Air to Air FM

[N6RVT]

In every CAP plane I have ever flown in, the secondary FM radio will only do TAC1 & GUARD1.  If you want to use one of the air to air frequencies you have to put it on top and then you can't hear the repeaters.

I have done a lot of air to air FM communication, and after decades of doing this I have never even heard of anyone using one of the air-to-air frequencies.   I have always used TAC1 because of how the radio is set up.

If nobody uses these, why are they still there?

[lordmonar]

They are there to provide flexibility in the Comm Plan.

But mostly we are never that full on the comms so don't need the extra frequency spaces.

[N6RVT]

They are there to provide flexibility in the Comm Plan.
But mostly we are never that full on the comms so don't need the extra frequency spaces.

Nice to have a couple of extra simplex frequencies.  I was more curious as to why the aircraft are not set up to do air to air commo

[coudano]

They are perfectly capable but there is only one radio so you would have to flip frequencies back and forth

[N6RVT]

They are perfectly capable but there is only one radio so you would have to flip frequencies back and forth

There are two radios, at least in every plane in CAWG.  The primary radio can tune the entire range of CAP, however the secondary radio can only hold two frequencies.

And in every case it has been TAC1/GUARD1  The operator can't select anything else.

I have an accessory cable for my headset intended to let someone (presumably not the pilot) listen to their Ipod.  I plug it into a scanner and have it cycling through all 6 simplex frequencies, 121.5  and both repeater outputs so I don't miss anything

[Eclipse]

They are there to provide flexibility in the Comm Plan.
But mostly we are never that full on the comms so don't need the extra frequency spaces.

Nice to have a couple of extra simplex frequencies.  I was more curious as to why the aircraft are not set up to do air to air commo

Who would you talk to?

[SarDragon]

They are perfectly capable but there is only one radio so you would have to flip frequencies back and forth

There are two radios, at least in every plane in CAWG.  The primary radio can tune the entire range of CAP, however the secondary radio can only hold two frequencies.

And in every case it has been TAC1/GUARD1  The operator can't select anything else.

I have an accessory cable for my headset intended to let someone (presumably not the pilot) listen to their Ipod.  I plug it into a scanner and have it cycling through all 6 simplex frequencies, 121.5  and both repeater outputs so I don't miss anything.

How are you going to miss anything? This isn't the ham world where frequency usage can be somewhat random and willy-nilly, at the operator's choice.


Each mission has a comm plan, where frequencies/channels are assigned, and unless a problem arises, no others are used. A primary channel is assigned, and specified alternates are used as needed, but coordinated by mission base.

[N6RVT]

They are perfectly capable but there is only one radio so you would have to flip frequencies back and forth

There are two radios, at least in every plane in CAWG.  The primary radio can tune the entire range of CAP, however the secondary radio can only hold two frequencies.

And in every case it has been TAC1/GUARD1  The operator can't select anything else.

I have an accessory cable for my headset intended to let someone (presumably not the pilot) listen to their Ipod.  I plug it into a scanner and have it cycling through all 6 simplex frequencies, 121.5  and both repeater outputs so I don't miss anything.

How are you going to miss anything? This isn't the ham world where frequency usage can be somewhat random and willy-nilly, at the operator's choice.

Each mission has a comm plan, where frequencies/channels are assigned, and unless a problem arises, no others are used. A primary channel is assigned, and specified alternates are used as needed, but coordinated by mission base.

I heard you the first time

[N6RVT]

Each mission has a comm plan, where frequencies/channels are assigned, and unless a problem arises, no others are used. A primary channel is assigned, and specified alternates are used as needed, but coordinated by mission base.

Point is we have two air-to-air frequencies that are never used, at least for their intended purpose.  Just admit that and rename them, have a TAC2 and a Guard2, or a Com3 and a Com4

[PHall]

Each mission has a comm plan, where frequencies/channels are assigned, and unless a problem arises, no others are used. A primary channel is assigned, and specified alternates are used as needed, but coordinated by mission base.

Point is we have two air-to-air frequencies that are never used, at least for their intended purpose.  Just admit that and rename them, have a TAC2 and a Guard2, or a Com3 and a Com4

Why are so concerned about this? Are the current assignments hurting you in any way?

[SarDragon]

OOPS! Double post.

Sorry about that.

[N6RVT]

Each mission has a comm plan, where frequencies/channels are assigned, and unless a problem arises, no others are used. A primary channel is assigned, and specified alternates are used as needed, but coordinated by mission base.

Point is we have two air-to-air frequencies that are never used, at least for their intended purpose.  Just admit that and rename them, have a TAC2 and a Guard2, or a Com3 and a Com4

Why are so concerned about this? Are the current assignments hurting you in any way?

No, its just OCD, like one tile in a floor fitted incorrectly.  I know it doesn't bother anyone else.

[SarDragon]

They are perfectly capable but there is only one radio so you would have to flip frequencies back and forth

There are two radios, at least in every plane in CAWG.  The primary radio can tune the entire range of CAP, however the secondary radio can only hold two frequencies.

And in every case it has been TAC1/GUARD1  The operator can't select anything else.

I have an accessory cable for my headset intended to let someone (presumably not the pilot) listen to their Ipod.  I plug it into a scanner and have it cycling through all 6 simplex frequencies, 121.5  and both repeater outputs so I don't miss anything

After reading this again, with a little more time available, I question your observation that there are two CAP radios in the CAWG planes. There is ONE FM radio. In it are two receivers (main and guard) and one transmitter. Both receivers operate simultaneously, and the transmitter operates on either the main or guard frequency, as selected by the MN/GD switch.
Our operating environment doesn't usually require air-to-air communications, and in emergency conditions, use the guard channel. That's what it's for. Use of 121.5 AM is also permitted in such circumstances.

[N6RVT]

After reading this again, with a little more time available, I question your observation that there are two CAP radios in the CAWG planes. There is ONE FM radio. In it are two receivers (main and guard) and one transmitter. Both receivers operate simultaneously, and the transmitter operates on either the main or guard frequency, as selected by the MN/GD switch.
Our operating environment doesn't usually require air-to-air communications, and in emergency conditions, use the guard channel. That's what it's for. Use of 121.5 AM is also permitted in such circumstances.

I finally got the answer to this.  The two AIR frequencies were originally for Air to air and air to ground both and were intended for that second receiver.  I can find no evidence they were ever programmed.

Two days from now I'm heading off to the largest activity CAWG ever does - and even that only uses two of the 6 simplex frequencies we have.

While still in the channel plan it appears they have been essentially abandoned, are never used, and the aircraft aux receiver was re-purposed.