2015 Air Show Guide Now Available

Every year, from March through November, millions of people hit the road to watch the excitement and thrills as military and civilian flight demonstration teams put their high performance aircraft through the paces to entertain the crowds and perform at air shows all over the world. Anyone who has attended one of these events will tell you it is thrilling to watch the close quarter flying of the Blue Angels delta formation or the hair-splitting maneuvers of the Thunderbird opposing solos.

While attending the show and enjoying the sights and sounds is an exciting experience that is only half the fun. You can add another whole dimension to that visual experience by monitoring the performing teams’ radio communications.

With a radio scanner in hand you will experience a whole new perspective of the show that few of the attendees will ever experience – pilot audio from the aircraft cockpit. While everyone else at the air show is just watching and listening to the public address system narrator, you’ll be able to hear what’s happening inside the cockpit, up in the tower and on the ground with the hundreds of players that keep these screaming, state of-the-art air machines thundering through the skies.

But you can’t tell the players without a program, and to indulge in the craft of monitoring the air show experience you need a current and well researched list of frequencies that the various performers may use during their performances.

In our new Teak Publishing 2015 Air Show Guide eBook, former Monitoring Times Editor and Milcom columnist Larry Van Horn - N5FPW, delivers the hundreds of frequencies you’ll need to monitor the action if you’re within receiving distance of any air show in 2015.

From the Blue Angels and Thunderbirds, military parachute and search and rescue demonstration teams, to a wide variety of other military and civilian demonstration teams from the U.S. and abroad, Larry has the list of frequencies each unit has used. Now you can bring the excitement you see at the show to your ears. Listening to the nonstop action at the air show on dozens of radio frequencies is part of the real fun of being there.

But wait, there’s more! Larry also tells you which scanners work best at the air shows, what features you’ll need and which models can cover the military as well as civilian frequencies used at these events. There is also a chapter on tips for enjoying a great day at the air show.

You will also get frequency lists for other possible frequencies that may be used at the air show including GMRS, Family Radio Service (FRS), DoD Intra-Squad Radio frequencies, and even Civil Air Patrol VHF/UHF frequencies and call signs. We also include in this eBook an up-to-date air show Internet resource guide and frequency listings for overseas military and civilian aeronautical demonstrations teams.

Finally you will get the latest air show schedules for the Navy Blue Angels, Air Force Thunderbirds, Canadian Forces Snowbirds and the Army Golden Knight Parachute Teams. We include with each show location, the latest air traffic control frequencies for each facility hosting a show, when known. This schedule information only covers the United States and Canada.

This is the 16th edition of this popular frequency monitoring guide published by the author. The first fourteen editions appeared annually each March in the pages of the former Monitoring Times magazine and were one of the most popular features carried in the magazine. This edition of the Teak Publishing Air Show Guide is the most comprehensive collection of air show information and frequencies currently published for the radio listening hobbyist.

The Teak Publishing 2015 Air Show Guide is now available for purchase worldwide from Amazon.com at http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00R6QG7GW/. The price for this second eBook edition is US$3.99. Since this book is being released internationally, Amazon customers in the United Kingdom, Germany, France Spain, Italy, Japan, India, Canada, Brazil, Mexico and Australia can order this e-Book from Amazon websites directly servicing these countries. All other countries can use the regular Amazon.com website.

When the T-Birds, Blue Angels, and all the other precision flight teams are in the air, Larry has all the frequencies you need to hear them on the air in this new eBook from Teak Publishing!

Frequency updates, correction and late additions between editions of this e-Book will be posted on his Milcom Monitoring Post blog at: http://mt-milcom.blogspot.com/.

You do not even need to own a Kindle reader to read Amazon e-book publications. You can read any Kindle book with Amazon’s free reading apps. There are free Kindle reading apps for the Kindle Cloud Reader, Smartphones (iPhone, iTouch, Android, Windows Phone and Blackberry); computer platforms (Windows XP, Vista, 7 and 8 and Mac); Tablets (iPad, Android and Windows 8), and, of course, all of the Kindle family of readers including the Kindle Fire series. A Kindle e-book allows you to buy your book once and read it anywhere. You can find additional details on these apps by checking out this link to the Amazon website at www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?ie=UTF8&docId=1000493771.

For additional information on this and other Teak Publishing radio hobby books, monitor the company sponsored Internet blogs – The Military Monitoring Post (http://mt-milcom.blogspot.com/), The Btown Monitor Post (http://monitor-post.blogspot.com/) and The Shortwave Central (http://mt-shortwave.blogspot.com/) for availability of additional e-books that are currently in production.
You can learn more about the author by going to his author page on Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00G1QMO4C.

Teak Publishing Releases New Winter 2014-2015 Shortwave Guide - Available Now at Amazon

So why should you listen to shortwave radio? Quite simply shortwave radio is your window to the world.

The best source of global information continues to be shortwave radio. Throughout the world, shortwave remains the most readily available and affordable means of communication and information. It lets you listen to voices from around the world. You'll also learn about the lives and concerns of people from all walks of life, from soldiers, to farmers, to retired scholars. Shortwave radio provides nearly instantaneous coverage of news and events from around the world.

Shortwave listening, or SWLing, is the hobby of listening to shortwave radio broadcasts located on frequencies between 1700 kHz and 30 MHz, also known as HF or the High Frequencies bands.

If you live in the U.S., you can easily listen to shortwave broadcast stations from countries like North/South Korea, Iran, Australia, Cuba, China, New Zealand, Pakistan, India, Japan, England, Egypt, Tunisia, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, United States and many other counties if you have a shortwave receiver, and you know when and where to listen!

That when and where to listen is covered comprehensively in the pages of a new edition of the International Shortwave Broadcast Guide.

The International Shortwave Broadcast Guide (Winter 2014-2015 edition), by Amazon bestselling author Gayle Van Horn, W4GVH, is that all important information resource you need to tap into the worldwide shortwave broadcast radio spectrum. It is a 24-hour station/frequency guide to “all” the known stations currently broadcasting on shortwave radio at time of publication. This unique shortwave resource is the “only” publication in the world that offers a by-hour schedule that includes all language services, frequencies and world target areas for each broadcast station. There are new chapters that cover basic shortwave radio listening and Who’s Who in the Shortwave Radio Spectrum. Also extensive work has been done to improve the readability of this edition on the various Kindle platforms.

The International Shortwave Broadcast Guide (Winter 2014-2015 edition) is now available for purchase worldwide from Amazon.com at http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00QU8LC6M. The price for this latest edition is still US$4.99. Since this book is being released internationally, Amazon customers in the United Kingdom, Germany, France Spain, Italy, Japan, India, Canada, Brazil, Mexico and Australia can order this electronic book (e-Book) from Amazon websites directly servicing these countries. All other countries can use the regular Amazon.com website.

This new e-publication edition is an expanded version of the English shortwave broadcast guide formerly printed in the pages of Monitoring Times magazine for over 20 years. This one of a kind e-book is now being published twice a year to correspond with station seasonal time and frequency changes.

If you enjoy listening or monitoring HF shortwave stations, and you miss the monthly English frequency listings formerly published in the late Monitoring Times magazine, and multilingual station listing in the old MTXpress electronic magazine, this valuable tool will now be your new guide to listening to the world.

Frequency updates between editions will be posted on her Shortwave Central blog at: http://mt-shortwave.blogspot.com/.

And, the good news is that you do not even need to own a Kindle reader to read Amazon e-book publications. You can read any Kindle book with Amazon’s free reading apps.

There are free Kindle reading apps for the Kindle Cloud Reader, Smartphones (iPhone, iTouch, Android, Windows Phone and Blackberry); computer platforms (Windows XP, Vista, 7 and 8 and Mac); Tablets (iPad, Android and Windows 8), and, of course, all of the Kindle family of readers including the Kindle Fire series. A Kindle e-book allows you to buy your book once and read it anywhere. You can find additional details on these apps by checking out this link to the Amazon website at www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?ie=UTF8&docId=1000493771.

For additional information on this and other Teak Publishing radio hobby books, monitor the company sponsored Internet blogs – The Military Monitoring Post (http://mt-milcom.blogspot.com/), The Btown Monitor Post (http://monitor-post.blogspot.com/) and The Shortwave Central (http://mt-shortwave.blogspot.com/) for availability of additional e-books that are currently in production.

You can view the complete Teak Publishing book catalog online at http://mt-shortwave.blogspot.com/. Click on the Teak Publishing radio hobby e-book link at the top of the blog page. You can learn more about the author by going to her author page on Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/Gayle-Van-Horn/e/B0084MVQCM/.

The International Shortwave Broadcast Guide will have wide appeal to shortwave radio hobbyists, amateur radio operators, educators, foreign language students, news agencies, news buffs and many more interested in listening to a global view of news and events as they happen. 

If you are an amateur radio operator or shortwave radio enthusiasts, and want to hear what is happening outside the ham bands on that transceiver or portable shortwave radio in your shack, then this new e-book from Teak Publishing is a must in your radio reference library.

Here are a few of the public comments from radio hobbyists who purchased the first two editions of this Amazon e-book.

Five Stars By  Frank S. Excellent for the price. Glad I found this.

 

Shortwave Broadcast Guide by Kindle Customer. Since Monitoring Times is no longer in publication, this guide is required for the dedicated shortwave listener. There is information provided that I have found nowhere else. It will be a welcome addition to any listener's equipment. Gayle Van Horn has been publishing this research for many years and the followers are numerous, from beginners to professionals. The author's work is accurate, concise and thorough. If you have a shortwave radio, you need this publication as much as a set of earphones. There is none better.

Very Good Source for Shortwave Stations Broadcast Schedules by Kenneth Windyka. I've got to admit up front that I don't have a strong interest in this part of the hobby. HOWEVER, Gayle Van Horn makes it easy to determine what one can hear on the short wave bands during a particular time period (in GMT time sorted format). I also like the internet reference available, so that one can listen to programs via the internet even if its' not possible via the shortwave radio.

NJ Shortwave listener hears International Frequencies with new guide help by Stanley E Rozewski, Jr. This e-book is complete and accurate in presenting a low cost SW frequency guide and important must read topics for the new or experienced user. I liked the easy reading format, and understandable frequency guide. I will order the second edition next year.

This is my go-to-first reference by Mary C Larson. When I turn on the shortwave receiver and want to find out what's on and where to look, Van Horn's handy frequency guide is a smart place to begin. The format is not unlike the one Monitoring Times (R.I.P.) used each month. Presumably, updated ISBGs will be published twice per year, but you can check for the updates on her blog, (mt-shortwave.blogspot.com).

Good value by DrP. This is an excellent well-written book that is very affordable when compared to encyclopedic guides, e.g., the WRTH. Much the same information is included. The first part is a nice introduction to SW listening pitched to the beginner. Included is an informative section on purchasing a radio spanning low-end <$100 models up through the most advanced transceivers. The bulk of the book contains a list of world-wide SW broadcasters, organized by frequency band. This makes it ideal for browsing one band at a time, but much less so if you want to search for broadcasts from a particular country.
I like this one by Charles. I have only had a brief chance to scan through this book. From what I have seen of it I will enjoy getting in to it.

Shortwave Is Not Quite Dead By James Tedford (Bothell, WA United States). It was barely breathing as of late, but there is still a lot you can hear on shortwave radio. You need more than a little dedication, and a better-than-adequate radio to hear what remains on the HF bands, but if you have those, you will be rewarded with a lot of interesting audio programming. This book is a good guide to what is currently available over the international airwaves.

Five Stars By  Kindle Customer
Came on time. Packaged right. Looks as shown. Works as advertised.

 

Possible Land-Attack Cruise Missile Launch Scheduled for Next Week

The 7 Feet Beneath the Keel Blog is reporting that the Russians may be conducting a cruise missile launch over the Barents Sea Dec 8-10.

The blog reports while the launch platform is not yet known, there are at least two candidates, both of which are armed with the SS-N-30 land-attack cruise missile (range: 800nm-1,400nm, depending on the warhead payload):
Severodvinsk-class nuclear-powered cruise missile submarine "Severodvinsk"
Kilo-class diesel submarine "Novorossiysk", which arrived in Polyarnyy last month

For my Russian UDXF monitor friends it will be interesting to see if any VLF/MF/HF traffic is associated with this launch.

Orion Spacecraft Descends to the Pacific on Three Silk Mains

NASA's Orion Crew Module descends to the Pacific Ocean under its three main parachutes as part of the Orion Program's first exploration flight test. USS Anchorage (LPD 23) is supporting the first exploration test flight for the NASA Orion Program. EFT-1 is the fifth at sea testing of the Orion Crew Module using a Navy well deck recovery method. (U.S. Navy Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Charles White/Released)

NASA's Orion Spacecraft Launched for Cape on Delta IV Heavy

A Delta IV heavy rocket lifts off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida at 7:05 a.m. EST carrying NASA's Orion spacecraft on an unpiloted flight test to Earth orbit. The two-orbit, four-and-a-half hour mission will evaluate the systems critical to crew safety, the launch abort system, the heat shield and the parachute system. The amphibious transport dock ship USS Anchorage (LPD 23) will recover the Orion crew module after it splashes down in the Pacific Ocean using a Navy welldeck recovery method. (U.S. Navy photo courtesy of NASA/Released)

Minot AFB successfully flies 40 out of 40 sorties during exercise

An Aircrew member walks toward a B-52H Stratofortress while it’s being deiced on Minot Air Force Base, N.D. Battling harsh winds and temperatures 20 degrees and below for several days, operations and maintenance Airmen joined together to successfully fly 40 out of 40 sorties during Prairie Warrior surge week. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Brittany Y. Bateman)

By Airman 1st Class Sahara L. Fales, Minot Air Force Base Public Affairs

MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. (AFNS) -- Battling harsh winds and temperatures 20 degrees and below for several days, operations and maintenance Airmen joined together to successfully fly 40 out of 40 sorties during Prairie Warrior surge week here, Nov. 17-20.

The purpose of the exercise was to demonstrate conventional capabilities in a realistic training environment to simulate combat.

"Prairie Warrior provided us with some outstanding visibility because we were able to exercise realistic and challenging scenarios that we don't normally encounter," said Col. Kieran Denehan, the 5th Operations Group commander. "This is where we put our training to the biggest possible test outside of a combat environment."

Air crew members were issued weapons, met with a chaplain, received a weather intel brief and a pre-takeoff brief just as if they were preparing for war, said Capt. Michael Devita, the 5th Operations Support Squadron conventional plans flight commander.

With only 16 jets available and 12 scheduled to fly on the first day, the maintainers' skills were put to the test to have 10 jets prepared for takeoff first thing the next day.

"A B-52's normal flying rhythm is every other day," said Senior Master Sgt. Paul Crisostomo, the 69th Aircraft Maintenance Unit lead project supervisor. "Our ability to be able to fly a jet one day and turn around and fly it twelve hours later speaks volumes of the good work that our Airmen are doing out there."

In addition to the 22 sorties in the first two days, they also flew 10 on the third day and eight more on the fourth to conclude the exercise, Crisostomo said.

The demanding mission of Prairie Warrior had Airmen working 12 hour shifts the entire week to provide full-spectrum deterrence and maintenance on the B-52H Stratofortresses. Day shift focused primarily on getting the bombers loaded and up in the air, while night shift was responsible for recovery, refueling, service and pre-flight checks.

"I only had so many load crews and maintainers," Crisostomo said. "They were all hopping from jet to jet just getting the job done!"

Because of their hard work throughout the week, the base was able to fly 40 out of 40 sorties with 33 on-time takeoffs and successfully dropped 119 munitions.

Crisostomo attributes the most successful surge Minot AFB has had in about five years to the outstanding teamwork among all of the squadrons.

"Prairie Warrior was a huge success for us," said Col. Jason Armagost, the 5th Bomb Wing commander. "Just weeks after coming out of succeeding in a large-scale nuclear exercise, we accomplished our base's largest conventional exercise of the year -- and we crushed it."

USS Vicksburg Deploys to Support NATO

By Lt. j.g. Timothy Dover, USS Vicksburg Public Affairs

MAYPORT, Fla. (NNS) -- Ticonderoga class guided-missile cruiser USS Vicksburg (CG 69) departed Naval Station Mayport Dec. 4 to relieve USS Leyte Gulf (CG 55) later this month as the Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 flagship and to support theater security cooperation efforts in Europe.

 The crew recently participated in Joint Warrior 14-2, a United Kingdom (UK)-led multinational exercise in UK coastal waters. The training is designed to provide allied forces a multiwarfare environment to prepare for global operations.

 "The crew has worked extremely hard to prepare this ship for deployment," said Capt. Lyle Hall, Vicksburg commanding officer. "I am very proud of their commitment to this ship and to the mission ahead. They have always gone above and beyond at each and every turn."

 Before deploying, Vicksburg also participated in the USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7) Amphibious Ready Group (ARG)/24th Marine Expeditionary Unit's (MEU) Composite Training Unit Exercise, a highly successful missile exercise.
 During this exercise, the crew earned their Independent Deployer Certification, which assesses a ship's capabilities to function at tactical and operational levels.

 Commissioned Nov. 12, 1992, the ship was named for both the Battle of Vicksburg, fought during the American Civil War, and the city of Vicksburg, Mississippi.

 Commander, Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 Rear Adm. Brad Williamson and staff will embark their new flagship, Vicksburg, to continue support of NATO counter-terrorism Operation Active Endeavour and additional NATO tasking.

HSC-8 Helo Trains for Orion EFT-1

An MH60-S Sea Hawk helicopter assigned to Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 8 takes off from the amphibious transport dock ship USS Anchorage (LPD 23) as part of at-sea training. Anchorage is participating in the first Exploration Flight Test (EFT-1) for the NASA Orion program. EFT-1 is the fifth at-sea testing of the Orion crew module using a Navy well deck recovery method. U.S. Navy Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Gary Keen

USS Fort Worth Arrives in US 7th Fleet

YOKOSUKA, Japan (NNS) -- Littoral combat ship (LCS) USS Fort Worth (LCS 3) arrived in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations Dec. 4, marking a key initial milestone in its 16-month rotational deployment in support of the Indo-Asia-Pacific rebalance.
 Building on USS Freedom's (LCS 1) inaugural 10-month deployment from March to December 2013, Fort Worth will expand LCS operations while in 7th Fleet, to include visiting more ports, engaging more regional navies during exercises like Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) and expanding LCS capabilities with tools like the MQ-8B Fire Scout unmanned autonomous helicopter.

 "Fort Worth will be a workhorse in 7th Fleet, demonstrating our forward presence in the vital littorals of the region and expanding its operations to work with allies and partners in unprecedented ways," said Vice Adm. Robert Thomas, commander, U.S. 7th Fleet.

 In addition to presence in nearly every phase of CARAT 2015 in South and Southeast Asia, Fort Worth will train with the Republic of Korea Navy in exercise Foal Eagle and is scheduled to join multinational ships at Singapore's Changi Naval Base for the International Maritime Defence Exhibition. Fort Worth will also expand LCS regional presence by using additional expeditionary maintenance locations in Northeast Asia.
 Fort Worth is the first LCS to deploy under the "3-2-1" manning concept, swapping fully trained crews roughly every four months. This concept will allow Fort Worth to deploy six months longer than Freedom and twice as long as typical U.S. Navy ship deployments, extending LCS forward presence and reducing crew fatigue for the 16-month deployment. It is named 3-2-1 because three rotational crews will support two LCS ships and maintain one deployed ship.

 Forth Worth arrives in 7th Fleet with an embarked aviation detachment from Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 35, the Navy's first composite expeditionary helicopter squadron. The detachment consists of one MH-60R Seahawk helicopter and one MQ-8B Fire Scout Vertical Takeoff and Landing Unmanned Aerial Vehicle. The Fire Scout will complement the MH-60R by extending the HSM-35's range and endurance thereby enhancing maritime domain awareness.

 "It's great to be in 7th Fleet, a huge region with critical littoral areas in which Fort Worth is tailor-made to operate," said Cmdr. Kendall Bridgewater, LCS Crew 104 commanding officer. "The next several months here will be busy for Fort Worth and her crews, but we're looking forward to the opportunities this deployment will provide to work with many partner navies throughout the Asia-Pacific."

 Fast, agile and mission-focused, littoral combat ships are designed to operate in near-shore environments and employ modular mission packages that can be configured for surface warfare, mine countermeasures or anti-submarine warfare. Fort Worth will employ the surface warfare mission package for her entire deployment, augmenting her 57mm gun and rolling airframe missile launcher with two 30mm guns, two 11-meter rigid-hull inflatable boats and two eight-member maritime security boarding teams. With more fuel capacity than Freedom, Fort Worth can refuel less often and stay on patrol longer.

 Since departing San Diego Nov. 17, Fort Worth transited the Pacific Ocean, visited Hawaii to conduct joint operations, and is scheduled to arrive in Guam for its first 7th Fleet port visit. Following Guam, Fort Worth will continue to the maintenance and logistics hub in Singapore. It will remain homeported in San Diego and all crews will live aboard.

 The U.S. 7th Fleet conducts forward-deployed naval operations in support of U.S. national interests in the Indo-Asia-Pacific area of operations. As the U.S. Navy's largest numbered fleet, 7th Fleet interacts with 35 other maritime nations to build maritime partnerships that foster maritime security, promote stability and prevent conflict.

Anchorage Departs on NASA's Orion Mission

By Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Christopher A. Veloicaza, USS Anchorage Public Affairs

PACIFIC OCEAN (NNS) -- San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship USS Anchorage (LPD 23) departed from Naval Base San Diego to retrieve NASA equipment in the Pacific Ocean, Dec. 1.

 Anchorage will use its amphibious capabilities to conduct an at-sea recovery of the Orion space capsule.

 NASA operatives will launch Orion into Earth's orbit and wait for it to splash down into the Pacific Ocean for recovery. The launch window for this NASA mission terminates Dec. 19. Once launched, the capsule will take four hours to orbit the earth twice before it is recovered. The total duration of the operation from launch to recovery is entirely weather dependent and relies on numerous variables.

 Anchorage will use a specially trained bridge team that will be on watch for the operation. Divers aboard small boats will maneuver alongside and rig tending lines to guide the capsule to Anchorage as the ship safely operates on station.

 "It is a very complex, highly-integrated team of Navy divers, meteorologists, flight crews, the well-deck personnel and the bridge watch standers on Anchorage," said Lt. Keith Tate, operations officer. "All of this will hopefully culminate with the historic capsule recovery, which is something the Navy hasn't been involved with for almost 40 years."

 Sailors aboard Anchorage have been training for several months and this mission has been a consistent focus for the crew dating back to late spring.

 NASA crewmembers will provide real-time tracking information of the capsule once it is launched. They will be in constant communication with the Johnson Space Center in Houston to notify the ship of any capsule deviation. NASA crew members will also guide the ship incrementally closer to the recovery point.

 "We want to get ourselves into the right mindset," said Jeremy Graeber, NASA recovery director. "This is a historic event we're all getting to be part of and I want everyone to think in those terms. We want to be safe first, diligent about our work and make sure we do this as well as they did it in 1975."

 NASA will serve as a liaison to Navy divers for all the hardware that is connected to the spacecraft. If there are any issues with the hardware, the designer on board Anchorage can tend to it accordingly. NASA crew members are also managing how the capsule gets brought in, how it's set down and where it's safe in the ship. After the equipment is secured a Lockheed Martin team will download data off of the spacecraft.
 "All of us who have been here since the beginning are excited to see this day come," Tate said. "We're hoping for a safe, successful evolution. It's something historic and we're all proud to be apart of it."

Cosmos 2499 is now a hamsat?

Well it started life as a probable anti-satellite killer sat. Now it appears that Cosmos 2499 has morphed into a hamsat? First, Paul Marsh over at UHF-Satcom has discovered the S-band downlink for this satellite. Here is what Paul posted to the UHF-Satcom newsgroup:

"Confirmed S-Band downlink from Cosmos 2499, cat #39765 on 2280.000MHz. Transmitter activated with the satellite is at 5 degrees at Moscow. Quite a good signal using 1M antenna."

http://pjm.uhf-satcom.com/twtr/cosmos2499_301114.jpg
http://pjm.uhf-satcom.com/twtr/cosmos2499_011214.jpg
http://pjm.uhf-satcom.com/twtr/cosmos2499_011214a.jpg

Eight minutes ago Paul tweeted:

"Cosmos 2499 S-Band TX commanded on from Moscow, sending 'idle' frames from the look of the BPSK; http://pjm.uhf-satcom.com/twtr/cosmos2499_021214.jpg … - strong signals!"

 

According to R4UAB Cosmos 2499 may have morphed into a Hamsat (see http://r4uab.ru/?p=8509 for his full story). Portion of his post at http://r4uab.ru/?p=8509 translated to English text:

 

"Amateur astronomers and observers satellites in Russia and in the West follow the unusual maneuver object 2014-28E. Now and amateurs joined observations:-)
He may have different functions, some of them civilians, some - the military. In confirmation to the first statement I was today adopted a scientific telemetry signal with COSMOS 2499 on frequencies 435.465 MHz and 435.565 MHz. TABLETSAT-AURORA. The first time a strange signal that I could not identify, I noticed in the summer during the reception of satellite TABLETSAT-AURORA. In the picture once again screenshot summer, found in the repository at: On it you can see 2 data link with COSMOS 2499 (as I now know) and the lighthouse TABLETSAT-AURORA.  A lot of time spent on the search for the source.  First time I have access to the signal height of the object identified approximately 1500 km, calculate the approximate TLE based on my observations and this led me to the COSMOS 2499."

 

 

 

Robert Christy at Zarya.info is reporting on his twitter feed the following:

 

"Cosmos 2499 - R4UAB reports: as of today it is identifying itself as radio amateur sat RS-47, maybe means the military mission is completed?"

 

Amsat UK has picked up the story on their blog at http://amsat-uk.org/2014/11/30/cosmos-2499-callsign-rs-47/

 

Track COSMOS-2499 / RS-47 at http://www.n2yo.com/?s=39765

 

Listen for RS-47 online with the SUWS WebSDR located near London
http://amsat-uk.org/2014/08/15/suws-websdr-moves-to-new-site/

 

RS-47 Telemetry data http://www.dk3wn.info/p/?p=52752

 

Dmitry Pashkov R4UAB describes receiving the 435.465 MHz and 435.565 MHz signals at http://tinyurl.com/R4UAB-COSMOS-2499

You can read the complete story on Cosmos 2499/RS-47 on the RussianSpaceWeb.com at http://www.russianspaceweb.com/Cosmos-2499.html#1125

 

So there we have it the hunter killer anti-satellite satellite is now RS-47 a hamsat. Only in Putin's Russia. ;-)

 

 

Milcom Blog Logs - November 2014 - Central Florida

Our good friend Jack Nesmith checks in with his active milair freqs from central Florida monitored during November. Thanks Jack

120.9500 FACSFAC JAX
134.6500 FACSFAC JAX
225.0250 CHARLIE/ECHO RNG AVON PARK RNG
225.3500 PINECASTLE RANGE
228.2250 A/G/A 347RQW MOODY AFB
233.5500 A/G/A 93FS HOMESTEAD ARB
234.6000 NORAD
234.8000 159FS/125FW
236.0750 GRAND BAY RNG MOODY AFB
236.7250 A/G/A 23FW MOODY AFB
238.9000 REFUELING
240.1000 A/G/A AVON PARK RNG
251.2000 INTERPLANE 23FW MOODY AFB
251.2500 159FS/125FW
253.7000 159FS/125FW
254.2500 ZMA
254.3250 ZJX
257.1000 INTERPLANE 319SOS HURLBURT FLD
257.7000 ZMA
260.9000 NORAD
267.5000 FACSFAC JAX
269.2500 ZJX
269.3000 ZMA
281.5000 ZMA
282.2000 ZJX
283.2500 SOF 93FS HOMESTEAD ARB
283.8750 A/G/A 325FW TYNDALL AFB
284.5000 FACSFAC JAX
285.5000 ZMA
288.5000 W-151/470
289.2000 PINECASTLE RANGE
289.3000 INTERPLANE 23FW MOODY AFB
290.6250 METRO TYNDALL AFB
292.1000 INTERPLANE 23FW MOODY AFB
293.1000 "WETSTONE DISCRETE" W-151/470
293.2250 ZMA
295.0000 INTERPLANE 23FW MOODY AFB
298.5000 INTERPLANE 325FW TYNDALL AFB
299.0000 INTERPLANE 325FW TYNDALL AFB
305.6000 SOF 23FW MOODY AFB GA
307.2000 ZJX
308.7500 A/G/A 93FS HOMESTEAD ARB
313.7000 FACSFAC JAX
313.7250 PINECASTLE RANGE
314.0500 W-470A
316.4000 A/G/A 1SOW HURLBURT FLD
317.5250 ZJX
317.6000 ZJX
318.6000 FACSFAC JAX
319.0000 ZMA
322.4750 ZJX
324.6000 REFUELING
335.5000 ZMA
335.5500 ZJX
337.3000 NAOC
341.7500 UNKNOWN USER
342.1000 W-470
343.0000 159FS/125FW
343.5000 METRO NAS JAX
343.7000 ZMA
346.2500 ZJX
348.7000 ZMA
349.3000 A/G/A AVON PARK RNG
352.0000 ZJX
352.1000 A/G/A 325FW TYNDALL AFB
354.8000 A/G/A EGLIN AFB
357.5000 A/G/A 325FW TYNDALL AFB
360.7000 ZJX
360.8000 ZJX
361.4000 A/G/A 325FW TYNDALL AFB
364.2000 NORAD

Milcom Blog Logs 26 Nov 2014 - Btown NC

Decided to head down low (frequency wise) this morning and see which US Coast Guard DGPS stations I could rustle up for the breakfast hour here on the radio ranch.

Eastern US DGPS Coverage Map (courtesy US Coast Guard)

Here is a list of those station I monitored until the sun came up to tamper down those LF signals.

Freq
(kHz) DGPS Stn Location    TX ID        Mode/Baud Rate  Date   Time/UTC

289 Station 203 Topeka KS TX ID 765 MFSK/200 bps  11/26/2014 11:17
293 Station 029 English Turn LA TX ID 814 MFSK/200 bps  11/26/2014 11:53
294 Station 197 New Bern NC TX ID 771 MFSK/100 bps  11/26/2014 11:23
295 Station 025 Eglin AFB FL TX ID 812 MFSK/100 bps  11/26/2014 11:25
297 Station 137 Bobo MS TX ID 792 MFSK/200 bps  11/25/2014 16:25
299 Station 163 Dallisaw OK TX ID 866 MFSK/200 bps  11/26/2014 11:29
301 Station 049 Macon GA TX ID 822 MFSK/200 bps  11/25/2014 16:21
301 Station 247 Angleton TX TX ID 828 MFSK/100 bps  11/26/2014 11:58
303 Station 047 Greensboro NC TX ID 824 MFSK/100 bps  11/26/2014 11:32
304 Station 219 Mequon WI TX ID 777 MFSK/200 bps  11/26/2014 12:03
305 Station 190 Dandridge TN TX ID 782 MFSK/100 bps  11/25/2014 16:01
306 Station 051 Hackleburg AL TX ID 825 MFSK/100 bps  11/26/2014 12:05
309 Station 850 Clark SD TX ID 850 MFSK/100 bps  11/26/2014 12:07
310 Station 309 (CCG) Cardinal ON TX ID 919 MFSK/200 bps  11/26/2014 12:10
317 Station 145 Hartsville TN TX ID 858 MFSK/100 bps  11/26/2014 11:38
318 Station 053 Summerfield TX TX ID 823 MFSK/100 bps  11/26/2014 11:39
319 Station 037 Savannah GA TX ID 818 MFSK/100 bps  11/26/2014 11:41
320 Station 161 Millers Ferry AL TX ID 865 MFSK/200 bps  11/26/2014 11:43
321 Station 154 St. Louis MO TX ID 862 MFSK/200 bps  11/26/2014 11:45
325 kHz Station 177 Medora ND TX ID 851 MFSK/100 bps  11/26/2014 11:46

(Receiver Icom IC-7200, 80m G5RV antenna, Multipsk decoder, dates and times are UTC)

These were interesting stations to decode and Multipsk made it a snap. You can get your copy of Multipsk at http://f6cte.free.fr/index_anglais.htm. Th program is free but there are some "professional" modes that will only decode for five minutes at a time unless you register. It is well worth the registration to have those mods which includes the decoding of DGPS signals.

Will try these again at several different hours to see what new ones I can log.

Kosmos-2499: Is it a spy or an assassin... or both?

Blog Editor's Note: Given the ramp up of Russian military operations in Europe and Asia, Radio Sputnik replacing Voice of Russia now on the air with Cold War style propaganda, and now Cold War style space activities, I believe the Russian have reset our relations. If they start operating independently again in space, well those of us who lived through the last Cold War may live to see another one regardless what American politicians have to say on the situation.

Object 2014-28E – Space junk or Russian satellite killer?
By Sam Jones, Defense and Security Editor

It is a tale that could have come from the cold war. A mysterious object launched by the Russian military is being tracked by western space agencies, stoking fears over the revival of a defunct Kremlin project to destroy satellites.

For the past few weeks, amateur astronomers and satellite-trackers in Russia and in the west have followed the unusual manoeuvers of Object 2014-28E (now IDed as Cosmos 2499-LVH), watching it guide itself towards other Russian space objects. The pattern appeared to culminate last weekend in a rendezvous with the remains of the rocket stage that launched it.

The object had originally been classed as space debris, propelled into orbit as part of a Russian rocket launch in May to add three Rodnik communications satellites to an existing military constellation. The U.S. military is now tracking it under the NORAD catalog number 39765.

Go to the link below to read the rest of this article http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/cdd0bdb6-6c27-11e4-990f-00144feabdc0.html#ixzz3JMzknud9



1986 DIA illustration of the Istrebitel Sputnik (IS) (lit. "fighter satellite").
system attacking a target. (Courtesy of Wikipedia)

Here is the current orbital details of this space object:
Cosmos 2499, NORAD ID: 39765, Int'l Code: 2014-028E
Perigee: 1,158.5 km, Apogee: 1,510.7 km, Inclination: 82.4 °
Period: 112.2 minutes, Semi major axis: 7705 km
Launch date: May 23, 2014

And finally here are some additional details on Cosmos 2499 courtesy of the Zarya Space website at http://www.zarya.info/Diaries/Launches/Launches.php?year=2014

Cosmos 2499  2014-028E NORAD Catalog #39765 
A small satellite with orbit changing capability. Possibly, but speculatively, an inspector satellite with its own Briz-KM rocket body (2014-028D/39764) as a target. Detected by US tracking sensors and originally catalogued as debris, it was not included in early announcements of the launch. Early 2014 July - started a series of manoeuvers to reduce the separation in orbit planes between itself and the Briz-KM.
2014 November 8/9 it matched planes with the rocket and manoeuvered alongside it.

2014 May 23, 20:26 7872 0.0018 1480 1509 115.86 82.45 317  
2014 May 29, 21:19 7873 0.0018 1481 1508 115.86 82.45 304  
2014 Jul 2, 22:32 7872 0.0017 1480 1508 115.85 82.45 228  
2014 Jul 3, 19:47 7871 0.0020 1477 1508 115.82 82.45 218  
2014 Jul 9, 09:02 7868 0.0024 1472 1509 115.77 82.46 200  
2014 Jul 11, 17:00 7866 0.0021 1471 1504 115.71 82.45 189  
2014 Jul 17, 15:46 7855 0.0022 1460 1494 115.47 82.46 166  
2014 Aug 8, 16:11 7684 0.0241 1121 1491 111.72 82.46 99  
2014 Aug 12, 10:19 7621 0.0323 997 1489 110.36 82.46 94  
2014 Aug 20, 09:32 7588 0.0337 954 1465 109.63 82.42 78  
2014 Aug 20, 14:25 7585 0.0371 925 1488 109.57 82.45 73  
2014 Oct 28, 23:22 7652 0.0287 1055 1494 111.03 82.46 254  
2014 Nov 9, 00:02 7681 0.0254 1108 1499 111.67 82.45 231  
2014 Nov 9, 13:19 7705 0.0228 1152 1503 112.19 82.46 230

Mode-S/ADS Milcom Intercepts 16 November 2014 - Btown NC

Here is another round of Mode-S/ADS-B intercepts and selected ATC call signs logged from here on the radio ranch in WNC. All dates/times are UTC.

AE0977 165834   CNV4386 2014-11-16 22:56:38 C-40A United States USNR | VR-58 [KNIP]
0D066B ------   ---  2014-11-16 21:25:52 ------ Mexico ---
AE047C 59-1448   KEYS81 2014-11-16 21:24:59 KC-135R United States MS ANG | 186ARW | 153ARS [KMEI]
AE047C 59-1448   KEYS81 2014-11-16 21:03:29 KC-135R United States MS ANG | 186ARW | 153ARS [KMEI]
00000A Various   ---  2014-11-16 20:25:46 Various Various ---
AE093A 00-1051   ---  2014-11-16 20:25:29 UC-35B United States USARC | B/2-228 AVN (TA) [KMGE] 0000  16300   
AE0484 62-3509   BACKY94 2014-11-16 20:14:09 KC-135R United States AFRC | 916ARW | 77ARS [KGSB]
AE12BB 69-5828   FLIP33 2014-11-16 19:16:34 MC-130P United States USAF | 1SOW | 9SOS [KHRT]
AE1234 03-3123   RCH739 2014-11-16 19:12:53 C-17A United States USAF | 437AW [KCHS]
00000A Various   ---  2014-11-16 18:57:51 Various Various ---
AE0600 80-0321   KRCH 550 2014-11-16 18:42:42 C-130H United States AETC | 314AW | 62AS [KLRF]
AE04BD 58-0076   INDY66 2014-11-16 18:35:16 KC-135R United States AFRC | 434ARW | 72ARS [KGUS]
AE0668 62-3523   KANZA96 2014-11-16 18:25:10 KC-135R United States USAF | 22ARW [KIAB]
AE20C4 07-7183   RCH025 2014-11-16 17:25:26 C-17A United States USAF | 437AW [KCHS]
AE19AF 80-0281   79000155 2014-11-16 16:04:53 A-10A United States USAFE | 52FW | 81FS [ETAD]
00000A Various   ---  2014-11-16 16:01:23 Various Various ---
AE093A 00-1051   ---  2014-11-16 16:00:45 UC-35B United States USARC | B/2-228 AVN (TA) [KMGE] 0000  16300   
AE0668 62-3523   KANZA96 2014-11-16 15:52:20 KC-135R United States USAF | 22ARW [KIAB]
ADFE4C 94-0320/95-0099   ---  2014-11-16 15:44:25 C-12V United States US Army | B/6-52 AVN (TA) DET-1 [KFTK]
AE0668 62-3523   KANZA96 2014-11-16 15:28:40 KC-135R United States USAF | 22ARW [KIAB]
AE1234 03-3123   RCH739 2014-11-16 15:25:31 C-17A United States USAF | 437AW [KCHS]
ADFE68 91-1237   DERBY 73 2014-11-16 14:52:11 C-130H United States KY ANG | 123AW | 165AS [KSDF]
ADFE64 91-1233   DERBY 71 2014-11-16 14:42:32 C-130H United States KY ANG | 123AW | 165AS [KSDF]
AE0567 85-0010   ---  2014-11-16 00:18:27 C-5M United States USAF | 60AMW [KSUU]

Mode-S/ADS Milcom Intercepts 15 November 2014 - Btown NC

Here is another round of Mode-S/ADS-B intercepts and selected ATC call signs logged from here on the radio ranch in WNC. All dates/times are UTC.

AE117D 02-1111   RCH701 2014-11-15 22:09:07 C-17A United States USAF | 62AW [KTCM]
AE11CA 03-3704   ---  2014-11-15 21:43:04 T-6A United States USAF | 14FTW | 41FTS [KCBM]
AE0203 98-3543   ---  2014-11-15 21:38:30 T-6A United States USAF
AE0579 87-0028   ---  2014-11-15 20:47:09 C-5B United States USAF | 60AMW [KSUU]
AE148A 92-3289   ---  2014-11-15 18:50:06 E-8C United States GA ANG | 116ACW [KWRB] 0000  24000   
AE015F 58-0119   SODA81 2014-11-15 18:44:20 KC-135R United States TN ANG | 134ARW | 151ARS [KTYS]
AE04D8 165830   CNV4062 2014-11-15 16:30:12 C-40A United States USNR | VR-59 [KNFW]
AE4E05 02   C102 2014-11-15 16:08:26 C-37A United States USCG | CGAS Washington [KDCA]
AE148A 92-3289   ---  2014-11-15 16:03:55 E-8C United States GA ANG | 116ACW [KWRB] 0000  24000   
AE29FD 166694   CNV4242 2014-11-15 14:52:22 C-40A United States USNR | VR-56 [KNTU]
AE4D66 10-0213   RCH148 2014-11-15 07:01:42 C-17A United States USAF | 437AW [KCHS]
000001 ------   ---  2014-11-15 02:01:21 Various ------ ---
AE4EBE 168440   VVLL801 2014-11-15 01:36:36 P-8A United States USN | VP-30 [KNIP] 0000  29000    
AE0672 63-8014   BACKY91 2014-11-15 00:46:22 KC-135R United States AFRC | 916ARW | 77ARS [KGSB]
AE4E14 11-5748   GLEAN22 2014-11-15 00:40:24 C-130J-30 United States USAF | 19AW [KLRF]
83AEFC 84-24378   ---  2014-11-15 00:29:48 C-12U United States USARC | C/2-228 AVN (TA) [KFBG]
AE4EBE 168440   VVLL801 2014-11-15 00:27:02 P-8A United States USN | VP-30 [KNIP] 0000  29000    

Mode-S/ADS Milcom Intercepts 14 November 2014 - Btown NC

Here is another round of Mode-S/ADS-B intercepts and selected ATC call signs logged from here on the radio ranch in WNC. All dates/times are UTC.

ADFCFE 95-0050   ---  2014-11-14 23:09:58 T-1A United States USAF | 14FTW | 48FTS
ADFCED 94-0142   ---  2014-11-14 23:05:57 T-1A United States USAF | 14FTW | 48FTS
AE54C7 12-5756   GLEAN21 2014-11-14 21:43:59 C-130J-30 United States USAF | 19AW [KLRF]
83AEFC 84-24378   ---  2014-11-14 21:39:04 C-12U United States USARC | C/2-228 AVN (TA) [KFBG]
AE54C7 12-5756   GLEAN21 2014-11-14 21:22:36 C-130J-30 United States USAF | 19AW [KLRF]
AE0484 62-3509   BACKY94 2014-11-14 21:12:08 KC-135R United States AFRC | 916ARW | 77ARS [KGSB]
AE1141 165975   ---  2014-11-14 20:54:50 T-6A United States USN | TW-6 [KNPA]
ADFCEF 94-0144   ---  2014-11-14 20:28:59 T-1A United States USAF | 14FTW | 48FTS
ADFCFE 95-0050   ---  2014-11-14 20:20:27 T-1A United States USAF | 14FTW | 48FTS
00000A Various   ---  2014-11-14 20:20:03 Various Various --- 0000  29400   
AE0668 62-3523   KANZA96 2014-11-14 20:07:48 KC-135R United States USAF | 22ARW [KIAB] 0000  34000   
ADFE68 91-1237   DERBY 73 2014-11-14 20:03:50 C-130H United States KY ANG | 123AW | 165AS [KSDF]
AE0600 80-0321   KRCH 550 2014-11-14 19:33:38 C-130H United States AETC | 314AW | 62AS [KLRF]
ADFCEF 94-0144   ---  2014-11-14 19:28:59 T-1A United States USAF | 14FTW | 48FTS
ADFCFE 95-0050   ---  2014-11-14 19:20:27 T-1A United States USAF | 14FTW | 48FTS
00000A Various   ---  2014-11-14 19:20:03 Various Various --- 0000  29400   
ADFECB 84-0485   PAT185 2014-11-14 19:17:35 C-12T-3 United States KY ARNG | OSACOM DET-11 [KFFT]
AE0668 62-3523   KANZA96 2014-11-14 19:07:48 KC-135R United States USAF | 22ARW [KIAB] 0000  34000   
ADFE64 91-1233   DERBY 71 2014-11-14 19:06:08 C-130H United States KY ANG | 123AW | 165AS [KSDF]
ADFE68 91-1237   DERBY 73 2014-11-14 19:03:50 C-130H United States KY ANG | 123AW | 165AS [KSDF]
AE047C 59-1448   KEYS81 2014-11-14 19:01:56 KC-135R United States MS ANG | 186ARW | 153ARS [KMEI]
AE03FC 84-0176   ---  2014-11-14 18:59:16 C-12U United States USARMY
AE0977 165834   CNV4386 2014-11-14 18:53:37 C-40A United States USNR | VR-58 [KNIP]
AE1191    ---  2014-11-14 18:37:17 F-15E/UC-35B United States 
AD96A2 11-3031   HOUND91 2014-11-14 18:35:33 C-146A United States USAF | 27SOW | 524SOS [KCVS]
AE0600 80-0321   KRCH 550 2014-11-14 18:33:38 C-130H United States AETC | 314AW | 62AS [KLRF]
AE07DB 93-0601   THUG21 2014-11-14 18:24:18 C-17A United States USAF | 62AW [KTCM]
AE4EBF 168441 ???   VVLL862 2014-11-14 18:19:38 P-8A United States --- ---  34000    
ADFECB 84-0485   PAT185 2014-11-14 18:17:35 C-12T-3 United States KY ARNG | OSACOM DET-11 [KFFT]
ADFE64 91-1233   DERBY 71 2014-11-14 18:06:08 C-130H United States KY ANG | 123AW | 165AS [KSDF]
AE047C 59-1448   KEYS81 2014-11-14 18:01:56 KC-135R United States MS ANG | 186ARW | 153ARS [KMEI]
AE03FC 84-0176   ---  2014-11-14 17:59:16 C-12U United States USARMY
AE035E 58-0077   STEEL81 2014-11-14 17:56:34 KC-135T United States PA ANG | 171ARW [KPIT]
AE0977 165834   CNV4386 2014-11-14 17:53:37 C-40A United States USNR | VR-58 [KNIP]
AE1191    ---  2014-11-14 17:37:17 F-15E/UC-35B United States 
AD96A2 11-3031   HOUND91 2014-11-14 17:35:33 C-146A United States USAF | 27SOW | 524SOS [KCVS]
AE07DB 93-0601   THUG21 2014-11-14 17:24:18 C-17A United States USAF | 62AW [KTCM]
AE4EBF 168441 ???   VVLL862 2014-11-14 17:19:38 P-8A United States --- ---  34000    
AE035E 58-0077   STEEL81 2014-11-14 16:56:34 KC-135T United States PA ANG | 171ARW [KPIT]
AE03C0 160627   ---  2014-11-14 16:52:43 KC-130R United States USN | VX-20 [KNHK]
AE03C0 160627   ---  2014-11-14 15:52:43 KC-130R United States USN | VX-20 [KNHK]
AE04E4 59-1469   E91469 2014-11-14 15:32:46 KC-135R United States AFRC | 459ARW | 756ARS [KADW]
152AD7 RA-76503   VDA6875 2014-11-14 15:31:22 Il76TD-90VD Russia Volga Dnepr Airlines 
00000A Various   ---  2014-11-14 15:23:42 Various Various --- 0000  29400   
AE04E4 59-1469   E91469 2014-11-14 15:12:08 KC-135R United States AFRC | 459ARW | 756ARS [KADW]
AE04DB 57-1437   BACKY77 2014-11-14 15:09:47 KC-135R United States AFRC | 916ARW | 77ARS [KGSB] 0000  40000   
AE0668 62-3523   KANZA96 2014-11-14 15:00:47 KC-135R United States USAF | 22ARW [KIAB] 0000  34000   
AE1173 02-1101   RCH850 2014-11-14 14:22:02 C-17A United States USAF | 437AW [KCHS]
ADFECB 84-0485   PAT185 2014-11-14 14:19:27 C-12T-3 United States KY ARNG | OSACOM DET-11 [KFFT]
AE12BB 69-5828   FLIP33 2014-11-14 13:51:09 MC-130P United States USAF | 1SOW | 9SOS [KHRT]
ADFDEE 93-1096   SKIER96 2014-11-14 00:30:47 LC-130H United States NY ANG | 105AW | 137AS [KSWF]
83AEFC 84-24378   ---  2014-11-14 00:28:48 C-12U United States USARC | C/2-228 AVN (TA) [KFBG]

Mode-S/ADS Milcom Intercepts 13 November 2014 - Btown NC

Here is another round of Mode-S/ADS-B intercepts and selected ATC call signs logged from here on the radio ranch in WNC. All dates/times are UTC.

AE0265 57-1436   SODA91 2014-11-13 23:57:18 KC-135R United States TN ANG | 134ARW | 151ARS [KTYS]
AE093A 00-1051   ---  2014-11-13 23:24:03 UC-35B United States USARC | B/2-228 AVN (TA) [KMGE]
AE11DD 76-1606   SNTRY61H 2014-11-13 22:29:56 E-3C United States USAF | 552ACW [KTIK]
AE0568 86-0011   ---  2014-11-13 22:04:10 C-5M United States USAF | 60AMW [KSUU]
AE0265 57-1436   SODA91 2014-11-13 21:19:37 KC-135R United States TN ANG | 134ARW | 151ARS [KTYS]
AE093D 01-0301   ---  2014-11-13 21:17:44 UC-35a1 United States US Army | OSACOM PATD [KADW]
ADFEA2 96-7322   SUMIT 22 2014-11-13 21:05:44 C-130H United States AFRC | 302AW | 731AS [KCOS]
ADFEA2 96-7322   SUMIT 22 2014-11-13 20:44:39 C-130H United States AFRC | 302AW | 731AS [KCOS]
AE49C8 09-9212   RCH685 2014-11-13 20:04:06 C-17A United States USAF | 437AW [KCHS] 0000  29000   
AE093D 01-0301   ---  2014-11-13 20:00:52 UC-35a1 United States US Army | OSACOM PATD [KADW]
AE1251 165835   CNV4362 2014-11-13 19:47:22 C-40A United States USNR | VR-57 [KNZY]
50801D UR-82009 ADB266F 2014-11-13 19:29:59 An-124-100 Ukraine Antonov Design Bureau
AE4CF7 2714   C2714 2014-11-13 18:58:57 C-27J United States CoastGuard
AE2935 78-23140   ---  2014-11-13 18:20:05 C-12 United States ---
AE0505 60-0366   TOPCAT6 2014-11-13 16:39:14 KC-135R United States NJ ANG | 108W | 141ARS [KWRI]
A8657E N640CS   DOJ420 2014-11-13 16:37:50 737-400 United States US DOJ ---  22975    
AE04AC 99-0103   ---  2014-11-13 16:36:52 UC-35a1 United States USARC | B/2-228 AVN (TA) [KMGE]
ADFE85 92-0550   BULL21 2014-11-13 16:09:23 C-130H United States USAF | 19AW [KLRF]
AE0505 60-0366   TOPCAT6 2014-11-13 16:06:38 KC-135R United States NJ ANG | 108W | 141ARS [KWRI]
ADFE85 92-0550   BULL21 2014-11-13 14:56:45 C-130H United States USAF | 19AW [KLRF]
AE2935 78-23140   ---  2014-11-13 14:50:48 C-12 United States ---
ADFE66 91-1235   DERBY 72 2014-11-13 14:40:25 C-130H United States KY ANG | 123AW | 165AS [KSDF]
AE49C8 09-9212   RCH685 2014-11-13 14:32:51 C-17A United States USAF | 437AW [KCHS] 0000  29000   
ADFECB 84-0485   PAT185 2014-11-13 13:21:06 C-12T-3 United States KY ARNG | OSACOM DET-11 [KFFT]
AE07D0 89-1192   ---  2014-11-13 04:35:44 C-17A United States USAF | 437AW [KCHS]
478114 5607   NOW335B 2014-11-13 01:47:15 C-130J-30 Norway 335skv
ADFDB9 93-1039   FELON 32 2014-11-13 01:00:39 C-130H United States AFRC | 94AW | 700AS [KMGE]
AE015F 58-0119   SODA91 2014-11-13 00:48:58 KC-135R United States TN ANG | 134ARW | 151ARS [KTYS]

Mode-S/ADS Milcom Intercepts 12 November 2014 - Btown NC

Here is another round of Mode-S/ADS-B intercepts and selected ATC call signs logged from here on the radio ranch in WNC. All dates/times are UTC.

AE29CF 08-6202   RAID93 2014-11-12 23:26:09 MC-130J United States USAF | 27SOW | 522SOS [KCVS]
AE10B5 01-0186   RCH634T 2014-11-12 23:25:02 C-17A United States USAF | 436AW | 3AS [KDOV]
AE4EC2 168757   LLVV817 2014-11-12 22:58:07 P-8A United States USN | VP-30 [KNIP] ---  33000    
AE4EBF 168441 ???   ---  2014-11-12 22:49:34 P-8A United States --- 
ADFEC9 84-0182   PAT576 2014-11-12 21:40:49 C-12U United States ARMY
ADFDB7 93-1037   CHIVE 37 2014-11-12 21:08:26 C-130H United States AFRC | 94AW | 700AS [KMGE]
AE08FC 84-24379   00000000 2014-11-12 20:16:30 C-12R United States USARC | A/2-228 AVN (TA) [KWRI ]
AE036F 98-0009   ---  2014-11-12 19:36:08 UC-35A United States USARMY |
ADFD76 91-0506   ---  2014-11-12 18:35:20 C-26E United States CO ARNG | OSACOM DET-33 [KBKF]
AE0679 00-0174   BOE74 2014-11-12 18:23:51 C-17A United States USAF | 3WG | 517AS [PAED]
AE4E9D 166180   ---  2014-11-12 18:05:45 T-6B United States ---
00000A Various   ---  2014-11-12 18:04:01 Various Various ---
AE041D 57-1486   JAKE11 2014-11-12 17:19:54 KC-135R United States MS ANG | 186ARW | 153ARS [KMEI] 0762  29000   
AE093A 00-1051   ---  2014-11-12 16:37:26 UC-35B United States USARC | B/2-228 AVN (TA) [KMGE] ---  --- 

Russia flexing military muscle with expanded bomber patrols around North America

 In this Aug. 7, 2008 file photo, Russia's strategic bomber Tu-160 or White Swan, the largest supersonic bomber in the world, seen at Engels Air Base near Saratov, about 700 kilometers (450 miles) southeast of Moscow, Russia. (AP Photo/Misha Japaridze)

Blog Editor's Note: With the start this week of Russia's new propaganda arm "Radio Sputnik" streaming on the Internet, which according to the station has replaced the Voice of Russia, the on-going conflict in Ukraine, provocative flights around Scandinavia by the Russian Long Range Air Force and now this below. Mikhail S. Gorbachev may be right that we are near or at the Cold War cranking up again (http://www.foxnews.com/world/2014/11/09/gorbachev-warns-new-cold-war-at-ceremony-marking-berlin-wall-fall/). Wonder when we will see Radio Sputnik show up in the shortwave broadcast bands? Time to keep an ear on the Russian Long Range Air Force freqs. More to follow on that on this blog.

From AP and CBS News press reports:

In a show of military muscle amid tensions with the West, Russia will send long-range strategic bombers on regular patrol missions across the globe, from the Arctic Ocean to the Gulf of Mexico,  Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said Wednesday.

The announcement by Shoigu came as NATO's Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg
accused Russia of sending fresh troops and tanks into eastern Ukraine.

Shoigu said Russian long-range bombers will conduct flights along Russian borders and over the Arctic Ocean. He said, "In the current situation we have to maintain military presence in the western Atlantic and eastern Pacific, as well as the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico."

Shoigu would not say how frequent the patrol missions would be or offer any other specifics, but he noted that the increasing pace and duration of flights would require stronger maintenance efforts and that relevant directives have been issued to industries.

He said the Russian air force's long-range planes also will conduct "reconnaissance missions to monitor foreign powers' military activities and maritime communications."
A senior U.S. military official said Russia has not previously flown actual bomber patrols over the Gulf of Mexico, including during the Cold War.

The bomber patrol flights have resumed under President Vladimir Putin's tenure, and they have become even more frequent in recent weeks, with NATO reporting a spike in Russian military flights over the Black, Baltic and North seas as well as the Atlantic Ocean.

Earlier this year, Shoigu said that Russia plans to expand its worldwide military presence by seeking permission for navy ships to use ports in Latin America, Asia and elsewhere for replenishing supplies and doing maintenance. He said the military was conducting talks with Algeria, Cyprus, Nicaragua, Venezuela, Cuba, Seychelles, Vietnam and Singapore.

Shoigu said Russia also is talking to some of those countries about allowing long-range bombers to use their air bases for refuelling .

Complete story at http://www.cbsnews.com/news/russia-flexing-military-muscle-with-expanded-bomber-patrols/

60 AMW KC-10 A/A Frequencies

For my west coast readers, Travis AFB 60 AMW KC-10A tankers have two VHF interplane (Air/Air) frequencies assigned to them. Keep an ear out for activity on
138.875 (primary) and 139.925 (secondary) MHz.

Russia's 'close military encounters' with Europe documented

Russian military flights into Europe have increased over the past year

The growing strains between Russia and the West prompted by the Ukraine crisis are now sending ripples of military tension across Europe.

NATO has responded to Russia's incursions into Ukraine by stepping up its ties with Kiev and bolstering air patrols and exercises with its eastern and central European members.

Russia in turn has decided to pursue a more active, many might say a more aggressive, military policy of its own, returning to the sorts of flights and activities from the Cold War years that were used to regularly test out NATO defenses.

The European Leadership Network, a London-based think tank, has produced a detailed study of this more assertive Russian activity.

Close encounters

Entitled Dangerous Brinkmanship: Close Military Encounters Between Russia and the West in 2014, it chronicles almost 40 specific incidents that have occurred during the past eight months.

It says these "add up to a highly disturbing picture of violations of national airspace, emergency scrambles, narrowly avoided mid-air collisions, close encounters at sea and other dangerous actions happening on a regular basis over a very wide geographical area".

Key incidents by date

You can read the entire story on the BBC website at
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-29956277

Russian TU-95MS Bear Net heard on new winter freq

Reporters on the UDXF newsgroup are reporting that the Russian TU-95MS Bear W CW Beacon / CW Net  have shifted operations to a winter frequency of 8112.0 kHz

According to Tom Hill the winter USB voice frequency for these Russian Air Force aircraft is 8131.0 kHz.

Mode-S/ADS Milcom Intercepts 8 November 2014 - Btown NC

Here is another round of Mode-S/ADS-B intercepts and selected ATC call signs logged from here on the radio ranch in WNC. All dates/times are UTC.

AE140A 05-3787   ---  2014-11-08 22:16:04 T-6A United States USAF | 14FTW | 41FTS [KCBM]
AE01ED 97-3021   ---  2014-11-08 22:11:07 T-6A United States USAF | 14FTW | 41FTS [KCBM]
AE0563 85-0006   ---  2014-11-08 21:49:48 C-5B United States AFRC | 439AW | 337AS [KCEF]
AE04D9 165831   CNV4642 2014-11-08 21:44:01 C-40A United States USNR | VR-59 [KNFW]
AE07D6 92-3292   RCH802 2014-11-08 18:23:54 C-17A United States USAF | 437AW [KCHS]
AE54CD 12-5760   ---  2014-11-08 18:16:55 MC-130J-30 United States USAFE | 352SOG | 67SOS [EGUN]
AE1238 03-3127   STORK41 2014-11-08 17:36:08 C-17A United States USAF | 62AW [KTCM]
AE54CD 12-5760   ---  2014-11-08 17:20:38 MC-130J-30 United States USAFE | 352SOG | 67SOS [EGUN]
AE1198 03-3115   RCH695 2014-11-08 16:46:10 C-17A United States MS ANG | 172AW | 183AS [KJAN]
AE08F9 84-24376   2316 2014-11-08 16:36:03 C-12R United States OSACOM/PAT
AE0419 164407   GOTO FMS 2014-11-08 15:38:40 E-6B United States USN | SCW-1 [KTIK] ---  21325    
AE08F9 84-24376   2316 2014-11-08 14:20:55 C-12R United States OSACOM/PAT
AE07E5 95-0102   RCH803 2014-11-08 07:20:26 C-17A United States USAF | 437AW [KCHS]

Mode-S/ADS Milcom Intercepts 7 November 2014 - Btown NC

Here is another round of Mode-S/ADS-B intercepts and selected ATC call signs logged from here on the radio ranch in WNC. All dates/times are UTC.

AE4E05 02   C102 2014-11-07 21:28:39 C-37A United States USCG | CGAS Washington [KDCA]
AE040A 165738   OTIS51 2014-11-07 20:56:41 KC-130J United States USMC | VMGR-252 [KNKT]
AE2F9B 168069   OTIS51 2014-11-07 20:56:37 KC-130J United States USMC | VMGR-252 [KNKT]
AE4BDD 10-5700 AEGIS69 2014-11-07 20:28:16 C-130J-30 United States USAF | 317AG [KDYS]
AE4E1C 11-5735   RAID91 2014-11-07 20:24:10 MC-130J United States USAF | 58SOW | 415SOS [KIKR]
AE4BDD 10-5700 AEGIS69 2014-11-07 20:06:49 C-130J-30 United States USAF | 317AG [KDYS]
AE4AFE 08-5693 AEGIS69 2014-11-07 20:06:48 C-130J-30 United States USAF | 317AG [KDYS]
AE29FE 166695   CNV4527 2014-11-07 19:51:42 C-40A United States USNR | VR-56 [KNTU]
AE07D6 92-3292   RCH802 2014-11-07 18:56:23 C-17A United States USAF | 437AW [KCHS]
AE05E7 88-4405   PACKR032 2014-11-07 18:52:08 C-130H United States AFRC | 440AW | 95AS [KPOB] 0000  21000   
AE10B8 01-0189   RCH266 2014-11-07 18:45:02 C-17A United States TN ANG | 164AW | 155AS [KMEM]
AE0368 63-8013   EDDIE99 2014-11-07 18:44:18 KC-135R United States NH ANG | 157ARW | 133ARS [KPSM]
AE0394 64-14832   SODA55 2014-11-07 18:41:10 KC-135R United States TN ANG | 134ARW | 151ARS [KTYS]
AE02F4 86-0411   PACKR63 2014-11-07 18:34:54 C-130H United States AFRC | 440AW | 95AS [KPOB]
AE111F 02-3643   ---  2014-11-07 18:31:06 T-6A United States USAF
00014A ------   ---  2014-11-07 18:23:05 ------ United States --- 0000  27000   
ADFE86 92-0551   ---  2014-11-07 18:18:43 C-130H United States AFRC | 94AW | 700AS [KMGE]
AE04F6 58-0069/84-0167   PAT0167 2014-11-07 18:00:43 KC-135T/C-12U United States USAF | 92ARW [KSKA]
AE0419 164407   GOTO FMS 2014-11-07 17:59:21 E-6B United States USN | SCW-1 [KTIK] 
AE035E 58-0077   STEEL64 2014-11-07 16:54:12 KC-135T United States PA ANG | 171ARW [KPIT]
AD9470 N974VV   ---  2014-11-07 16:51:54 KC-10 United States Omega Airways
249249 Various   GOTO FMS 2014-11-07 16:42:05 Various Various --- 
AE0252 97-1931   BATON20 2014-11-07 16:38:33 EC-130J United States PA ANG | 193SOW | 193SOS [KMDT]
AE035E 58-0077   STEEL64 2014-11-07 16:07:19 KC-135T United States PA ANG | 171ARW [KPIT]
AE148E 94-0284   PEACH99 2014-11-07 16:07:09 E-8C United States GA ANG | 116ACW [KWRB]
ADFD7B 91-0511   ---  2014-11-07 15:54:51 C-26D United States MA ARNG | OSACOM DET-12 [KFMH]
AE04AC 99-0103   ---  2014-11-07 15:47:14 UC-35a1 United States USARC | B/2-228 AVN (TA) [KMGE]
AE0238 58-0074   ---  2014-11-07 15:40:50 KC-135T United States PA ANG | 171ARW [KPIT] 0000  35000   
AE0101 67-14842   ---  2014-11-07 15:39:24 T-38C United States 88thFTS
AE07D3 90-0534   RCH820 2014-11-07 15:38:29 C-17A United States USAF | 437AW [KCHS]
AE04D8 165830   CNV4903 2014-11-07 15:32:18 C-40A United States USNR | VR-59 [KNFW]
AE015F 58-0119   SODA66 2014-11-07 15:24:19 KC-135R United States TN ANG | 134ARW | 151ARS [KTYS]
ADFE78 92-1453   TUPAC53 2014-11-07 15:10:18 C-130H United States NC ANG | 145AW | 156AS [KCLT]
AE05E7 88-4405   PACKR032 2014-11-07 15:01:17 C-130H United States AFRC | 440AW | 95AS [KPOB] 0000  21000   
AE0372 60-0367   EDDIE91 2014-11-07 15:00:07 KC-135R United States OH ANG | 121ARW [KLCK]
AE04DE 57-2597   SODA65 2014-11-07 14:42:13 KC-135R United States TN ANG | 134ARW | 151ARS [KTYS]
AE4EBF 168441 ???   VVLL815 2014-11-07 14:41:41 P-8A United States --- ---  19050  
AE1172 02-1100   RCH467 2014-11-07 14:28:25 C-17A United States TN ANG | 164AW | 155AS [KMEM]
AE04DE 57-2597   SODA65 2014-11-07 14:20:49 KC-135R United States TN ANG | 134ARW | 151ARS [KTYS]
AE066F 62-3580   E23580 2014-11-07 13:55:59 KC-135R United States AFRC | 916ARW | 77ARS [KGSB]
00014A ------   ---  2014-11-07 13:50:15 ------ United States --- 0000  27000   
AE07F4 97-0042   RCH398 2014-11-07 00:43:15 C-17A United States USAF | 62AW [KTCM]