What's new
Van's Air Force

Don't miss anything! Register now for full access to the definitive RV support community.

Air to ground frequency

JackinMichigan

Well Known Member
I took my RV-10 up on its first flight this past Saturday, and I was talking to my father on the ground with a handheld tuned to 123.45. Mostly I was keeping him informed as to what I was doing and how the plane was behaving, but 10 minutes in someone broke in with a curt 'Get off this frequency!'

It's my understanding that 123.45 (known as 'fingers' apparently) is reserved for air-to-air and civilian flight testing, so I'm not sure who I was intruding on or if that person had any business telling me what he did.

What's the proper frequency I should be using to communicate with my ground crew while flight testing?
 
He was the jack@ss. 123.45 is used for flight test, along with several other frequencies. He was the one who was breaking the law.
 
From another forum:

Inside the contiguous 48 United States, 123.45 is NOT a valid air-to-air frequency. It is assigned to flight test for various airplane manufacturers by the FCC.

Ref: 47 C.F.R. ? 87.303(a) for 123.45 MHz
 
Just to clarify, before you use 123.45 you need to have it assigned to you. You may have been stepping on someone's flight test communication.
 
Just to clarify, before you use 123.45 you need to have it assigned to you. You may have been stepping on someone's flight test communication.

I had never heard that. I had always heard that it was for use by aircraft manufacturers for test purposes, but I'd never heard it had to be assigned to you. Where is that stated in the law or rules? Always looking to learn!
 
For the Canadians monitoring this thread: In Canada, 123.45 Mhz is an air to air frequency for use in Canadian Northern Domestic airspace and the North Atlantic.

Bevan
 
I had never heard that. I had always heard that it was for use by aircraft manufacturers for test purposes, but I'd never heard it had to be assigned to you. Where is that stated in the law or rules? Always looking to learn!

https://www.faa.gov/documentLibrary/media/Order/6050.32B Chg 1.pdf

Scroll down to about the fourth page, paragraph 908: SPECIAL USE OF 123.45. It's used for Fight test - but NOT for Air to Air. I know a couple of avionics engineers who have told me that they (their company) had the frequency assigned for a particular test, in a particular area, and then had guys romping along using it indiscriminately ruin their test.

Frequency allocation is one area where everything is prohibited unless expressly permitted......
 
https://www.faa.gov/documentLibrary/media/Order/6050.32B Chg 1.pdf

Scroll down to about the fourth page, paragraph 908: SPECIAL USE OF 123.45. It's used for Fight test - but NOT for Air to Air. I know a couple of avionics engineers who have told me that they (their company) had the frequency assigned for a particular test, in a particular area, and then had guys romping along using it indiscriminately ruin their test.

Frequency allocation is one area where everything is prohibited unless expressly permitted......
And I was just informed by a more informed friend that the FAA flight test folks use it to talk to ATC as well.
 
So back to my original question - what frequency SHOULD I be using? If I need one assigned to me who does that, the FAA or the FCC? Who do I contact?
 
So back to my original question - what frequency SHOULD I be using? If I need one assigned to me who does that, the FAA or the FCC? Who do I contact?

122.75 is the only real "party line" frequency listed, so that is what we generally use. It can, of course, get crowded, and we just live with it. I have never heard of a homebuilder actually getting a flight test frequency assigned to them.

Paul
 
In the US, 122.75Mhz.

FWIW: in many places outside the US, 123.45 is an air to air frequency but not within the US. Different countries different rules.

:cool:
 
Last edited:
So back to my original question - what frequency SHOULD I be using? If I need one assigned to me who does that, the FAA or the FCC? Who do I contact?

To me, the answer is in the document Paul linked. Your operating limitations prescribed by the FAA, if like mine, specifically refer to Phase 1 as "flight testing". Therefore, certainly I'd think you have their blessing to use the frequency range 123.325-123.475 to support your phase 1 flight testing activities, as long as said communication is related specifically to flight testing.
 
Within US jurisdiction CFR47 87.303 specifically states "These frequencies are AVAILABLE for assignment to flight test land and aircraft stations."

So if you have not been assigned 123.45 by the FCC for your flight testing, you are not authorized use it.

:cool:
 
Last edited:
Within US jurisdiction CFR47 87.303 specifically states "These frequencies are AVAILABLE for assignment to flight test land and aircraft stations."

If you have not been assigned 123.45 by the FCC for your flight testing, you can not use it.

:cool:

Hmmm, dang. In that case, I guess the OP can't talk to his father unless he's in a chase plane so that they can talk on the air-to-air frequency?
 
Please be patient with a newbie trying to assist. I googled just that question around application for frequency withh fcc for flight test and found a pdf application. I looked it over and it includes several frequencies including the one mentioned. What i dont know is it possible to attach here or how to do that. Sorry. So i would just google it.
Vin

Just reply with a link to the pdf, no need to attach the document itself.
 
Hmmm, dang. In that case, I guess the OP can't talk to his father unless he's in a chase plane so that they can talk on the air-to-air frequency?


Where does it say the airplane has to be airborne? No need to over complicate things, just use 122.75Mhz. :D
 
Last edited:
123.45, is known to NY pilots and banner tow pilots flying along the South Shore of Long Island, as "Beach Ball"
 
Play the game

So, I guess if you really want to play the game, you can request a manufacturer frequency...

Seeing as we are ALL manufacturers of said aircraft...:D
 
Where does it say the airplane has to be airborne? No need to over complicate things, just use 122.75Mhz. :D

In the document Paul linked. It lists 122.750 as "Fixed wing aircraft - Air-to-Air". Does that mean air-to-ground is not within the scope of permitted use?
 
Frequency

Straight from the Airman?s Information Manual:

aev8so.jpg
 
123.45 in Canada

Just to further complicate things, referring to the comment about 123.45 in Canada, my home airport CYBW Springbank Alberta uses 123.45 as the uncontrolled taxi advisory on the airport, quite a busy place too with four uncontrolled taxiways.
 
The use of 123.45 for air to air chatter is one of my pet peeves. Only because I fly a lot of oceanic crossings for work and 23.45 is, among other things, the overwater air to air freq. On a bright sunny weekend day along the coast I can expect the first hour of my crossing to be nothing but listening to guys talking about fuel flow and airspeed etc. Really annoying when I am trying to get an idea of what the ride will be like in front of me when it is continually being stepped on by people headed out for the $100 hamburger. I just don't even tune that freq in until I am about 500 miles offshore anymore.
 
Back
Top