flightwatch 122.0 Mhz (USA)

[PitotTube]

Hello,

always when I have obtained a weather breifing I am told to report pireps on flightwatch 122.0, I am now wondering:

1)is this frequency the same all over the US?
2)Is it the FSS who actually answers this call, or is it someone else?
3) what are they called - "flightwatch radio", or "flightwatch" only?

thanks very much

['I' in the sky]

The frequency is the same all over the US and will be answered by the Flight Service Station which covers the area. The correct callsign would depend on which FSS is covering it ie "Miami flightwatch", "St Pete's flightwatch" etc. It would be incorrect to include the word "Radio" in this call.

[kala87]

Is Flightwatch only for PIREPS, or can you also get weather updates for your route and destination airport? Or is this info only supplied by the relevant FSS? This is assuming your wonderplane isn't equipped with the latest satellite or ground based datalink gizmos of course.

['I' in the sky]

You can get weather updates from it.

The only restriction as far as I can remember is that it is intended for use by aircraft above 5000 ft. Not sure what the logic was behind that bit.

[West Coast]

Yes, 122.0 is the common flightwatch frequency below FL180. At or above FL180 there are discreet frequencies available from the center controller and elsewhere. When checking in with flightwatch it is also good to give your position with the report. This allows the proper station to answer in case you are near a line of demarcation and also so the closest transmitter to you is used by the guy transmitting back. It is a courtesy to give a pirep to get some other product from the specialist, only takes a moment and helps them develop a picture of what is going on.