FL420
Blues vs. Birds-Tailhook
- Joined
- Oct 11, 2005
- Posts
- 626
Eureka! I think.
This subject seems to be a burr under everyone's saddle. Since most of my recent flying has been international and under RVSM, I was well-acquainted with the fact that ICAO recommended that ICAO signatory countries adopt 123.45 MHz as the inter-pilot air-to-air frequency in Oceanic Operating areas and when out of VHF range of ground stations. Recent(tonight) research reveals that all North and South American countries, Europe and Australia(and probably many others) have adopted the ICAO recommendation into their respective AIP's.
So, the question remains: Why do so many people think it's okay to use 123.45 MHz for air-to-air chatter in CONUS? After further research, I think I have a clue. Here goes.
Although the block of frequencies between 123.1125-123.5875 MHz was allocated by the FCC for use by flight test and aviation instructional stations, the specific frequency 123.45 was never assigned by the FCC or the FAA for any purpose. Because it was so easy to remember, I suspect it was hijacked by folks who wanted to fly(or try anyway) in formation, join up somewhere together, etc.
A few years ago a group titled the Aerospace Flight Test Radio Coordinating Council (AFTRCC) lobbied the FCC for some discrete frequencies to be used for flight test purposes. They were eventually successful in obtaining some discrete frequencies, 123.45 MHz being one of them. At least 12 military installations engaged in aviation flight test have been assigned 123.45 MHz. They are:
User......................City...................................Approx. Lat/Long
NASA..................Crows Landing, CA..........37N-121W
US Air Force.......Edwards AFB, CA............35N-118W
NASA..................Moffett Field, CA.............37N-122W
US Army.............Windsor Locks, CT...........42N-73W
US Navy..............Patuxent, MD....................38N-76W
US Army.............Lakehurst, NJ....................40N-74W
US Air Force.......Nevada Test Range, NV...37N-116W
NASA.................Cleveland, OH...................42N-82W
US Army.............Quonset, RI........................42N-71W
US Army.............Columbia, SC....................34N-81W
NASA.................Wallops Island, VA...........38N-75W
US Army.............Truax Field, WI.................43N-89W
Any unauthorized use of 123.45 MHz within VHF range of one of the above ground stations runs the risk of interfering with the flight test operations in progress, possibly to the detriment of safety.
I’m pretty sure(too lazy to prove it) that the FCC, which allocates frequencies, usually in blocks of frequencies, to governmental agencies and commercial entities, has adopted a position that any frequency that has not been specifically assigned to anyone is not to be used for communications. I did find proof that’s the case in Australia(Yeah, I know. Go ahead and take a shot.)
So……Use of 123.45 MHz in CONUS used to be tolerated if not authorized. Not necessarily any longer for the reasons stated above. Even though 122.75 and 122.85 aren’t as easy to use or remember as 123.45, they are assigned by the FCC for air-to-air use while 123.45 is assigned for other purposes.
Some links follow:
http://aerorfi.org/forum/read.php?f=1&i=167&t=167
aeroRFI.org is an association of Airline Pilots and Technicians, Communications Industry and Government representatives. Most of us are Amateur Radio Operators, Engineers or Radio Technicians. Our goal is cooperation with FAA, FCC, ICAO and Government Officials worldwide in their efforts to reduce radio interference within the aeronautical communication and navigation frequencies.
http://aerorfi.org/
A relevant thread on PPrune.
http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?t=221032
Finally. I fully expect and even hope that folks disagree sometimes. The trick is to disagree without being disagreeable.
This subject seems to be a burr under everyone's saddle. Since most of my recent flying has been international and under RVSM, I was well-acquainted with the fact that ICAO recommended that ICAO signatory countries adopt 123.45 MHz as the inter-pilot air-to-air frequency in Oceanic Operating areas and when out of VHF range of ground stations. Recent(tonight) research reveals that all North and South American countries, Europe and Australia(and probably many others) have adopted the ICAO recommendation into their respective AIP's.
So, the question remains: Why do so many people think it's okay to use 123.45 MHz for air-to-air chatter in CONUS? After further research, I think I have a clue. Here goes.
Although the block of frequencies between 123.1125-123.5875 MHz was allocated by the FCC for use by flight test and aviation instructional stations, the specific frequency 123.45 was never assigned by the FCC or the FAA for any purpose. Because it was so easy to remember, I suspect it was hijacked by folks who wanted to fly(or try anyway) in formation, join up somewhere together, etc.
A few years ago a group titled the Aerospace Flight Test Radio Coordinating Council (AFTRCC) lobbied the FCC for some discrete frequencies to be used for flight test purposes. They were eventually successful in obtaining some discrete frequencies, 123.45 MHz being one of them. At least 12 military installations engaged in aviation flight test have been assigned 123.45 MHz. They are:
User......................City...................................Approx. Lat/Long
NASA..................Crows Landing, CA..........37N-121W
US Air Force.......Edwards AFB, CA............35N-118W
NASA..................Moffett Field, CA.............37N-122W
US Army.............Windsor Locks, CT...........42N-73W
US Navy..............Patuxent, MD....................38N-76W
US Army.............Lakehurst, NJ....................40N-74W
US Air Force.......Nevada Test Range, NV...37N-116W
NASA.................Cleveland, OH...................42N-82W
US Army.............Quonset, RI........................42N-71W
US Army.............Columbia, SC....................34N-81W
NASA.................Wallops Island, VA...........38N-75W
US Army.............Truax Field, WI.................43N-89W
Any unauthorized use of 123.45 MHz within VHF range of one of the above ground stations runs the risk of interfering with the flight test operations in progress, possibly to the detriment of safety.
I’m pretty sure(too lazy to prove it) that the FCC, which allocates frequencies, usually in blocks of frequencies, to governmental agencies and commercial entities, has adopted a position that any frequency that has not been specifically assigned to anyone is not to be used for communications. I did find proof that’s the case in Australia(Yeah, I know. Go ahead and take a shot.)
So……Use of 123.45 MHz in CONUS used to be tolerated if not authorized. Not necessarily any longer for the reasons stated above. Even though 122.75 and 122.85 aren’t as easy to use or remember as 123.45, they are assigned by the FCC for air-to-air use while 123.45 is assigned for other purposes.
Some links follow:
http://aerorfi.org/forum/read.php?f=1&i=167&t=167
aeroRFI.org is an association of Airline Pilots and Technicians, Communications Industry and Government representatives. Most of us are Amateur Radio Operators, Engineers or Radio Technicians. Our goal is cooperation with FAA, FCC, ICAO and Government Officials worldwide in their efforts to reduce radio interference within the aeronautical communication and navigation frequencies.
http://aerorfi.org/
A relevant thread on PPrune.
http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?t=221032
Finally. I fully expect and even hope that folks disagree sometimes. The trick is to disagree without being disagreeable.
Another good reason to leave it at home. 
