Shuttle Comms Caught on UHF Milsat

Master Paul Marsh just posted this intercept to Hearsat-L at 9:11 am EDT 30 Jun 2006:

Scanner just stopped on 261.875 with 'wolf hound' working cape-osbourne for pre-launch satcom checks.

This is a known non-DAMA voice (clear and encrypted voice channel).

Shuttle TAL INMARSAT Frequency Monitored

Barney Hamlin has caught one of the three TAL (Trans Atlantic Landing) INMARSAT frequencies this morning. This NASA comm was heard on the INMARSAT AOR-E bird on 1539.875 MHz.

NASA recently posted more about this TAL capability and you can find out more about this at http://www-pao.ksc.nasa.gov/kscpao/nasafact/pdf/TALsites-06.pdf

Georgia Milsat BandScan

I received an excellent UHF milsat bandscan report from Barney Hamlin, a neighbor to my south in the great state of Georgia. Thanks Barney.

I encourage each of you reading this report to take a swing through the UHF Milsat subband (240-270 MHz) and let us know what you are hearing like Barney did. I am especially interested in reports from outside the U.S. You can send your reports to me at the address in the masthead. If you wish to remain anonymous, I will honor those request as well, but please include your location. This is important, as well as antenna look angles, to help sort which birds you are hearing.

Thanks again Barney.

-------------------
UHF Milsat List from Barney Hamlin – Fitzgerald, Georgia
AR 8600 MKII with a Create Log Periodic and Ramsey wideband preamp.

Eastern Atlantic/CONUS Milsats
Fleetsatcom (F8-22.7W\F7-99.9W)
UHF Follow On (F3-11W\F9-12W)
Skynet (4D-34W)
Marisat 1 (104.7W)
DSCS-3 B11 (12W)

Note: Frequency in MHz. Mode is NFM unless otherwise listed.


UHF Milsat List from Barney Hamlin – Fitzgerald, Georgia
AR 8600 MKII with a Create Log Periodic and Ramsey Wideband preamp.

Eastern Atlantic Sats\ CONUS Sats
(Mode is NFM unless otherwise listed.)
Fleetsatcom (F8-22.7W\F7-99.9W), UHF Follow On (F3-11W\F9-12W), Skynet (4D-34W), Marisat 1 (104.7W), DSCS-3 B11 (12W)

243.6300 – Data (Weak)
243.6950 – RATT
243.6950 – DSCS-3 B11 Transponder-RATT (Weak)
243.7030 – RATT
243.7030 – RATT (Weak)
243.7050 – RATT
243.7050 – DSCS-3 B11 Transponder-RATT (Weak)
243.7100 – RATT
243.7100 – DSCS-3 B11 Transponder
243.7130 – RATT
243.7130 – RATT (Weak)
243.7150 – RATT
243.7150 – DSCS-3 B11 Transponder-RATT (Weak)
243.7180 – RATT
243.7180 – RATT (Weak)
243.7200 – RATT
243.7200 – DSCS-3 B11 Transponder-RATT (Weak)
243.7225 – RATT
243.7225 – RATT (Weak)
243.7250 – RATT
243.7250 – DSCS-3 B11 Transponder-RATT (Weak)
243.7275 – RATT
243.7275 – RATT (Weak)
243.7300 – RATT
243.7300 – Skynet Transponder-RATT (Weak)
243.7325 – RATT
243.7325 – RATT (Weak)
243.7350 – RATT
243.7350 – DSCS-3 B11 Transponder-RATT (Weak)
243.7375 – RATT (Weak)
243.7400 – DSCS-3 B11 Transponder-RATT (Weak)
243.7425 – RATT
243.7425 – RATT (Weak)
243.7450 – DSCS-3 B11 Transponder-RATT (Weak)
243.7475 – RATT
243.7475 – RATT (Weak)
243.7500 - RATT
243.7500 – DSCS-3 B11 Transponder-RATT (Weak)
243.7575 – RATT (Weak)
243.7600 – DSCS-3 B11 Transponder-RATT (Weak)
243.7900-.8450 – Frequency Hopping
243.7900-.8450 – Frequency Hopping
243.8550 – Carrier (Weak)
243.8960 – Carrier
243.9125 – Wideband Data
243.9150 – UHF Follow On Transponder
243.9225 – Wideband Data
243.9250 – UHF Follow On Transponder
243.9325 – Wideband Data
243.9350 – UHF Follow On Transponder
243.9425 – Wideband Data
243.9450 – Fleetsatcom Transponder
243.9525 – Wideband Data
243.9550 – Fleetsatcom Transponder
243.9600 – Fleetsatcom Transponder
243.9625 – Wideband Data
243.9640 – USB-Data Bursts
243.9640 – Data Bursts
243.9650 – Fleetsatcom Transponder
243.9700 – Fleetsatcom Transponder
243.9725 – Wideband Data
243.9750 – Fleetsatcom Transponder
243.9800 – Fleetsatcom Transponder
243.9810 – Warbling Carrier
243.9825 – Wideband Data
243.9850 – Fleetsatcom Transponder-Data (Weak)
243.9900 – Fleetsatcom Transponder
243.9950 – Fleetsatcom Transponder

244.0000 – Fleetsatcom Transponder
244.0025 – FM Radio Harmonic (Spanish)
244.0050 – UHF Follow On Transponder-Encrypted voice
244.0225 – Wideband Data
244.0250 – UHF Follow On Transponder-Data
244.0325 – Wideband Data
244.0340 – Data Bursts
244.0350 – UHF Follow On Transponder-Encrypted Data\Voice
244.0450 – UHF Follow On Transponder
244.0525 – Wideband Data or voice
244.0540 – Data Bursts
244.0550 – UHF Follow On Transponder-Encrypted voice.
244.0650 – UHF Follow On Transponder
244.0750 – UHF Follow On Transponder-Encrypted Data\voice
244.0850 – UHF Follow On Transponder-Encrypted Data\voice
244.0940 – Data Bursts, longer duration Bursts, stronger signal.
244.0940 – Data Bursts, longer duration Bursts, stronger signal.
244.0950 – UHF Follow On Transponder
244.0100 – Fleetsatcom Transponder
244.0150 – UHF Follow On Transponder
244.0250 – Data Bursts, digitally encrypted voice (USB)
244.0450 – Fleetsatcom Transponder
244.0550 – Fleetsatcom Transponder-Digitally encrypted voice
244.0600 – Fleetsatcom Transponder
244.0650 – Fleetsatcom Transponder
244.0700 – Fleetsatcom Transponder
244.0750 – Fleetsatcom Transponder-Data Bursts
244.0800 – Fleetsatcom Transponder
244.0850 – Fleetsatcom Transponder-FM radio harmonic interference.
244.0900 – Fleetsatcom Transponder
244.0940 – USB–Data Bursts
244.0950 – Fleetsatcom Transponder
244.0990 – Warbling tone
244.1000 – Fleetsatcom Transponder-Warbling tone
244.1070 – Warbling tone
244.1100 – Fleetsatcom Transponder-Data (Weak)
244.1250 – Encrypted digital voice, very active
244.1350 – Data
244.1450 – Fleetsatcom Transponder-Data
244.1484 – RATT 3200 Hz shift strong signal (only on for brief transmission)
244.1490 – RATT and also LSB voice (very weak)
244.1550 – Wideband Data
244.1550 – Fleetsatcom Transponder-Encrypted Data
244.1600 – Fleetsatcom Transponder
244.1650 – Wideband Data
244.1650 – Fleetsatcom Transponder-Encrypted Data
244.1700 – Fleetsatcom Transponder
244.1750 – Wideband Data
244.1750 – Fleetsatcom Transponder-Encrypted Data
244.1800 – Fleetsatcom Transponder
244.1850 – Wideband Data-Occasional RTTY (very wide shift–approximately 3500hz)
244.1850 – Fleetsatcom Transponder-Encrypted Data
244.1900 – Fleetsatcom Transponder
244.1950 – Wideband Data
244.1950 – Fleetsatcom Transponder-Encrypted Data
244.2000 – Fleetsatcom Transponder
244.2050 – Wideband Data
244.2050 – UHF Follow On Transponder-Encrypted Data
244.2100 – Fleetsatcom Transponder
244.2150 – UHF Follow On Transponder-Encrypted Data and Wideband Data
244.2250 – Wideband Data
244.2250 – UHF Follow On Transponder-Encrypted Data
244.2290 – Carrier
244.2350 – UHF Follow On Transponder
244.2400 – Carrier–beacon?

248.0650 – Local RFI
248.8450 – Wideband Data
248.8450 – UHF Follow On Transponder-Data
248.8500 – Marisat Transponder
248.8550 – Wideband Data
248.8550 – UHF Follow On Transponder-Data
248.8650 – Wideband Data
248.8650 – UHF Follow On Transponder-Encrypted voice
248.8750 – Wideband Data
248.8750 – UHF Follow On Transponder-Data
248.8850 – Wideband Data
248.8850 – UHF Follow On Transponder-Data
248.8950 – Wideband Data
248.8950 – UHF Follow On Transponder
248.9000 – Marisat Transponder-Warbling Carrier
248.9025 – Wideband Data
248.9125 – Wideband Data
248.9225 – Wideband Data
248.9250 – Marisat Transponder
248.9050 – UHF Follow On Transponder
248.9150 – UHF Follow On Transponder
248.9250 – UHF Follow On Transponder
248.9325 – Wideband Data
248.9350 – UHF Follow On Transponder
248.9425 – Wideband Data or voice
248.9450 – UHF Follow On Transponder-Encrypted voice
248.9500 – Marisat Transponder
248.9525 – Wideband Data
248.9550 – UHF Follow On Transponder
248.6925 – Wideband Data
248.9650 – UHF Follow On Transponder
248.9750 – UHF Follow On Transponder-USB and Unusual Data Transmissions
248.9850 – UHF Follow On Transponder
248.9875 – Telcom Russian (Weak)
248.9970 – USB–CW strong chirping (Sloppy transmission)

249.0000 – Marisat Transponder
249.0050 – UHF Follow On Transponder
249.0115 – Telcom Russian (Weak)
249.0150 – UHF Follow On Transponder-Telcom Russian (Weak)
249.0250 – UHF Follow On Transponder-Telcom Russian (Weak)
249.0350 – UHF Follow On Transponder-Telcom Russian (Weak)
249.0450 – UHF Follow On Transponder
249.0500 – Marisat Transponder
249.0540 – USB–Data Bursts
249.0550 – UHF Follow On Transponder
249.0650 – UHF Follow On Transponder-Telcom Russian Dialing (Weak)
249.0750 – UHF Follow On Transponder-Telcom Russian
249.0850 – UHF Follow On Transponder-Telcom Russian
249.0950 – Carrier
249.0950 – UHF Follow On Transponder
249.1000 – Marisat Transponder
249.1040 – USB–Data Bursts.
249.1050 – UHF Follow On Transponder-Digitally encrypted voice
249.1116 – USB voice
249.1125 – Wideband Data-Warbling tone
249.1150 – UHF Follow On Transponder-Telcom Russian (Weak)
249.1225 – Wideband Data
249.1240 – Data Bursts
249.1250 – UHF Follow On Transponder-Telcom Russian (Weak)
249.1325 – Wideband Data
249.1350 – UHF Follow On Transponder-Telcom Russian (Weak)
249.1425 – Wideband Data
249.1440 – Data Bursts, similar to ax.25 protocol
249.1440 – Data Bursts, similar to ax.25 protocol
249.1450 – UHF Follow On Transponder
249.1500 – Marisat Transponder
249.1525 – Wideband Data
249.1540 – Data Bursts
249.1550 – UHF Follow On Transponder
249.1625 – Wideband Data
249.1650 – UHF Follow On Transponder-Telcom Russian (Weak)
249.1750 – Carrier
249.1750 – UHF Follow On Transponder-Telcom Russian (Weak) and digitally encrypted voice
249.1850 – UHF Follow On Transponder
249.1925 – Wideband Data
249.1950 – UHF Follow On Transponder
249.1950 – FM Radio Harmonic
249.2000 – Marisat Transponder
249.2025 – Wideband Data
249.2050 – UHF Follow On Transponder
249.2050 – Data
249.2125 – Wideband Data
249.2150 – UHF Follow On Transponder-Telcom Russian
249.2150 – Data
249.2225 – Wideband Data
249.2240 – Data Bursts
249.2250 – UHF Follow On Transponder-Encrypted voice
249.2250 – Data
249.2325 – Wideband Data
249.2350 – UHF Follow On Transponder
249.2350 – Data
249.2425 – Wideband Data
249.2450 – UHF Follow On Transponder
249.2450 – Data
249.2500 – Marisat Transponder
249.2525 – Wideband Data
249.2550 – UHF Follow On Transponder-Encrypted voice
249.2550 – Encrypted voice
249.2650 – UHF Follow On Transponder
249.2625 – Wideband Data
249.2650 – Data
249.2725 – Wideband Data
249.2750 – UHF Follow On Transponder-Telcom Russian
249.2750 – Data
249.2825 – Wideband Data
249.2850 – UHF Follow On Transponder-Data or voice encryption
249.2850 – Data
249.2925 – Wideband Data
249.2950 – UHF Follow On Transponder
249.2950 – Data and FM radio harmonic
249.3000 – Marisat Transponder
249.3025 – Wideband Data
249.3040 – Data Bursts
249.3040 – Data Bursts
249.3050 – UHF Follow On Transponder
249.3050 – Data
249.3125 – Wideband Data
249.3150 – UHF Follow On Transponder
249.3150 – Data
249.3225 – Wideband Data
249.3250 – UHF Follow On Transponder
249.3250 – Data
249.3325 – Wideband Data
249.3350 – UHF Follow On Transponder-Encrypted voice
249.3350 – Data
249.3425 – Wideband Data
249.3450 – UHF Follow On Transponder
249.3450 – Data
249.3525 – Wideband Data
249.3550 – UHF Follow On Transponder-FM Radio Harmonic
249.3550 – Data
249.3600 – Carrier
249.3900 – Encrypted voice
249.7350 – Carrier and FM Radio Harmonic
249.7525 – Carrier
249.8550 – Beacon?

250.0750 – Data
250.0750 – Data
250.0965 – Carrier
250.1950 – Carrier
250.3500 – Fleetsatcom Transponder-Data (strong signal)
250.3500 – Fleetsatcom Wideband Data
250.3850 – Carrier
250.3850 – Carrier
250.4500 – UHF Follow On Transponder
250.5500 – Fleetsatcom Transponder-Wideband Data
250.5500 – Fleetsatcom Transponder-Wideband Data
250.6050 – USB–Carrier
250.6500 – Wideband Data
250.6500 – Fleetsatcom Transponder-Wideband Data
250.6650 – Carrier
250.8775 – Carrier

251.1925 – USB-? brief transmission of some sort
251.3125 – Data
251.3175 – Data
251.3250 – Wideband Data
251.3250 – Data
251.3325 – Data
251.5400 – Carrier
251.7000 – Data
251.7000 - Data
251.8500 – UHF Follow On Transponder (25 kHz)
251.8475 – Wideband Data
251.8500 – Data
251.9000 – USB–Carrier
251.9500 – Fleetsatcom Transponder (25 kHz)-Wideband Data
251.9500 – Wideband Data

252.0500 – Fleetsatcom Transponder (25 kHz)
- ITC English
- Two stations believed to be in Europe. No longer active?
- Portuguese, usually two or three stations (Unusually strong signal)
- Wideband Data
252.1500 – Fleetsatcom Transponder (25 kHz)-Wideband Data
252.1500 – Wideband Data

253.0600 – Carrier
253.2280 – Carrier
253.4475 – Carrier
253.4550 – Carrier (Weak)
253.4590 – Carrier, being switched on and off. Strong. Would fade to about half strength at times.
253.5090 – Carrier
253.5250 – Carrier (Weak)
253.5325 – Data
253.5375 – USB-Data and single tone every 10 seconds.
253.5375 – USB-Data and single tone every 10 seconds.
253.5500 – Transponder (25 kHz)-Wideband transmission (Weak)
253.5500 – Wideband Data
253.5600 – USB–Data (Weak)
253.6250 – USB–Data
253.6500 – Fleetsatcom Transponder (25 kHz)
- Portuguese, two stations
- Wideband Data
253.6500 – Wideband Data, encrypted voice
- fm voice transmissions, not digitally encrypted, heavily distorted. two stations
253.6600 – Portuguese, two stations
253.7375 – Portuguese, two stations (Full quieting)
253.7400 – Portuguese, two stations (Full quieting)
253.7500 – Fleetsatcom Transponder (25 kHz)-Telcom (Weak) and also Warbling Carrier at times.
253.7600 – Portuguese, four stations (Strong) and sometimes with speech inversion.
253.8000 – Skynet Transponder
253.8500 – Fleetsatcom Transponder (25 kHz)-Wideband Data
253.8500 – Wideband Data
253.9125 – Data
253.9225 – Carrier
253.9375 – Telcom Russian (Moderate/strong signals)
253.9424 – USB pulse transmission very similiar to FAX and very regular
253.9500 – Skynet Transponder-Italian Navy two stations. ITC voice and encrypted Data (Stanag 4285@1200 baud) now inactive since they moved to SICRAL satellite channels
253.9550 – Carrier (Weak)
253.9600 – Telcom Russian (Moderate signal)
253.9625 – Telcom Russian (Weak/Moderate signals)

254.0090 – Carrier
254.0225 – Carrier
254.0500 – Skynet Transponder
254.0525 – Carrier
254.0575 – Carrier
254.0885 – Telcom Russian (Moderate signal)
254.0900 – Telcom Russian (Weak)
254.1000 – Skynet Transponder-Super Radio FM Bogotá harmonic
254.1000 – FM Radio Harmonic.
254.1130 – Telcom Russian
254.1215 – Carrier
254.1385 – Telcom Russian
254.1500 – Skynet Transponder
254.2000 – Skynet Transponder
- AM Aircraft (Moderate signal)
- LSB
– Test transmission from Freddy
254.6150 – Carrier (Weak)
254.7300 – Carrier
254.9550 – Wideband transmission (Weak)
254.9815 – Carrier (Slight Warble)

255.0075 – Carrier
255.2350 – Carrier
255.2500 – UHF Follow On Transponder (25 kHz)-Data, Warbling Carrier
255.2500 – Warbling Carrier (Strong) Data bursts just like 269.7500. Except more frequent bursts
255.3350-3650 – Wideband transmission
255.3450 – Wideband data
255.3500 – Portuguese two stations, weak
255.3500 – Fleetsatcom Transponder (25 kHz)
- Telcom Russian (Weak)
- Portuguese two staions (Strong)
255.4500 – Fleetsatcom Transponder (25 kHz)
- Telcom (Weak) Dialing possibly Spanish voice
- Wideband Data
255.5075 – Carrier
255.5500 – Fleetsatcom Transponder (25 kHz)-Telcom Portuguese. Carrier tends to vary (Strong)
255.5500 – Wideband Data
255.5547 – Unstable Carrier.
255.5600 – Portuguese two stations (Moderate)

256.0575 – Data
256.3750 – Data, possibly HEO satellite in a Molniya type orbit
256.3950 - Carrier
256.4750 – Data
256.4750 – Data
256.8500 – UHF Follow On Transponder (25 kHz)-Portuguese. Usually two stations (Moderate to strong signals), also some USB activity.
256.8500 – Portuguese two stations (Full quieting)
256.9410 – Portuguese one station testing
256.9500 – Fleetsatcom Transponder (25 kHz)-Wideband Data
256.9500 – Wideband Data

257.0500 – Fleetsatcom Transponder (25 kHz)
- Portuguese two stations (Strong)
- Wideband Data
257.0500 – Data
257.1450 – Wideband Data
257.1500 – Fleetsatcom Transponder (25 kHz)
257.3200 – Wideband Data
257.3200 – Wideband Data
257.3250 – Skynet Transponder
257.4450 – Wideband Data/voice
257.4500 – Skynet Transponder
257.5000 – Skynet Transponder
257.5500 – Skynet Transponder
257.6000 – Skynet Transponder-FM Radio Harmonic
257.6500 – Skynet Transponder
257.7250 – Repeating single tone, beacon? (Weak)
257.9400 – Warbling tone
257.9560 – Warbling tone
257.9570 – Warbling tone
257.9710 – Warbling tone
257.9775 – Warbling tone
257.9800 – Data
257.9805 – Warbling tone
257.9940 – Warbling tone
257.9975 – Warbling tone
257.9975 – Warbling tone

258.0030 – Warbling tone
258.0045 – Data
258.0190 – Warbling tone
258.0225 – Data
258.0265 – Data
258.0290 – Warbling tone
258.0900 – Data
258.3050 – Data (Weak)
258.3500 – UHF Follow On Transponder (25 kHz)
- Portuguese two stations (Strong)
- Telcom (Moderate signal)
- Wideband Data
258.3500 – Wideband Data
258.3550 – Telcom (Moderate)
258.3550 – Telcom Heard busy signal.
258.4400 – Portuguese two to four stations heard (Strong signals)
258.4400 – Portuguese two stations (Moderate) Frequency varies - .4420
258.4500 – Fleetsatcom Transponder (25 kHz)
- Portuguese usually two stations (Strong signals) also telcom
- Wideband Data
258.4500 – Encrypted comms
- Wideband Data (Weak)
- Portuguese two stations (Weak)
258.4600 – Portuguese two stations (Full quieting)
258.4600 – Portuguese one station (Full quieting)
258.4615 – Portuguese one station OM (Moderate signal)
258.5400 – Portuguese several stations very active (Full quieting)
258.5500 – Fleetsatcom Transponder (25 kHz)
- Wideband Data
- Portuguese two stations (Moderate)
258.6500 – Fleetsatcom Transponder (25 kHz) - Single tone transmitted four times every minute, best heard in USB.
258.6550 – Wideband Data
258.7750 – Wideband Data
258.7750 – Wideband Data

260.3500 – Fleetsatcom Transponder
260.3585 – USB odd data transmission (Weak)
260.3750 – Fleetsatcom Transponder-Data
260.3800 – Data
260.3835 – USB–voice (Weak)
260.3975 – Carrier
260.4000 – Fleetsatcom Transponder
260.4100 – Telcom (Very weak)
260.4200 – Portuguese usually two stations (Moderate to strong signals) Actual transmitted frequency can vary, also Wideband Data
260.4250 – Fleetsatcom Transponder-Telcom Portuguese, can usually hear the dialing (Signal varies weak to moderate). Actual frequency sometimes varies.
260.4300 – Portuguese two or three stations (Strong signals)
260.4400 – Test transmissions Whistling, blowing into mike.
260.4500 – Fleetsatcom Transponder
260.4700 – Portuguese usually two stations (Strong signals)
260.4700 – Portuguese two stations, very active (Full quieting)
260.4725 – Fleetsatcom Transponder
260.4750 – Fleetsatcom Transponder-Telcom Portuguese, dialing and frequency can vary sometimes
260.4780 – USB–ARQ variant (Weak)
260.4800 – Telcom (Weak)
260.4800 – Data (Very strong)
260.5000 – Fleetsatcom Transponder
260.5100 – Mike keying (Full quieting)
260.5150 – FM Radio Harmonic
260.5250 – Fleetsatcom Transponder
260.5300 – DOD modem (Very strong)
- Portuguese very active with two to four stations at a time (Often strong signals) Inactive as of 11-2005 due to DOD modem transmissions.
260.5420 – Carrier (Weak)
260.5500 – Fleetsatcom Transponder
260.5700 – Portuguese two stations (Moderate strength)
260.5750 – Encrypted transmissions
260.5750 – Fleetsatcom Transponder-Telcom (Weak)
260.5800 – Portuguese two to three stations (Moderate strength)
260.5990 – USB and Carrier (Weak, fades in and out)
260.6000 – Fleetsatcom Transponder
260.6250 – Fleetsatcom Transponder
260.6275 – Wideband Data
260.6275 – Wideband Data
260.6500 – Fleetsatcom Transponder
260.6750 – Fleetsatcom Transponder
260.6750 – Telcom Portuguese YL one station (Full quieting) Could hear a sat delayed echo of everything she said.
260.6800 – Portuguese two stations (Moderate strength)
260.7000 – Fleetsatcom Transponder
260.7250 – Fleetsatcom Transponder
260.7250 – Wideband Data
260.7250 – Wideband Data
260.7500 – Fleetsatcom Transponder
260.7720 – Carrier
260.7750 – Fleetsatcom Transponder
260.8000 – Fleetsatcom Transponder
260.8250 – Fleetsatcom Transponder
260.8500 – Fleetsatcom Transponder
260.8710 – Carrier

261.0060 – Carrier
261.0100 – Carrier
261.0410 – Carrier
261.0685 – continuous data transmission of some sort, not regular DOD stuff and 25 kHz wide.
261.1050 – Carrier
261.1175 – Carrier
261.1375 – Carrier
261.1650 – Carrier
261.1685 – Data transmission, same as 261.0685 (Moderate signal)
261.3840 – AM–Aircraft (Weak)
261.3970 – Carrier
261.3994 – AM–Several aircraft and possible AWACS controller (Moderate signals)
261.4000 – Occasional FM Radio Harmonic and a warbling tone
261.4500 – Fleetsatcom Transponder
261.4545 – Carrier
261.4750 – Fleetsatcom Transponder-ITC English heard
261.5000 - FM Radio Harmonic
261.5000 – Fleetsatcom Transponder
261.5090 – Carrier
261.5155 – Carrier
261.5250 – Fleetsatcom Transponder-Warbling tone
261.5250 – Fleetsatcom Transponder
261.5600 – USB and Wideband Data
261.5650 – Ascending/descending sweeper best heard in AM or USB
261.5660 – Carrier
261.5700 – Carrier
261.5750 – Fleetsatcom Transponder
- Occasional ITC English
- Encrypted voice
- Ascending frequency sweeper
- LINK-11
261.5780 – Telcom Portuguese (Moderate)
261.5870 – Warbling tone (Weak)
261.5875 – USB ascending sweeper
261.6000 – Fleetsatcom Transponder-Portuguese two stations (Strong)
261.6050 – Occasional encrypted comms
261.6195 – LINK-11? (Very weak) heard in USB.
261.6215 – USB–Data tones repeating every 5 seconds (Weak)
261.6240 – Portuguese two stations (Moderate signal) Weak modulation
261.6250 – Fleetsatcom Transponder
261.6300 – USB–Data tones repeating every 5 seconds (Weak)
261.6480 – AM–Aircraft (weak)
261.6475 – Warbling tone (Strong)
261.6494 – USB voice transmission (Very weak) Occasional tone.
261.6500 – Fleetsatcom Transponder
261.6600 – Wideband Data
261.6600 – USB–Wideband Data
261.6620 – Warbling tone (Weak)
261.6650 – USB packet type transmissions
261.6740 – USB and carrier transmitted every 15 seconds
261.6750 – Fleetsatcom Transponder-Encrypted comms
261.6750 – Encrypted comms
261.6767 – USB Phone Patch Telcom? one station YL
261.6990 – USB–Warbling tone
261.7000 – Fleetsatcom Transponder
261.7080 – Telcom Arabic relay, often full quieting at night. No longer active?
261.7250 – Fleetsatcom Transponder
261.7485 – USB set of two/three tones transmitted in a sequence, every few minutes (Strong)
261.7500 – Fleetsatcom Transponder
261.7600 – USB – Wideband Data
261.7750 – Fleetsatcom Transponder
261.7800 – Warbling tone
261.7804 – SFM–Telcom DTMF tones, ringing, conversations, etc (Weak) Possibly another Arabic phone. Very active.
261.8000 – Fleetsatcom Transponder
- FM Radio Harmonic “Radio Maria”
– Guatemala. “Una voz Catolica en su casa”
- AM–Aircraft.
261.8200 – USB
– Carrier
261.8250 – Fleetsatcom Transponder
261.8400 – Warbling tone
261.8500 – Fleetsatcom Transponder
- Portuguese two stations (Full quieting)
- AM–AWACS and fighters (Moderate signals)
261.8660 – Warbling tone intermittent
261.8750 – Fleetsatcom Transponder-Encrypted voice
261.9000 – Fleetsatcom Transponder
- Portuguese two stations (Moderate)
- Digitally encrypted voice
- Warbling tone
261.9240 – USB single tone transmiited every 11-12 seconds for 2 seconds. Can hear a second, weaker tone just before the
stronger one transmits. The weaker signal transmits for about 3 seconds. Signal is strong for both. Now a pulsed-tone.
261.9250 – Fleetsatcom Transponder-beacon? Tone every 10 seconds
261.9500 – Fleetsatcom Transponder
261.9600 – Warbling tone

262.0500 – Fleetsatcom Transponder
262.0600 – USB–Wideband Data
262.0750 – Fleetsatcom Transponder
262.1000 – Fleetsatcom Transponder
262.1150 – Wideband Data
262.1230 – Wideband Data
262.1250 – Fleetsatcom Transponder
262.1500 – Fleetsatcom Transponder
262.1610 – USB–Data transmission, same as 261.0685
262.1750 – Fleetsatcom Transponder
262.2000 – Fleetsatcom Transponder
262.2100 – USB–Wideband Data
262.2250 – Fleetsatcom Transponder
262.2500 – Fleetsatcom Transponder
262.2600 – USB–Wideband Data
262.2750 – Fleetsatcom Transponder
262.2750 – Encrypted comms Wideband
262.2750 – encrypted Wideband comms
262.3000 – Fleetsatcom Transponder
- Occasional ITC English, usually a test transmission
- Strong encrypted comms
262.3250 – Fleetsatcom Transponder
- Occasional ITC English test transmissions
- Wideband Data
262.3250 – Wideband Data
262.3500 – Fleetsatcom Transponder
262.3700 – Portuguese one station calling “Santa Cruz,” also testing
262.3700 – Portuguese three stations (Moderate)
262.3723 – USB–Telcom, Same as 267.0332 (Weak)
262.3730 – USB–Warbling tone
262.3750 – Fleetsatcom Transponder-Encrypted comms
262.3800 – Portuguese two stations (Strong)
262.3805 – Portuguese two stations (Strong)
262.4000 – Fleetsatcom Transponder
262.4244 – USB–Telcom, same as 267.0332
262.4250 – Fleetsatcom Transponder
262.4500 – Fleetsatcom Transponder
262.4750 – Fleetsatcom Transponder
262.5000 – Fleetsatcom Transponder
262.5250 – Fleetsatcom Transponder
262.5500 – Fleetsatcom Transponder
262.6650 – USB–Wideband Data

263.0400 – Encrypted transmissions wideband.
263.2250 – Wideband Data
263.5700 – Telcom Portuguese (Full quieting)
- Portuguese two stations (One full quieting/One very weak) Phone patches? Dial tones, dialing.
263.5710 – Portuguese, two stations (Full quieting)
263.5750 – UHF Follow On Transponder
- Portuguese two stations (Full quieting)
263.5750 – Wideband Data or voice
263.5775 - Wideband Data or voice
263.5790 – Portuguese two stations (Full quieting)
263.5810 - Portuguese two stations (Moderate)
- Telephone comms, dialing, conversation. PP. Weaker than the other comms
263.6200 – Wideband Data
263.6250 – UHF Follow On Transponder - Encrypted voice
263.6685 – Portuguese two stations (Full quieting)
263.6700 – Wideband Data
263.6705 – Portuguese two stations (Full quieting)
263.6750 – UHF Follow On Transponder - Portuguese two stations (Moderate)
263.6750 – AM - Portuguese two stations testing (Very strong)
263.6800 – Portuguese two stations (Moderate)
263.6800 – Portuguese three stations YL (Full quieting), one station with mike problem
263.7200 – FM Radio Harmonic
263.7240 - Encrypted voice
263.7250 – UHF Follow On Transponder - Portuguese two stations (Weak)
263.7750 – UHF Follow On Transponder
263.8200 – Spanish or Portuguese two stations (Moderate signal)
263.8250 – UHF Follow On Transponder - Wideband Data
263.8300 – Portuguese two stations (Moderate signal)
263.8750 – UHF Follow On Transponder
263.9200 – Portuguese two stations (Full quieting)
263.9200 – Portuguese three stations (Full quieting)
263.9250 – UHF Follow On Transponder
263.9300 – Spanish or Portuguese, very active frequency. Usually ITC traffic, but have heard and decoded speech inverted
comms. Usually two stations. Often strong signals. Also some Encrypted comms

265.2400 – Carrier
265.2500 – Fleetsatcom Transponder (25 kHz)-Encrypted comms
265.2500 – Encrypted comms
265.3350 – Telcom could hear dialing (Weak)
265.3425 – Portuguese two stations (Moderate) some interference
265.3500 – Fleetsatcom Transponder (25 kHz)
- Wideband Data
- FM Radio Harmonic
265.4350 – Wideband Data
265.4400 – Portuguese two stations (Full quieting)
265.4425 – AM–Portuguese two stations (Strong signal)
265.4450 – UHF Follow On Transponder-Portuguese two stations (Full quieting) Using speech inversion (5550 Hz)
265.4500 – Fleetsatcom Transponder
- USB–RTTY 170 Hz shift encrypted.
- Portuguese two stations (Full quieting) using speech inversion. (5200Hz)
265.4600 – Portuguese one stations (Full quieting)
265.4600 – Portuguese one stations (Moderate)
265.4640 – LSB–Portuguese one stations YL. Telcom? (Moderate strength)
265.5400 – Portuguese two stations (Moderate)
265.5500 – Fleetsatcom Transponder
- USB/RTTY 170Hz or 850Hz shifts (Strong signals) Encrypted
- Wideband Data
– Portuguese two stations (Full quieting)
265.5500 – Portuguese two stations (full quieting)
265.5580 – USB–single tone repeating every 12 seconds (Moderate)
265.9985 – USB–beacon? Tones similar to fax transmission (Weak)

266.5000 – English test transmissions.
266.5215 – Carrier
266.5840 – Carrier
266.7000 – Carrier
266.7050 – Carrier
266.7375 – Telcom Portuguese one station (Weak modulation)
266.7476 – USB–Telcom Portuguese/English not AM (Moderate). Sounds like the signals on 267.0332. The strange dialing sounds
and ringing tone, etc. Can also hear the little squiggly tone that can be heard on 269.750 in the background. This is
stronger than the 267 MHz signals.
266.7484 – USB–Telcom Portuguese\English (Moderate)
266.7500 – UHF Follow On Transponder-Carrier with Warbling tone
266.7500 – Carrier with Warbling tone. Full quieting. Data Bursts same as 269.7500.
- Telcom. Portuguese dialing (Weak conversations)
266.7580 – USB–single tone transmitted every eight seconds and two second duration. Tone drops in audio frequency slightly
during transmission.
266.7920 – Carrier
266.7975 – Carrier
266.8025 – Carrier
266.8225 – Carrier
266.8375 – Telcom Russian strengths vary and multiple signals
266.8500 – Fleetsatcom Transponder
- Telcom Russian strengths vary and multiple signals
266.8500 – Portuguese two stations (Strong)
266.8500 – Encrypted comms (Very strong)
266.8625 – Telcom Russian strengths vary and multiple signals
266.8625 – Telcom Portuguese could hear DTMF tones (Moderate signal)
266.9375 – Telcom Russian strengths vary and multiple signals
266.9350 – Data
266.9450 – Carrier
266.9500 – Fleetsatcom Transponder
- Telcom Russian strengths vary and multiple signals
- Data or encrypted voice (Very strong)
266.9500 – Encrypted voice.
266.9625 – Telcom Russian strengths vary and multiple signals
266.9800 – Carrier
266.9915 – Carrier
266.9940 – Carrier

267.0008 – Carrier
267.0050 – Fleetsatcom Transponder
267.0065 – Carrier
267.0090 – Carrier
267.0250 – Carrier (Weak)
267.0334 – USB Telcom Very active. Can hear transmissions every few minutes. Weak but readable. Sounds different from the
Russian or other Portuguese telephone comms. Relay of some sort? Can hear what sounds like dialing but not DTMF tones. Also
possibly an operator taking calls? Only one side of duplex? Telephone calls may be from western hemisphere, not active at
night. One theory is that this is a main trunk system routed through a satellite that is nearby one of the milsats and that
an I.F. signal is leaking out and being picked up by the milsat.
267.0350 – Carrier
267.0355 – USB Telcom SS conversations, same as 267.0334 (Stronger signals)
267.0370 – Telcom Russian (Strong signals) The distinctive dialing of the Russian System.
267.0375 – USB Telcom, same as 267.0334 and very active
267.0388 – USB Telcom Portuguese/Spanish (Moderate) very active
267.0396 – USB Telcom (Weak) very active
267.0404 – USB Telcom, same as 267.0334
267.0455 – USB Telcom, same as 267.0334, little stronger
267.0470 – Carrier (Weak)
267.0489 – USB Telcom
267.0500 – Wideband Data
267.0500 – Wideband Data
267.0525 – USB Telcom (Weak)
267.0593 – USB Telcom (Weak)
267.0600 – FM Radio Harmonic, not always heard
- Carrier and Warbling tone.
267.0900 – Carrier
267.1025 – Carrier
267.1650 – Warbling Carrier (slower warble than heard elsewhere)

268.1500 – UHF Follow On Transponder-Wideband Data
268.1700 – Carrier on\off
268.2390 – Portuguese two stations (Full quieting)
268.2500 – Fleetsatcom Transponder-Data
268.2500 – Data
268.2485 – Telcom Portuguese (Moderate signal)
268.3500 – Fleetsatcom Transponder-FM Radio Harmonic
268.3500 – UHF Follow On Transponder
268.4500 – Fleetsatcom Transponder-Telcom Spanish or Portuguese (Weak signal)
268.4600 – FM Radio Harmonic
268.6750 – Wideband Data
268.8175 – Carrier

269.0050 – Carrier
269.6500 – UHF Follow On Transponder-Wideband Data
269.6500 – Wideband Data
269.7390 – Carrier with Warbling tone
269.7430 – Carrier with Warbling tone
269.7475 – Carrier with Warbling tone
269.7500 – Fleetsatcom Transponder
- Carrier with Warbling tone
- high-speed Data Bursts approximately every 5 minutes. Duration approximately 3 seconds (Strong signal)
269.7500 – Transponder
269.7590 – Carrier with Warbling tone
269.8400 – Wideband Data
269.8475 – Weak voice comms
269.8500 – Fleetsatcom Transponder-Data
269.8500 – Data
269.8515 – Weak voice comms
269.9500 – Fleetsatcom Transponder
- Occasional ITC English. Have also heard CW ID transmitted
- Wideband Data
269.9500 – Wideband Data

New NASA and Space Comm List

The countdown started at 2100 UTC yesterday for the launch of the Space Shuttle Discovery on Saturday (July 1) at 1948 UTC (3:48 p.m. EDT) for the STS-121 mission. There is a 60 percent chance of bad weather at launch which could postpone the mission. The Discovery and its seven member crew are heading for a rendevous with the International Space Station.

Radio monitors should note that this will be a 51 degree inclined launch and this will afford you an excellent opportunity to monitor Discovery UHF air-to-ground comms during the ascent phase. Be sure to plug in both of their UHF frequencies: A/G-1 259.7 MHz and A/G-2 on 296.8 MHz.

Please note: Radio hobbyists and webmasters that have linked to our popular NASA frequency list on the Monitoring Times website will now find a new, updated list in Adobe PDF format, now posted to the site. The old html list has been removed so please reset your links to the new URL for the new list. The link on the right hand side of this blog page has been reset to the new address and you can now reach the list via that link or on the main page of the MT website.

US-Russia Launch Military Satellites in Last 3 Days

Satellite Name: NROL-22 (USA-184)
Launching Country: USA
Intl Designator: 2006-27A
SSC Number: 29249
Launch Date: 6-28-2006
Launch Time: 0333 UTC
Launch Vehicle: Delta 4 Medium-Plus
Launch Site: Vandenberg AFB SLC-6
Orbital parameters: High Molniya (12 hour) orbit, inclined 63.0 degrees
Mission: NRO Satellite, a probable SIGINT and data relay




Satellite Name: Cosmos 2421
Launching Country: CIS
Intl Designator: 2006-026A
SSC Number: 29247
Launch Date: 6-25-2006
Launch Time: 0400 UTC
Launch Vehicle: Tsiklon-2 (SL-11)
Launch Site: Baikonur Cosmodrome
Orbital parameters: 415 x 400 km, inclined 65.0 degress
Mission: Sigint - a Russian Navy PU platform for Electronic Ocean Recon (EORSAT). Prime contractor: KB Arsenal
Mass at launch 3150 kg.
Mission Life: Nominal 1 1/2 years

These are two of six military satellites that have been launched by the US and Russia since May 1, 2006.

Hill AFB Trunk Radio System

This week we are featuring a trunk radio system from the western states - Hill Air Force Base in Utah. Hill Air Force Base is an Air Force Materiel Command base located in northern Utah. Hill is home to many operational and support missions, with the Ogden Air Logistics Center (OO-ALC) serving as the host organization. The center provides worldwide engineering and logistics management for the F-16 Fighting Falcon, A-10 Thunderbolt II, Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile. The base performs depot maintenance of the F-16, A-10 and C-130 Hercules aircraft.

The last report we have on this trunk radio system is a little over a year old. At the time Hill AFB was using a Motorola Type II trunk radio system (MOT ID 6227).
For scanner owners use a base frequency of 406.000 MHz, 25-kHz spacing, and an offset of 380.

System Frequencies:
406.1500 406.7500 406.9500 407.2500 407.5250 408.0250 408.5500 408.9500 409.1500 409.7500

Talkgroups:
128 HAFB Phone 2 (phone patch)
160 HAFB Phone 1 (phone patch from radios)
1280 HAFB Command Phone (phone patch)
1600 HAFB LAO (Aircraft Maintenance Division)
2560 HAFB Fire Department Dispatch
2656 HAFB Hill User C
2688 HAFB Hill User D
4000 HAFB Phone 5 (phone patch)
5136 HAFB Hill User 3
5568 HAFB Range Phone
8000 HAFB AGE (Aerospace Ground Equipment, Contractor)
8032 HAFB Flightline Maintenance Specialist (flight testing)
8064 HAFB AST (Aerospace Support Technologies, contractor)
8640 HAFB 388FW
8672 HAFB 388FW
8688 HAFB 421TFS Flightline Mechanics, A-4 Maintenance 'Spiders'
8704 HAFB 388FW MOC (Maintenance Operations Center)
9024 HAFB Phone 6 (phone patch)
9216 HAFB Hill User 18
9280 HAFB Civil Engineering Squadron
9472 HAFB Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD)
9600 HAFB Security Forces "Trunk Channel"
9696 HAFB Fire Department Dispatch
9760 HAFB Flightline Operations "Hill Ground" (Ground Control, Tower to vehicles)
9792 HAFB Transient aircraft (Follow Me trucks escort visiting aircraft)
10080 HAFB BIO (Bio-Environmental Division)
10112 HAFB Medical, when the base uses it's own ambulance
10208 HAFB OSI Surveillance
10240 DLA Delivery (Defense Logistics Agency) Transportation
10278 HAFB Engineering/Utilities
10400 HAFB Mobility (mobilization of equip & troops for deployment)
10720 HAFB Crash Crews
10784 HAFB Fire Department Structural Fire Fireground
10816 HAFB Fire Department Alarm and sprinkler maintenance
10880 HAFB Base Taxi (Transportation)
11040 HAFB Hill User 9
11072 HAFB Hill User M
11104 HAFB Munitions
11120 HAFB Munitions/Ordnance Ops
11136 HAFB Munitions
11168 HAFB Hill User P
11200 HAFB Surveyor
11296 HAFB Eagle Range Photo
11328 HAFB Eagle Range Ops South
11360 HAFB Eagle Range "Badger"
11424 HAFB Eagle Range User 16
11456 HAFB Eagle Range Control Romeo A "Phoenix 4"
11520 HAFB Phone 14
11872 HAFB 388th Q (inspections?)
12000 HAFB Hill User 13
12064 HAFB Fuel POL (Petroleum, Oils, Lubricants)
12080 HAFB Fuel POL (Petroleum, Oils, Lubricants)
12160 HAFB Command Post
12320 HAFB Hill User 12
12800 HAFB COM Communications squadron "Wizzard"
12832 HAFB Plating Shop
12960 HAFB Inspector General
13920 HAFB Hill User 8
14080 HAFB Hill User U
14400 HAFB Visiting Squadron
14432 HAFB Visiting Squadron
16416 HAFB Range EOC (Emergerncy Ops Center?)
16480 HAFB Range Security
16512 HAFB Hill User W (security of some kind)
16640 HAFB Range Support X
16832 HAFB Hill User 15
25936 HAFB Hill User 11
30432 HAFB Hill User 17
32448 HAFB Livestock
46816 HAFB Hill User Y
49280 HAFB Range User Z
49440 HAFB Range Maintenance
49760 HAFB Range South
52256 HAFB Phone 7 (phone patch)

Of course, since this base hasn't been updated recently, we would sincerely appreciate any updates.

Military Satellite Intercepts

Yesterday while trying to catch a sniff of Air Force One comms on the UHF milsats, I ran across quite a few terrestrial comms from Latin America that are using some of the UHF Milsat birds uplink frequencies. They inadvertinly get downlinked and we get some reception. Here is a list of active downlink frequencies that was carry traffic from Latin America and the milsat bandplan associated with the frequency.


255.550 Flt Charlie/UFO Quebec, SS comms
256.850 UFO November, SS comms
256.950 Flt Alpha/UFO Oscar, SS comms
257.150 Flt Charlie/UFO Quebec (lots of military encrypted transmissions)
258.650 Flt Charlie/UFO Quebec, SS comms
260.575 Flt Alpha/UFO Oscar, sounds like a telcom transmission.
262.075 Flt Charlie/UFO Quebec, SS comms
262.375 Flt Charlie/UFO Quebec, SS comms and this is a known Hurricane Hunter aircraft downlink channel.
262.380 Flt Charlie/UFO Quebec, SS sports broadcast, might have heard some Italians here also.
263.875 UFO Oscar, SS comms
263.925 UFO Quebec, SS comms (even caught their DCS tone through the bird, a first for me - DCS023)
265.550 Flt Charlie/UFO Quebec, SS comms
269.950 Flt Charlie/UFO Quebec, two EE OMs not calls given.

The Uniden BCD996T did a great job in receiving the birds and when used in conjunction with my Icom ICR-7100, they are a great satellite monitoring combo.

I will have more milsat info here in the near future. This will be in conjunction with some Monitoring Times Milcom columns I am working on right now on military satellites, monitoring and their frequencies.

DoD Radar Data Collection to be Held in NCR

The Department of Defense will conduct a series of radar data collection flights over the National Capital Region (NCR) from June 21-23 in coordination and cooperation with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

The following aircraft will be involved in low altitude flights: a Dassault Falcon 20 jet; a BD-5J turbojet; a DeHavilland DH6 twin engine turboprop airplane; and an Inventus radio controlled aircraft.

The purpose of these flights is to allow ground-based sensors in and around the NCR to exercise their ability to obtain/detect radar signatures from aerial vehicles of varied sizes and operating characteristics.

Citizens throughout the region may hear aircraft noise during daytime hours and observe these aircraft as they fly routes within the NCR. The impact of these flights will be relatively minor to commercial aircraft, and all flights will be conducted in accordance with FAA standards.

http://defenselink.mil/advisories/2006/pa20060620-13304.html

Valiant Shield 2006

For the first time since the Vietnam war there are three U.S. Navy carrier strike groups in the western Pacific. Known as Operations Valiant Shield 2006, the strike groups of the USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63), USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72), and the USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76) are conducting exercises in the Guam operation areas.

And thanks the U.S. Navy Chief PhotographerÂ’s Mate Todd P. Cichonowicz, we have one of the coolest military photos I have seen in recent times. Taken on June 18, 2006, it pictures an Air Force B-2 bomber and 16 other aircraft from the Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps flying over the Kitty Hawk, Ronald Reagan, and Abe Lincoln carrier strike groups during a joint photo exercise (PHOTOEX) that kicked off exercise Valiant Shield 2006.

Valiant Shield will run from June 19-23 and includes 28 Naval vessels. Nearly 300 aircraft and approximately 22,000 service members from the Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard are also participating in the exercise.

Monitors, especially on the west coast should check the HF fixed frequency ranges for possible Composite Warfare HF nets. These nets can be recognized by the use of the two letter identifier used by the net control. First letter can be any letter in the alphabet (ex: AF/AW, IF/IW, HF/HW, etc), but all CWCs in a particular battle group will use the same first letter. First letter often matches the first letter in the name carrier assigned (Ex: USS Enterprise has used E, the Ike uses I. and USS Harry S Truman has used H, etc.). If multiple battle groups are in a theater, such as in Valiant Shield 2006, each group will use a different first letter. There are quite a few CWC type nets, but most of them areoperatingf on military UHF frequencies and normally out of range for the radio enthusiast on shore. These nets are line of sight and the carrier is usually quite a distance offshore during their normal operations.

Quite a few of the transmissions you hear on HF are from one of these Composite Warfare Commander nets, specifically the Force Track Coordinator (Link-11/Link-16) nets. They use a second letter of 'F' or the generic identifier 'FT.' Another major player on HF is the Air Defense Commanders net, and can be recognized by the second letter of 'W.' Some of these Navy HF nets use tri-graph identifiers (H6F, B2W, etc). Most of these have not been positively IDed as to mission, but some appear to be associated with various FACSFAC operations. With the advent of the bulk of the Navy communications taking place on military geostationary satellites these days, these CWC nets are about the only HF game left to monitors interested in US Navy communications.

As far as frequencies for these Navy CWC nets they can use ANY ute frequency range except in the aeronautical routed subbands. Here is a list from my personal database of frequencies I have caught. This is by no means complete and is heavily loaded towards east coast operations due to my monitor post location. All frequencies are in kHz and mode is Upper Sideband (USB).

2069.0 2230.0 2250.5 2252.0 2334.5 2354.6 2370.0 2518.0 2656.0 2772.0 2844.0 3047.0 3048.5 3050.0 3100.5 3101.0 3125.0 3128.0 3130.0 3151.0 3166.0 3167.0 3167.4 3176.0 3265.0 3307.0 3349.0 3371.0 4039.0 4068.0 4101.0 4102.4 4145.0 4150.5 4153.0 4154.5 4156.0 4164.0 4372.0 4382.0 4394.4 4395.0 4414.0 4417.0 4430.4 4432.0 4433.0 4433.5 4434.5 4513.0 4524.0 4528.0 4562.0 4620.0 4623.5 4645.0 4712.0 4720.0 4721.0 4732.0 4878.5 4939.0 4973.5 5228.6 5333.0 5335.0 5338.6 5399.6 5404.0 5411.0 5425.0 5437.0 5699.0 5708.0 5714.0 5725.5 5729.0 5840.0 5868.5 5908.0 6224.0 6235.0 6242.0 6249.5 6439.4 6554.3 6689.4 6690.0 6723.0 6724.0 6735.0 6748.0 6750.0 6786.6 6835.0 6953.0 6967.0 7653.0 7783.0 7893.5 7945.0 7988.6 7993.5 8149.0 8195.0 8246.0 8252.0 8667.0 8668.5 8776.0 8996.4 9008.0 9023.0 9213.6 9215.0 9257.0 9257.6 9283.5 9285.0 9323.0 10233.6 10376.5 10570.0 10608.0 10618.5 10848.6 10923.5 11053.5 11114.5 11123.6 11139.0 11191.0 11206.4 11220.0 11266.4 11476.0 11498.0 13415.0 13893.6 14360.0 14364.0 20854.0 23200.0 23271.0

CWC net frequencies above 10 MHz are much rarer due to the propagation needs of the ships in the Carrier Strike Group. Since they are normally within 100-300 miles of each other, they do not have a need for working the longer distances associated with the frequencies above 10 MHz. They need close in communications which translates into lower frequencies. This is the reason you see more frequencies below 10 MHz in my list above. Also keep in mind you need a complete darkness path between you and the emitter in order to near activity on the lower CWC frequencies.

These are some of my favorite nets on HF to monitor (for reasons of my own), and if anyone has some additional CWC HF frequencies I would appreciate an email.

You can learn more about this exercise at Valiant Shield 2006.

Monitoring the 89AW SAM Aircraft

POTUS is on the move toward Europe this morning and radio monitors along his path might want to plug in the 89AW Special Air Mission (SAM) Interplane of 136.725 MHz. You might hear some interesting comms.

Milair Nationwide Frequencies Part 4

This is part 4 of our exclusive nationwide milair assignment list.

Previous parts and the dates they appeared on this blog:
Part 1 Monday May 29, 2006
Part 2 Tuesday, June 06, 2006
Part 3 Tuesday, June 13, 2006

250.200 US Navy Squadron Common
250.250 JStars-AWACS Operations
250.350 Milsat Fleet Broadcast (25 kHz) UFO November
250.400 Milsat Fleet Broadcast (25 kHz) UFO November
250.450 Milsat Fleet Broadcast (25 kHz) Fltsat Alpha/UFO Oscar
250.500 Flight International aircraft "Invader Jack"/Milsat Fleet Broadcast (25 kHz) UFO Oscar
250.550 Milsat Fleet Broadcast (25 kHz) Fltsat Bravo/UFO Papa
250.600 Milsat Fleet Broadcast (25 kHz) UFO Papa
250.650 Milsat Fleet Broadcast (25 kHz) Fltsat Charlie/UFO Quebec
250.700 Milsat Fleet Broadcast (25 kHz) UFO Quebec
250.750 Milsat Fleet Broadcast (25 kHz) Leasat Zulu
251.000 NORAD Tactical
251.050 Air Traffic Control
251.075 Air Traffic Control
251.100 Air Traffic Control
251.125 Air Traffic Control
251.150 Air Traffic Control
251.250 JOSA Aircraft Air-to-Air
251.500 US Navy Squadron Common
251.600 Blue Angels Flight Demonstration Team
251.850 Milsat Navy Fleet Relay (25 kHz)
251.900 Search and Rescue/Survival Training
251.925 C-21 Common Operations Frequency/JOSAC interplane
251.950 Milsat Navy Fleet Relay (25 kHz)
252.000 NORAD Tactical/CAP discrete
252.050 Milsat Navy Fleet Relay (25 kHz)
252.100 USAF Command Post/Operations/Supervisor of Flying
252.150 Milsat Navy Fleet Relay (25 kHz)
252.250 Northstar UHF wideband p/w 357.000
252.500 Spanish Aguila Flight Demonstration Team
252.775 F-15 Flight Demo Team (East)
252.800 Search and Rescue (SAR) Operations/Training-AFSOC Para Rescue Training
253.050 US Navy E-2 Hawkeye Air-to-Air
253.500 Air Traffic Control - Towers & Approach/Departure Control Services
253.550 Milsat Navy Fleet Relay (25 kHz)
253.650 Milsat Navy Fleet Relay (25 kHz)
253.750 Milsat Navy Fleet Relay (25 kHz)
253.800 AWACS Tadil A and C voice coordination
253.850 Milsat Navy Fleet Relay (25 kHz)
253.950 Milsat NATO transponder downlink
254.100 Milsat NATO transponder downlink
254.200 US ICE Air Pursuit/Air-to-Air/Air-to-Ground-NORAD Tactical
254.250 Air Traffic Control
254.300 Air Traffic Control
254.325 Air Traffic Control
254.350 Air Traffic Control
254.375 Air Traffic Control
254.400 Air Traffic Control
254.475 AWACS Tadil A and C voice coordination/JStars Ops
254.500 Blue Angels Flight Demonstration Team
254.600 Aerial Refueling Coronet CONUS

More to come.

Has 143.750 MHz Mission Changed

For quite some time now I have been watching the 138-144/148-150.8 MHz spectrum very close. On most list 143.750 has been observed in the past as a Civil Air Patrol frequency nationwide. That has now apparently changed. Detailed monitoring now indicates that this is a DoD Air-Ground/Air-Air frequency instead.

In the past 143.750 was used as a repeater input to 148.125 MHz. Obviously now with A-A/A-G activity in the AM mode these two functions can not exist.

So are the 148.125 CAP repeaters still in use? If so, then what is the input frequency for these repeaters.

The search for the new CAP mystery frequencies is getting more interesting by the minute.

Reports to my email address from other areas are most welcomed.

A Special Offer for MT Blog Readers

The good folks at Monitoring Times magazine are offering a special, limited time, discounted rate of US$14.95 on a one year MT Express subscription if you mention the BLOG page (Editor’s Page, Fed Files, Milcom, Monitoring Post, or Shortwave) you are viewing right now.

What is Monitoring Times magazine?
MT is a full-spectrum monthly magazine for the radio listener, Monitoring Times covers scanning, shortwave, military and federal comms, and other radio topics from below 500 kHz to 900 MHz and above. Presented in an easy-to-understand style by an experienced writing staff, MT helps you get the most out of your time and your equipment with practical listening tips and frequencies.

What is MT Express?
MT Express is the same magazine as our printed version but it is presented in Adobe Acrobat portable document file (pdf) format, including full color photography and active links to URLs and email addresses. It is the fastest and easiest way to get the information and frequencies you need on the radio hobby.

You can see what is in current issue of MT, including sample pages on the MT current issue webpage.

This special offer is for first-time subscribers and renewals. This offer is available for a limited time only (must be used by the close of business July 31, 2006) and can only be used one time per customer.

So if you like what we do here on the MT Blog pages and you want even more, then pick up that telephone and call the MT order desk toll free at 1-800-438-8155 (Mon-Fri 9a-5p EDT) and get US$5.00 off the regular price of MT Express.

And remember you have to mention the BLOG page you are viewing right now in order to get the MT Express Bloggers discount.

Monitoring the Next Shuttle Launch

Time is getting close for the next NASA space shuttle launch with a launch window opening July 1. You can get complete details including the official media press kit for the STS-121 mission on the NASA STS-121 webpage.

And you can get the best frequency list on the planet for monitoring NASA and Shuttle comms from the Monitoring Times Reference Library. If you need up-to-date shuttle frequency information look no further than the critically acclaimed Monitoring NASA Communications webpage.

Fort Gordon/Fort Jackson Trunk Radio System

Our featured base this week is Fort Gordon/Fort Jackson. We had an opportunity to monitor these bases up close and personal last summer and here is are notes of what we caught. It is by no means complete and we would appreciate any updates.

Fort Gordon (Augusta GA)/Fort Jackson (Columbia SC) TRS
Motorola 9600 baud ASTRO Project 25 Standard
System ID: 01C
Base Frequency: 406.100, Spacing: 12.5 kHz, Offset: 380

Frequencies:
Fort Gordon 101 406.1125c 406.5000 406.7625 407.0750 407.5000 407.7625 407.8875 408.0500 408.3625 409.7000c
Fort Gordon 102 406.1625c 407.9625c 408.1250c
Fort Gordon 103 407.8125c 410.5500c 410.7625c
Fort Gorfon 104 407.5500 408.8875 410.5625
Fort Gordon 105 408.0875c 409.3625c 410.9000c
Fort Jackson 106 406.3625c 406.7625c 407.7625c 408.1625 408.3625c 409.3625 410.1625 410.5625
Fort Jackson 107 $406.5625 407.1625c 407.3625c 410.7625c

Talkgroups:
2 Fort Gordon Military Police
11 Fort Gordon Fire Department
15 Fort Gordon Fire Ground 3
27 Fort Gordon Range Control
53 Fort Gordon EMS
152 Unknown user/usage (encrypted)
404 Fort Jackson Military Police (106/107)
410 Fort Jackson Unknown usage
411 Fort Jackson Unknown usage
415 Fort Jackson FD/EMS Dispatch
416 Fort Jackson FD Fire Ground 1
427 Fort Jackson Unknown usage
440 Fort Jackson Unknown usage
450 Fort Jackson Unknown usage
461 Fort Jackson Unknown usage
466 Fort Jackson Unknown usage
469 Fort Jackson Unknown usage
491 Fort Jackson Range Control (106)
501 Fort Jackson Unknown usage
536 Fort Jackson Maintenance
537 Fort Jackson Unknown usage

Milair Nationwide Frequencies Part 3

This is part 3 of our exclusive nationwide milair assignment list.

Previous parts and the dates they appeared on this blog:
Part 1 Monday May 29, 2006
Part 2 Tuesday, June 06, 2006

240.000 Russian Cosmos 3rd generation photo recon satellites (300 kHz wide FM telemetry)
240.100 USAF Drop Zone training
240.600 USCG Search and Rescue
241.150 UHF Wideband, paired with 356.150
241.250 UHF Wideband, paired with 376.750
242.800 Guard
242.825 Guard
242.850 Guard
242.875 Guard
242.900 Guard
242.925 Guard
242.950 Guard
242.975 Guard
243.000 Military International Distress, Calling and Guard
243.025 Guard
243.050 Guard
243.075 Guard
243.100 Guard
243.125 Guard
243.150 Guard
243.175 Guard
243.200 Guard
243.450 Red Arrows Flight Demonstration Team
243.600 ICE Air Pursuit/Air-to-Air/Air-to-Ground
246.050 Aerial Refueling Coronet East
246.150 JStars
246.950 UHF Wideband-GEP, paired with 345.500
249.625 Blue Angels solo aircraft
249.800 Flight International "Invader Jack" aircraft

More soon.

Article on 789CS and the HF-GCS network

There is a nice article on the 789th Communications Squadron, the operators of the HF-GCS network in the The Capitol Flyer. The Capitol Flyer is the base paper at Andrews AFB.

First Minot AFB TRS Frequency Reported

Jim Lawrence, on vacation during the Memorial Day weekend, made a nice catch. He has monitored and has sent along to us a control channel for the base trunk radio system. No frequencies for this base TRS had been previously reported and the only internet frequency lists for Minot has infomation dating back to prior to the fall of the Berlin Wall.

Minot AFB is home to two major Air Force units: the 5th Bomb Wing and the 91st Space Wing. The 5th Bomb Wing is an Air Combat Command unit and host wing. Its primary mission is to maintain and operate B-52H Stratofortress bombers. The 91st Space Wing, one of the Air Force’s three operational missile units and a component of Air Force Space Command, is responsible for maintaining the Minuteman III nuclear missiles located in three main fields across North Dakota. Minot AFB is located 13 miles north of Minot N.D

Jim caught a control channel from the Minot TRS on 407.250 MHz. Information in our personal government trunk system files indicate that this should be a 10-channel Motorola system. No more frequency or talkgroup information is known about the Minot system, and any field reports would be appreciated. Thanks Jim for being the first to report on this trunk radio system.

MT July Milcom Column

The July issue of Monitoring Times will soon be available to MT Express/paper subscribers and on newstands. In this issue the Milcom column will cover the following stories:

NAS/JRB Fort Worth, Texas Base Communications Profile
Frequency Changes for 23 DoD bases in CONUS and Alaska/Hawaii
Atlanta Hartsfield's Fith Runway Opens and a frequency profile
EAM Broadcast in the Radio Basement

Don't miss this issue of Milcom or you will miss alot.

*Flash* Keflavik HF-GCS to Close

According to a DoD NOTAM notice, Global Station Keflavik, Iceland, will close 1 Jul 2006. The NOTAM reads in part, "Expect to have coverage gaps along the northern transatlantic and polar regions. Aircrews should rely on general Mainsail calls, with Andrews and Croughton-specified contact being secondary. HF support will continue to be supported by other HFGCS stations. In addition, aircrews should reference the flight information handbook for appropriate stations and frequencies."

And this from the U.S. Naval Station Keflavik website -- NAS KEF Transition Background:
The President of the United States (POTUS) in March 2006 made the decision that Naval Air Station, Keflavik will begin a transition to a reduced "footprint" which will be completed by 30 September 2006. The Commanding Officer, U.S. Naval Air Station, Keflavik is the overall authority for issues concerning the base. The U.S. Ambassador to Iceland is the single spokesperson for the United States Government in Iceland. The information on this web page applies to Naval Air Station, Keflavik and all its tenants as well as supporting activities.

Another victim of this closure is the base Armed Forces Network (AFN) station, colloquially known as "Yankee Radio." It is unknown at presstime if the AFN shortwave outlet at Keflavik has left the air, but one unofficial source indicates it has. If you are a Utility DXer and have not logged Iceland yet, your best chance to do so is about to leave the air.

KSC Spectrum Update

We have an extensive file of NASA monitoring information on the MT website (see links to the right of this post). The space shuttle will resume operation with a launch sometime next month. We are in the process of updating our NASA information page, the best and most accurate list you will find on the internet.

In this regard, here is the latest raw info from the area around the Cape. It has not been screened for inclusion on our list.

Please note the following update on setup for trunking the KSC system in your scanner:

Base Frequency: Base Frequency: 406.100 MHz, Spacing: 12.5-kHz; Offset: 380

KSC/CCAFS/Patrick AFB TRS talkgroups
TG 1296 Net-117 KSC Medical
TG 1760 CCAFS Safety
TG 1936 KSC SECURITY-103
TG 1952 CCAFS Security
TG 5392 EH Base (Radiation Control Center)
TG 6736 Photo Control (launch countdown updates,camera ops)
TG 11536 KSC SLF
TG 11600 KSC SLF/NASA Tower
TG 12176 Unknown user/usage "NASA BASE" calling "SECURITY BASE"
TG 13776 KSC TV Ops
TG 14256 Utilities "EAGLE CONTROL"
TG 18272 CCAFS PC BASE
TG 19232 Unknown user/usage
TG 20208 CCAFS Utilities "READY BASE"

Miscellaneous Conventional Frequencies
118.625 CCAFS Skid Strip Tower
118.900 Spacecoast Regional Tower (KTIX)
119.825 Miami Center - Melbourne
123.475 Air Scan Inc "Bat Cave"
126.650 NASA Tower/Shuttle Training Aircraft/NASA Range Weather
128.550 NASA Tower
132.650 Daytona Approach
133.750 Patrick AFB Tower
133.800 CCAFS Cape Control
134.000 Jax ARTCC - Daytona Beach
138.300 Patrick AFB CP "MAYAPP"
141.300 CCAFS Variety Net
152.345 Delaware North (Spaceport USA) security repeater
154.515 Spaceport USA Tour bus control
156.800 Marine calling/distress
157.075 Range Control
157.100 Launch Danger Area broadcasts
157.150 Station Port Canaveral Secure (secure comms have not been heard here in a long time)
163.150 US Fish & Wildlife Tac 1 (Merritt Island Refuge) Car-car at Titusville fire.
164.275 DOE P25 encrypted (possible input to 173.000)
164.325 DOE P25 encrypted (possible input to 171.950)
167.2125 FBI
171.950 DOE P25 encrypted; patched to KSC TG 5392
172.700 P25 encrypted
173.000 DOE P25 encrypted; patched to KSC TG 5408
168.350 US Fish & Wildlife Tac 2 (Merritt Island Refuge) Helicopter 106 working hot spots from Titusville fire.
229.000 CCAFS Projects
229.225 WAVE GROUND/WAVE 1 (NASA WB-57)
235.400 NASA air-air
239.050 CCAFS Cape Tower (KXMR)
239.275 Daytona Beach Approach
251.900 Patrick AFB SAR
254.250 Miami ARTCC
255.500 Patrick AFB 301st RQS "RESCUE OPS" (LARS ALPHA)
257.800 Daytona Tower
259.000 Patrick AFB 920th RQW
259.700 Shuttle A-G - NASA 946 working MILA/Goddard SFC test counts with MILA
264.800 CAPE CONTROL
269.300 Miami ARTCC-Melbourne
269.375 Patrick Tower
273.550 Jax ARTCC-Daytona Beach
277.800 Fleet Common
281.425 Daytona Approach
282.800 SAR Common
284.000 NASA Tower
293.550 Miami ARTCC-Vero Beach
294.600 CCAFS Variety Net
296.800 Shuttle A-G 2 - Goddard SFC test counts with MILA
319.000 Miami ARTCC - Vero Beach
321.000 Patrick AFB "KING OPS"
348.700 Miami ARTCC - Melbourne
372.200 Patrick AFB PTD
383.000 Patrick AFB Command Post "MAYAAP"
385.500 Daytona App/Dep
387.000 Daytona App/Dep

Milair Nationwide Frequencies Part 2

Part 2 of our exclusive nationwide milair assignment list. Part one appeared in this blog on Monday May 29, 2006.

230.650 UHF Wideband, paired with 305.550
230.900 UHF Wideband, paired with 300.400
231.750 JStars
232.450 UHF Wideband, paired with 358.300
232.700 UHF Wideband, paired with 357.700
232.750 UHF Wideband, paired with 357.700
233.525 F-15 Airshow Flight Demo Team (East)
235.050 Have Quick
235.100 Aerial Refueling Established Tracks
235.150 USAF ACC Exercise
235.175 JStars
235.250 Thunderbirds
235.325 JStars
235.400 NASA Interplane
235.550 Navy Secure (Secondary)
236.000 Survival Rescue Training
236.150 USAF ACC Exercise/JStars
236.350 Navy Squadron Common
236.550 USAF ACC Exercise
236.600 USAF Towers
236.650 USAF ACC Exercise
236.750 Aerial Refueling Coronet CONUS
237.150 AWACS Voice Coordination/JStars Interplane
237.800 Blue Angels/X-country air-air
237.900 Coast Guard Air Operations (Secondary)
238.350 USAF ACC Exercise/JStars
238.650 Aerial Refueling Spare CONUS
238.825 F-15 Airshow Flight Demo Team (East)
238.900 Aerial refueling Established Tracks
239.650 Air Drop Training (East Coast only)
239.950 Have Quick

Post's handheld radios expand range with new system

Fort Detrick Standard 20 Jan 2005

Post's handheld radios expand range with new system
Detrick linked to metro system; can speak to Pentagon, Meade in crisis
by Staff Reports

It will soon be possible for Fort Detrick personnel to talk to someone at the Pentagon or Fort George Meade, Md., over handheld radios.

The new Land Mobile Radio Communications system links Fort Detrick and 10 other Army installations in the National Capitol Region area through a wide-area network communications system where personnel can communicate on voice quality handheld radios, said Mike Batt, manager of the new radio system.

The system also features an interoperability gateway, giving Fort Detrick and the other Army posts access to talk to Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C., public safety and law enforcement officials on the same frequency.

The National Capitol Region is the first Department of Defense agency to install the linked trunk radio system, although other local and state agencies across the country either have or are planning to purchase the system, said Batt, senior voice telecommunications engineer and frequency manager with the U.S. Army Garrison Directorate of Information Management.

It is financed by U.S. Army's project manager for Defense Communications and Army Transmissions Systems, assistant project manager for Base Radio Systems who awarded the $11 to $16 million contract to M/A-Com, part of Tyco Electronics and a leading manufacture of Internet protocol-based public safety communication systems. The contract includes site preparation, training and life-cycle maintenance.

New tower

To support the system, a 150-foot tower and shelter were installed in November behind the 302nd Signal Brigade's Headquarters Building along Porter Street.

The latest technology P-25 radios deliver digital voice quality conversations compatible with the federal government's secure communications policy.

"It's part of a Homeland Security initiative to have emergency responders communicating on the same frequencies," said Batt, citing the breakdown of communications during the World Trade Center's collapse on Sept. 11, 2001, when many firefighters, police and other emergency personnel were unable to communicate with each other on their diverse radio systems.

Better than current system

Fort Detrick currently uses a system installed about 12 years ago that limits the range of communications to the post or within just a mile or so away, said Capt. Dan Shereika, chief of the Fort Detrick Police Department.

"The new system will give us much more flexibility and options during emergency situations and the capability to communicate with local emergency personnel. It also has secure channels when we have a special operations incident," said Shereika.

Batt can operate the system from servers installed at the Telecommunications Office in Bldg. 810.

"I can program each radio or the entire system on the fly to meet the user's requirements for any situation," he said.

The project was originally an extra duty for Batt who came to Fort Detrick about three years ago from the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.

"Now, it's taken over my job," he said.

He gets help from his assistant, Xiomara Nichols, to oversee the installation of the system and get it up and running.

"It's going to revolutionize the way our emergency personnel can communicate," Batt said.

New radio system jams some local door openers

Fort Detrick Standard 3 Feb 2005

New radio system jams some local door openers
by Staff Reports

A newly installed land mobile radio system at Fort Detrick is causing some frustration with local neighbors who are experiencing problems with their garage door openers, said Chris Devine, chief of the U.S. Army Garrison Public Affairs Office.

"Since the new Land Mobile Radio System works on the same frequency as the garage door openers, we have been getting some calls in the Public Affairs Office from neighbors along the Opposumtown Pike area to help solve the problem," he said.

The new system links Fort Detrick with 10 other Army installations in the National Capitol Region through a wide-area network communications system using voice quality handheld radios.

Fort Detrick's system complies with a 1992 Congressional Law and 2001 Department of Defense policy that requires DoD land mobile radio systems to operate more efficiently. Fort Detrick's system is part of the military's transition to the 380-399.9 Megahertz band, a military-owned frequency since the mid-1930s.

"This is often the same frequency range used on some unlicensed "Part-15" consumer devices such as the garage door openers," said Devine.

Emergency services and telecommunications personnel start training on the new system in March. After this start-up step, the channels and frequency will be used for only short time periods which may cause intermittent problems to remote garage door openers, said Devine.

"Interference problems with Part 15-devices won't necessarily go away, but they are less likely to occur once military installations move from the testing phase to the operational phase," he explained.

Devine recommends that people experiencing problems with their door openers get in touch with the manufacturers or commercial vendors to discuss alternatives or seek compensation.

Radio upgrades benefit Bolling first responders

The Beam, Bolling AFB 24 March 2006

Radio upgrades benefit Bolling first responders
by 2nd Lt. Landon Derentz
BEAM Staff, 11th Wing Public Affairs

The 11th Medical Group and 11th Communications Squadron upgraded two ambulances with new radio systems March 10 and 13 at the Naval District of Washington Fire Station on base.

The new communication systems are an addition to the digital narrowband land mobile radio system that came online at Bolling in early January, 2006.

The upgraded radios provide the ability of 11th MDG personnel in ambulances to link directly with other first responders around the base, such as the base clinic and the 11th Security Forces Squadron, as well as several hand-held LMR units. According to the 11th CS, when fully operational, the LMR system allows Bolling to communicate with 25 military installations around the greater Washington area.

"First responders need reliable communication equipment for contingencies and the new equipment provides that," said 2nd Lt. David Hare, the officer in charge of the base LMR system.

According to federal law, all government agencies, including the Department of Defense, are required to adopt the new LMR system because it requires less bandwidth than traditional communication methods. Bandwidth dictates the amount of data that can be passed through communication channels within a certain time frame.

"The new radio system is technology and emergency medical services merging for the future," said Tech. Sgt. Stephen Carr, the noncommissioned officer in charge of ambulance services for the 11th Medical Operations Squadron.

Base radio communications may interfere with some devices

From The Beam, Bolling AFB 27 Jan 2006

Base radio communications may interfere with some devices
by Senior Airman Alex Saltekoff
BEAM staff, 11th Wing Public Affairs

Bolling began testing a new land mobile radio system Jan. 3 to meet homeland defense needs and comply with government regulations.

The new system will operate on a different, narrower bandwidth and allow Bolling first responders to communicate with each other across the base. The new digital transmissions will also be encrypted.

When fully operational, the LMR system will allow Bolling to communicate with 25 military installations in the area, from Fort A.P. Hill, Va., to Fort Meade, Md., said Staff Sgt. Brian Taubel, 11th Communications Squadron LMR manager. Later, Bolling will have the ability to communicate with local fire, police and several government agencies using the same LMR system.

The Federal Communication Commission licensed the frequency of 225-400 MHz to the Department of Defense for communications. A law passed by Congress in 1992, a National Communications and Information Administration mandate in 1993, and a DOD policy in 2001 all required LMR systems to operate more efficiently by 2007.

The new policy asks DOD agencies to use a narrower bandwidth of 380-399.9 MHz. The LMR systems operating in this new frequency range will have priority over nonlicensed consumer radio devices that operate on the same frequencies, such as some garage door openers and keyless entry devices for cars. Consumer devices are allowed to operate on the 390 MHz band, as long as they do not interfere with licensed products and carry a warning label that states the device will accept any interference from the lawful users of the bandwidth.

During the initial installation of the LMR towers, a constant signal is broadcast for 30 days to test the new system, which affects a six-mile radius. While this signal is being broadcasted, some garage doors that operate on the 390 MHz frequency, as well as other devices that use that frequency within the radius, might fail to open because of the interference from the radio signal.

After this testing period, day-to-day operations and occasional tests of the system will be broadcast for short time periods, causing brief interference with 390 MHz radio devices.

Users of these unlicensed devices who experience significant levels of interference, or who desire to completely avoid potential interference, should contact their garage door manufacturer about a small kit that may be available that will change the frequency of their garage door.

M/A-COM Awarded $4.75 Mil Radio Communications Contract For US Navy

8 Nov 2005 Press Release from Tyco Electronics:

M/A-COM, a business unit of Tyco Electronics and a worldwide leader of critical radio communication systems, today announced that the company was awarded a $4.75 million contract by the US Army’s APM LMR office to provide a fully interoperable radio network for the United States Navy, with future potential for training, options and maintenance. The contract for the Joint National Capital Region (J-NCR) Land Mobile Radio (LMR) Phase II system will provide the Naval District Washington (NDW) with a new state-of-the-art LMR communications network solution. Using M/A-COM’s P25IP Trunked Internet Protocol (IP) Communications System, in combination with the NetworkFirst Interoperability solution, this system is one of the first Department of Defense LMR deployments in the United States to simultaneously serve the U.S. Army, Navy and Air Force.

The contract is Phase II of a “turnkey,” completely integrated LMR system. Phase I, which also featured M/A-COM’s P25IP system and NetworkFirst solution, linked the critical communications systems of approximately 3,000 Army base personnel in 11 separate Army installations in the J-NCR region. The combination of the J-NCR Phases I & II will link nearly 30 Department of Defense installations (17 Navy installations, 11 Army bases and Bolling Air Force Base), interoperating with more than 100 entities across the region. The system will provide base radio communications for many thousands of DoD users while facilitating interoperable communications with civilian public safety agencies located in four states (Maryland, Virginia, New York and Pennsylvania). These agencies are currently communicating on different frequencies and have disparate radio systems throughout the J-NCR and NDW region.

“M/A-COM is proud to continue our successful eight-year partnership with the Navy to provide NDW and J-NCR with a powerful multi-service solution that is fully compliant with P25 trunking standards,” said Kevin Fleming, director, Federal Sales, M/A-COM. “Our P25IP trunking system, in combination with our NetworkFirst technology, will leverage Commercial-Off-the-Shelf (COTS) equipment to supply J-NCR with the most cost-effective solution available, while providing full interoperability with all existing State, Federal and metro Washington, DC first responders.”

The digital system supports P25 trunking standard voice and data features including AES encryption. This system will operate using Department of Defense UHF spectrum in the 380–399.9 MHz frequency range. Additionally, the system is JF12 certified and meets the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) 12.5 kHz Narrowband mandate and the guidelines set forth in the Deputy Secretary of Defense’s Policy Letter for LMR Systems.

“We are pleased to provide the Department of Defense with a wide-area LMR system that offers the significant benefits of an IP system including scalability, interoperability, flexibility as well as seamless roaming, that meets and surpasses current Homeland Security, Federal and military LMR standards and specifications,” said Jay Herther, Federal market director, M/A-COM. “Through the unique technical capabilities of M/A-COM’s NetworkFirst and P25IP technology, the J-NCR system is the blueprint for the present and future of federal radio communication. This system has virtually identical mission critical communication requirements as the upcoming Integrated Wireless Network (IWN) program, a collaborative effort by the Departments of Justice, Homeland Security, and the Treasury to provide a consolidated, nationwide federal wireless communications service for public safety first-responders throughout the country.”

Arnold AFB Trunk Radio System

Here is the last info I have on this rarely reported trunk system. If anyone has any updated information including talkgroups, please drop me some email. I would like to know if this systm is still in use and get a valid system report.

Arnold AFB, Tennessee
System: Motorola Type II ASTRO (APCO-25 Compliant)
Motorola System ID: 4912
Frequencies: 406.7500 407.5500 408.3500 409.1500 409.9500

ACARS Traffic Going Secure Due to Radio Hobbyist

The post 9/11 paranoia continues and the latest victum will probably be the ACARS radio system. The excerpts below are from a Jun 1, 2006 article written by Charlotte Adams online at Avionics magazine --

"Listening in on messages passed over ACARS, the venerable air transport data link, is a pastime for hobbyists trying to track flights on PC screens at home. It isn't easy--they often get it wrong. But in the post-9/11 environment, the airlines are establishing a security standard which would prevent such activity. The U.S. Air Force, which is equipping with ACARS to maintain access to airspace, is likely to be a major beneficiary."

And the Air Force rings in:

"The Air Force is less than happy with current ACARS security provisions. "If you do a Google search on ACARS, Web sites pop up where you can see hobbyists that intercept messages and post them to the Internet," says Capt. William Cobb, program manager for airborne networking with the U.S. Air Force Research Lab (AFRL). Hobbyists are a fairly benign group, but others with a scanner, a personal computer, ACARS decoding software and Internet access may not be. The military no doubt faces more sophisticated and determined threats.

"It's essentially an open link, Cobb says. "If you know what you're looking for, it's easily interceptable." He points to Web sites such as http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/acarsonline, devoted to posting intercepted ACARS traffic. Others offer free ACARS decoders, real-time message feeds and explanations of decoded messages.

"AMC doesn't pass any classified data over the link. Nor would it use ACARS for sensitive-but-unclassified information relating to cargo or passengers until stronger security is in place. "It's an operations security issue," Kassander says. The service doesn't want to telegraph intent. "If you throw in information that may be available on ACARS, AOC-type messages [relating to cargo and origin/destination], you can start to put together a picture of what types of operations may be going on." Although AMC wanted a security solution yesterday, it puts a high priority on interoperability, on getting a standard that all vendors can build to."

You can read the whole article online at: Securing ACARS: Data Link in the Post-9/11 Environment

So, if they secure ACARS can the HFDL system not be far behind?

Thanks to Glenn Blum and the UDXF list for this heads up.

Also there is a companion article in this edition of Avionics you should also check out at Military ATM: Meeting Civil Standards by David C. Walsh.

Emergency Action Message Broadcaster

I really like some of the crazy DoD daily tactical callsigns that are used primarily by USStratcom Command and Control assets. But last night (0210 UTC on 11175 kHz) Doug Snow caught one of the better tac calls used in awhile --"Napkin Holder."

**All stations this net, this is Napkin Holder with EAM traffic.**

You know the aircrew that picked that one out of the callbook had to been chuckling all the way to the plane. In my mind that one just doesn't measure up with the seriousness of the traffic being passed.

So you don't know what an EAM is? Want to know a little more about what you are hearing? Look to your right at my links for the answer on the Monitoring Times homepage.


Thanks to Doug Snow and the UDXF newsgroup for "Napkin Holder."

Where do I tune for military comms?

This is a very common question I hear from Monitoring Times readers. The old pros know were to search for milcom transmissions, but newcomers to the radio hobby usually struggle to hear their first military communications. The frequency ranges below will give the radio hobbyist the general areas in the radio spectrum to look for military communications.

In the shortwave spectrum, military communications can be heard just about anywhere, but the aeronautical off-route bands offer concentrated areas to search for military communications activity. Most voice high frequency (HF) military communications utilize the upper sideband (USB) mode. The listener will occasionally hear a smattering of lower sideband (LSB) voice communications. When you tune the HF military bands listed below in USB, you will catch the majority of the voice military traffic that can be heard.

If you don't live close to a military base, HF offers one of the few ways to hear a high volume of military communications. There are literally thousands of HF frequencies in use by military organizations all over the world. Protecting one's nation is a 24-hour a day operation, so there is never a shortage of military communications on HF.


Major Military Communications Bands

Shortwave
Note: For transmission mode information, see above text
3026.0-3152.0, 4700.0-4745.0, 5684.0-5726.0, 6685-6760.0, 8965.0-9037.0 11175.0-11271.0, 13200.0-13257.0, 15010.0-15097.0, 17970.0-18027.0, and 23200.0-23250.0 kHz

VHF/UHF Military Action Bands
Note: This is a US only bandplan. Outside the CONUS, your mileage will vary.

30.000-30.550 MHz (FM/AM-10 kHz spacing)
32.000-32.990 MHz (FM/AM-10 kHz spacing)
34.000-34.990 MHz (FM/AM-10 kHz spacing)
36.000-36.990 MHz (FM/AM-10 kHz spacing)
38.000-38.990 MHz (FM/AM-10 kHz spacing)
40.000-41.990 MHz (FM/AM-10 kHz spacing)
46.600-47.000 MHz (FM/AM-10 kHz spacing)
49.610-49.990 MHz (FM/AM-10 kHz spacing)
118.0000-138.0000 MHz (AM-25 kHz spacing/8.33 kHz spacing in Europe)[Note: Mostly civilian aircraft]
138.0000-144.0000 MHz (FM/AM-12.5 kHz spacing)
148.0000-150.8000 MHz (FM/AM-12.5 kHz spacing)
162.0125-173.9875 MHz (FM-12.5 kHz spacing)
225.0000-379.9750 MHz (AM/FM-25 kHz spacing) [Note: FM used by milsats and wideband systems]
380.0000-399.9875 MHz (FM/AM-12.5 kHz spacing) [Note: Mix of land mobile and aero frequencies with the bulk of the band supporting LMR transmissions]
406.0125-419.9875 MHz (FM-12.5 kHz spacing)

More beginner and frequency material coming soon.

Hurricane Frequency List Now Available

In case you haven't checked out my personal blog I have posted and updating a frequency list you can use to monitor hurricane emergency events throughout the tropical storm season.

It is the same sort of thing I do with the airshow list. So if you have an interest along those lines, jump over to The Btown Monitor Post and look for the N5FPW Hurricane Emergency Monitoring List updates.

73 and good hunting.
Larry

Milair Aerial Refueling Video Online

Ever wonder what it is like to refuel military aircraft inflight. Flight level 350.com has a new video of a Barksdale B-52 being refueled by a Grank Forks KC-135. The video has commentary by the boom operator and is very interesting. You can view the piece at http://www.flightlevel350.com/aviation_vd.php?id=6303

Enjoy,
Larry

Possible New Milsat Downlink Freq Discovered

Yesterday (5-31) Tate on the NEmilair list posted the following:

"I'm hearing some activity that sounds like flight testing of some sort of equipment at 1340 local. On 252.95 there is discussions about antenna circular polarity and angles for different runs. I had this freq as Pease GCA from a list long ago. At one point vectors to Concord were mentioned (not sure if MA or NH). Anyone have any ideas?"

252.950 MHz for a long time was on my milair spectrum hole list. Recently, while digging through one of my file cabinets in my office I uncovered an intercept that indicated that this frequency was possibly a previous undocumented military satellite downlink frequency and that is how I have it marked in my UHF milair db. This might be a good one to put in a spare scanner bank marked unknown to see what can be heard.

If you monitor anything on that frequency I would appreciate an email at the address in the masthead. Maybe we can pin down what milsat this downlink is coming from.

Larry