[MilCom] Radio Inteference AtAirshows

[Dave Holford]

It has been a while; but any military control tower I ever worked in had DF 
capability on VHF and UHF, usually set on 121.5 and 243 but tunable to any 
aviation frequency. Civilian towers had VHF DF, but I honestly don't 
remember if they had UHF DF capability.

Dave


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "NIGHTHAWK001" <rfinder1 at verizon.net>
To: <b52hbuff at sbcglobal.net>; "milcom" <milcom at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Wednesday, April 25, 2007 7:00 PM
Subject: Radio Scanners At Airshows Security Risk!?/Radio Inteference 
AtAirshows & Potential New Services Re: [MilCom] Airshows / Scanners...


> Both those forums listed below are of course opinions -- we are all 
> entitled to our opinions; and I would think if followed results in a lot 
> of wasted time by hobbyists "on scene" trying to find the common 
> frequencies in use. Many frequencies are known and surely there is the 
> "challenge" of finding those unpublished ones set up for that specific 
> show!!!   BTW at one air show (think it was KBAF) one of the "Wagon Guys" 
> (after setting up the antennas, radio gear etc) actually got approached by 
> the FAA and they wanted to know if they had any transmit capabilities on 
> any of the aero frequencies.  Of course they didn't have transmit 
> capability.  It's interesting that one of the forums below believes that 
> publishing frequenices is a safety threat BUT yet if you find them and 
> listen that's ok.   Well IF they can be found by anyone than surely that 
> potential deliberate interference could be from ANYONE with an airborne 
> source many miles away or even from a mobile or base ground source not 
> even within the airshow security area  -e.g. not a hobbyist at the 
> show!!!!   I've never heard of any deliberate interference at any airshow. 
> I don't know if military bases are setup to do this kind of quick reaction 
> search & find to a radio interference problem. My guess is that at many 
> locations with a MARS program there's a "secret" DF response team that can 
> be alerted & respond relatively quickly IF a problem comes up.  It's 
> unclear whether Civil Air Patrol's airborne & ground Direction Finding 
> capabilities only are set up for aero emergency frequencies BUT it would 
> seem that the capability to DF any signal source (frequencies) could be 
> another mission expansion for CAP perhaps to help the FCC, Homeland 
> Security, & the military as needed.
>
> For the most part I always thought that for aspiring 
> amateur/semi-professional/professional photographers, having a radio 
> scanner at airshows actually helped them to plan (position) their various 
> shots based upon what they were monitoring.
>
> Again overall I think over the last 3 years or so, security has become 
> much more tolerant of PORTABLE radio scanners (not sure if you showed up 
> with a large number of portables strapped to you what reaction you would 
> get from security!!! :) ;) ) entering the show area after appropriate 
> security inspection.   I think the PAO's & Commanders did get some flack 
> when some shows decided to ban scanners in the distant past.
>
> Regarding NASCAR look at the new "Fan View" electronic device program that 
> was rolled out (see: http://www.monitoringtimes.com/mtwhatsnewapr07.pdf) 
> Now think if every aerial performer at an airshow had a camera strapped to 
> the plane and would transmit video down to a receiver that would than 
> transmit it out to the airshow fans on a small rented receiver  OR perhaps 
> some of that premium seating could have a small TV set mounted on your 
> assigned chair (and hardwired to receivers) that would allow you to get 
> the performing pilots view as well as monior radio transmissions & I think 
> you would see those venues completely filled by differentiating .  (I've 
> yet to see those seats filled to capacity at any airshow).
>
> Thanks again for the other sources listed below. I'd encourage others to 
> look at the specific comments.
>
> K
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: <b52hbuff at sbcglobal.net>
> To: "milcom" <milcom at mailman.qth.net>
> Sent: Wednesday, April 25, 2007 1:00 AM
> Subject: [MilCom] Airshows / Scanners...
>
>
>>....snip..snip..snip..
>> http://www.airshowbuzz.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=228
>>
>> http://www.fencecheck.com/forums/index.php/topic,6904.0.html  (password & 
>> registration required)
>>
>> So the question is why is NASCAR scanning more 'acceptable' and less of a 
>> security risk than scanning at airshows?
>
>
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