[FedCom] Trying to decide a good freq range to work next

[Jordan Hayes]

> When they fly CAPs they are usually in the clear and no
> HQ as of late.

YMMV: every CAP flight I've heard in the SF Bay Area for the past 6
months has included HQ use, and most having timing coordination with
BIGFOOT/WADS on 271.0MHz -- these radios are supposed to be able to sync
up without a MICKEY, using internal GPS ... but it seems like maybe now
it's habit to get one?

It's very different now out here than it was, say, a year ago.

This may just have to do with crew capability and/or preference.  But I
think it's interesting that A/A chat does not go over the HQ; maybe it's
too much of a hassle to have them switch over for the 10 seconds of
"tanks dry in 20" ... interesting (to me, anyway) is how their "radio
voice" becomes very serious/formal for their fuel status, then returns
to a casual conversational tone as they sightsee.  Another part of the
difference is that there is _more_ A/A chat on the ~140MHz tac channels
than there was in the past when it was typically in the clear on 271.