This past Saturday was Cape Canaveral Space Force Station's Family Day, and a friend invited me along for a base tour; since it coincided with my weekend off, it was an opportunity I couldn't pass up. I left Savannah on Friday and came back on Sunday. In addition to the Cape Canaveral SFS visit, I was able to visit the Merritt Island NWR and take in my first in person night launch when SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 on Saturday night. And as always, a trip to the Space Coast makes for interesting radio listening. It was a truly enjoyable road trip that in the end seemed all to short.
 |
| A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launching from LC-39A at Kennedy Space Center on Saturday night, 27April 2024. The Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) can be seen on the right, and LC-39B, lit up for work, can be seen to the left of the launch. |
Radio-wise, it wasn't as active as my previous trips to the Space Coast during the week, but there were still interesting things to listen to, as there always are down there. There was activity on the radio systems used by NASA and the Space Force, some military activity to be heard on the way down on Friday, USCG and Canaveral National Seashore communications, the Florida East Coast Railway, and port traffic from Port Canaveral. On Saturday afternoon, there was also a large brush fire in south Brevard County that required units from multiple agencies to bring it under control.
Amateur Radio and GMRS
On the way down to the Space Coast and back home, I scanned a variety of 2 Meter and 70 cm amateur radio and GMRS repeaters and had a few QSOs along the way. I keep some ISS amateur radio frequencies in my scan lists, and on the Sunday drive back home I heard several passes on the ISS VHF/UHF crossband repeater downlink frequency. While watching the Falcon 9 launch on Saturday night, I listened to the 146.9400- repeater in Rockledge since it features an audio feed from NASA or SpaceX during launches.
145.4500- (PL 88.5) - Bunnell
146.5200 - National Call/Simplex
146.6250- (CSQ) - St Augustine
146.7000- (PL 127.3) - Jacksonville
146.7600- (PL 127.3) - Jacksonville
146.9400- (PL 107.2) - Rockledge (Launch audio feed)
146.9700- (PL 107.2) - Titusville
147.0000- (PL 127.3) - Callahan
147.0750+ (PL 107.2) - Titusville
147.2400+ (PL 123.0) - Daytona Beach
437.8000 - ISS VHF/UHF Crossband Rptr Downlink
442.0000+ (DMR CC1) - Jacksonville South
442.8000+ (PL 127.3) - St Augustine (SARNet)
442.8750+ (PL 123.0) - Christmas (SARNet)
442.8750+ (DMR CC1) - St Augustine
443.1375+ (DMR CC1) - Orlando (between Orlando & Titusville)
444.4000+ (PL 127.3) - Jacksonville
444.4250+ (DMR CC7) - Jacksonville Metro DMR
444.5750+ (DMR CC3) - KSC Cocoa
444.6750+ (DMR CC3) - KSC Titusville
444.7000+ (PL 127.3) - Jacksonville (SARNet)
444.9250+ (PL 131.8) - Titusville (on VAB)
462.6750+ (PL 141.3) - Jacksonville (GMRS)
Aviation/MilCom/Space
Friday afternoons and weekends aren't busy times for MilCom activity and this weekend was no different. I did catch some activity in the Townsend and Avon Park ranges and in SEALORD's offshore operating areas on Friday as well as some P-8 activity out of NAS Jacksonville. Also on Friday, it sounded like NASA was conducting a dry run of a launch, perhaps for the coming Boeing Starliner Crewed Flight Test; Starliner related X/Twitter posts indicated it was the Starliner CFT Final Dress Rehearsal.
118.300 - Jacksonville IAP Tower
317.700 - Jacksonville IAP Tower
125.150 - NAS Jacksonville Tower
340.200 - NAS Jacksonville Tower
119.000 - Jacksonville TRACON
121.300 - Jacksonville TRACON
124.900 - Jacksonville TRACON
127.000 - Jacksonville TRACON
127.775 - Jacksonville TRACON
132.775 - Jacksonville TRACON
269.900 - Jacksonville TRACON
284.600 - Jacksonville TRACON
292.150 - Jacksonville TRACON
308.400 - Jacksonville TRACON
377.075 - Jacksonville TRACON
126.100 - Cecil Field Tower
251.250 - 125th FW/159th FS Maintenance/Ops
273.900 - 125th FW/159th FS SOF
234.800 - 125th FW/159th FS Aux 5
271.400 - VP-5/VP-16 Base
246.900 - P-8A Air-to-Air
285.000 - TSC Jacksonville/W-497 Common
US DOD TRS (NAS Jax/NS Mayport sites)
TG 28118 - NAS Jax Tower
TG 28275 - NAS Jax FD Dispatch
118.100 - Daytona IAP Tower
120.700 - Daytona IAP Tower
257.800 - Daytona IAP Tower
118.850 - Daytona Approach/Departure
125.350 - Daytona Approach/Departure
125.800 - Daytona Approach/Departure
127.075 - Daytona Approach/Departure
269.075 - Daytona Approach/Departure
322.300 - Daytona Approach/Departure
351.950 - Daytona Approach/Departure
353.825 - Daytona Approach/Departure
118.950 - Flagler Executive Tower
119.075 - Ormond Beach Tower
119.675 - New Smyrna Beach Tower
128.550 - KSC SLF Tower
284.000 - KSC SLF Tower
118.900 - Space Coast Regional Tower
118.625 - Cape Canaveral SFS Tower
133.800 - Cape Advisory
133.750 - Patrick SFB Tower
128.375 - Orlando TRACON
124.800 - Orlando TRACON
132.650 - Orlando TRACON
134.050 - Orlando TRACON
134.950 - Orlando TRACON
411.4000 (PL 118.8) - KSC Direct 2
KSC P25 TRS
TG 221 - Fire Net 116
TG 411 - Photo/Timing
TG 431 - KSC 1
TG 452 - LETF 2
TG 453 - LETF 3
TG 503 - Medical Net 117
TG 735 - Safety Net 105
TG 736 - Safety Net 110
TG 737 - Safety Net 205
TG 743 - Eastern Range Safety
TG 842 - KSC Unknown
TG 855 - Launch Support Net 104
TG 875 - Test Net 1
157.695 (SL1 CC4) - Blue Origin (encrypted)
USAF (157) TRS (Cape Canaveral SFS site)
TG 48011 - PSFB FD 1
TG 48015 - PSFB FD Alert
TG 48046 - PSFB MOC
TG 48063 - PSFB Unknown
TG 48105 - PSFB Tower
TG 48311 - CCSFS FD 1
TG 48351 - CCSFS Safety 1
TG 48352 - CCSFS Safety 2
TG 48353 - CCSFS Unknown
TG 48381 - CCSFS Unknown
TG 48382 - CCSFS Unknown
TG 48402 - CCSFS Range Ops
TG 48407 - CCSFS Support
228.400 - Townsend Range Control/Coastal MOA
292.200 - Avon Park Range Ops
120.950 - SEALORD North Primary
284.500 - SEALORD North Primary
313.700 - SEALORD North Secondary
267.500 - SEALORD South Primary
270.600 - SEALORD South Secondary
376.900 - W-137 Discrete
299.275 - VMFA-312 Tac 1
289.275 - VMFA-312 Tac 2
326.700 - VMFAT-501 Tac 1
349.225 - VMFAT-501 Tac 2
341.825 - VMFAT-501 Tac 3
124.675/282.200 - Jax Center Jekyll Low
126.125 - Jax Center Statesboro High
126.350/307.250 - Jax Center St. Augustine High
126.750/277.400 - Jax Center Brunswick Low
127.475 - Jax Center Green Cove High
127.575 - Jax Center Waycross Low
132.425 - Jax Center Hunter Ultra High
132.825 - Jax Center Lawtey Ultra High
133.700 - Jax Center Baxley Low
134.000/273.550 - Jax Center St Johns Low
134.850/327.100 - Jax Center Torry Low/High
135.450 - Jax Center Keystone Ultra High
119.825 - Miami Center Hobee Low/High
123.675 - Miami Center Nucar Low/High
125.075 - Miami Center Boyel High
125.325 - Miami Center Permit High
126.525 - Miami Center Avon High
126.950/293.225 - Miami Center Stoop Low
127.200 - Miami Center Lakeland High
128.650 - Miami Center Apolo High
132.150 - Miami Center Palm Beach Low
132.250 - Miami Center Melbourne Low
132.450 - Miami Center Winco Low
133.550 - Miami Center Sebring Ultra High
134.350 - Miami Center Adoor Low/High
134.550 - Miami Center Lakeland Low
FANG ## (F-15C, 159th FS)
COIL ## (F-15C, 159th FS)
TALON 8## (P-8A, VP-16) (ATC callsign)
RED TALON (P-8A, VP-16) (Backend callsign)
MAKO 06 (T-6, FRCSE)
KING 16 (HC-130J, 71st RQS)
CHECK 6# (F/A-18C/D, VMFA-312)
SWEDE ## (F-35B, VMFAT-501)
WARLORD ## (F-35B, VMFAT-501)
MOJO ## (F-35B, VMFAT-501)
KONDO(?) 37 (Unknown, working Avon Park Range)
FedCom
Marine VHF channels 16 and 22 were active with safety zone traffic about safety zones for the weekend's two SpaceX launches (one on Saturday night, another on Sunday afternoon) and there was some occasional traffic on the Cape Canaveral National Seashore KSC repeater.
156.8000 - Marine VHF Ch 16
157.1000 - Marine VHF Ch 22
162.3250 (NAC 293) - CG 111, Sector Jacksonville
412.9750 (NAC 293) - CG 409, Sector Jacksonville Air Ops
169.7875 (NAC 407) - Canaveral National Seashore KSC Repeater
Public Safety
To no great surprise, the public safety radio systems in Jacksonville, Volusia County, and Brevard County were busy; they always are. Additionally, Florida Forestry Service out Jacksonville, Bunnell, and Orlando were active. On Saturday afternoon, there was a large brush fire that endangered some structures in Palm Bay that brought in units from Brevard Fire/Rescue, Patrick SFB, and Florida Forestry Service in addition to Palm Bay FD. It lasted most of the afternoon and early evening.
159.2400 (PL 97.4) - FFS Jacksonville
159.4500 (NAC 064) - FFS Bunnell
159.2700 (PL 91.5) - FFS Orlando
462.9500 (PL 173.8) - Life Flight (Jacksonville)
155.4000 (PL 136.5) - Florida Flight 1
Jacksonville P25 TRS
TG 1087 - Jacksonville Fire/Rescue A2 Dispatch
TG 149 - JFRD A4 Suppression
TG 1113 - Jacksonville Fire/Rescue Fireground B1
TG 1525 - Jacksonville IAP Gate Operations
Clay County P25
TG 300 - Clay County Fire Rescue Dispatch
St Johns P25
TG 10000 - St Johns County Fire/Rescue A1 Dispatch
TG 10010 - St Johns County Fire/Rescue A3
TG 10055 - St Johns County Fire/Rescue A12
TG 10065 - St Johns County Fire/Rescue A15 Training 1
TG 10615 - NPS Castillo de San Marcos
TG 10620 - NPS Fort Matanzas
Flagler P25
TG 2057 - Flagler Fire/Rescue Talk
TG 2059 - Flagler Fire/Rescue Primary
TG 2060 - Flagler County Fire/Rescue Tac 3
Volusia EDACS
TG 02-041 - Volusia Co Fire Services 1 East Dispatch
TG 02-043 - Volusia Co Fire Services Tac 3
TG 02-045 - Volusia Co Fire Services Tac 5
TG 02-046 - Volusia Co Fire Services Tac 6
TG 02-047 - Volusia Co Fire Services Tac 7
TG 10-102 - Daytona Beach IAP C5
Volusia P25
TG 301 - Volusia Co Fire Services 1 East Dispatch
Brevard EDACS
TG 03-011 - Brevard County Fire/Rescue Dispatch 1
TG 03-012 - Brevard County Fire/Rescue Dispatch 2
TG 03-013 - Brevard County Fire/Rescue Dispatch 3
TG 03-015 - Brevard County Fire/Rescue Dispatch 5
TG 03-017 - Brevard County Fire/Rescue Paging 80
TG 03-027 - Brevard County Fire/Rescue Dispatch 4
TG 03-031 - Brevard County Fire/Rescue Tac 1
TG 03-034 - Brevard County Lifeguards Central
TG 03-045 - Brevard County Fire/Rescue Tac 53
TG 03-063 - Brevard County Fire/Rescue Tac 57
TG 03-071 - Brevard County Fire/Rescue Tac 55
TG 03-072 - Brevard County Fire/Rescue Tac 56
TG 03-097 - Brevard County Fire/Rescue Paging 45
TG 03-101 - Brevard County Fire/Rescue Paging 20
TG 03-103 - Brevard County Fire/Rescue Paging 60
TG 03-127 - Brevard County Fire/Rescue Admin
TG 04-156 - Brevard County Fire/Rescue - First Flight
TG 07-031 - Titusville FD Station 10
TG 07-035 - Titusville FD HQ Dispatch
TG 08-051 - Melbourne FD Dispatch
TG 09-062 - Palm Bay FD Tac 91
TG 11-051 - Cocoa FD Primary
TG 11-052 - Cocoa FD Tac 30
TG 12-011 - Cocoa Beach FD Primary
TG 12-012 - Cocoa Beach FD Tac 50
Marine VHF and Railroad
There were (I believe) four cruise ships in port at Port Canaveral over the weekend, so there was plenty of vessel traffic around the port along with pleasure boaters and fishermen out enjoying the weekend, so there was plenty to be heard moving around Port Canaveral. On this trip, I finally heard some of the Florida East Coat Railway NXDN communications; one of their defect detectors was apparently very close to the hotel I stayed in.
156.6000 - Marine VHF Ch 12; Port Canaveral Pilots
156.6500 - Marine VHF Ch 13; Port Canaveral Locks
160.5300 (RAN 1 TG 10007) - AAR 349, Florida East Coast Railway Road
Cape Canaveral SFS Tour
The tour and the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station included locations such as the Morrell Operations Center, Naval Ordnance Test Unit, Hangar C, and Blue Origin at SLC-36. Going inside the Morrell Operations Center where the Eastern Test Range and launches from Cape Canaveral are controlled and seeing the firing rooms and weather center was a terrific experience, as was seeing some of the equipment the Naval Ordnance Test Unit uses during their missile tests. During the tour, after several Lighthouse Tours at Cape Canaveral, I was able to see inside Hangar C; it's an absolute treasure trove of aerospace history. When you take the Lighthouse Tour and visit the Cape Canaveral Space Force Museum and Sands Space Museum, you hear and read about the rockets and missiles tested at the Cape throughout it's history but at Hangar C you get to see well restored examples of them.
 |
| Firing Room inside the Morrell Operations Center |
 |
| 45th Weather Squadron inside the Morrell Operations Center |
 |
| Space Launch Delta 45 Electronic Spectrum Ops vehicle; simplified version of what it is - an RFI sniffer on wheels |
 |
| Snark Intercontinental Guided Missile |
 |
| Matador Surface to Surface Tactical Missile |
 |
| Polaris A-1 Fleet Ballistic Missile |
 |
| BOMARC Surface to Air Missile |
 |
| SLC-36 at Cape Canaveral SFS where Blue Origin will launch their New Glenn Rocket |
 |
| Cape Canaveral SFS FD apparatus on display at their main fire station |
SpaceX Falcon 9 Night Launch
I've seen a day Space Shuttle Launch and a day Falcon 9 launch and landing from Titusville, but until Saturday night I'd never seen a night launch in person. Saturday at 8:34 PM, a SpaceX Falcon 9 launched from Kennedy Space Center's LC-39A and delivered two European Space Agency Galileo GNSS GPS satellites into orbit. I got an early start to find a good spot to watch from and found one at Rotary Riverfront Park in Titusville around 6:30 PM. The park quickly filled up and I joined a photographer from the Space Coast and others from Tennessee, Ukraine, and the UK to watch the launch. I also had the Uniden BCD436HP listening to the KSC and CCSFS systems and the Anytone 878 HT to listen to SpaceX's audio via the 146.9400- Rockledge repeater. Although we were about 11 miles away from LC-39A, I could still see both LC-39A and LC-39B through some 10x50 binoculars and get some OK photos (they just don't do the experience justice) with full zoom on the cellphone (I didn't know there was going to be a launch until I got to the Space Coast, so I hadn't brought a tripod for the DSLR). It was the second simply awesome experience of the day and nothing short of spectacular.
|
| The SpaceX Falcon-9 just after liftoff and clearing the tower at KSC's LC-39A. To the right is the NASA's VAB and the to the left is NASA's LC-39B |
 |
| SpaceX's Falcon 9 ascending into the overcast above Kennedy Space Center, the vapor cloud still visible around LC-39A below |
Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge
For me, no trip to the Space Coast is complete without a visit to the Merritt Island NWR, so on Friday I took a drive through the Black Point Wildlife Drive. I didn't see many alligators (and the ones I did see weren't very large), but I did see some herons, egrets, and other birds.
 |
| Reddish Egret |
 |
| Tri Colored Heron |
 |
| Great Blue Heron |
 |
| Lesser Yellowlegs |
No comments:
Post a Comment