Scrapbook 121.5 - the emergency locator

When Mr. Fenn used a non-integer for his scrapbook number I took note but when he did it again, it was a number I was all too familiar with: 121.5

121.5 MHz is the frequency used to signal distress or emergencies in aircraft. This is very familiar with Mr. Fenn because he was shot down twice and he wants to be known for that fact. He would have used that frequency when he ejected in the jungle to signal for help. He wrote about the experience in “My War for Me” and then referred to one of the crewmen who rescued him in “Bob Sully and Kate.”

The military primarily uses 243.0 as their main signalling frequency but their devices are often dual band in the hand held. So why is this significant? Well since Forrest claims if there is one thing he wants to be known for is that he was shot down twice, I think that says a lot about how special that moment was to him. If this is poem related he uses the word “down” twice in the poem which is synonymous with shot-down.” It also may be a powerful hint to include a flight aspect into solving the poem, but more particularly a distress or rescue aspect. As I mentioned before the Tarhe (brave and in the wood) helicopter was used to recover planes that were shot down in Vietnam. This is a photo of a Tarhe CH-54 recovering an F-100 (same plane Mr. Fenn flew) in Vietnam.

One other distress frequency that aircraft are now using to signal emergencies is the 406 MHz ELT (emergency locator transmitter). It was designed specifically for satellite location but Mr. Fenn may have used a Scrapbook 121.5 to also hint to 406. What is the significance of 406? Well it is the area code for Montana and thus could also indicate which state the treasure is located.

When Mr. Fenn said he gave “Title to the Gold” I am certain that examining “titles” of his scrapbooks are also fair play.

#Tarhe #rescuebeacon