What Am I Listening To?! Aircraft Weather Radio?!

Saul Trabal

Saul Trabal

EF4
Joined
Jul 5, 2004
Messages
458
Location
New Jersey
I happen to own a Grundig shortwave radio. At about 3.4 mhz, there is a BARELY audible male voice, which repeats the following, which I will try to paraphrase:

Temperature, three-two. Altimeter-Zero-three-niner, visibility four zero...

It almost sounds like a form of weather radio designed for pilots. Can anyone here tell me what it is??

:shock: :? :shock:
 
I'm a pilot but it's been a long time since I was flying. However as I recall VOR's and Vortacs (which I assume are still in existance) would transmit some of this data. Individual airports do as well. I don't recall the frequency though.
 
Originally posted by Bill Tabor
I'm a pilot but it's been a long time since I was flying. However as I recall VOR's and Vortacs (which I assume are still in existance) would transmit some of this data. Individual airports do as well. I don't recall the frequency though.
Click to expand...

I assume the "three-two" figure is Celsius, since it's in the upper 90s here (Newark, NJ got up to 102 F.)

It's similar to a weather radio broadcast in that it repeats the data: temperature, altimeter readings, visibility. It was VERY hard to make out, though. :?
 
Many airports broadcast the ASOS/AWOS observations, although they are broadcast around 125 MHz. What is broadcast is generally the same or similar to what you'd hear is when you call up the ASOS via telephone. To look up frequencies for airports, go to http://www.airnav.com. To call an ASOS, dial 1-877-ANY-AWOS.


Ben
 
Hmmm....

Bill, a Google search says Vortacs broadcast at 122.2 mhz. And from what I've just read about VORs, that doesn't seem like what I'm describing.

Interesting.
 
Originally posted by Ben Cotton
Many airports broadcast the ASOS/AWOS observations, although they are broadcast around 125 MHz. What is broadcast is generally the same or similar to what you'd hear is when you call up the ASOS via telephone. To look up frequencies for airports, go to http://www.airnav.com. To call an ASOS, dial 1-877-ANY-AWOS.


Ben
Click to expand...

Okay: this link seems to be the right one.

Here, it says- Frequency: 347

If that's in megahertz, then perhaps that's right (3.47 mhz)-and that's what I'm hearing on shortwave.
 
Originally posted by Saul Trabal
Okay: this link seems to be the right one.

Here, it says- Frequency: 347

If that's in megahertz, then perhaps that's right (3.47 mhz)-and that's what I'm hearing on shortwave.
Click to expand...

On that one it says no voice, but there is a list here, which may not contain the site you are listening to, but has some in the right megahertz range.

http://vmfs.com/ssbvoice.htm
 
Originally posted by GPhillips+--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(GPhillips)</div>
<!--QuoteBegin-Saul Trabal
Click to expand...
Okay: this link seems to be the right one.

Here, it says- Frequency: 347

If that's in megahertz, then perhaps that's right (3.47 mhz)-and that's what I'm hearing on shortwave.
Click to expand...

On that one it says no voice, but there is a list here, which may not contain the site you are listening to, but has some in the right megahertz range.

http://vmfs.com/ssbvoice.htm[/b]
Click to expand...

We're getting closer to solving the mystery:

http://home.cogeco.ca/~dxinfo/volmet.htm

The following info is New York:

Frequency: 3.485
Type: VOLMET
BC H+: 00 , 30
Call Sign: WSY 70
State: USA
Station: New York
Latitude: 39 44 N
Longitude: 74 14 W
 
I was able to tune this in a little better last night. In addition to what I mentioned above, the transmission also mentioned weather at different airports on the east coast. It not only mentioned thunderstorm activity, it also mentioned cloud structures-I heard "cumulonimbus" mentioned a few times. It mentioned lightning and rain activity in said storms.

REALLY cool stuff. 8) I can't understand why the signal is SO poor, though. :( What would I need to get a stronger signal? I'm fascinated by this transmisson, and I'd like to be able to hear it better.

By the way-did I mention that short-wave is cool?? :D
 
they are basically a metar in voice form. Sometimes they contain extra info like "land and hold short operations in effect runway 27 left." or something non-weather related like that.
 
Originally posted by MClarkson
they are basically a metar in voice form. Sometimes they contain extra info like \"land and hold short operations in effect runway 27 left.\" or something non-weather related like that.
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New terms-cool. 8)

METAR definitions off Google :

Acroymn for METeorological Aerodrome Report. It is the primary observation code used in the United States to satisfy requirements for reporting surface meteorological data. Minimum reporting requirments includes wind, visibility, runway visual range, present weather, sky condition, temperature, dew point, and altimeter setting.
Click to expand...

Yup-and more info on this particular station, from this link:

3.485 mhz -> J.F.K -> New York -> U.S.A

So, this transmission is coming out of John F. Kennedy International Airport in Queens. Hmmm.

But I wonder why the transmission is so weak, though. :(
 
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