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On the Airbands
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As promised in the last issue, we have updated our military callsigns list so you now have access to the latest available information. And the other big story this issue is Air Force One, which became the most expensive aircraft ever to visit Australia during the recent visit by US President George Bush.
The custom built Boeing 747-200 (VC-25) cost a staggering $US500m and contains a vast array of electronic kit, requiring 57 antennas to be mounted on, along, and under the fuselage. Under normal circumstances, an airline 747-200 boasts only 17 aerials. The Presidential 747 also carries 85 telephones, four computers, an 8 channel TV system, a conference room, mini hospital. af a freezer capable of holding enough food to cater for the entire 93 persons-on-board for one week, and of course, presidential sleeping quarters. Secure communications are available operating on HF and UHF, as part of a very sophisticated network. UHF Echo net ground/air used was 407. 85 MHz, and Fox air/ ground was 415. 7 MHz. HF Mystic Star communications occurred on 13201 kHz and 13241 kHz. VHF Treasury Secret Ser- vice frequencies copied during the trip were: 162. 74, 162. 76, 163. 835, 163. 91, 163. 988, 165. 59, 167. 29, 419. 5, 155. 37, 154. 95, 155. 475, 163. 259, 163. 261, 163. 263, 166. 7, 166. 5125, 166. 8875, 165. 375, 164. 4, 162. 6875, 415. 975, 171. 2875, 165. 85, 165. 8625, 165. 375, 414. 25, and 419. 552 MHz. No, we haven’t made mistakes, there were some real funny ones being used there. We run them in “On the Airbands’ so that next time El Presidente arrives you will be fully armed with all the relevant frequencies.
Two giant C-5A Galaxy transports preceded the Presidential aircraft carrying everything from Secret Service firearms to motor vehicles. (Refer Traffic last issue. ) Eight vehicles in fact, seven stretch limousines with bulletproof glass and bomb proof armour, and a special Secret Service electronics van. Many containers of “unspecified” equipment were also unloaded from the Galaxies, along with. . . yes. . . a truck! One hundred and twenty five American media representatives were also ferried in to cover the President’s visit on a specially chartered TWA Boeing 747. And then there was Air Force Two, fitted out exactly the same as Air Force One, just in case of a malfunction, following the Presidential aircraft wherever it travelled.
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