[FedCom] Heard 08 October 2006 NYC area

[Michael W. Scheel]

 >gary wrote:

> 
> 
>> Uran233 at aol.com wrote:
> 
>>  
>> Hello Group
>> Here is some thoughts.
>>  
>> Since this is fedcom here goes.
>>  
>> 1. When the National Guard goes out in Drug Interdiction in the 
>> states.  Which Agency would handle the control freqs during the 
>> flights? NG or DEA

In Iowa the IA-NG Choppers on patrol use State Law Enforcement Channels.


>> 2. I am saving for my SBS-1 Would Federal or NG squawk back the 
>> transponder  codes?
>>    Then the local Traffic center would have a flight to listen  to.
> 
> 
> At the moment, only "heavies", transport aircraft, and U2s have mode-s. 
> A national guard C-130 or E-3 would certainly squawk, but all you get is 
> the ICAO code (often spoofed), a callsign if they feel like entering it, 
> and the height of the plane. I suspect the height of the aircraft is 
> always accurate, with the exception of U2 aircraft over 60kft. You need 
> to indicate to the Kinetic software that you want to track planes 
> without position data.
> 
> Note you will not see fighter type aircraft on the display. Still, even 
> with the limitations, it is a fun toy. The software needs work, so your 
> purchase will help fund improvements. ;-)
> 
> 
>>  
>> 3. This is out there but here we go. What does the Friend or Foe come 
>> back  to look like on transponder and is this on a second frequency? 
>> Do they have  to use this feature in CONUS ?

IFF uses a separate frequency for the question code and response. All 
encrypted? Don't want the enemy to know the correct answer.

>>  
>> 4. I am going to go thru my Jane's book tonight to find transponders 
>> then  search the web.
>>  
>> 5. The other idea is to look at the Radar used by the flights and see 
>> if I  can use a receiver ($$$$) or if it falls in the K-KA-X band and 
>> would a modified  radar detector outside in a weather proof box with a 
>> led inside facing up be set  off?

The radar return from FAA ATC radar would be so small you would need a 
directional antenna the size of a large building which most ATC Radars 
are. You would be better off trying to detect them with airplane scatter 
on the tv channels. Something I read and tried out back in the late 70s. 
I pointed a large TV antenna array at Milwaukee Wi and placed the TV on 
Channel 18. I then would see a brief burst of signal when an airplane 
was in the right place between Milwaukee and my location in Davenport 
Iowa. But it was really boring I think I never got more than a half 
dozen burst in 60 minutes. Only tried it a couple of times.

> The problem with setting up your own radar is, well, licensing to 
> transmit. It seems to me the FCC would frown on Joe SixScanner owning 
> radar to track aircraft. Marine radar is another story.

Actually I had a book (will try to find if I still have it) with a 
chapter about using amateur radio frequencies for weather radar. So it 
is possible. Of course the first elint aircraft flying through the area 
may report it (or burn out the rx).

FCC nailed some weather chasers that tried using marine radar in their 
vehicles.


> The deal with the SBS is it depends on the FAA pinging the plane to make 
> the transponder talk. I suspect the SBS-1 is hearing everything on the 
> transponder frequency (1090Mhz), but filtering out the simpler 
> non-mode-s replies. To interpret the older transponders, you need to 
> hear the FAA ping, that is, you need to know the question before hearing 
> the answer. The question is either who are you or what is your altitude. 
> The reply looks the same in either case, but you interpret the reply 
> differently depending on the question.
> 
> I'm really amazed the paranoid government types that see terrorist 
> everywhere haven't banned the SBS-1. Real time tracking could be 
> considered a security risk. Also, if you are using the SBS from a spot 
> with a clear view, it become obvious where the FAA radar has holes.

Give them time, Give them Time

>>  
>> 6. Thank you all for your ideas and I will send it if anyone wants the 
>> info  when I get it.
>>  
>> Monitoring Michael in PA
>>  
>> Also with encrypted freqs use a little traffic analysis and tools 
>> like  trunker for getting patterns down.

Well I try it out before I had a digital scanner using trunker. Figured 
out the dispatch talkgroups and RIDS for the consoles and some vehicles 
and after I got a digital scanner and compared what I was hearing with 
the trunker info. I amazed myself as I had over 80% of it right.



-- 
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Michael W. Scheel  N0NGL  //  ARRL // DARC // MBRS // TAPR
Davenport IOWA      // RCMA IA-011 // IPMS/US #25517 QCSMS
personal website  -  http://www.n0ngl.net/
Quad-Cities (IA-IL) Scanning website - http://www.qcscan.com/
Quad-Cities Scale Modelers Society - http://www.qcsms.org/
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