Share Your ELT/EPIRB Chasing Stories

Started by Pylon, March 11, 2005, 05:07:16 PM

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Skyray

Quote from: Cheergirl on June 26, 2005, 01:48:15 AM
Evey one is talking about the Mitchell award. What exactly is it.

It's like the Curry, only a lot later in life and experience. ;D
Doug Johnson - Miami

Always Active-Sometimes a Member

Cadet Bonnett

Quote from: Skyray on June 26, 2005, 03:40:26 AM
Quote from: Cheergirl on June 26, 2005, 01:48:15 AM
Evey one is talking about the Mitchell award. What exactly is it.

It's like the Curry, only a lot later in life and experience. ;D

i still don't get it
Cadet A1C Christin Bonnett
Registered Peer Mediator
SET, GES Certified
NH Wing

El Campamento del Ala de NH aquí yo vengo.


Cadet Bonnett

Cadet A1C Christin Bonnett
Registered Peer Mediator
SET, GES Certified
NH Wing

El Campamento del Ala de NH aquí yo vengo.

Skyray

Sorry for the smart answer.  You just took the Curry and got promoted, right?  The Mitchell is another test.  I was never a cadet, and I don't know the program that well, but I think the Mitchell is for promotion to C/Capt, and it is a pretty big deal.  One of the cadets or former cadets on here can give you more valid information.  You'll find that there is a big rivalry with former cadets who are now senior members about the level they reached in the cadet program.  You are young enough, and interested enough, I suggest that you make a career plan to go for your Spaatz.  My personal opinion is that it is a much more prestigious award than Eagle Scout, although not so well publicized.  The Spaatzen and the next level (Eaker, I think) have a national organization.  Obviously I never qualified to be a member of either because I was never a cadet, so I probably really ought to stop talking about it and leave the subject to someone who knows something about it.  Matt Johnson, my evil twin, where are you now that we need you?

Note to the moderator:  this is not as off topic as it looks.  One of the posts had a sig line bragging about the Mitchell, and piqued the curiosity of this new and enthusiastic young lady.  Move it?
Doug Johnson - Miami

Always Active-Sometimes a Member

Cadet Bonnett

Quote from: Skyray on June 26, 2005, 03:26:21 PM
Sorry for the smart answer.  You just took the Curry and got promoted, right?  The Mitchell is another test.  I was never a cadet, and I don't know the program that well, but I think the Mitchell is for promotion to C/Capt, and it is a pretty big deal.  One of the cadets or former cadets on here can give you more valid information.  You'll find that there is a big rivalry with former cadets who are now senior members about the level they reached in the cadet program.  You are young enough, and interested enough, I suggest that you make a career plan to go for your Spaatz.  My personal opinion is that it is a much more prestigious award than Eagle Scout, although not so well publicized.  The Spaatzen and the next level (Eaker, I think) have a national organization.  Obviously I never qualified to be a member of either because I was never a cadet, so I probably really ought to stop talking about it and leave the subject to someone who knows something about it.  Matt Johnson, my evil twin, where are you now that we need you?

Note to the moderator:  this is not as off topic as it looks.  One of the posts had a sig line bragging about the Mitchell, and piqued the curiosity of this new and enthusiastic young lady.  Move it?

thank you very much. Hope to someday recieve all the achivements cap is like m life.....
I love it..
Cadet A1C Christin Bonnett
Registered Peer Mediator
SET, GES Certified
NH Wing

El Campamento del Ala de NH aquí yo vengo.

Cmdbuddy

Quote from: Skyray on June 26, 2005, 03:26:21 PM
Sorry for the smart answer.  You just took the Curry and got promoted, right?  The Mitchell is another test.  I was never a cadet, and I don't know the program that well, but I think the Mitchell is for promotion to C/Capt, and it is a pretty big deal.  One of the cadets or former cadets on here can give you more valid information.  You'll find that there is a big rivalry with former cadets who are now senior members about the level they reached in the cadet program.  You are young enough, and interested enough, I suggest that you make a career plan to go for your Spaatz.  My personal opinion is that it is a much more prestigious award than Eagle Scout, although not so well publicized.  The Spaatzen and the next level (Eaker, I think) have a national organization.  Obviously I never qualified to be a member of either because I was never a cadet, so I probably really ought to stop talking about it and leave the subject to someone who knows something about it.  Matt Johnson, my evil twin, where are you now that we need you?

Note to the moderator:  this is not as off topic as it looks.  One of the posts had a sig line bragging about the Mitchell, and piqued the curiosity of this new and enthusiastic young lady.  Move it?

Actually the Mitchell award promotes a cadet to Cadet Second Lieutenant.  We'll leave the posts here and just drive on with other ELT/EPIRB stories from here on out.  
Christie Ducote, Capt, CAP

Westernslope

back on topic....

Several years ago in COWG, we placed an ELT next to a small  bridge at the end of an airstrip at a marina.  The marina was located in a small valley surrounded on three sides by mountains. 

The GT showed up, parked right next to the bridge almost stepping on the ELT as they departed the van.  They spent the next 2 hours wandering around chasing signals. With the combination of water, mountains and power lines, you can guess that signals were bouncing everywhere.  They searched parked planes, boats and even yelled to people on the water.

They finally gave up and called in another team.  While boarding the van, a cadet stepped on it!  Score one for "Big Foot" as he is now known!

Skyray

Quote from: Cadetofthe60s on June 26, 2005, 10:20:17 PM
back on topic....

Several years ago in COWG, we placed an ELT next to a small  bridge at the end of an airstrip at a marina.  The marina was located in a small valley surrounded on three sides by mountains. 

The GT showed up, parked right next to the bridge almost stepping on the ELT as they departed the van.  They spent the next 2 hours wandering around chasing signals. With the combination of water, mountains and power lines, you can guess that signals were bouncing everywhere.  They searched parked planes, boats and even yelled to people on the water.

They finally gave up and called in another team.  While boarding the van, a cadet stepped on it!  Score one for "Big Foot" as he is now known!

Yeah, them derisive nicknames were always a threat.  Sounds like your boys could have used some training.  Signal had to be strong, did anybody start turning down the sensitivity?  Marinas are always fun, especially sailboat marinas with lots of masts.  Signal bounces everywhere.  But a reflected signal is always [never trust anyone that says always] weaker than the primary, just turn the sensitivity down until you only have one signal, and unless you are the world's unluckiest cadet, that signal is going to be the primary.  At that point you may have to unplug the antenna and go to body shadowing techniques.  Bruce Gordon tells me that the new digital L-Per is not going to have a sensitivity control, I can't wait to get one and try to devise an alternate technique.  Won't it be a gas if the alternate technique turns out to be carry an old L-Per with sensitivity control?

Strong signals can be a pain.  Homestead AFB (long time ago, people)  left their Guard transmitter on to the tune of about fifty watts a while back.  The wing looked for it off and on for about eight hours while I was being the operations officer on a missing airplane search, so when we shut down flight ops for the night, they sent me to see if I could find this dead carrier.  Using sensitivity, I brought it right down to the offending antenna, and we called the unit commander for that antenna out.  He was not happy to be called back to work by a bunch of Civil Air Patrol, but he was pretty embarassed when he unlocked the GCA trailer (where the antenna was connected by coax) and found the calibrate switch had been left on when the transmitter was switched back to the antenna after calibration.  Although I was fairly confident, I was pretty relieved to see him so embarassed.
Doug Johnson - Miami

Always Active-Sometimes a Member

Matt

#29
Ok, I have a couple stories here...

1.)  Every year in WIWG we have an invitational SAREX...  Select ground teams go specidically for some far, far, far.... FAR.. out curve balls.  The OIC, for those that know him, is NUTS!  He's a former Ranger w/ the 2nd Ranger Battalion.  He believes in some weird [redacted -- don't try and bypass the censor filter. Thanks. --MK] training, but it gets the job done.  Thus far, we've had ELT searches in which these things are scattered.... One year, he decided to place the ELT on an Electric Fence.  It created a 3 MILE ANTENNA!  Following, he planted one on a cow, that's right livestock...  Some range to the back of his vehicle with him following us, other vehicles, power plant sub stations, high tension wires, etc.... Yearly, we endure training like this, and we love every minute of it....

Let me tell ya'll something... Power Substations carry an ELT signal in the lines for around 25 miles (Just some general advice).


<a href=mailto:mkopp@ncr.cap.gov> Matthew Kopp</a>, Maj, CAP
Director of Information Technology
<a href=https://www.ncrcap.us.org> North Central Region</a>

Matt

2.)

Recently, we had an airshow up here in WI, no not EAA, although that was fun.  Manitowok Airshow.  I had a primarily new GT under me and they had never done what we call the MESS ELT search (my squadron has an Expedition, we drive to the beacons to the best of our ability), well we were assigned golf carts in spirit of easing our staff.  So, we did our ELT search, on the air field with the golf carts through revines, ditches, grass and hills...

The only catch was stopping at our hangar to clean them off before we returned them... except that one wheel wouldn't straighten out....  ;D
<a href=mailto:mkopp@ncr.cap.gov> Matthew Kopp</a>, Maj, CAP
Director of Information Technology
<a href=https://www.ncrcap.us.org> North Central Region</a>

Xeno

Quote from: Matt on August 10, 2005, 02:22:04 PMLet me tell ya'll something... Power Substations carry an ELT signal in the lines for around 25 miles (Just some general advice).

I know exactly what you mean, the past two SAREXs in ARWG had ELTs placed around power substations. My team would get within signal range which, as Matt stated, is drastically heightened when placed in this area, and we wouldn't be able to tell which way to go next. The signal was the same strength in every direction and no matter how hard I tried I was not able to triangulate it. At the last SAREX we were the only GT to mobilize at all (GT 2 & 3 had paperwork issues from what I hear), That mission we had four ELTs to track and two of them were going off at the same time. Luckily we had a bird in the air that picked up a signal and they guided us to one target. The others expired before we could get to them.
C/1st Lt. Josh Sims
C/CC SWR-AR-095

121.5 -- If you crash, we will dash...

Matt

Well, when in doubt, sniff it out....  Find the strong point, even if it's not real, the bounce WILL lead you to the real one... may take longer, but it's a nifty little trick to remember...
<a href=mailto:mkopp@ncr.cap.gov> Matthew Kopp</a>, Maj, CAP
Director of Information Technology
<a href=https://www.ncrcap.us.org> North Central Region</a>

Pylon

Quote from: Matt
Well, when in doubt, sniff it out....  Find the strong point, even if it's not real, the bounce WILL lead you to the real one... may take longer, but it's a nifty little trick to remember...

Totally off-topic sidebar: 

Definitely.  You can almost always find the original source even when the signal is propagated by something else, especially by stepping up the signal freq. when DFing.  For example, when you're getting a stronger signal, kick it up to 121.55 or 121.6, and DF that... then try 121.65, and DF that, etc.   The bleed over into higher frequencies will be greater when you're nearer the actual source of the signal, not the reflector or propagator.

Okay.  Resume the original discussion.  :)
Michael F. Kieloch, Maj, CAP

Schmidty06

In a way, that is along the lines of the original discussion.  You're sharing ELT/EPIRB search tidbits of knowledge and wisdom.  The more information that is presented and "No kiddin' there I was!" that is provided, the easier it is for everyone who picks up said little nuggets of SAR goodness to solve similar problems when they run into them in real life.

Conclusion:  Don't be afraid to get geeky with your stories, put all of that techno-babble in there! Heck, maybe even use foot notes or something.  This is an internet forum, not a chat room, you have time to put stuff together.

Jerry

Well, for a short one, we were alerted to an ELT near Asheville, NC. Team goes to the area. Nothing.  Next plot shows a signal near Rutherfordton, NC. OK, teams go there.  Nuttin. :o  Next hit near Shelby, NC.  THE DURN THING'S MOVIN'!!!!!!  Becomes stationary in Charlotte, NC.  Yep, in a UPS truck being SHIPPED. Located at the UPS distribution center near I-85.  About 8 teams in all (including mine) involved in that one.  First one I ever literally chased down the road! LOL!

Xeno

Ha! Good one.
You just reminded me that we have to send our practice ELT to the factory to get the battery replaced soon. I can already see us chasing our own ELT down I-30.
C/1st Lt. Josh Sims
C/CC SWR-AR-095

121.5 -- If you crash, we will dash...

Schmidty06

That would be funny and sad at the same time.  What if it were to get delivered to your squadron before you could get it tracked down?  Does C/Amn Snuffy who opens the box get the find?

Jerry

One night in the 70's we were at our weekly Wing Staff meeting(been there and done THAT, too!) when about 9 PM an ELT was reported on Charlotte-Douglas airport.  So we dutifully dragged out our gear and starting tracking it. Trouble was, it was reflected all over the place by the WWII- era hangars and we were getting signals everywhere and nowhere at the same time (GRRRRRRRRRRRRRR >:(  ) Never mind that we all had jobs, but you know us CAP types and we kept at it until the wee hours of the morning (Yawn).  About 3:30 AM we located it in one of those pesky metal hangars (locked, of course) and we had to hang around until we could get the owner there to let us in.

Around 4:30 AM a group of VERY weary AND punchy CAP'ers went over to a nearby Waffle House for coffee. I mean, what the hay, why go to bed NOW as most of us had to be up at 6 anyway (yawn, again).

At this time (around 1974, I think) a band called Jefferson Starship had a song out (I don't recall the name) being played a lot that started out with a short drum roll and a sound....................you guessed it, like an ELT with the warbling, piercing sound. Now picture this: we've been out on the field for 6-7 hours listening to an ELT.

A young lady in painted-on blue jeans and a 24/7 cigarette drops a quarter in the too-loud juke box and.............................E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E!!! Major ******* sprang up and yelled, "WHAT TH' BLEEPIN' (CENSORED) H$LL!!! :o  He was awake NOW! And we literally fell in the floor laughing while all the patrons stared at this Air Force guy who had yelled as if goosed and now was turning every shade of red there is!   LOL! ;D

voopvoop

We build an Yagi out of measuring tape for 243 and 121MHz that we plug into our L-PER.  It hears further and can scope out above ground and underground ELTs. 

Anyhow we have a SARDOG team in the unit and the handler of one of the Dogs said "Uhh your Car Alarm is going off."  I said this was strange since I didn't have one.  She imitated the sound of an ELT and we all jumped up and starting running around getting the L-Per etc.  One guy turned the L-PER on and I held the Flex Antenna (Straight up) while another guy plugged it in. I looked at the Meter and said "This stupid thing is broken its pinned straight up!"  Our Aviation Expert said, "No, it works fine!  Look up!"  An airplane went overhead and landed.  We cornered the guy before he got into his hanger and awarded a find to the SARDOG.  ;-)