JFK Questions

[kaktak1]

I just have a question that I have been wondering about since I have been listening to the feed.

Have yo ever listened to JFK ground and you sometimes you hear a "Ding, ding"?  the kind of sound you hear to tell you that the fries are done.  I know its not that, but I was just wondering what that was.

[crash]

I think I may know what your talking about, if it is, its just an alarm to notify the controller of a traffic conflict when the aircraft get too close to each other.

[aevins]

CA's are a bit different sounding than ding ding, what your are probably hearing is the a "chime" coming from the flight decks of transmitting aircraft.

[kaktak1]

But you realize what I am describing.  It is a high pitched ding, then a more lower pitched ding.  But it sounds like it is in the background.  Not meant to be in the feed.

[cactushp]

I have heard a similar thing at PHX. Sometimes, in the back round while the controller is talking, an almost chime sounding tone is given off. It almost sounds like someone is putting dirty plates in a dishwasher. Anyone have any ideas?

[Miyridian]

I think I may know what your talking about, if it is, its just an alarm to notify the controller of a traffic conflict when the aircraft get too close to each other.

I know the sound that you're talking about, and I used to think that it was a conflict alarm too, but then I took a tower visit and heard the same sound from the strip scanner. Basically, each strip has a barcode on it that can be read in a similar manner to what you see at the supermarket checkout. I forget what the exact purpose of the system is, though.

I don't think this is the sound in question, though, as it doesn't sound like a ding, more like a beep.

[aevins]

Kennedy tower uses a time stamp (non-computerized), as does LGA tower, as opposed to a bar code scanner, like Palm Beach (PBI) tower who use a bar code scanner

[PHL Approach]

Is it the sound that is 27 seconds into this video?



If so it's known as EFSTS

Electronic Flight Strip Transfer System. Instead of dropping strips down tubes that go to the departure controllers in the TRACON as what was done eons ago. The local controller just scans the strip and when the tone is sounded it means the signal has successfully gone through to print out the strip at the appropriate departure position.

[Jason]

The EFSTS has it's own unique tone.  Was the ding multi-toned or single-toned?  If it was single-toned, my guess would be the override chime that sounds when an adjacent facility is calling via the landline/interphone.  Happens quite often up here.

[sunburn]

oh, i'd often wondered this too.
i've heard the tone at JFK as shown in the PHL video. But, there's at least another tone out there that I hear on a regular basis.

There's also one that's a constant tone. like, "ding, ding, ding" It's more synthesized compared to the one on the PHL vid, i.e. it sounds like an alert tone rather than an acknowledgment beep.

[MathFox]

oh, i'd often wondered this too.
i've heard the tone at JFK as shown in the PHL video. But, there's at least another tone out there that I hear on a regular basis.

There's also one that's a constant tone. like, "ding, ding, ding" It's more synthesized compared to the one on the PHL vid, i.e. it sounds like an alert tone rather than an acknowledgment beep.

Why don't you make a clip with the sounds that you hear and post it. (write down the time, download the archive and cut/paste the sounds.) It's far easier to recognize the actual sound than going from a description.

[w0x0f]

Instead of dropping strips down tubes that go to the departure controllers in the TRACON as what was done eons ago.

Ahhh!

Special
Hi Speed
Information
Transfer
System

We still use this higher form of technology.  Leave it to the FAA to even screw up gravity occasionally.

w0x0f

[sunburn]

oh, i'd often wondered this too.
i've heard the tone at JFK as shown in the PHL video. But, there's at least another tone out there that I hear on a regular basis.

There's also one that's a constant tone. like, "ding, ding, ding" It's more synthesized compared to the one on the PHL vid, i.e. it sounds like an alert tone rather than an acknowledgment beep.

Why don't you make a clip with the sounds that you hear and post it. (write down the time, download the archive and cut/paste the sounds.) It's far easier to recognize the actual sound than going from a description.

oh, i was going to mention i was going to do that. but i'm at work and i thought some regular jfk listeners may know what i'm talking about.
so when i get home and nobody beats me to it, i shall post a clip!

[athaker]

Special
Hi Speed
Information
Transfer
System

We still use this higher form of technology.  Leave it to the FAA to even screw up gravity occasionally.

SHITS?

[SweedChef]

I've heard it once and a while too....sounds like one of those mild fire alarms.

[w0x0f]

Special
Hi Speed
Information
Transfer
System

We still use this higher form of technology.  Leave it to the FAA to even screw up gravity occasionally.

SHITS?

Sure.  FAA loves acronyms.

[kaktak1]

at least I don;t have to worry that you guys don;t know what I am talking about.

And it is that sound in the PHL tower video.

And I didn't mean to confuse you by saying that it was a ding.  it is more of a chime.

Thanks for Posting your comments I really appreciate them.

But I guess we really haven't found a definitve answer yet.

[PHL Approach]

at least I don;t have to worry that you guys don;t know what I am talking about.

And it is that sound in the PHL tower video.

And I didn't mean to confuse you by saying that it was a ding.  it is more of a chime.

Thanks for Posting your comments I really appreciate them.

But I guess we really haven't found a definitve answer yet.

So it is that tone in the video, then yes the question was answered on the 1st page of this thread? Right?

[kaktak1]

Ok, because to me, it just looked like it wasn't concluded and agreed to by everyone thats all

[CLIPPER1]

in the phl video the first sound is the sound of the barcode scanner. there is a second tone which i don't recognize a little later in the clip.