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Guard Frequency in the F/A-18C Hornet

The Guard frequency is a critical part of your communications setup in any aircraft—and the F/A-18C is no exception. In both real-world and DCS operations, monitoring Guard is essential for safety, coordination, and emergency response.

🆘 What Is Guard?

The Guard frequency is a set of two international emergency channels that are always monitored by military and civilian aircraft:

  • UHF Guard: 243.000 MHz – used primarily by military aircraft

  • VHF Guard: 121.500 MHz – used by civilian aircraft, but also monitored by many military units

These frequencies are used for:

  • Distress calls (MAYDAY / PAN PAN)

  • Airspace deconfliction

  • Lost comm procedures

  • Emergency coordination

In DCS, UHF Guard (243.000) is the most relevant.

🔧 How the Hornet Handles Guard

The F/A-18C automatically monitors UHF Guard in the background, regardless of which frequency you're actively tuned to—as long as Guard is enabled on your Audio Control Panel.

You can listen to and transmit on Guard using the following controls:

📟 Guard Monitoring Controls

🔉 Listening to Guard

  1. Look at the Audio Control Panel (left console, below the left DDI).

  2. The COMM 1 and COMM 2 knobs include a setting labeled G for Guard.

  3. Rotate the selector knob to G to monitor Guard frequency audio.

  4. Adjust volume using the corresponding COMM volume knob.

Note: You can monitor Guard alongside any other active frequency, making it great for picking up emergency calls without missing your flight comms.

🗣️ Transmitting on Guard

If you need to transmit on Guard (rare but possible in emergencies):

  1. Set COMM 1 or COMM 2 to manual mode

  2. Dial in 243.000 MHz

  3. Transmit as usual using your assigned COMM switch

💡 Most Hornet squadrons monitor Guard passively but do not transmit on it unless instructed or in an emergency.

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