New Iraqi Army Freqs Reported

Peter Poelstra of The Netherlands recently reported on the UDXF newsgroup an ALE frequency for the new Iraqi Army -- 6524.2 kHz. ALE Addresses noted include: 4101 6301 6701 7201.

Another frequency for the Iraqi Army 10th Division has been noted by Sam in the UK on 10596.4 kHz. ALE Addresses include: 1548 1542 1556 1557 1558 3002 4024 4040 7012 20103.

NATO Naval Activity Lebanon

NATO ships enforcing the arms embargo off the coast of Lebanon have been monitored using 6442.5 kHz USB. Ships will be using tri-graph callsigns.

1st Tri-Service MARS HF ALE Net Freq Found

I have confirmed through monitoring one of the new tri-service MARS HF ALE net frequencies:
11098.5 kHz USB. I have seen both AAR5VQ USA MARS and Navy MARS NN0EPY sounding on this frequency.

NORAD exercise planned for Washington D.C.

The North American Aerospace Defense Command and its geographical component, the Continental United States NORAD Region (CONR), will conduct Exercise Falcon Virgo 06-12 Wednesday and Thursday (20-21 Sep 2006) in the National Capital Region (Washington,D.C.).

This exercise comprises a series of training flights held incoordination with the Federal Aviation Administration, the National Capital Region Command Center, the Joint Air Defense Operations Center, Civil Air Patrol, U.S. Coast Guard, and NORAD's Northeast Air Defense Sector. Exercise Falcon Virgo 06-12 is designed to test NORAD's intercept andidentification operations. Civil Air Patrol aircraft, Air Force F-16s, Air Force Flight Standards Agency C-21s, and US Coast Guard HH-65 helicopters will participate in the exercise.

Residents in the area can expect flights to occur during the late night and early morning hours. In the event of inclement weather the exercise will push to the next day until all training requirements are complete.

These exercises are carefully planned and closely controlled to ensure NORAD's rapid response capability. NORAD has conducted exercise flights of this nature throughout the U.S. and Canada since the start of Operation Noble Eagle, the command's response to the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. As the Continental United States (CONUS) geographical component of the bi-national command NORAD, CONR provides airspace surveillance and control, and directs air sovereignty activities for the CONUS region. CONR and its assigned Air Force assets throughout the country ensure air safety and security against potential air threats.

Since Sept. 11, 2001, NORAD fighters have responded to more than 2,100 possible air threats in the United States, Canada and Alaska, and have flown more than 42,000 sorties with the support of Airborne Warning and Control System and air-to-air-refueling aircraft.

Hezbollah cracked the code

In the aftermath of the conflict in Lebanon between Israel and Hezbollah, Newsday.com is reporting that Hezbollah guerrillas were able to hack into Israeli radio communications. This intelligence breakthrough helped them thwart Israeli tank assaults.

Milcom monitors will want to read this very fascinating article by Mohamad Bazzi online at http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/world/ny-wocode184896831sep18,0,3091818.story?coll=ny-worldnews-print.

Cecil Field Issue Will Not Appear On Ballot

According to a news report appearing on the Jacksonville NBC12 website, voters will not be getting a say in November on whether the city should pursue the Navy to bring a master jet base to Cecil Field.

Circuit Judge Bernard Nachman, in a twenty page ruling, found the proposed voter referendum to change the city charter, "illegal and invalid."

You can find the complete story at http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/local/news-article.aspx?storyid=64414.

Russia and China have launched milsats

I have received two notices regarding the launch of military satellites from Russia and China.

Russia has launched a Don Class (Yantar-6K/ FR6)/Orlets-1, close look and survey photo recon designated Kosmos 2423. It was launched 14 Sep 2006, at 1341 UTC on a Soyuz-U rocket from Baykonur LC31. Kosmos 2423 carries an international designator of 2006-39A and a SSC number of 24902. The satellite is equipped with a panoramic camera and equipped with eight film return capsules. The satellite was launched into a 317 x 170 km, 64.9 deg inclination orbit. Further orbit maneuvers to raise the perigee of this satellite are expected in the next few days.

China has launched Zhongxing-22A, a communications satellite on a Long March 3A rocket on 12 Sep 2006, at 1602 UTC. The satellite was launched into a 41817 x 202 km, 25 deg transfer orbit. The satellite carries an international designator of 2006-038A and an SSC number of 29398.

This satellite will replace the Zhongxing-22 satellite in orbit at 98 deg east. It has been reported that this series of satellite carries a military communications capability, but we have no specific details on where in the spectrum that package transmits. The Chinaview news service carried the following on the launch:




" Zhongxing-22A, an earth-synchronous telecommunications satellite is designed by the Chinese Academy of Space Technology under the China Aerospace Technology Group Company.

" The satellite has been designed to work for eight years, for the owner - the China Telecommunication Broadcast Satellite Company under the China Telecommunications Satellite Group Company.

" According to some experts, once the satellite shifts its track, it will be fixed above the Equator, at 98 degrees east longitude, under the guidance of the Xi'an center and ocean-going space measuring vessels. Afterwards, it will be handed over to the owner."

New UHF Milsat Downlink Discovered

According to uhf-satcom.com website and posted on 3 Sep 2006, monitors have uncovered a third UHF downlink on the Italian military satellite Sircal 1A. This new downlink is cross strapped to one of the satellite's 7 GHz transponders.

The three UHF transponders and their 7 GHz counterparts are:
252.200-252.350 MHz 7393.200-7393.350 MHz
258.150-258.300 MHz
267.100-267.250 MHz 7408.100-7409.250 MHz Uplink 308.200-308.350 MHz.

The satellite has a 7500 MHz TT&C beacon on continuously.

Based on intercept reports the squeaky wheel modulation type, STANAG 4285, and voice transmissions have been observed on the 252.200 MHz transponder. Italian Navy coastal station IDR-Rome has been reported on the second transponder at 258.200 MHz.

Thanks to the gang at www.uhf-satcom.com.

China Launches Military Satellite

China has launched a military photographic recon satellite, Shi Jian 8, on September 9, 2006 at 0700 UTC.

International Designator: 2006-035A
SSC Number: 29385
Launcher: Long March 2C
Launch Site: Jiuquan/Shuang Cheng Tzu
Orbit: 445 x 177 km, 63 degree inclination

According to Jonathan McDowell, Jonathan's Space Report, "SJ-8, unlike earlier SJsatellites, is a recoverable satellite derived from earlier FSWreconnaissance and microgravity satellites. It will study the exposureof seeds to microgravity and radiation. The Xinhua news agency reportsthat the launch vehicle was a CZ-2C. Both CZ-2C and uprated CZ-2Drockets are used for the recoverable satellites. Based on orbital data, I estimate that the launch time was 0700 UTC."

At present we have no downlink frequency information on this satellite.

According to press reports, he last Shi Jian satellite, number 7 was launched 5 July 2005 by a Long March 2D into a 565 x 543 km orbit, inclined 97.6 degrees. That was a scientific mission that is scheduled for a three year mission.

The complete launch history of the Shi Jian series follows.

SJ-1 / PRC-2 / China-2 1971-03-03
SJ-2A / PRC-11 / China-11 1981-09-19
SJ-2B / PRC-9 / China-9 1981-09-19
SJ-2C / PRC-10 / China-10 1981-09-19
SJ-4 / Practice-4 1994-02-08
SJ-6A 2004-09-08
SJ-6B 2004-09-08
SJ-7 2005-07-05
SJ-8 2006-09-09

Milair Nationwide Frequencies Part 8

This is part 8 of our exclusive nationwide milair assignment list. Here is a list of 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
Part 4 Tuesday, June 20, 2006
Part 5 Wednesday, July 5, 2006
Part 6 Wednesday, July 26, 2006
Part 7 Thursday, August 24, 2006

264.150 Russian Gonet satellite downlink
264.400 Russian Gonet satellite downlink
264.550 Blue Angel Flight Demo Team - Extra channel
264.600 USAF JStars command and control discrete/Milsat: Russian Gonet satellite downlink
264.625 USAF AWACS Mickey
264.750 Russian Gonet satellite downlink
264.7875 Russian Gonet satellite downlink
264.800 Eastern Test Range - Variety Net (East Coast only)
264.900 USAF Aerial Refueling ACC Spare-Exercise-Contigency CONUS/Milsat: Russian Gonet satellite downlink
264.975 USAF F-15 Flight Demo Team (East)
265.000 Blue Angel Flight Demo Team
265.0625 Russian Gonet satellite downlink
265.1375 Russian Gonet satellite downlink
265.250 Milsat: UFO November Navy Fleet Relay (25 kHz) channel 7
265.350 Milsat: FLTSATCOM Alpha/UFO Oscar Navy Fleet Relay (25 kHz) channel 7
265.400 NORAD CAP/GCI discrete
265.450 Milsat: FLTSATCOM Bravo/UFO Papa Navy Fleet Relay (25 kHz) channel 7
265.550 Milsat: FLTSATCOM Charlie/UFO Quebec Navy Fleet Relay (25 kHz) channel 7
265.950 Russian Gonet satellite downlink
266.050 USAF JStars discrete
266.500 Aerial Refueling ACC Random Tracks CONUS
266.700 US Navy Squadron Common/Command and Control
266.750 Milsat: UFO November Navy Fleet Relay (25 kHz) channel 8
266.800 Air Traffic Control
266.850 Milsat: FLTSATCOM Alpha/UFO Oscar Navy Fleet Relay (25 kHz) channel 8
266.950 Milsat: FLTSATCOM Bravo/UFO Papa Navy Fleet Relay (25 kHz) channel 8
267.050 Milsat: FLTSATCOM Charlie/UFO Quebec Navy Fleet Relay (25 kHz) channel 8
267.100-267.250 Milsat: Italian Sircal 1A downlink
267.800 USAF ACC Air-to-Air Flight Support
267.850 DoD Have Quick discrete
267.900 Air Traffic Control
268.150 Milsat: UFO November Navy Fleet Relay (25 kHz) channel 9
268.225 Reported satellite downlink (East Coast) unknown bird
268.250 Milsat: FLTSATCOM Alpha/UFO Oscar Navy Fleet Relay (25 kHz) channel 9
268.350 Milsat: FLTSATCOM Bravo/UFO Papa Navy Fleet Relay (25 kHz) channel 9
268.400 Aerial Refueling Coronet East (East Coast)
268.450 Milsat: FLTSATCOM Charlie/UFO Quebec Navy Fleet Relay (25 kHz) channel 9
268.700 Air Traffic Control
269.000 Air Traffic Control
269.025 Air Traffic Control
269.050 Air Traffic Control
269.075 Air Traffic Control
269.100 Air Traffic Control
268.125 Air Traffic Control
269.150 Air Traffic Control
269.175 Air Traffic Control
269.200 Air Traffic Control
269.225 Air Traffic Control
269.250 Air Traffic Control
269.275 Air Traffic Control
269.300 Air Traffic Control
269.325 Air Traffic Control
269.350 Air Traffic Control
269.375 Air Traffic Control
269.400 Air Traffic Control
269.425 Air Traffic Control
269.450 Air Traffic Control
269.475 Air Traffic Control
269.500 Air Traffic Control
269.525 Air Traffic Control
269.550 Air Traffic Control
269.575 Air Traffic Control
269.600 Air Traffic Control
269.625 Air Traffic Control
269.650 Milsat: UFO November Navy Fleet Relay (25 kHz) channel 10
269.750 Milsat: FLTSATCOM Alpha/UFO Oscar Navy Fleet Relay (25 kHz) channel 10
269.850 Milsat: FLTSATCOM Bravo/UFO Papa Navy Fleet Relay (25 kHz) channel 10
269.900 Air Traffic Control (Mostly ATIS services)
269.950 Milsat: FLTSATCOM Charlie/UFO Quebec Navy Fleet Relay (25 kHz) channel 10

STS-115 UHF Air/Ground Comms

Had a nice bit of Atlantis UHF comms on Air/Ground 1 during ascent from the "Negative Return Call" to KSC through the "Single Engine Ops 3 call." After the Atlantis preformed its roll maneuver, heard no more UHF comms.

Beautiful pics on NASA TV of the ET sep from Atlantis. UHF comms from Atlantis running ahead of NASA TV comms by about 2-3 seconds.
Glad to see Atlantis back into orbit safely.

STS-115 Launch Frequencies Update 2

Shuttle launch support net up on 261.875 MHz. Cape Radio working Wolf Den.

Report from the area indicates 318.100 was used by elements of the NORAD Cape CAP this morning.

Thanks Jack.

5711 ALE Activity

While parked on 5711 kHz looking for STS-115 SRB Recovery vessel activity, caught the following ALE soundings (this is SHARES SCN channel 4):

AAT3BFMARS US Army MARS Newark, DE
KNY70 US NTCN-HF Herndon, VA
KNY82 US NTCN-HF Lenexa, KS

STS-115 Scrubbed - Again!

STS-115 has been scrubbed for today. They are in a 24 scrub turnaround for a possible launch on Saturday. New launch time on 9 Sep 2006 is 11:15 EDT or 1515 UTC.

STS-115 Launch Elset

From Ted Molczan and the SEESAT-L newsgroup:

1. Sep 08, 15:51:06 UTC (MECO) - Sep 08, 16:19:43 UTC
1 99999U 6251.66048611 .01000000 00000-0 44275-6 0 03
2 99999 51.6315 117.9773 0132748 348.7800 69.0699 16.48567837 02

STS-115 Launch Frequencies Update 1

As I type there is pre-launch activity for the STS-115 mission on 261.875 MHz. Nice signals levels.

Also for those on the Florida Peninsula, the ETR Variety net is up on 294.6 and also using 141.300 MHz (ID as TAC COMM).

More as I have it.