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On the Airbands
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Numerous avid readers of Airbands in NSW have written to me requesting the frequencies used by Balloon Aloft who fly from Camden Airport.
Flying is conducted very early while temperatures are low and conditions calm, with inflations usually taking place around 6am local. If the Tower is not open by the time the Aeronauts take to the air, communications are limited to balloon-to-balloon and balloon-to-chase vehicle on 123. 45 MHz. Hand-held portables are used in all cases, ICOM A20s I’m told, which have a transmit frequency range of 118 to 135. 975 MHz. When the Tower is open, calls are made by balloons to obtain clearance for takeoff in the normal manner. Prior to Tower opening, all takeoffs are made with an all stations call on FIS area frequency 121. 1 MHz.
Two other companies also operate from Camden, Balloon Sunrise and Balloon Flights Australia. Standard operational procedure appears to show pilots preferring to take two portables in each basket aloft with the passengers to avoid losing contact in case one radio goes U/S. Due to the low altitudes usually flown and the low output power (5 watts maximum) of the ICOM portables, don’t expect to hear too much activity many kilometres from the action. If you want to listen to the balloons, go and have a look as well. It makes for a very enjoyable early morning start. 27 Megahertz CB equipment is also carried by chase cars, so if you have a 27 MHz set in your vehicle, switch across the channels and you should be able to zero in on the frequency in use that day! * * * Enquiries continue regarding my own personal vehicular setup for airband reception. I have had numerous scanners in the car, some mounted, some hand-held. My RV Tarago is equipped with magnetic base antenna, cigarette lighter power cord and two hand-helds, a Cobra SR-15 and a Realistic PRO-34. If I’m venturing near military airfields, I slip in my Realistic PRO-2004 base type scanner which has the extra frequencies. Performance from all three is excellent. At home, a Saiko SC-7000 scanner and Yaesu FAG-7700 with tuning unit sets off the station nicely. Write to me and tell me about your receivers and include a photo if you wish. We can perhaps run the better ones in these pages.
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Sydney International Airport and a jaded Tower Aerodrome Controller, a little short of time and trimming his clearances as a result. Instead of advising a departing aircraft to call Departures on “one-two-three decimal zero”, the following clearance was given: TOWER: “Call 1-2-3 airborne, clear for takeoff!” BOEING 727: (Rumbles down runway, then Tower speaker comes alivejust as the aircraft rotates . . . ) “One, two, three, A-1-RB-O-R-N-E!” Thanks to an Air Traffic Controller who was kind enough to identify himself but who didn’t indicate if he wanted to be credited.
Monitored on Perth Approach frequency 118. 7 on a Friday afternoon. ATC, a Conquest and a British Airways 747 were the players in this scenario. The 747 was on an eight mile final for RW 21 and Approach was enquiring if the Conquest had the 747 visual. The Conquest was being radar vectored for a RW 24 arrival. APPROACH: “Tango Foxtrot Golf, report sighting a 747 now on a five mile final runway two-one. ” (A few seconds pass . . . ) VH-TFG: “Err . . . Tango Foxtrot Golf, I don’t have the 747 visual!” APPROACH: “He’s now on a three mile final. ” VH-TFG: “Negative . . . no, I’m sorry, I don’t have him visual. ” ATC came back with this fast one liner . . . “Just look for his wallet!” Contributed by Mark Cassin, South Guildford in WA. Thank you Mark. Mark is one of our ‘regulars’.
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Monitored on 128. 2 with Sydney Control (transcontinental route sector) during the 9-5 period of the domestic pilots’ dispute. QANTAS 2: (Inbound to KSA) “We’d like direct track to West Pymble. ” CONTROL: “You might have trouble there, because of holding. ” QANTAS 2: “Holding . . . you have got to be kidding. You have heaps less traffic because the domestics aren’t flying after five local and you try to tell me there will be holding!” CONTROL: (Very polite) “I’m afraid so sir. Unfortunately, the way you’ve recounted is not exactly the case. Instead of airlines trying to cram 200 passengers on a 767, we’re stashing 1 O at a time on lighties and, as a result, traffic is increased tenfold. At the moment, it’s murder for us here!” QANTAS 2: (Quite taken aback) “Err . . . ah, well, could you check on that possible holding for us please and pass the expected delay?” CONTROL: “Qantas 2, Sydney Control, roger, I’ll advise you shortly. ” (A few moments later . . . ) CONTROL: “Ah, Qantas 2, Sydney Control. I turned and asked the Flow (Approach Flow Coordinator) if you had holding and he just laughed at me! So I guess that means you have it and it’s significant!” QANTAS 2: (Indecipherable) Monitored by your columnist.
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Monitored at work by an Air Traffic Controller at Launceston, who wishes to remain unidentified: F28 jet VH-EWF (East-West) is Sydney for Hobart, with Hobart weather poor. VH-EWF: “Launy Control, Echo Whiskey Foxtrot, arr . . . how long has it been raining in Hobart?” CONTROL: “Oh for the last one million years or so!” VH-EWF: (Laughing) “Looks like ‘Round 1’ to you!” CONTROL: “However, in the current period, it’s been raining for the past couple of days. ” VH-EWF: “Thanks a lot!” To my correspondent in Launceston, I share your sadness that Launceston ACC is being swallowed up by Melbourne AACC. From conversations I have had with Launy Controllers to date, the uncertainty of the future has created a lot of unhappiness. Some of the ATC staff feel quite low at times. Discu_ssing some of the past events and humour on the air eases it-a bil,. I have heard the Launy ATC have an unofficial book ‘Grea(Moments at Launceston’ which they have painstakingly compiled. If anyone cares to send some extracts I will print them for posterity.
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Russell (‘Tackleberry’) Bryant’s ‘Scanning Action’ column in CB Action magazine is worth looking through. Some useful information finds its way into Russell’s pages with relevance to aviation matters. Check it out!
Other publications that you may care to look over and perhaps consider a subscription to are the excellent American magazines ‘Monitoring Times’ and ‘Popular Communications’. Excellent value, particularly for HF buffs like myself. Speaking of overseas, I might point out here that the US Navy Fleet-Satcomm channels are all capable of being picked up direct from the satellite which is in orbit geostationary at 172 degrees, between 261. 45 and 261. 95 MHz, in narrow FM (NFM) mode. 261. 9 MHz seems particularly active with airborne stations. Expect to hear worldwide communications of good quality, in clear speech most of the time. Occasional bursts of DVP (digital voice privacy scrambling) are heard when something sensitive is about to be discussed. It is fairly common knowledge that the United States Navy, Air Force, Army, as well as the National Security Agency and Central Intelligence Agency use the block of frequencies which are spaced every 25 MHz within the band I have outlined. Exceptional listening!
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Nathan McGraw from Invercargill, New Zealand writes to share a few VHF frequencies from his home country. He doesn’t actually list the usage to which each frequency is put, but NZ readers and visitors with air capable scanners will no doubt sort that out. WELLINGTON: 123. 7, 124. 5 MHz. CHRISTCHURCH: 115. 3 (nav), 118. 3, 118. 9, 120. 9, 123. 3, 125. 0, 125. 5, 126. 5, 128. 1, 129. 3, 122. 4 MHz. QUEENSTOWN: 115. 3 (nav), 118. 1, 118. 3, 122. 2 MHz. Traditionally around the world it seems, 118. 1 is used very frequently as a Tower frequency, as well as 118. 3 MHz. Invercargill Tower is on 118. 1. The airport happens to be very small, with only four arrivals and four departures each day. Nathan’s monitoring favourites are New Zealand 533 and New Zealand 430. The aircraft operating Flt 533 from Dunedin stays overnight and departs in the morning as Flt 430.
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We’ve included a great deal of frequency and other information this issue. Next time round we’ll cram in as many mail stories as space will permit. If you’d like to contribute to ‘On the Airbands’, write to me, Bob Bell, at PO Box 105, Weston Creek 2611. For those requiring a reply, please enclose a stamped self addressed envelope.
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From Mr Anonymous, Nunawading Vic frequency 126. 6 (Melb Control). UNITED 816: “Control, we’re passing over what appears to be a very large meteorite crater. Do you know what it is?” CONTROL: “I’ve noted the spot on radar Sir, I’ll try and find out. ” UNKNOWN NC: “Have you checked your cargo door lately?
Africa and Indian Ocean Region Hf Radio:
CASABLANCA: afi-1 3452, 6535 on request, 8861 or, 13357 or.
GHARDAIA ZARZAITINE: afi-2 8894
ALGIERS: afi-2 3419, 5652, 8894, 13273, 17961
TRIPOLI: afi-2 3419, 5652, 8894, 13273; afi-3 5658, 11300
BENGHAZI: afi-3 3467, 5658, 11300
SAL: afi-1 3452, 6535, 8861, 13357, 17955
NOUADHIBOU: afi-1 8861
NIAMEY: afi-2 3419, 5652, 8894, 13273; afi-4 2878, 5493, 8903,
13294
GAO: afi-2 8894
TAMANRASSET: afi-2 3419, 5652, 8894, 13273, 17961
CAIRO: afi-3 3467, 5658, 11300, 13288
KHARTOUM: afi-3 3467, 5658, 11300, 13288
ADDIS ABABA: afi-3 3467, 5658, 11300, 13288, 17961
ADEN: afi-3 3467, 5658, 11300, 13288
JEDDAH: afi-3 5658, 11300
DJIBOUTI: afi-3 11300
MOGADISHU: afi-3 5658, 11300
BOMBAY: afi-3 11300, 13288; ino-1 5634, 8879
KANO: afi-4 8903, 13294
LAGOS: afi-4 8903
BANGUI: afi-4 8903
KIGAU: afi-3 3467, 13288
MALE: ino-1 8879
COLOMBO: ino-1 8879, 13306
DAKAR: afi-1 3452, 6535, 8861, 13357, 17955
BISSAU: afi-1 3432, 6535, 8861, 13357, 17955
BAMAKO: afi-1 8861
ABIDJAN: afi-1 6535, 8861
SEYCHELLES: afi-3 11300; ino-1 5634, 8879, 13306
MONROVIA (Roberts): afi-1 3452, 8861
BRAZZAVILLE: afi-4 2878, 5493, 8903, 13294
SAO TOME: afi-4 5493, 8903, 13294
LIBREVILLE: afi-4 8903
KINSHASA: afi-4 2878, 5493, 8903, 13294
CONAKRY: afi-1 8861
LUANDA: afi-4 2878, 5493, 8903, 13294
BUJUMBURA: afi-3 11300, 13288; afi-4 8903, 13294
LUSAKA: afi-4 2878, 5493, 8903; ino-1 5634, 8879, 13306
MORONI: ino-1 8879
TOAMASINA: ino-1 8879
MAURITIUS: ino-1 3476, 5634, 8879, 13306
DAR-ES-SALAAM: afi-3 13288; ino-1 8879
MAHAJANGA: ino-1 8879
LILONGWE: ino-1 8879
NAIROBI: afi-3 3467, 5658, 11300; ino-1 5634, 8879, 13306
ENTEBBE: afi-3 11300
BEIRA: ino-1 3476, 5634, 8879, 13306
ANTANANARIVO: ino-1 3476, 5634, 8879, 13306
ST DENIS: ino-1 3476, 5634, 8879
HARGEISA: afi-3 5658, 11300
PERTH: ino-1 3476, 5634, 8879, 13306, 17961
Abbreviations: or-on request; afi-Africa and Indian Ocean; ino-Indian Ocean.
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