Red Flag Scanner Audio

These audio files will be easier to follow with this glossary. A range map can be loaded here. Both open up in their own window.

Click here to get the "real" player. Look hard for the free one! You can play the "wav" and "mp3" files with the windows media player, winamp, QCD. , and Itunes. Winamp and QCD will play ogg vorbis. Generally those running Internet Explorer use the windows media player, while the Netscape/Mozilla/Firefox browsers prefers winamp. QCD and itunes works with either browser. Those poor soles on a Mac will need to load audacity  or videolan to hear ogg vorbis files.

Common terms

Red Flag 2007-2

Red Flag 2007-1

Red Flag 2006-02

Red Flag 2006-01

coordinates N36 55.040 W115 38.3 target destroyed

Message given to some players:

Red Flag 2005-4

Target data:

Red Flag 2004-3

All recordings are from night sessions.

wave audio 308.6MHz, 5:54 minutes MAGIC AWACS; callsigns heard Gamble 01,Harley 31, Anchor 61, Greedy 51, Ghost 01, Pablo 61, Weasel 41. Harley 31 had to change altitude to avoid a nearby L1011. The transponders are using Mode C.

wave audio 270.025MHz, 20:40 minutes. "MIG" channel. The MIG channel and "roulette" often use local landmarks in their reports, in this case Student Gap, Belted Range, and Kawich. The reference to a "quick regen" implies that the MIG was dead but will now be a live target again. Around 17:52 the "person in charge" tells the MIG that "he won't last that long." Remember the goal of the MIG planes are to play hard but eventually lose.

wave audio 308.6MHz, 28:00 minutes. MAGIC AWACS. Callsigns Anchor 61, Pablo 61 62 63, Rocket 21, Bleed 51 54, Weasel 41, Rancho 1 2 3 4 , Harley, Tron(?) 41 43,  Evil 41 43, Mall (maybe Maul) 11 12 13, Hyrda 41, Rhino, Gamble 1, Ghost 01. The comment about the "south point" refers to an area a bit to the north of the Power Line Over Look, which is where the recording was done. "Secure capable" is probably a reference to a "have quick" radio, which can't be monitored on a conventional scanner. Hey, as if anyone would be listening.

wave audio 14 seconds. This is just a snip of the above recording. The audio is where frequencies are mentioned. Possibly 322.1, 231.1 or 231.0. 

wave audio 372.15MHz, 5:31 minutes. This is probably weapons school training. The targets are quite realistic, i.e. the convoy is moving, The event is taking place around Dog Bone Lake. Laser marking is used. (NVG = night vision goggle; Roland is a radar unit) Callsigns Hydra, Evil 43 and Alleycat. 

wave audio 377.1MHz, 22 seconds. LA center ATC with callsign Heat 1.

Red Flag 2004-2

wave audio  308.2MHz, 2:19 minutes [Notes indicated 308.2, but this is probably 308.6] Challis is the AWACS. Callsigns Tiger, Rancho, Phasor, Iron, Digger,  and Evil. SA6 active. Most of the radio traffic went to Blue 11

wave audio  308.6MHz, 13:03 minutes. Challis is the AWACS. Anchor is the tanker. Callsigns Phasor, Weasel, Harley, Checkmate, Iron, Rancho, Killer, Tron, Buster  Looks like sounding 5x5 has been replaced with sounding "Lima Charlie", as in "loud and clear". Frequency 318.4 is white 2. 

wave audio  308.6MHz, 12:23 mintues.  Challis (AWACS) Weasel, Evil, Checkmate, Psylon, Jammer (probably EA6B), Anchor (tanker), Tron, Phasor, Iron (sounds like a chopper), Harley, Pablo, Rubin, Knight, Digger, Tiger, Crate (c130?).  Threats detected sa6, sa2, sa8, and "triple A"

wave audio 3.842Mhz LSB Intercepted conversation about loop antennas, with one party (W6OBB) allegedly in Pahrump [AA6S the other party.]. Clearly these are government scientists  at Groom Lake discussing a secret project.

Red Flag 2003-4

wav audio [22:11] Recorded at Red Flag 2003-4 on frequency 308.6Mhz. Times from 5:04PM to 6:33PM local on 8/25/2003. Callsigns heard are  anchor_21, anchor_22, psylon_01, psylon_02, star_25, evil_31, evil_35, pablo_61, ?(mall)_41, greedy_11, chip_21, chip_31, digger_21, digger_23, iron_51, brigham_01, reaper_01, tractor_1, charcoal_13, tron(?)_01, tarzan_31, and buster. Frequencies mentioned 295.4 (AR641A), brown 5, blue 5 (for strikers), white 8, blue 4 (OCA freq). 

The very alert ear of aeroframe caught an interesting message which you can hear at time 12:04. The message is "roland at the north farms." Earlier in the afternoon, one of the SA (surface to air) "threats" was sitting on a truck in the Little Alien parking lot. Later it was moved to a location about 6.25 down the "back gate" road. The threats look similar to Roland as shown on the FAS website here. If a pilot spots a threat, the plan may be to avoid contact until the threat is eliminated with extreme prejudice. The SA near the farms was white, so spotting it would be easier compared to one done up in camo. 

Also interesting in the recording is some talk of using the Elgin airspace prior to returning to base.It is related to an airplane problem.

Red Flag 2002-4

 wave audio [5:14] Recorded at Red Flag 2002-4 on frequency 316.2MHz during the morning session on 9/5/2002. Early in the recording the "Pablo" units think they are on the air-to-air frequency and start speaking in a foreign language. There is also talk about a unit being unmanned. Goliath is the AWACS.

 wave audio [12:04] Recorded at Red Flag 2002-4 on frequency 316.2MHz during the afternoon session on 9/5/2002. Part one of two files.

 wave audio [12:37] Recorded at Red Flag 2002-4 on frequency 316.2MHz during the afternoon session on 9/5/2002. Part two of two files.

 real audio [6:47] This exercise takes place on range 71, which is Reveille. It mentions not using "have quick", which is a good thing else the event couldn't be scanned. The use of "tennis" to start the event and "soccer" to stop it is interesting. Callsigns Ratch?, School?, Gator, Challis, Pecos, Chard?, Barnyard

 real audio [4:09] Callsigns Pecos, Magnum, Mig, and yes Groom. (Pretty poor quality recording, so they must be far away.)

 real audio [1:07] Very short exercise with Viper callsigns.

 real audio [3:43] Callsigns Torch, Eagle, Ramrod, and Blonde Girl. They mention frequency 228.95.

 wave audio [4:19] Frequency 290.8Mhz  Callsigns Mig, This is a recording of the aggressors.

 wave audio [2:12] Frequency 255.8Mhz. Callsigns Strike and Bird Dog. This is a simulated bombing run using laser guided weapons. This was recorded on Mount Sterling with very good sound quality.

 mp3 audio [3:15] Laser guided bombing. What makes this recording interesting is that all the background noise is from Nellis AFB and has nothing to do with the event. Generally the scanner is plugged into a recorder directly, but if you forget the cable, then the microphone hook up has to be used, hence the background noise. Callsigns Hog and Destroyer.

 real audio [4:26] Air refueling on track ar625. Callsign Gulf for the tanker. Other callsign Sniper.

 wave audio [13:57 ] Not a very good recording, but interesting in that it contains much of the lingo in the glossary. You can hear the term "furball" for a dog fight,  BRA for Bearing Range Altitude, Tally, etc. 

 real audio [10:28] This is not a Red Flag recording as far as I know. I was at the Tonopah Test Range and recorded this exercise with a U2 (callsign Pinion) flying at 60,000 ft.. Callsign Chester and pylon.