Airband

Dave Has posted the following:

'Hi Mark, that was useful info from Graham. I wish I'd had it before I bought a new scanner with 8.33 channels that now can't hear the controllers because it doesn't have the 5khz step and, as I mentioned in an earlier post, defaults in my case to 132.863 and 132.125.These scanners are advertised erroneously as being "future proof". I started by hearing the controller on my scanners default of 132.125 but can't anymore. I can sometimes hear him on 135.583 but it comes and goes. Money wasted and very frustrating! Any advice on a reasonably price scanner that WILL work? '

Hi Dave, well I use a Yupiteru MVT7100. I have tried numerous airband scanners over the years but have always ended up going back to the Yupi. I'm now on about my third Yupiteru and I won't make the mistake of selling it again. Great reception quality and sensitivity, it's hard to believe that it was first introduced around 1990/1991. In addition you have tuning steps of 5KHz and even down to 1KHz on AM & FM, this allows for very precise tuning of all airband frequencies which can then be saved to memory. Of course, what you cannot do is search in 8.33KHz steps as it does not have that tuning step but then I'm sure most listeners like me, know the frequencies they want to listen to and save them to memory for scanning.

Regards Mark.

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8.33KHz Airband Frequencies

Graham Duke has kindly supplied the following information with regard to the new 8.33Khz airband frequencies for the UK:

The following list gives all existing and planned 8.33 kHz channels in UK airspace:

132.840 Introduced approximately 2 years ago, covers London Upper West sector.

135.580 replaces 135.575 14 February 2006

132.860 replaces 131.050 15 February 2006

132.130 replaces 129.100 16 February 2006

127.880 replaces 127.875 23 February 2006

127.430 replaces 127.425 22 March 2006

128.160 replaces 127.825 5 April 2006

126.780 replaces 126.775 12 April 2006

Some points to remember:
You don't need a scanner with 8.33 channels, just a scanner with steps of 5kHz or lower;

The transmissions do not take place exactly on the published channels. For example, a channel of 134.005 is actually transmitted on 134.000.

Where a frequency and its replacement channel are only 5kHz apart apart, they can often both be heard on a scanner, due to their proximity. Listen to the controller handing over an aircraft to find out the correct frequency being used.

Later this year, probably in May, the terms channel and frequency will be discontinued. Only frequencies will be used.Also, all frequencies will be spoken in 6 digits ie 127.275 except where the last 2 digits are zeros.

More information on 8.33 channels:

These concern the major resectorisation which took place over South Wales and the West of England on 16 March 2006, with several new air routes, and lots of new reporting points.

This is known as the WestEnd resectorisation.

Two new channels are now in use:

Flight Levels 340 and above 135.255

Flight Levels 300 and above 135.540

In practice, these channels are only being used at busy periods. Most of the time, they are "bandboxed" with the existing frequencies.

Thanks go to Graham Duke for this very informative and comprehensive guide to 8.33KHz allocations.

Mark.

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Airband News

Graham Duke has advised me he will post a full list of 8.33KHz channels here in due course along with major changes due to take place for Bristol and Cardiff arrivals & departures. No doubt similar to the sweeping changes introduced recently at Nottingham East Midlands.

As I write this I've just been gazing up into the blue sky over Leicestershire and spotted a flight of four military 'crossers' at high altitude heading east (didn't have scanner to hand but will almost certainly be Lakenheath F15's heading back to base). There is not a recognised military crossing corridor right over here but nevertheless, you do get them crossing east to west or vice versa from time to time against the run of commercial traffic heading north (southbounders are over the west midlands).

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Graham Duke, auther of the 'Abc Airband Radio Guide' has posted the following:

'I came across your site recently, and I would be happy to contribute whenever I can on airband matters - for example the new 8.33 channels.Also, thanks for including details of my books on your site.'

Thanks Graham and look forward to your input here in the future, if you follow the 'airband' link below you will see Graham's excellent guide to airband listening.

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Airband Company Frequencies

Airband company frequencies are something different to listen to compared with the standard ATC frequencies. I have a search band set up between 131.00MHz and 131.975MHz for listening in to these channels. Most of them can be found in this area but not all of them by any means. You can often here them passing info on any delays and estimated arrival time at their destination and sometimes they will give a shout to the technical dept. and report any minor aircraft snags that need sorting when the aircraft is back on the ground.
If anyone wishes to reply to the posting with specific frequencies for their local airport I will be happy to include them here.

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New Airband Blog Appearance

Sorry if the current change in appearance has upset any regular readers. I am just 'playing' with the format at the moment to determine the best appearance for the site. Please feel fee to comment, thanks. Mark

8.33KHz Frequencies - The Ongoing Story!

Dave has posted the following:

'Hi Mark. You are right about 132.86. There are in fact 2 new freqs for this sector. 132.12 replaces 131.05 (up to FL330) and 132.860 replaces 129.1 (FL330 up). The latter gets used at busy times but at quieter times (now rare!)it gets relayed through to 132.12. Had to get a new scanner with 8.33 step but it defaults to 132.862. Can hear planes but not controller. Don't pretend to understand the new steps but hoped a radio with 8.33 capability would solve this. Obviously not! Cheers'

Thanks for the confirmation on those Dave. Yes these 8.33KHz channels are strange especially when you consider that you can't use an adjacent frequency within a few hundred miles or so because you would here channels either side due to the nature of AM signals and the bandwidth that they use.

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Another New Airband Frequency

Further to my previous post regarding a new 8.33KHz frequency, I have now heard traffic that is working S28 (central UK northbound) being transferred to a frequency of 132.860Mhz. Seems like yet another new 8.33KHz channel being brought into use. I know I have mentioned this in previous posts but if your scanner has the ability to tune in 5KHz steps you will pick up these new channels perfectly well.

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