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  • #16
    Danny1962,

    Here's a couple of sites which include frequencies for LGW, LCY, LHR and many other UK airports. A simple Google search was all that was needed but I cant vouch for them from over here. There may be more recent or updated sites out there. I've been listening to ATC here for decades and it can take some time to become accustomed to the jargon if you're not used to it (you may pick it up quite quickly) but it's absolutely worthwhile. Occasionally listening to pilots/ATC will reveal a new frequency. It's one way to positively identify the various aircraft in your vicinity and identify what they are actually doing especially if equipped with the older mode-c transponders which don't have the same information helpful to us that we need on this site. Fortunately those will be phased out in time;




    I'll also include the charts for EGLC which indicate the approach/departure tracks etc but it is out of date (2011) and cant be used for navigation purposes but should suffice for what you may need. They do tend to change gradually over time but surprisingly many don't.



    You can find almost any airport in the world simply by googling '(ICAO code) pdf' and searching for the most recent/appropriate file/s. Obviously the code for LCY is 'EGLC.' Most common airport ICAO codes are now included on the map but if one doesn't our mate Google can more often help with that.

    'Skyvector' is another worthwhile site to keep up your sleeve for charts; http://skyvector.com/. Here's EGLC and it even includes the frequencies you need (apparently there's 215 UK airports on skyvector);


    Regards and good luck with that aircraft,
    Gregg

    BTW I can listen to the local NSW Police Airwing based nearby at Bankstown airport when they contact ATC as they must during operations (as do all the Rescue/Medivac choppers). Mainly Police choppers but at least one Cessna Caravan used for a variety of operations including speed monitoring on the local freeways/motorways. Keeps me out of the missus' hair.

    As for searching the map by airport it's still possible via the little 'wheel' next to the UTC time (top right of map). Select 'filters' and 'add new filter' then one of the menu items is indeed 'airport.'
    Last edited by fungus; 2015-02-07, 10:07. Reason: additional info
    YSSY2/T-YSSY4 [SBS-1 Basestation w/- SSE-1090 SJ Mk2 Antenna (Thanks Delcomp) ] [Uniden UBCD996T w/- 16 element Wideband Discone VHF/UHF Antenna, and tuned 108MHz-137MHz Airband Antenna] [Trialing a home-brew 1090MHz collinear antenna]

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    • #17
      Originally posted by Danny1962 View Post
      REV4LF is starting early tonight... not yet midnight and already there's been a series of passes over the densely populated areas of Fulham, Camberwell, Wandsworth and Barnes (all areas of London) at around 3,700' . This altitude and these areas are totally in the approach zone to LHR and it would only be possible to carry out these manoeuvres when there are no flights in or out. It's one of the busiest patches of airspace in the UK.


      Also REV4ND registration G-MIND on it's way down towards the east of London at the moment. Wondered why a relatively loud plane was flying so low at the time and tonight's twigged my memory, hence the post

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      • #18
        Yep, I just heard it fly above my house and I figured I'll check it out on flightradar24.com This is not the first time I noticed such activity, the last time I saw this type of activity around my area was probably back in December.

        If I had to guess maybe they're using some sort of thermo-vision to detect possible pot farmers and then send the data back to police on the ground, not necessarily to act on the notice, but something they can look into and work on it in the morning.

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        • #19
          Great minds think alike... I was just about to post myself! REV4ND looks to be making a series of passes across South London at 3,400'. Weather conditions are clear (I'm sitting about 30 miles away from the action and they are very clear here, so I'm guessing it's the same in London). I'm sure the conditions were like this the last few times I saw Reconnaissance Ventures being active in this way.

          BTW thanks for your suggestions Fungus. I found a copy of David J Smith's Airband Radio Handbook (7th Ed) which is very informative.

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          • #20
            He is spending a long time in the one area if they are just looking for Pot farmers.
            fr24://REV4ND

            I'm not sure how to copy and paste the Fr24 track into the post from an iPad, anyone help?

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            • #21
              Well that was a varied night's work... REV4ND started off over South London then it was off to rural West Sussex, leaving the area just after 05h00 before LGW starts up. It might have been two entirely different tasks?

              I wonder how much it costs to hire the plane and equipment for the night as well as somebody to interpret the data. Whatever it costs, I wonder if it is a sum the police are prepared to pay for what would amount to combing an area for illegal activity purely on spec. Having said that, an illegal cannabis farm would stand out like a sore thumb from an aerial survey plane equipped with heat seeking equipment. The amount of energy used to grow these plants is considerable, it's way way more than any domestic householder would be using.

              REV4ND 2015 02 27 05h36.png

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              • #22
                Well all we can do is speculate though lol, but that's my first and best guess to be honest. I doubt it's just a training flight or something because they could just use more rural areas instead of flying over...let's just say not the poshest of the neighborhoods.

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                • #23
                  The following links show G-MIND and G-LEAF and gives some detail as to their use;

                  The UK's largest dedicated HEMS & police aviation website.




                  "Yep, G-MIND carries a LIDAR (laser) which measures flood plains from the air. I've flown in it! It would be doing passes to accurately measure tidal flows and the general hydrology of the area. The main aim is to asses(s) the levels of erosion with the view to understanding the need for flood defences. The Cessna 404 used be in Air Atlantique colours but was refitted with Environment Agency livery as its on permanent lease to them."

                  This information is somewhat dated but most likely still indicates the current use of both aircraft (and others).

                  Regards,
                  Gregg

                  This is their current webpage;

                  Last edited by fungus; 2015-03-01, 23:37. Reason: additional info
                  YSSY2/T-YSSY4 [SBS-1 Basestation w/- SSE-1090 SJ Mk2 Antenna (Thanks Delcomp) ] [Uniden UBCD996T w/- 16 element Wideband Discone VHF/UHF Antenna, and tuned 108MHz-137MHz Airband Antenna] [Trialing a home-brew 1090MHz collinear antenna]

                  Comment


                  • #25
                    Well that's the mystery solved. Thanks for this. It makes sense, I'm almost certain every time I saw those planes were active on these tasks it was a clear night in winter. I would imagine also that the areas being surveyed are all quite flat and low lying, otherwise why bother in the first place?

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                    • #26
                      Clear and cold here just north of the Thames in Essex tonight and REV4ND has been circling for at least the last hour after a long session in south Kent/east Sussex. Its in LCY approach space so would only be able to be here at night too. It is a noisy little bugger! REV4ND.jpg

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                      • #27
                        REV6AF 2016 01 19.png

                        REV6AF is over Surrey tonight. It's clear and cold. Meanwhile DLH423 passes overhead, she's a regular at this time of night.

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                        • #28
                          And again. Cool and clear G-LEAF.jpgG-LEAF.jpg

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                          • #29
                            Tonight it's flying over Warrington, a a Google search has brought me to this page. The weather is cool and clear.

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                            • #30
                              Originally posted by adriancmr View Post
                              Tonight it's flying over Warrington, a a Google search has brought me to this page. The weather is cool and clear.
                              I noticed it too its keeps flying west to east on an track moving futher north im over in Culcheth Warrington

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