FSS frequencies

pilotod

pilotod

Pre-takeoff checklist
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eyeflying
Seems like there are quite a few to pick from and that makes me wonder why. Is 122.0 and 122.2 a universal FSS frequency that can be used anywhere?

Also, the R next to one....I'm wondering....is that frequency ever used if others are available? That R...it means receive. So the FSS receives only. How do I transmit to them? The VOR is transmit only per the A/FD legend but does that mean the FSS transmits on it or I transmit on it?

And, the legend in a sectional for a Nav/Com box shows 3 different frequencies above it for Oakdale. One has an R, the other 2....what are the other 2 for?. And if the R one is receive only and the Nav frequency is not for voice....I'm confused.

I know there's some altitude/terrain issues and the legend says to consult the A/FD but the A/FD isn't clearing it up.
 
The R is receive: That is the frequency that you transmit on to talk to them. Turn up the volume on your VOR (like you were listening for the IDENT) and that is where you receive their transmission back to you. On your initial contact, let them know what VOR frequency ( or station) you are listening on.
 
Ok, so I can use that frequency to transmit to them and I have to use a VOR frequency to listen. So I could listen on a VOR or a station. What's a station? I'm assuming a station is a frequency that's listed above the box? If I use a station/frequency above the box, why would I ever call the FSS on a frequency that has an R next to it?

FlySince9 said:
The R is receive: That is the frequency that you transmit on to talk to them. Turn up the volume on your VOR (like you were listening for the IDENT) and that is where you receive their transmission back to you. On your initial contact, let them know what VOR frequency ( or station) you are listening on.
Click to expand...
 
The station is the name underneath the VOR box. You transmit on the frequency with the R. You would listen to them through the VOR you are closest to. I haven't had to do this yet, but I think you advise them that you are at or listening to a particular VOR.
 
This won't make any sense until you actually try it. Get your instructor to help you. Fly out toward Sidney, NE and use 122.1 to talk to Columbus Flight Service.
 
Okay...

Inside the VOR Compass Rose (on a sectional chart, for examle) is an information box that includes the radio Frequencies and the name of that VOR, among other things. Usually on the top of the upper border of that box you will find the FSS Frequencies. One of them may be 122.1R.

Attached to the bottom border of that box is another, smaller box with the name of the FSS station ie; [DAYTON]. Tune your VOR receiver like you were going to track to that VOR location ( 116.7 for the APPLETON VOR, for example) and turn up the volume on the VOR receiver. You will hear the MORSE CODE indentifer being repeated. You can verify it by looking at the info box described above and compare what you hear to the graphic representation of the code in the info box. Now set your COMM radio to 122.1 and call the station. "DAYTON RADIO, THIS IS CESSNA xxxx LISTENING ON 116.7 (the APPLETON VOR frequency). When they respond, you will hear them on the same radio that was receiving the MORSE CODE.

It will make much more sense if you get your instructor to show you how to do this. It isn't anywhere near as complicated as it sounds..
 
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/DenverPyle*ModeON/

Well sonny, back in the day, we had radios called one-and-a-half systems, that is a com transmitter and a combined com and nav receiver (i.e. Narco Superhomer). The com transmitter was limited to a few crystal-controlled frequencies; you had to buy the specific frequencies you thought you would use. The single receiver covered the entire range of nav and com frequencies up to 127.9, the frequencies higher than that just weren't needed. The receiver was tuned, in true analog fashion, with a crank moving an indicator around a dial. Once you had found your VOR frequency on the receiver, you could still talk with the local flight service station and navigate simultaneously. Later versions of these 1.5 systems (i.e. Narco Omnigator) had digitally tuned frequencies with up to 90 com channels. They automatically transmitted on the FSS receive frequency when the receiver was tuned to a nav frequency. This was a great improvement over low frequency range and direction finder navigation.

And all of our cross country flights were uphill both ways!

/DenverPyleModeOFF/

Scott

*If you have to ask, he played Uncle Jesse on Dukes of Hazard. Kids today, go figure.
 
Pick up the nearest Airport/Facility Directory. Read the material in the front, especially the Communication discussion. The answers to all of your questions can be found there.

Bob Gardner
 
Pretty good article here: http://www.aopa.org/pilot/features/ii_9811.html

122.0 is for Flight Watch, the stations are farther apart and you'll need to be at a higher altitude to hit them reliably. While they're managed by the same entity that does the regular FSS tasks, they can be a little testy if you ask them to open flight plans, etc...

122.1 is usually a receive only frequency. 122.6 was the traditional "local advisories for places with FSS on field" but there aren't any local FSS's anymore.


The R frequency will always be on a box that has YOUR receive freqency (it will appear over a VOR box).
 
Maybe this is part of the problem. I'm using a digital one provided thru one of the ipad apps I use and there's no legend or discussion. I found a pdf legend but not that part you're talking about. I'll get it and read it.

bobmrg said:
Pick up the nearest Airport/Facility Directory. Read the material in the front, especially the Communication discussion. The answers to all of your questions can be found there.

Bob Gardner
Click to expand...
 
That is helpful. And I now I understand why transmitting on one and listening on another might be used per this article...."a handy technique if you have a single navcom"

Thanks everyone.

flyingron said:
Pretty good article here: http://www.aopa.org/pilot/features/ii_9811.html

122.0 is for Flight Watch, the stations are farther apart and you'll need to be at a higher altitude to hit them reliably. While they're managed by the same entity that does the regular FSS tasks, they can be a little testy if you ask them to open flight plans, etc...

122.1 is usually a receive only frequency. 122.6 was the traditional "local advisories for places with FSS on field" but there aren't any local FSS's anymore.


The R frequency will always be on a box that has YOUR receive freqency (it will appear over a VOR box).
Click to expand...
 
flyingron said:
Pretty good article here: http://www.aopa.org/pilot/features/ii_9811.html

122.0 is for Flight Watch, the stations are farther apart and you'll need to be at a higher altitude to hit them reliably. While they're managed by the same entity that does the regular FSS tasks, they can be a little testy if you ask them to open flight plans, etc...

122.1 is usually a receive only frequency. 122.6 was the traditional "local advisories for places with FSS on field" but there aren't any local FSS's anymore.


The R frequency will always be on a box that has YOUR receive freqency (it will appear over a VOR box).
Click to expand...

Perhaps my XCs aren't long enough yet, but I haven't had much of a reason to use Flight Watch like I thought I would. My longest thus far is 207nm.

I wonder if technology is reducing the workload for FW.
 
pilotod said:
Seems like there are quite a few to pick from and that makes me wonder why. Is 122.0 and 122.2 a universal FSS frequency that can be used anywhere?
Click to expand...

I was taught that 122.2 is a universal FSS frequency, although it is apparently not completely universal: AIM 4-2-14 says "If you are in doubt as to what frequency to use, 122.2 MHz is assigned to the majority of FSSs as a common en route simplex frequency."
 
Palmpilot said:
I was taught that 122.2 is a universal FSS frequency, although it is apparently not completely universal: AIM 4-2-14 says "If you are in doubt as to what frequency to use, 122.2 MHz is assigned to the majority of FSSs as a common en route simplex frequency."
Click to expand...

I call on 122.2, if that doesn't work I try one of the other listed frequencies.

Of course, between flying IFR and having datalinked weather, it's rare I have to talk to Flight Circus in flight. The last time was to file an IFR plan when the controller wouldn't take a popup directly.
 
The number of useful PIREPs is incredibly low these days. Pull up the national charts for them and see the lack of hits.

Trying to explain to Denver AFSS that the RCOs in the mountains used to be used to give position reports so SAR would know which pass you probably went down in, is a complete exercise in futility these days too. "We'd like to give a position report on our filed flight plan" is met with "Uhhh... say again?". The old DEN FSS knew exactly why you were doing that and tracked everyone, recreational and pro alike, if requested.

Reporting an RCO out of service to LockMart took three pilots and three calls before they'd even consider the report valid last year. When you're flying circles around the RCO (Badger Mountain) and staring at the antenna and they don't respond... we promise LockMart, it was dead. Really. NOTAM it OTS and dispatch it for future repair. Sheesh.
 
FlySince9 said:
The R is receive: That is the frequency that you transmit on to talk to them. Turn up the volume on your VOR (like you were listening for the IDENT) and that is where you receive their transmission back to you. On your initial contact, let them know what VOR frequency ( or station) you are listening on.
Click to expand...

Learned this for the written / oral (I think). Haven't used it yet but I do think there are some on my sectional. I should try this out if they are near me. Thank you for helping me retain this rarely used piece of information.
 
denverpilot said:
"We'd like to give a position report on our filed flight plan" is met with "Uhhh... say again?". The old DEN FSS knew exactly why you were doing that and tracked everyone, recreational and pro alike, if requested.
Click to expand...

I was taught to do that in California, but I haven't done it in a long time. I guess I should try it on one of my flights to Phoenix and see what they say. If they want to know why, I'll say "Because if I have to make a forced landing, I don't want my colleagues in the Civil Air Patrol to have to search the entire route for me."
 
kimberlyanne546 said:
Learned this for the written / oral (I think). Haven't used it yet but I do think there are some on my sectional. I should try this out if they are near me. Thank you for helping me retain this rarely used piece of information.
Click to expand...

There are places where it's the only way you can get in touch with an FSS.
 
Palmpilot said:
I was taught to do that in California, but I haven't done it in a long time. I guess I should try it on one of my flights to Phoenix and see what they say. If they want to know why, I'll say "Because if I have to make a forced landing, I don't want my colleagues in the Civil Air Patrol to have to search the entire route for me."
Click to expand...

Be interesting to see how it goes for you. Unfortunately I think Colorado calls are routed to the PHX call center most of the time when I've asked. Don't know if the equivalent happens with radio calls.
 
If you are old enough you actually used a Superhomer with a plug in crystal while flying your taildragger XC... In the days before the Weather Channel, GPS496,Sirius, AWOS, ASOS, etc. calling FSS on 122.2 and listening on a VOR is how we found out that there was a line of thunderstorms 50 miles ahead... (that was high technology, folks)

In todays world, trying to explain that to a young person with spiky hair, a Bluetooth in one ear, and a Smartphone, is like speaking Sanskrit - they cannot begin to even imagine why you are telling them that - your words have no meaning...

I am no troglodyte... I speak electronics and I like technology/moving maps/video-conferencing... But I do wonder what todays spiky haired, Gen something-or-other, will do if there is an interruption in our delicate, wired world... For me, if the GPS/4G/net shuts down for a while, I will just shrug, drag out the paper charts, and go chugging off XC listening to the weather ahead on the AM talk radio stations using the ADF receiver, because I know how (shrug)
 
Dr. O said:
If you are old enough you actually used a Superhomer with a plug in crystal while flying your taildragger XC... In the days before the Weather Channel, GPS496,Sirius, AWOS, ASOS, etc. calling FSS on 122.2 and listening on a VOR is how we found out that there was a line of thunderstorms 50 miles ahead... (that was high technology, folks)

In todays world, trying to explain that to a young person with spiky hair, a Bluetooth in one ear, and a Smartphone, is like speaking Sanskrit - they cannot begin to even imagine why you are telling them that - your words have no meaning...

I am no troglodyte... I speak electronics and I like technology/moving maps/video-conferencing... But I do wonder what todays spiky haired, Gen something-or-other, will do if there is an interruption in our delicate, wired world... For me, if the GPS/4G/net shuts down for a while, I will just shrug, drag out the paper charts, and go chugging off XC listening to the weather ahead on the AM talk radio stations using the ADF receiver, because I know how (shrug)
Click to expand...
Like the guy who started the thread "Quit flying", there is a reason for learning the available technology. Like you said, what happens when your data link/GPS/COMMS1 fail?
For me, I was on a trip from Marshfield (GHG) to Eastport (EPM). I had never used Flight Watch over a VOR 122.1R and thought I'd try it out. It worked just fine. FW was able to give me an update on the local forecast which included data I could not get from METARs or ASOS.
You need to build up your flying toolbox. Like learning algebra in high school, you might not know why you need to know something but somewhere in your future, you may be happy you did.
 
That's all fine except 122.1R gets you (most likely) BRIDGEPORT RADIO rather than FLIGHT WATCH.

Of course this whole concept is rapidly getting anachronistic.
 
FlySince9 said:
Aren't they the same place ?
Click to expand...

Yes, but Flight Watch is a dedicated position within the facility, with no responsibilities other than weather.

Bob Gardner
 
Palmpilot said:
I was taught that 122.2 is a universal FSS frequency, although it is apparently not completely universal: AIM 4-2-14 says "If you are in doubt as to what frequency to use, 122.2 MHz is assigned to the majority of FSSs as a common en route simplex frequency."
Click to expand...

That agrees with the basic source: The legend pages of the A/FD, where it discusses frequency assignments. That's where you go when you want to check up on your instructor. Instructors are wonderful, but nothing beats going to the source for information or confirmation.

Bob Gardner
 
bobmrg said:
Yes, but Flight Watch is a dedicated position within the facility, with no responsibilities other than weather.

Bob Gardner
Click to expand...

Sounds great, in theory. But I'll bet there's some... blurring of the boundaries going on there... ie; if your not busy, answer the darn radio...

Anyway, sometimes that is the only way to reach them...
 
Flight Watch (122.0) ground stations are further apart and hence reliably hit only at higher altitude. They do only weather so think of it as the express lane for getting the conditions. You won't have to hear people getting clearances or filing flight plan or opening or closing plans.

The rest of the flight service outlets are more scattered and reachable at low level, they also give a lot of spatial diversity so more people can be served at one time.

The comment about anachronism is that there's no BRIDGEPORT RADIO any more even though the charts still lend you to believe there is. You most likely are talking to some guy in Ashburn, VA when you call that frequency.
 
My DPE used to work at an FSS and he suggested to always tell them then closest station that you're listening on. For example, "podunk radio N12345 listening smallville 122.2". Even though it's 122.2 the entire panel could say 122.2 and they would not know which one you were on if they weren't watching. I've been in areas where I had to call them 3 times, I think they were away from the radio.
 
MadseasoN said:
My DPE used to work at an FSS and he suggested to always tell them then closest station that you're listening on. For example, "podunk radio N12345 listening smallville 122.2". Even though it's 122.2 the entire panel could say 122.2 and they would not know which one you were on if they weren't watching. I've been in areas where I had to call them 3 times, I think they were away from the radio.
Click to expand...

Since 122.2 is very widespread in coverage, that's good advice, because they may not want to transmit from all their 122.2 locations at once when they reply. I was taught to say my location in the initial callup to Flight Watch for the same reason.
 
Dr. O said:
If you are old enough you actually used a Superhomer with a plug in crystal while flying your taildragger XC... In the days before the Weather Channel, GPS496,Sirius, AWOS, ASOS, etc. calling FSS on 122.2 and listening on a VOR is how we found out that there was a line of thunderstorms 50 miles ahead... (that was high technology, folks)

In todays world, trying to explain that to a young person with spiky hair, a Bluetooth in one ear, and a Smartphone, is like speaking Sanskrit - they cannot begin to even imagine why you are telling them that - your words have no meaning...

I am no troglodyte... I speak electronics and I like technology/moving maps/video-conferencing... But I do wonder what todays spiky haired, Gen something-or-other, will do if there is an interruption in our delicate, wired world... For me, if the GPS/4G/net shuts down for a while, I will just shrug, drag out the paper charts, and go chugging off XC listening to the weather ahead on the AM talk radio stations using the ADF receiver, because I know how (shrug)
Click to expand...

:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:
 
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