AN SMA PLT; OFF FREQ FROM TWR; WITH A FORMATION FLT OF 2; DELAYS HIS TKOF WHILE LOOKING FOR A NON EXISTENT FLAG MAN ON THE RWY AT OSHKOSH; WI.

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MY AIRPLANE WAS LEADING A FLT OF 2 SX-300 HOMEBUILT AIRPLANES DEPARTING OSHKOSH ON JUL/XA/01. I RECEIVED THE STANDARD DEP BRIEFING AND THE ENCLOSED CARD. PLEASE NOTE THE EMPHASIS ON THE MOBILE CTLR UNITS. I TAXIED WITH MY WING MAN TO RWY 18R AND WAS HAND SIGNALED FORWARD BY CTLRS AT THE W EDGE OF THE TXWY. AT THIS POINT; I LOOKED FOR THE SIGNAL MEN I HAD EXPECTED ON THE RWY. (I HAVE FLOWN TO OSHKOSH SINCE 1972; AND THE SYS HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE SAME.) THE TWR FREQ 118.9 WAS SILENT; BUT THAT IS CONSISTENT WITH MY PAST EXPERIENCE. AS I TURNED R (E) I SAW NO OTHER SIGNAL MEN. I HESITATED; CLRED THE RWY AND PATTERN VISUALLY AND TAXIED INTO POS. I HESITATED; LOOKED R AND SAW THE FAA SIGNAL MAN FRANTICALLY MOTIONING ME TO TAKE OFF; WHICH I DID. ON DEP; MY WING MAN TOLD ME THAT THE TWR WAS TALKING AND DOING THE CTLING (A PROC I HAVE NEVER SEEN SINCE 1972 -- AND ONE INCONSISTENT WITH THE ENCLOSED BRIEFING CARD). IT TURNS OUT THAT I HAD TUNED 118.8 RATHER THAN 118.9; EXPLAINING THE SILENCE. FAMILIARITY AND COMPLACENCY ON MY PART; AND AN INCONSISTENT PROC WHICH IS A CONTRADICTION TO THE DEP BRIEFING AND CARD ARE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS. THE SILENCE ON THE (INCORRECT) FREQ; WAS CONSISTENT WITH MY PAST EXPERIENCE AND I DID NOT QUESTION THE LACK OF RWY SIGNAL MEN.