[FedCom] NOAA 49 (Gulfstream IV-SP ) sonde drop, 121.500 MHz La.

[Tom M.]

The helos with two radios monitor their flight track frequency on one radio,
and a chit chat channel on the other.

Each helicopter company has its own flight tracking system.  PHI is the
largest, Air Log being second.  On the second radio they will usually tune in
the frequency for the sector they are headed to (these are private ARINC
operations), or a common freq like 123.05 or 123.075.  

No doubt the airliners monitor 121.5, but the helos usually do not, and there
are hundreds of them in the Gulf.  

So NOAA 49 would not be dropping a sonde on an airliner, but no guarantee that
a helo would not end up like Glenn Miller.  

Each helo company has its own discrete squawk to be able to thwart drug
running.  A simple check with ATC could verify the traffic prior to drop,(maybe
NOAA does this already).

Tom
--- A10382 <a10382@snet.net> wrote:
> Hmmm... I spent a lot of time flying the Gulf, Caribbean, and the SE
> Atlantic.. .. although it was a 'few' years ago.  We ALWAYS monitored 121.5
> AND 243... In a single/dual radio aircraft, we would switch back and forth
> an odd number of minutes to be sure to spend part of each quarter hour on
> each freq.  In an aircraft with 3 or more radios (especially if not single
> seat), two radios were tuned to both 121.5 and 243...  Not uncommon to
> assign one non-flying crewmember the task of monitoring quite a few freqs
> including the HF ones from the Bahamas or the Caymans.
> 
> The G4, despite what other radios are installed, has 2 or 3 VHF radios that
> would cover 121.5  Not monitoring 121.5 would mean missing emergency calls
> from a GA aircraft if the aircraft was out of range of ATC.  Although it's
> not a smart thing to do, quite a few single engine aircraft (on legitimate
> flights) with no HF gear venture across from Mexico, Belize, and Honduras.
> 
> Sounds like NATOPS went out the window, into the drink, and got wet.
> 
>  ._._.
> 
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Tom M." <courir26@yahoo.com>
> To: <milcom@mailman.qth.net>; <fedcom@mailman.qth.net>
> Sent: Monday, July 14, 2003 9:55 PM
> Subject: [FedCom] NOAA 49 (Gulfstream IV-SP ) sonde drop, 121.500 MHz La.
> 
> 
> > Heard NOAA 49, Gulfstream IV-SP, making several announcements on 121.5
> about
> > instrument drops into the storm in the Gulf of Mexico (with lat/long) from
> FL
> > 450.
> >
> > I hope they were checking with ATC before dropping, because the helos in
> the
> > gulf do not monitor guard.
> 
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