Posted: 8/9/2012 7:53:14 AM EDT
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This may have been covered before but my search-fu is currently back to white belt ........
Anyway I have an ICOM IC-A6 transciever, good only for VHF. I have a VHF/UHF ham radio that can be hacked to expand the receive channels. I've done this and found the VHF aviation reception to be marginal at best. No biggie, it wasn't designed for that. But I had no way to listen on the UHF end as of yet to test. So my question would be what would be the most economical way to listen in during the air show? (which is typically UHF). What model radio? Can I use my DC H10-13.4 headset? (for both noise protection and ability to actually hear transmissions). I already have the adapter for the ICOM radio to do this. thanks. |
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I have a Yaesu FT-8800R mobile ham radio that receives pretty much everything VHF/UHF. Don't need to modify it to be able to listen in to aviation. For UHF you do need to select "AM" mode from the menu as aviation uses AM, not FM. The aviation VHF freqs automatically go to AM when you dial them in.
You could easily bring that radio, a small antenna, small power supply and be able to listen in during airshows. As long as you aren't transmitting, it shouldn't use up much power on receive. Its about a $350 radio. I'm sure there are many other ham radios, or even scanners that could do what you want. |
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Quoted: This may have been covered before but my search-fu is currently back to white belt ........ Anyway I have an ICOM IC-A6 transciever, good only for VHF. I have a VHF/UHF ham radio that can be hacked to expand the receive channels. I've done this and found the VHF aviation reception to be marginal at best. No biggie, it wasn't designed for that. But I had no way to listen on the UHF end as of yet to test. So my question would be what would be the most economical way to listen in during the air show? (which is typically UHF). What model radio? Can I use my DC H10-13.4 headset? (for both noise protection and ability to actually hear transmissions). I already have the adapter for the ICOM radio to do this. thanks. Where did you get the idea that airshows are typically UHF. Between keeping up comms with the airboss and depending on what program the demo teams are performing I've noticed that if they choose to do any hot mic calls from the aircraft to be played over the loudspeakers for the audience as part of the program then they also tend to hang out down in VHF. I am almost always on VHF Also your not gonna want to plug in a headset, people around you are going to immediately start bugging you about what your doing and whats going on, its a lot more fun for everyone just to turn the volume way up and let everyone around you enjoy as well. I promise you there wont be an issue with transmission quality, the Aircraft are 2000 feet in front of you  |
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Quoted:
the majority of freq lists for airshows seem to show UHF freqs (there is the random VHF freq in there somewhere) perhaps I was too focused on the Blue Angels freqs  Most of the work the Air Boss will be doing is on a single victor freq. The boss owns the airfield once the box is active and even the tower will call him if they have a request. The couple of exceptions to this is that the Blues and the Thunderbirds take over air boss duties for their routines. That's when they go to uniform as that's what fighters usually work off of. |
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Quoted: yup what he said.. Again its very highly show dependent, the Blues I recall have always moved over to uniform, the thunderbirds did not the last 3 times I saw them. Quoted: the majority of freq lists for airshows seem to show UHF freqs (there is the random VHF freq in there somewhere) perhaps I was too focused on the Blue Angels freqs Most of the work the Air Boss will be doing is on a single victor freq. The boss owns the airfield once the box is active and even the tower will call him if they have a request. The couple of exceptions to this is that the Blues and the Thunderbirds take over air boss duties for their routines. That's when they go to uniform as that's what fighters usually work off of. In the super congested airspace around southern long island and the super tight schedule that is put out by the Jones beach show, I think that they cant afford to let the .Mil performers take over on their routines due to the inbound and outbound performers to the show who are VHF as well as regular air traffic. I have never actually caught the Blues ship to ship call during their routines which I admit would've been super exciting. litttttlllllllllleeeee poowwwwwwerrrrrrrrrrr and pppppppppppppppuuuuuuuuuuullllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll RECOVER. 2,3, and SNAP 90. ROTATE. ROTATE. ROTATE AND PUUULLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL. |