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From: 73765.1026@compuserve.com (John Stanley)
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom
Subject: Re: Cellular Phone Use on Airport Runway
Message-ID: <13135@accuvax.nwu.edu>
Date: 7 Oct 90 04:19:07 GMT
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X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 10, Issue 720, Message 2 of 7


 
Regarding a comment on the FCC requesting a traffic reporter to stop
using cellular phones from the air, our esteemed Moderator asks:
 
>[Moderator's Note: Well, what is it the traffic reporters use now? I
>think the guy for WMAQ News Radio 67 here uses a cellular phone to
>report to the news desk. If not, what is he using?   PAT
 
In Syracuse, Captain Scott King, the only air traffic reporter in
Syracuse, uses 170.15 for his downlink. Uplink frequency is unknown,
but 170.15 can be used by the studios he talks to (1 AM, 1 FM, and 1
TV, as far as I know.)  The city police also monitor 170.15 and can
talk to him on it. He regularly uses this frequency to notify them of
traffic problems and accidents.
 
This frequency is designated as one of the standard remote to studio
links, and is used for many things besides air traffic. Several
stations in this area use it for live shots. It was quite interesting
to listen during the (Great) New York State Fair, where everyone and
their brother was trying to get live stuff from the grounds. The
Captain was VERY unhappy that his signal was getting covered.
 
Since there is so little coordination heard on that frequency, there
must be another frequency they use, but I have not found it.
 
A friend of mine flies a reporter during the Captain's vacation time.
He says there is about 100 pounds of radio gear strapped into the
seat. It includes tally lights and all sorts of stuff. There are a lot
of extra antennas pasted all over the Captain's plane. His signal from
the plane is good enough that he sometimes makes his last traffic
report from the ground at the airport after landing.
 
For those with a listening bent, the RTS links and other media
frequencies are a great way to keep up with breaking news. The police
use too many codes, but the reporters never do. It also gives an
insight into the mania that exists in broadcast journalism. One night,
I heard a TV remote leave the local hospital (downtown) and arrive at
the station (Eastside) in about five minutes, in a race to get a hot tape
to air. He must have been doing about 80 and blowing red lights to
perform this feat. The tape: a standup in front of the hospital saying
that one victim was taken to XXX hospital, but no information was
available on his condition.
 
The ground pounding reporters do make heavy use of cellular, sometimes
for remote feeds. This is information I heard from someone. I never
listen to cellular frequencies. Nope, not me.