -- NORAD BLUE 11
254.475 -- HUNTRESS
260.900 -- HUNTRESS
265.000 -- NORAD BLUE 14
271.000 -- NORAD BLUE 15
282.600 -- NORAD BLUE 17
288.400 -- NORAD BLUE 19
293.600 -- HUNTRESS
295.800 -- NORAD BLUE 20
300.125 -- NORAD BLUE 40
319.750 -- HUNTRESS

Others to try are:

Civil Air Patrol, National Guard, Air National Guard and the SHARES frequencies on HF. These are just a few, you may want to set up a receiver in search mode to find others.