ARINC (JFK/LGA Area) 129.90 Feed

[JetScan1]

There appears to be some sort of reception issue with this feed. The ARINC operator on 129.90 is coming through very strong but the transmissions are always broken up or getting clipped and unreadable. No problem with aircraft reception though, they are coming through okay even at far distances. So it doesn't sound like an antenna problem ? Are the operator transmissions so strong that they are overmodulating the radio ? Checking the archives its been like that for a few weeks now, prior to this reception was okay.

FYI for those interested, New York ARINC appears to have expanded their VHF coverage so that you will now hear the operator on 129.90 assigning HF frequencies for traffic routing via OXANA.ZZTOP and SAUCR.ONGOT on the JFK/LGA feed (if it was working). Prior to this HF frequencies were assigned by New York Center on 126.025 on these routes.

Same with traffic out of Jacksonville and Miami Center areas off the Florida coast, here ARINC is using 130.70 to assign HF frequencies now. I haven't tried yet but you will probably hear this on the San Juan feed. 


JS

[JetScan1]

Same with traffic out of Jacksonville and Miami Center areas off the Florida coast, here ARINC is using 130.70 to assign HF frequencies now. I haven't tried yet but you will probably hear this on the San Juan feed.

Just checked the San Juan LiveATC radio and it appears 130.70 is no longer covered on this feed. Anyone in Florida able to hear the ARINC operator on 130.70 ?

JS

[Rob K]

Interested in this also.  Keep us updated jetscan1.  I only tune in to the NYC ARINC feed if I've missed a selcal on HF as the VHF opr usually asks them for it so it's rare I listen but interesting to know about the freq assignments for OXANA (ZZTOP) and PAEPR (SAUCR) and the extended VHF range.  Do you know where to find the freq assignments for L451 and M326 out of JAINS?  They've been using 6586 a lot recently through the daytime for that SW corner of WATRS (rather than the usual 8918) but a while back I found the southbound stuff for L451/2 was on 8918 but they were putting the northbounds on the same routes at LETON and LNHOM on 11396 which was annoying.

[JetScan1]

Rob K,

Keep us updated jetscan1.

 
Just checked the ARINC VHF 129.90 feed now and operator is still cutting out just after they start transmitting. I'm not sure if anyone from LiveATC is looking into this ?

Do you know where to find the freq assignments for L451 and M326 out of JAINS?

They seem to have switched some of the Caribbean HF frequencies around recently. For the last couple of months they have been using 11330 as the exclusive day primary on L451, same for traffic northbound out of Miami airspace via LHNOM/LAMER/LUCTI.

I have not confirmed any traffic on M326 recently but I suspect they are using 6586/8918 during the day, which is the same for traffic routing southbound over ZZTOP.L452 and ONGOT.L453.

I also notice they are now using the NAT "E" (8825/11309/13354) frequencies in the southern part of this airspace (north from San Juan airspace via L456/L459/L461/L462).  

I have not heard 11396 in use at all lately ? When was the last time you heard it being used ?

From what I've heard over the last few weeks, during the day they seems to be using 4 separate primary frequencies in the following respective areas ..

Area 1 North - 6577 or 8846 (usually 6577)
Area 2 South - 11309 or 13354 (usually 11309)
Area 3 West (North) - 6586 or 8918
Area 4 West (South) - 11330

Haven't checked evening/night yet but suspect they might combine the two West Areas into one ?

JS

[JetScan1]

Just checking now at 23:00 UTC they are using ....

Area 1 North - 3455
Area 2 South - 8825
Area 3 West (North) - 5520
Area 4 West (South) - 6586

[Rob K]

Was quite some time ago I last heard 11396 being used, like summer time.  Not monitored it for ages but probably not in use with 6586 in use for southbounds.

[captkel]

 Anyone in Florida able to hear the ARINC operator on 130.70 ?



It's weak however I can hear 130.70 from the Fort Lauderdale area

[JetScan1]

captel,

It's weak however I can hear 130.70 from the Fort Lauderdale area

Thanks for that.

I found the latest ARINC chart (attached - need to be logged in to see it) showing the extended VHF coverage in the Maritime and Gulf Net's.

For 130.70 it shows a transmitter in Miami, but further up the coast while it shows the coverage area it doesn't actually indicate the "VHF Radio Site" (triangle symbol), although based on the coverage rings they appear to be in the Jacksonville FL and Brunswick GA areas.   

I'm wondering if they simulcast from multiple sites on 130.70 like they appear to do up north on 129.90 ? Is there any chance to get 130.70 added to the Miami FSS feed to check it out ? Is this one of your radios ?

JS

[captkel]

Hey Jet, I added 130.70 to the ZMA Bimini feed (and I turned on a 2 second delay)    http://www.liveatc.net/flisten.php?mount=zma_mia_bimini&icao=kmia  around 8:00 am local time this morning Dec. 12, 2016.  The Mia FSS feed is so busy with the misc. stuff you probably would never hear ARINC. When I listen, I will hear New York but usually NOT the aircraft. That makes me believe they have multiple sites combined .

Enjoy 

Kel

[JetScan1]

captkel,

I added 130.70 to the ZMA Bimini feed

Thanks for doing that !

I pulled up a few archives and searched for some transmissions. I found a few but they are weak and barely readable. And like the radio up in JFK the ARINC operators transmissions are cutting out.

Using another source I was able to monitor 130.70 up near the Jacksonville area briefly and could hear the operator assigning HF frequencies and taking position reports from flights routing north out of San Juan airspace, which confirms they have the capability to simulcast from multiple sites. And here again even with a fairly strong signal the transmissions were cutting out, just like the other two LiveATC locations, until the squelch was turned off which fixed the problem.

When you heard New York transmitting, where they cutting out ? Did you have the squelch off ?

I'm no radio expert but it almost seems like ARINC transmissions are more sensitive to squelch settings compared with regular ATC and aircraft ? Perhaps lowering the squelch setting on the JFK ARINC radio would solve the problem there ?

The ZMA Bimini feed is very busy as well, great feed by the way thanks for setting it up, and as you seem to be to far away from the 130.70 transmiter probably best to remove it from the feed and just concentrate on the Center.

A dedicated feed for 130.70 would be great, as like the JFK ARINC feed, it compliments the Caribbean HF feeds and can easily be used to determine HF frequency usage at the time. If there is anyone else out there closer to one of the 130.70 transmitter sites ?

Thanks again for the help.

JS

[captkel]

Since the 130.70 signal is so weak at my location, I had reset the squelch as low as practical when I added it to the feed. If it's available, check out the archives from today Dec. 14, 2016 on the ZMA Bimini sector feed.  I was up at 4AM local time, the reception was enhanced; the signals were very strong. I was picking up on another radio some signals from Key West Florida which is approximately 130 miles south of me. A little after 8:30AM local time (13:30 utc)  the signals were still strong. I heard New York talking then and the transmission was not cutting out. I have plans to upgrade my airband yagi antenna (make the boom about 14' long) I have all the parts, I just need the will and the weather to cooperate and i'll try to improve the reception.  

[JetScan1]

captkel,

check out the archives from today Dec. 14, 2016 on the ZMA Bimini sector feed.

Thanks for the heads up. I checked out the archives from the 14th, yes reception was much better. Heard New York taking position reports and assigning HF frequencies to those flights northbound/eastbound out out San Juan airspace again. Although reception strength seems to vary throughout the night.

I notice on the 14th you also seem to be getting a second ZMA controller on that feed during the overnight. Sounds like you had 119.825 on there as well. Was this the frequency you were getting the controller on or were there more frequencies on there simulcasting ? I have not heard that sector during the day on the feed, was this just someting you added on during the 14th ? I didn't hear it last night (15th) on some of the archives I checked.

I have plans to upgrade my airband yagi antenna (make the boom about 14' long) I have all the parts, I just need the will and the weather to cooperate and i'll try to improve the reception.

Looking forward to hearing that !

JS
 

[captkel]

seem to be getting a second ZMA controller on that feed during the overnight.

  Yep


Well...I noticed that in the overnight hours the Bimini sector 126.325 and the Hobee sector 119.825 hand off a good amount of transitioning aircraft to each other and neither sector is real busy, so, if I remember, around 9:00 or 10:00 pm local time i'll add it to the feed. Usually around 8:00 am local time I remove it. Most of the aircraft that check in on 119.825 on the northern side of the sector, or are handed off to Jacksonville Center are out of range of my antenna so we wont hear them. I do hear them hand off aircraft to New York ARINC over Sumrs and Snagy and assign HF frequencies. Lately it's been 3455 and 5550.

119.825, 134.350, 123.675, 125.325, 126.950 and 133.400 and possibly others are all combined over night.

126.325, 135.600, 125.700, 134.200, 133.850 are combined over night.
 
That's pretty good coverage of the Florida east coast, at least overnight.

Arrivals from the north that are landing in FLL, MIA, or PBI get handed off to 132.250 when they get lower and are closer to there destination.

NOTE: I've been listing to 130.700 this morning and the signal is strong and cutting out. It's them causing the issue. True, when you turn off the squelch you wont hear it cut out.
I see the signal strength fluctuating.

Kel    

2nd NOTE: I just heard a aircraft talking to New York on 130.700, he was over Bimini (about 50 miles east of Miami) at around 12:25 pm local time today Dec 16, 2016 and he asked New York to repeat what they said because they were breaking up!!

[Rob K]

I've just fired up the New York ARINC 129.9 feed and there is definitely a problem with it.  Audio is clipping/cutting out - seems to be a squelch set too high problem and something else causing problems.  Could it be fixed please?  Usually NYC is good readable on that feed and most flights too, depending how far out they are.

[dave]

The issue that many people aren't aware of with regard to ARINC is that the base
station side transmits somewhat off frequency for 129.9, making
reception of the base station side problematic from a fixed frequency
receiver. We tried loosening the squelch on that receiver and it didn't
help.

We'll see about moving it to an SDR in the area where we might have more flexibility.

[captkel]

The issue that many people aren't aware of with regard to ARINC is that the base
station side transmits somewhat off frequency

Funny you should mention that. I looked at the 130.700 frequency out of Miami Florida and it was off by 2 Khz. The center frequency was 130.702,  I DID NOT hear any difference tuning in ON frequency with the SDR.  The scanners I have wont tune less then 5 Khz. 
I'm curious how it sounds in the Miami area...I'm 25 miles away.