Posted by Dennis on April 28, 2001 at 09:15:37:
Trip last weekend to Ephrata to fly my sailplane; using 780.
1) 151.025 (heard by Snoq-Stevens Pass snowplows, etc) also sending databursts along I-90 at Mileposts 76-77. Also MP 114, East of Ellensburg. Perhaps DOT weather data, like road temperature devices?
2) 406.750, MP 106 (Ellensburg), sounds very much like trunking data channel but not Motorola. Didn't stop to investigate further.
3) 408.025...carrier with 1-sec beep every 3 seconds around MP 145 (Vantage area).
4) 349.400 C-17, callsign Kitsap 59, talking to McChord on 'Command Center'. See http://www.seanet.com/~mattcawby/index.htm for great info on military comms.
5) Most interesting monitoring to me was various PDs at the Ephrata airport doing driving obstacle training on a closed runway. Two teams, one on 155.145 and the other on 154.725. Instructor drives behind student in separate car, giving advice and correction using freqs in simplex mode. The students don't talk back.
6) Online FCC database lists about 12 freqs for Boeing at Grant County Airport (Moses Lake). Comms relating to aircraft fueling heard on 462.325.
7) 406-420 area gets active when various military units are in summer training at the Yakima Firing Center. Part of the range is just south of I-90 in the Vantage area so some pretty strong in-the-clear comms have been heard in this area. Most of the comms appear to be between motorized units below 'company' strength, and suspect company and higher-level units may be using the scambled SINGARS radios. However, 406-420 has been used in years past for range control repeaters at Yakima so keep scanning during training ops.