[Scan-DC] Aviation route frequency -- 129.45 MHz

[Steve Thompson]

This is a superb list of the ARINC freqs, both VHF and HF.  I like to 
listen on HF, especially to the overseas freqs when conditions are good (as 
they soon will be again).

Note the small box on the pacific chart for "PAC Air-to-Air 123.45."  This 
is actually a pilot "chat" frequency and gets quite a lot of use between 
planes when they are out of touch on VHF with ARINC.  They often exchange 
weather and ride info and it's good listening.  Unfortunately, because it's 
only used over the ocean routes, you're dependent on the pilot of your 
United flight leaving Channel 9 in operation when he finishes with 
ATC.  Then it's good listening.  However, on most of my flights, they 
switch Channel 9 to music as soon as they get beyond VHF range of ATC.  Bummer.

I've heard this freq in use over the Atlantic, too.

Seems to me, based on recent flights, that fewer pilots are making Channel 
9 available.  When asked (through the flight attendant, of course), they 
say that there's a malfunction.  I've seen reference to this being a minor 
protest by United pilots who are ticked-off against their employer.

I often fly with a scanner but I have (so far) resisted the temptation to 
snake the headphone cord into my briefcase and monitor my way across the 
country or ocean.

Steve, N4TX

  At 01:52 PM 4/7/2009, Eric C. Carlson wrote:
>That is the ARINC En Route Service.  Frequencies and coverage maps may
>be found here:
>http://www.arinc.com/products/voice_data_comm/air_ground_radio_svc/jepp_charts.html
>
>-Eric
>
>On Tue, Apr 7, 2009 at 12:21 PM, Andrew Clegg <w4jecom at w4je.com> wrote:
> > A couple of weeks ago I discovered a cool aviation route frequency, 129.45
> > MHz. It is licensed to AIRINC, with a base station at National. Planes in
> > route use this frequency to get phone patches to an aviation services
> > company in San Francisco. It is used for a variety of purposes, but one of
> > the more interesting (and more frequent) uses is to report problems with
> > passengers, such as medical issues. On this frequency, the pilots can be
> > patched through to a company called "Medstat" that has doctors on call 24/7
> > who can talk to the pilot and assess the seriousness of the medical issues,
> > and help decide whether the pilot needs to divert for a quick landing or
> > have paramedics waiting upon a scheduled arrival.
> >
> > Over the last two weeks, I have been recording this frequency automatically
> > using Scanrec. I get about one hour or so of activity for each 24 hours of
> > recording. From where I am I can hear the base station at National, and
> > usually I can also hear the planes. However, even if you are not within
> > reach of National, you could probably hear the plane side of the
> > conversation for a couple hundred miles, and it is usually the plane side
> > that is the more interesting ("we are unable to get a pulse; passenger is
> > unconscious;" etc.).
> >
> > So far I have heard several serious medical issues, two unruly passenger
> > incidents, and one pilot that was getting worried because his main and
> > alternate airports were both rerouting due to weather and the plane's fuel
> > was running low (they ended up being routed to Allentown PA instead of
> > Boston).
> >
> > Anyway, for those who haven't heard this one before, it can be quite
> > interesting. If you have other specific route frequencies that are used for
> > equally interesting comms, I would be interested to hear about them!
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