How to hear AWOS on single frequency CTAF?

RyanB

RyanB

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This might be a dumb question but not sure about it, an airport close to me I operate out of has the awos listed on the same freq. as the ctaf of 122.7. How do i listen to the weather info if its just on the common traffic advsy?
 
It is an on demand pilot activated AWOS system. It will work kinda like pilot controlled lighting where you click the mic and, if no one is transmitting on the frequency, you will hear the AWOS broadcast for a cycle. Activation will be unique to the airport, so as JM said, knowing the airport will be helpful.
 
ChrisK said:
It is an on demand pilot activated AWOS system. It will work kinda like pilot controlled lighting where you click the mic and, if no one is transmitting on the frequency, you will hear the AWOS broadcast for a cycle. Activation will be unique to the airport, so as JM said, knowing the airport will be helpful.
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That makes sense, thank you! I know Ive heard it come across on the frequency but didn't know how to start it again.
 
ChrisK said:
It is an on demand pilot activated AWOS system. It will work kinda like pilot controlled lighting where you click the mic and, if no one is transmitting on the frequency, you will hear the AWOS broadcast for a cycle. Activation will be unique to the airport, so as JM said, knowing the airport will be helpful.
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This is correct and it is found in the airport facility directory.
Here is a copy of the AFD line to the one I fly into occasionally C04

"For DIGIWX AWOS click mic 2 times 122.7."
 
Not my favorite things. There's an airport I like to practice at, and when anyone turns on the lights or the PAPI, it also triggers weather info at another airport that shares the same freq. Now you have all kinds of chatter to cut through.
 
MyassisDragon said:
This is correct and it is found in the airport facility directory.
Here is a copy of the AFD line to the one I fly into occasionally C04

"For DIGIWX AWOS click mic 2 times 122.7."
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I looked on the airport website and in the A/FD before posting. It only lists that it is an "AWOS-A", so it will report the altimeter setting and possibly other advisory information (AIM 7-1-12b3(a)). Nothing listed about activation.
 
Answers my questions, most airports I fly to/from have their own independent awos frequencies, so this one was different, I will give it a try next time I'm over that way, thanks everyone!
 
Ryanb said:
Answers my questions, most airports I fly to/from have their own independent awos frequencies, so this one was different, I will give it a try next time I'm over that way, thanks everyone!
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Just a hint - think about it first. If the pattern is busy, and a lot of people are talking and giving position reports, don't be that guy that clicks on the AWOS and clogs up the freq.
 
ChrisK said:
It is an on demand pilot activated AWOS system. It will work kinda like pilot controlled lighting where you click the mic and, if no one is transmitting on the frequency, you will hear the AWOS broadcast for a cycle.
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You may also hear it when someone else is transmitting, or you need to transmit or listen to other traffic, and it can be annoying as all get-out when that happens. Frankly, I hate it.
 
Ron Levy said:
You may also hear it when someone else is transmitting, or you need to transmit or listen to other traffic, and it can be annoying as all get-out when that happens. Frankly, I hate it.
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No doubt :)
 
Interesting.. I never knew there was such a thing as pilot controlled AWOS. Good thread!
 
Ron Levy said:
You may also hear it when someone else is transmitting, or you need to transmit or listen to other traffic, and it can be annoying as all get-out when that happens. Frankly, I hate it.
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My experience with the @#$% things suggests they compromise flight safety more than they enhance it. I really don't need to hear the AWOS everytime I transmit particularily when I'm trying to coordinate with other traffic :mad:
 
It doesn't work that way (at least not the SUPERAWOS). The thing doesn't transmit "every time you do." In fact, any received signal immediately shuts the thing up and inhibits it for a while. Dave went to great lengths to make sure it doesn't chatter over anybody trying to make position reports or other use of the UNICOM/CTAF.

It periodically advertises it's existence but you have to specifically click up the condition report or whatever other function you want.
 
I agree with John -- I've had lots of trouble with them at several locations, but no idea whether they are the "superAWOS" or something else. As for them shutting down when someone transmits, it's hard to get over the ingrained habit of not talking when the frequency is already in use.
 
I have flow in and out of FGU a couple of times. Couple of things, first have a good time finding the airport. Look at the terrain on the sectional it is in the valley of two Hills, it is a thrill going in there when trees are on both sides and you are still 200 AGL. Not a night airport for me.

The AWOS is very finicky click the mic three times sort of slow. It would not pick it up if I did it fast.
 
Ron Levy said:
You may also hear it when someone else is transmitting, or you need to transmit or listen to other traffic, and it can be annoying as all get-out when that happens. Frankly, I hate it.
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+1,000

I hate AWOS on CTAF frequencies. There aren't many around here but the few that exist are quite annoying.
 
flyingron said:
It doesn't work that way (at least not the SUPERAWOS). The thing doesn't transmit "every time you do." In fact, any received signal immediately shuts the thing up and inhibits it for a while. Dave went to great lengths to make sure it doesn't chatter over anybody trying to make position reports or other use of the UNICOM/CTAF.

It periodically advertises it's existence but you have to specifically click up the condition report or whatever other function you want.
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VKX has one (obviously, since it's Dave's airport). We have no issues with it.

Three clicks, and listen. It never goes off by accident or anything and traffic levels are low enough that you rarely hear it unless it was you asking for it. You'd have to be at a really busy airport with a shared frequency with multiple other surrounding airports for it to be a problem IMO.

And there are pros to it over standard AWOS, like not having to fiddle with the radios and look up an AWOS frequency while flying an approach and the fact that it's live information and not recorded in intervals. If the winds change between my startup and taxi, I know about it. It even gives density altitude so I have a final safeguard as to whether I should try taking off on runway 6 on a hot day. Does radio checks as well and rates the power.
 
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There's allegedly one on 122.9 down near my field in NC (It's at the Lowe's headquarters helipad 4NC4) but I've never managed to hear it or click it up. I wrote the contact person an email asking if it was operational but he never got back to me. I may have to call or send a real letter. The METARs are showing up on the online outlets so it's obviously powered up, but either the RF part is disabled or the sensitivity is set such that I can't bring it up from a few miles away.
 
I've never encountered it. I don't think I'd like it.
 
So other than the AWOS being listed as the same freq. as CTAF, how would you know this system is in place? Is it always 3 clicks to activate?
 
There is one at M01. I think it is called DigiwX.
 
Firefighter_324 said:
So other than the AWOS being listed as the same freq. as CTAF, how would you know this system is in place? Is it always 3 clicks to activate?
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In my short time, I have had only one experience with a 3-click AWOS at a non-towered airport called Redlands Munipal (KREI). The airport's AFD entry includes this line (my emphasis):

COMMUNICATIONS: CTAF/AUNICOM 123.05

Based on the airport's entry at airnav.com, AUNICOM evidently stands for AUTOMATED UNICOM.

However, neither the AFD nor the airnav.com page say anything about activating the automated system with 3-clicks. I guess you just gotta know to try.

Based on this link, it looks like as of 2011, there wasn't much consensus on helping pilots distinguish an A-UNICOM system from a normal UNICOM system (maybe that's changed since then given the AFD listing for KREI):

Associated with SuperAWOS are the Automated UNICOM (A-UNICOM) systems. There remain questions regarding charting of A-UNICOMs. Mr. Rush stated that there was still no resolution as to whether A-UNICOM systems need to be discriminated from normal UNICOM systems in our FAA databases and on FAA charts/publications.
STATUS: OPEN
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http://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/flight_info/aeronav/acf/media/RDs/11-02-245-Automated_UNICOM_noted_on_IAPs_and_sectionals.pdf
 
It does different things on three, four, and five clicks I think (see the link I posted above). The one at VKX periodically when the frequency was quiet would pop up and announce that.
 
At VKX it's 3 for weather, 4 for radio checks.
 
Firefighter_324 said:
So other than the AWOS being listed as the same freq. as CTAF, how would you know this system is in place? Is it always 3 clicks to activate?
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Now we know who doesn't read the A/FD before departing…

I thought there was supposed to be SuperAWOS at Little River, but I've never heard it. The A/FD says it has "AUNICOM." GAWD that sounds annoying, especially when multiple airports share the CTAF.
 
We used to have it at KAEG. My favorite feature was the radio check. Click 4 times, and it would say "radio check, one two..." and you would respond. It would record your voice and play it back.

I used to make the AWOS say some very mean things sometimes.
 
Btw, I'll take Super AWOS over the crap KHII used to have.

Lake Havasu ....... Airport...........automated.......weather...........observation. .........service..........zero..............three........zero...............zero............weather

And so on. Took like 3 minutes to complete a cycle.
 
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