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USN Lewd Callsigns = bad!

OscarMyers

Well-Known Member
None
Units can request their transponder not be shown to the public. Common for LE like FBI THU or DHS.
Through the FAA they can. But a lot of the tracking online is done by hobbyists collecting ADSB hex codes via home receiver. There’s quite the database on the adsb exchange mentioned earlier in the thread.
 

KODAK

"Any time in this type?"
pilot
Through the FAA they can. But a lot of the tracking online is done by hobbyists collecting ADSB hex codes via home receiver. There’s quite the database on the adsb exchange mentioned earlier in the thread.
There are ways to disappear entirely if you have a legitimate need. Some parts of the government/ LEO apparatus are very aware and knowledgeable, and then there’s my former community where I, an enterprising LT and self-acknowledged aviation nerd put together a slide show on what ADS-B is and how it works. “Wait, who can see our location data?” We had it installed on all aircraft coming back from an avionics mod in depot and literally no one in the entire chain explained to the aircrew what it was or (most importantly to me) how to disable the ADS-B output. For my old T/M/S there was a way, but it was not intuitive and would reset to “on” when electrical power was cycled from the aircraft. Entirely unsat.

I’m the dude who believes the ADS-B out broadcast should say only “USG” or maybe “E-6” if we really want to try and be charitable (one could argue type aircraft is somehow tangentially necessary to collision avoidance), but we should not be broadcasting side numbers or any identifying information in my humble opinion. Put another way, on the civilian side of things anyone with an internet connection can see my fly over, find my n-number, tie that to my home address, and show up to do me harm all through a system that absolutely does not need to exist. Doesn’t work that way with your vehicle licenses plate.. If it’s that simple, imagine what the truly bad folks can do knowing precisely where and when our military aircraft are.
 

Brett327

Well-Known Member
None
Super Moderator
Contributor
Bottom line, you can strangle the ADS-B functionality when necessary, just like you're likely to strangle M3 over hostile territory. If the FAA ever goes to a no-radar, ADS-B tracking system, DOD will have to figure out a better way of filtering what gets broadcast other than position info. What's funny is that one of our aircraft shows up as an Air Force plane via ADS-B because nobody changed the registration info when the USAF transferred it to the Navy. What shows up on Flight Tracker Apps depends on what info is provided to the FAA.
 

JTS11

Well-Known Member
pilot
Contributor
What's funny is that one of our aircraft shows up as an Air Force plane via ADS-B because nobody changed the registration info when the USAF transferred it to the Navy. What shows up on Flight Tracker Apps depends on what info is provided to the FAA.
I guess if you're dead set on drawing sky dongs, this is the airframe to do it with. A lot of plausible deniability, at least initially. 😆
 

Gatordev

Well-Known Member
pilot
Site Admin
Contributor
The Navy prefix is also weird to me as a TACAIR guy. That’s extraneous comm.

I think it boils down to what you're supposed to do and what you can get away with. Is a controller really going to take the time to hassle a military aircraft that checks in outside of it's normal MOU area with a JANAP? Generally no. While I can't swear by this, I think they just make up a new data tag that fits the character limit so they can keep track of you and add it to the strip.

When I would go IFR in the WS T-34s, I'd just make up a data tag of GAMBLR7. There was no actual document that said that was right, but people would roll with it (although sometimes in an annoyed fashion).

I have a similar situation now...sometimes I'll go somewhere outside of our company MOU and use my program callsign (when VFR) if the airspace isn't that busy. The controllers figure it out and move on, even though our initial company squawk and callsign aren't on their gouge ID sheet.
 

ChuckMK23

FERS and TSP contributor!
pilot
I can see full aircraft call sign and type data on the MFD of the Garmin G1000 traffic page (and Bluetooth to Foreflight)

Another interesting use of ADS-B traffic data, airlines are increasingly using the traffic data in the airplane to maintain IFR separation during arrivals in high density ops - where the crew varies airspeed to maintain an ATC issued separation (eg 10 miles) on an arrival procedure.
 

ChuckMK23

FERS and TSP contributor!
pilot
Our current CO is a Strike Eagle guy who has told us he dislikes our current call sign (PARD) so we are in the process of selecting a new one - (for both VFR and IFR use). Waiting on the word there. Call sign is assigned to each PIC. Both registration N number and call sign go on the 1801..
 

SynixMan

Mobilizer Extraordinaire
pilot
Contributor
I used "Blackbird xxx" on the radio's and and BBXXX for filing IFR in forelight for 3 years. No one cared, outside the occasionally check-in of "Single Navy T-6" for VFR arrivals into controlled airspace.
 

Griz882

Frightening children with the Griz-O-Copter!
pilot
Contributor
I had an interesting ADS-B interaction with a military aircraft. Flying over the Texas panhandle on the Epic Great Griz-O-Copter Cross Country at about 250 feet I noticed an aircraft moving my direction. At first I thought the system was adjusting because it was moving fast. Then I realized it was a military jet and kind of blindly assumed it was way up there…then I noticed it was LOWER than me! Our potential intersection was close enough that I decided to climb and sure enough just a little later a T-38 passed in front and below me! He was a safe distance away but that was a first for me to have a jet go under me.
 

skybert

Skybert
Our current CO is a Strike Eagle guy who has told us he dislikes our current call sign (PARD) so we are in the process of selecting a new one - (for both VFR and IFR use). Waiting on the word there. Call sign is assigned to each PIC. Both registration N number and call sign go on the 1801..
Maybe he’d prefer “GAY69”
 

Waveoff

Per Diem Mafia
None
Unless you’re one of the nerds at VP-30, who are for some reason forced to literally say “Navy Lima Lima 123” instead of a normal squadron callsign like “Hawk 2-4”, because VP always has to VP.
Only an FRS thing, every other squadron uses “nickname XX”. Why does the FRS do it? I have no idea.
 

JTS11

Well-Known Member
pilot
Contributor
All the other FRS’s do what you say yours should
Yeah, I think there was a comment above about a technicality about following the letter of the law. In my time. never had any issues using something like "WarHorse 21", both VFR or IFR, and on flights from SD to Cherry Point.

Has something changed in last ten years?
 
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