As I continue to dive deeper into the world of ADSB monitoring, I also continue to undercover little Mode-S mysteries I honestly cannot explain. Earlier this week, I compiled a set of ADSB intercepts from around the world that have in the call sign field the numbers 534 followed by five additional numbers. These 534##### calls are being used by all branches of the US military services (except Coast Guard) on a wide variety of airframes both fixed-wing and rotary. Many have been seen using the infamous 000001 hex code address.
What it is not.
I can say with some confidence that these are not mission numbers. They are not unique to a particular hex code or aircraft. (see the two B-52s AE5879 60-0018 53454175 / AE587D 60-0024 53454175). They are not sequential by dates, hex code address, military contract numbers or aircraft construction number. The only thing I can not rule out for certain is if this code is the ADSB equipment serial number itself being programmed in as default call sign or ?
So there you have it ADSB fans. Another interesting mystery for all of us to ponder and watch out for. You can contact me in the usual places, publicly or privately. Intercepts courtesy of the Live Mode S Miltary monitoring community website at https://www.live-military-mode-s.eu/.
UPDATE: Dominic Hubert on my twitter feed suggest these are the octal numbers of the ADSB hex codes. I agree (well almost). Those pesky B-52s aren't quite playing nice. Good hex to octal conversion site at https://www.w3resource.com/convert/number/octal-to-hex.php. Thank you Dominic. At least we know what they are but a bit of mystery still swirls around this.
534 calls sorted by hex code
000001 Various 53414134 2019-03-11 16:51:05 Various
000001 Various 53414162 2019-06-20 05:18:04 Various
000001 Various 53416020 2019-10-18 14:57:22 Various
000001 Various 53417434 2019-03-27 02:42:06 Various
000001 Various 53451206 2019-11-18 20:57:17 Various
000001 Various 53454358 2019-07-03 08:39:04 Various
000001 Various 53454746 2018-07-22 22:46:06 Various
000001 Various 53454750 2018-06-22 10:27:03 Various
AE03EE 165350 53401756 2019-10-24 17:42:18 C-130T
AE046E 162173 53402156 2018-08-30 19:50:24 C-2A
AE06E4 163836 53403344 2019-05-09 18:57:07 UC-12M
AE071C various 53403434 2019-09-23 11:12:07 F-15E
AE09BA 90-26260 53404672 2019-03-11 12:09:05 UH-60L
AE142B ------ 53412053 2018-12-13 22:39:06 ------
AE1431 ------ 53412061 2019-07-27 05:48:05 -
AE156D 02-05340 53412555 2018-08-23 18:14:25 AH-64D
AE1808 32462 53414010 2019-02-12 19:51:05 A-10C
AE18E7 78-0693 53414347 2018-12-12 19:18:05 A-10C
AE1904 79-0104 53414404 2018-10-10 00:33:05 A-10A
AE1932 79-0169 53414462 2018-05-17 17:24:13 A-10A
AE193C 79-0216 53414474 2018-04-04 18:34:23 A-10A
AE19A5 80-0270 53414645 2018-01-16 20:10:17 A-10A
AE1F1F 07-03774 53417437 2020-02-21 01:57:05 MH-47G
AE24C2 ------ 53422302 2018-11-07 08:51:07 -
AE4B52 161997 53445522 2019-02-07 01:42:07 CH-53E
AE4BA9 164860 53445651 2018-05-09 03:54:10 CH-53E
AE4CF2 07-08747 53446362 2020-04-15 04:30:05 CH-47F
AE52D1 ------ 53451321 2020-03-31 21:30:06 CH-47F
AE537E 12-20459 53451576 2019-06-14 10:15:04 UH-60M
AE5723 13-0069 53453443 2018-07-19 09:26:14 CV-22B
AE57B7 168851 53464240 2019-11-29 15:03:04 P-8A
AE57C9 169004 53464141 2020-04-14 19:48:04 P-8A
AE57CE 169009 53464027 2020-01-31 04:42:06 P-8A
AE5879 60-0018 53454175 2019-03-25 14:15:06 B-52H
AE587D 60-0024 53454175 2019-04-06 11:57:06 B-52H
AE5893 60-0058 53454223 2019-04-03 09:18:04 B-52H
AE59E6 15-08185 53454746 2018-07-23 13:38:10 CH-47F
AE5BBC 11-27305 53455674 2018-06-12 17:48:13 UH-60M
AE5C57 169325 53463766 2020-03-26 14:42:12 P-8A
AE5D2A 164771 53445133 2020-04-16 14:57:04 MH-53E
AE601D 17-20942 53460035 2018-08-23 13:34:23 HH-60M
AE6218 18-21012 53461030 2019-12-05 00:12:28 HH-60M
AE6791 various 53464141 2020-04-15 05:03:05 P-8A
534 calls sorted by the callsign field
AE03EE 165350 53401756 2019-10-24 17:42:18 C-130T
AE046E 162173 53402156 2018-08-30 19:50:24 C-2A
AE06E4 163836 53403344 2019-05-09 18:57:07 UC-12M
AE071C various 53403434 2019-09-23 11:12:07 F-15E
AE09BA 90-26260 53404672 2019-03-11 12:09:05 UH-60L
AE142B ------ 53412053 2018-12-13 22:39:06 ------
AE1431 ------ 53412061 2019-07-27 05:48:05 -
AE156D 02-05340 53412555 2018-08-23 18:14:25 AH-64D
AE1808 32462 53414010 2019-02-12 19:51:05 A-10C
000001 Various 53414134 2019-03-11 16:51:05 Various
000001 Various 53414162 2019-06-20 05:18:04 Various
AE18E7 78-0693 53414347 2018-12-12 19:18:05 A-10C
AE1904 79-0104 53414404 2018-10-10 00:33:05 A-10A
AE1932 79-0169 53414462 2018-05-17 17:24:13 A-10A
AE193C 79-0216 53414474 2018-04-04 18:34:23 A-10A
AE19A5 80-0270 53414645 2018-01-16 20:10:17 A-10A
000001 Various 53416020 2019-10-18 14:57:22 Various
000001 Various 53417434 2019-03-27 02:42:06 Various
AE1F1F 07-03774 53417437 2020-02-21 01:57:05 MH-47G
AE24C2 ------ 53422302 2018-11-07 08:51:07 -
AE5D2A 164771 53445133 2020-04-16 14:57:04 MH-53E
AE4B52 161997 53445522 2019-02-07 01:42:07 CH-53E
AE4BA9 164860 53445651 2018-05-09 03:54:10 CH-53E
AE4CF2 07-08747 53446362 2020-04-15 04:30:05 CH-47F
000001 Various 53451206 2019-11-18 20:57:17 Various
AE52D1 ------ 53451321 2020-03-31 21:30:06 CH-47
AE537E 12-20459 53451576 2019-06-14 10:15:04 UH-60M
AE5723 13-0069 53453443 2018-07-19 09:26:14 CV-22B
AE5879 60-0018 53454175 2019-03-25 14:15:06 B-52H
AE587D 60-0024 53454175 2019-04-06 11:57:06 B-52H
AE5893 60-0058 53454223 2019-04-03 09:18:04 B-52H
000001 Various 53454358 2019-07-03 08:39:04 Various
000001 Various 53454746 2018-07-22 22:46:06 Various
AE59E6 15-08185 53454746 2018-07-23 13:38:10 CH-47F
000001 Various 53454750 2018-06-22 10:27:03 Various
AE5BBC 11-27305 53455674 2018-06-12 17:48:13 UH-60M
AE601D 17-20942 53460035 2018-08-23 13:34:23 HH-60M
AE6218 18-21012 53461030 2019-12-05 00:12:28 HH-60M
AE5C57 169325 53463766 2020-03-26 14:42:12 P-8A
AE57CE 169009 53464027 2020-01-31 04:42:06 P-8A
AE57C9 169004 53464141 2020-04-14 19:48:04 P-8A
AE6791 various 53464141 2020-04-15 05:03:05 P-8A
AE57B7 168851 53464240 2019-11-29 15:03:04 P-8A