For those of you looking for my annual air show guide, you will find it on The Spectrum Monitor website. That article is published annually in March and the latest edition will be on the TSM website.
TSM Milcom Column Index
2017
● September 2017 21st Century
Military Monitoring – This Isn’t Your Daddy’s Milcom Anymore: Tools for
Monitoring the Military Today, Milcom Monitoring Hardware, VHF/UHF Milcom Frequency
Coverage, What VHF/UHF Scanner Should You Use for Milcom
Monitoring, Land Mobile Radio Scanning
● October 2017 What equipment do you need to monitor the
HF Mil Comms?: Receiving Hardware, What’s for
sale in the marketplace, The Used Receiver Market, The Digital Revolution,
Milcom Monitoring Tip of the Month: Don’t be afraid to throw away old frequencies
● November 2017 Who’s Who in the Milcom Radio
Spectrum – Monitoring the Aero OR Military Spectrum:
HF Frequencies - US Air Force (and HFGCS), US Marine Corps, US Navy, US
Coast Guard, NASA, Algeria Military, Argentina AR, Belgium AF, Brazil
AF, Canadian Forces Military Aeronautical Communications System (MACS), Chinese
Military People's Liberation AR/AF/ Air Defense Network, Colombia
Navy, Czech Republic AF, Denmark AF, French AF/Navy, German AF/Navy,
Iraqi AR/Navy, Israeli AF/Navy, Italian AF/Navy, Japanese Self Defense
Force, Malaysian AF, Mexican Navy, Moroccan Gendarmerie, NATO, Netherland
Navy, Norwegian Navy, Oman AF, Poland AF, Portuguese AF, Royal New Zealand
AF, Romanian Military, Russian AF/Military, Saudi Arabia Air Defense,
Spanish AF. Swiss Military, Taiwan Navy, Ukraine AF, United Kingdom Defense
HF Communications Service (DHFCS) Terrestrial Air-Sea Communications
(TASCOMM), Venezuela Navy, Milcom Monitoring Tip of the Month-HF
Antennas
● December 2017 Who’s Who in the Milcom Radio
Spectrum – 30-88 MHz VHF Low Band The Forgotten Military Band:
What Causes Low Band Skip Propagation, Who’s-Who in the 30-88
MHz Spectrum, 30-88 MHz Sub-bands, 30-88
MHz Discrete Frequencies, Milcom Monitoring Tip of the
Month: VHF Search Spacing
2018
● January 2018 Who’s Who in the Milcom Radio Spectrum – Monitoring DoD’s VHF High Band – 38-150 MHz – The Hidden Military Aircraft Band, Congress Mandates Narrow Banding, DoD Aero 138-144/148-150.8 MHz Sub-bands, Milcom Monitoring Tip of the Month: Line of sight mil monitoring
● February 2018 Who’s Who in the Milcom Radio Spectrum – First Look at the New 225-400 MHz UHF Milcom Band: 225-400 MHz Sampler Frequency List, Milcom Monitoring Tip of the Month: Monitoring Times Milcom e-Books
● March 2018 Military Aerial Refueling – Extending the Reach: The Pegasus is now taking flight, The Coronet Mission, Refueling Call Signs, Continental United States (CONUS) Random AR Frequencies, DoD Established AR Frequencies, DoD Unit Tanker Call Signs, Milcom Monitoring Tip of the Month: HF Refuel Frequency 6761 kHz
● April 2018 225-400 MHz Military Aircraft Band Overview: A Broad Look at the UHF MilAir Spectrum, 225-380 MHz Spectrum Overview, AR Frequency Update, Milcom Monitoring Tip of the Month: Program Air Demo Team Frequencies in Scanner
● May 2018 FAA Frequency Updates, Military Base Profile – Edwards AFB (KEDW), FAA Frequency Update, Milcom Monitoring Tip of the Month: EAMs
● June 2018 Monitor the 380-399.9 MHz Radio Spectrum; DoD Trunk Radio Systems; Nationwide Inter Squad Radio (ISR) simplex frequencies; Wideband frequency assignments. Milcom Monitoring Tip of the Month: UHF EAM frequencies.
● July 2018 Monitoring Military Hurricane Communications
● August 2018 Military UHF Air Traffic Control Frequencies; Milcom Monitoring Tip of the Month: Program 121.5 and 243.0 MHz in your scanner.
● September 2018 Monitoring the Veterans of the Cold War (Air Force B-52s): Base Profiles - Barksdale AFB, Minot AFB; FAA Frequency Updates, Milcom Monitoring Tip of the Month: 380-400 MHz recognizing aviation and LMR frequency assignments.
● June 2018 Monitor the 380-399.9 MHz Radio Spectrum; DoD Trunk Radio Systems; Nationwide Inter Squad Radio (ISR) simplex frequencies; Wideband frequency assignments. Milcom Monitoring Tip of the Month: UHF EAM frequencies.
● July 2018 Monitoring Military Hurricane Communications
● August 2018 Military UHF Air Traffic Control Frequencies; Milcom Monitoring Tip of the Month: Program 121.5 and 243.0 MHz in your scanner.
● September 2018 Monitoring the Veterans of the Cold War (Air Force B-52s): Base Profiles - Barksdale AFB, Minot AFB; FAA Frequency Updates, Milcom Monitoring Tip of the Month: 380-400 MHz recognizing aviation and LMR frequency assignments.
● October 2018 Monitoring the U.S. Coast and the COTHEN HF Radio Network, Milcom Monitoring Tip of the Month: Keep a close watch on 255.400 MHz.
● November 2018 FAA Terminal Radar Approach Control Facilities. Nationwide AR+TCT/Tracon frequency List; Milcom Monitoring Tip of the Month: Program VHF and UHF frequencies
● December 2018 Monitoring Santa Claus, NORAD, and Combat Air Patrols, FAA TRACON Facilities/Frequencies, Milcom Monitoring Tip of the Month: Keep the VHF/UHF emergency, calling freq programmed in your scanner.
All of the articles above are available in The Milcom Files: The Spectrum Monitor (Volume 1 2017-2018) e-Book at Amazon for US$4.99 at https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07RN1ZGLJ
2019
● January 2019 Monitors Guide (Frequencies and Call Signs) to NAS Whiting Field, Florida, and Training Wing Five. Coast Guard, DHS S&T Venture into Space with Polar Scout Launch, Milcom Monitoring Tip of the Month: Proper programming of military air frequencies. Do not share military air with public safety or civilian air frequencies in one scanner.
● February 2019 Aircraft Spotting in the Digital Age, The Virtual Radar Screen is Listening Magic, Monitoring DoD ADS-B Traffic, Monitoring ADS-B Equipped Aircraft Online, What do you need to monitor ADS-B? Milcom Monitoring Tip of the Month: 380-400 MHz LMR Trunk System
● March 2019 Monitoring the Venezuela Military, Monitoring the 180 Fighter Wing, Milcom Monitoring Tip of the Month: 138-150.6 MHz Monitor Tips
● April 2019 Monitoring the Pakistan-India Navies (HF/VHF/UHF/Satellites), Milcom Monitoring Tip of the Month: Using Online SDRs to monitor crises' and overcome poor props.
● May 2019 Monitoring the 14th Fighter Training Wing: Base Profile Columbus AFB, Mississippi, Military Call Sign List, Milcom Monitoring Tip of the Month: Using two scanners for VHF/UHF aero monitoring.
● June 2019 WWV/WWVH has a provisional broadcast timeslot for DoD, Monitoring Government/Military Aircraft in the VHF Aircraft Band, Finding the Air Show Airboss frequency, The Digital Modes on VHF Air, The Civilian VHF Air Band Plan, The Special Use Frequencies – Now a Mystery, Milcom Monitoring Tip of the Month: 22ARW AR Discretes.
● July 2019 Monitoring the Air Route Traffic Control Centers, How does an ARTCC work? Special Use Airspace, Atlanta ARTCC Sectors/Frequencies, The Special Use Frequencies – An Update, Milcom Monitoring Tip of the Month: Be sure to monitor the ARTCC RCAG BUECs.
● August 2019 New way to monitor the military on January 1, 2020, Why is the FAA moving the ADS-B? So, what does that mean for the Milcom monitor? ADS-B News, USAF Research Labs HF ALE Systems, High-Flyer Freqs Still in Use, Milcom Monitoring Tip of the Month: EAMs
● September 2019 Phantoms in the Desert, Nevada Test Training Range, Nellis AFB, Red Flag, Green Flag-West, USAF Weapons School, and other Nellis-based units, Creech AFB, Tonopah Test Range, Area 51, Phantoms of the Desert Frequency List, Milcom Monitoring Tip of the Month: Frequencies/Usages vs UHF assignments.
● October 2019 Monitoring the Weather, the Old Fashion Way, What is Facsimile? Automatic Picture Transmission (APT) format, What do you need to receive? When and where to hear Coast Guard fax broadcast, Monitoring MCAS Cherry Point, North Carolina, Milcom Monitoring Tip of the Month: Monitoring Fax transmissions for “free.”
● November 2019 DoD Aerial refueling Frequencies, Rules for Tanking, Aerial Refueling Terminology, Tracks, and Anchor Frequencies, Establish Tracks, Random Aerial Refueling Frequencies: Continental, Alaska, Atlantic, Canada, and the Caribbean, Milcom Monitoring Tip of the Month: Programming AR Frequencies.
● December 2019 Monitoring
the DoD High-Frequency Global Communications System, Primary Frequencies and Stations, The Three HFGCS ALE Networks: Scope Command, NIPTNet, and SIPRNet, USAF MARS HF Phone Patch Net, Milcom Monitoring Tip of the Month: EAM Broadcast Periods.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B084GT5J7C
2020
● January 2020 A Military Radio Network Full of Secret Messages, What is an EAM, Foxtrot Messages, Monitoring the Military Bases in the United Kingdom: RAF Barkston Heath (EGYE), RAF Benson (EGUB), RAF Brize Norton (EGVN), RAF Coningsby (EGXC), RAF Cosford (EGWC), RAF Cranwell (EGYD), RAF Kinloss (EGQK), RAF Leeming (EGXE), RAF Leuchars (EGQL), RAF Linton On-Ouse (EGXU), RAF Lossiemouth (EGQS), RAF Marham (EGYM), RAF Northolt (EGWU), RAF Odiham (EGVO), RAF Scampton (EGXP), RAF Shawbury (EGOS), RAF Syerston (EGXY), RAF Tern Hill (EGOE), RAF Topcliffe (EGXZ), RAF Valley (EGOV), RAF Waddington (EGXW), RAF Warton (EGNO), RAF Wattisham (EGUW), RAF Wittering (EGXT), RAF Woodvale (EGOW), Milcom Monitoring Tip of the Month: EAM Broadcast Periods
● February 2020 Monitoring the Australian Wildfires, Australian
Modernized High-Frequency Communications System (MHFCS), MHFCS ALE Network, RAAF/RAN Aircraft, Digital MHFCS
Networks, Additional
Registered MHFCS Frequencies, RNZAF AOCCAK, PNGDF General
Purpose Network, Milcom Monitoring Tip of the Month: NATO UHF Presets.
● March 2020 Milcom HF Aeronautical Mobile Band Scans, The other aeronautical mobile bands, 11
MHz 'OR' Aeronautical Sub-Band Band Scan: 11175-111275 kHz), March Air
Show Site Frequency Profiles, Milcom Monitoring Tip of the Month: Bring two aero scanners to the airshow.
● April 2020 Monitoring Moody AFB, Avon
Park Air Force Range 23rd Wing, 347 RQG Channelization, 23 FG/81FS
Channelization, Moody
Land Mobile Radio Frequencies, April Air
Show Site Frequency Profiles, Milcom Monitoring Tip of the Month: Program the FAA FSS UHF frequency.
● May 2020 HF
Aeronautical Mobile 3-MHz Band Scans (3023-3155/3900-3950 kHz), May Air
Show Site Frequency Profiles, Milcom Monitoring Tip of the Month: HFDL
● June 2020 Monitoring
the Navy P-8A Maritime Surveillance Aircraft, The
P-8 Features, Tactical
ADS-B Hex Codes, P-8 Poseidon
Specifications, U.S.
Navy Fixed Wing ASW Units: CPRW-10
NAS Whidbey Island, Washington (KNUW), CPRW-11
NAS Jacksonville, Florida (KNIP), NAS Whidbey Island Frequencies, NAS Jacksonville Frequencies, U.S. Navy P-8 Fleet, June Air
Show Site Frequency Profiles, Milcom Monitoring Tip of the Month: Airshow Flight Demo Aerial refueling Frequency.
● July 2020 Monitoring
the 380-400 MHz LMR Subband in the United States, HF
Aeronautical Mobile 4/5-MHz Band Scans: 4700-4745/5680-5726 kHz, July Air Show Site Frequency Profiles, Milcom Monitoring Tip of the Month: 225-400 Channel Spacing
● August 2020 Monitoring the 380-400 MHz LMR Subband in the United States, LMR
Trunked Radio Systems, DoD Trunked Radio Repeater
Outputs/Inputs, DoD
ISR Frequencies, and Channels, HF
Aeronautical Mobile 6-MHz Band Scan: 6685-6760 kHz, August Air Show Updates
● September 2020 Military Monitoring 101, HF
Frequency Ranges (non-broadcast/amateur radio), VHF/UHF
Military Frequency Ranges, You
need to learn to listen! Monitoring
Milcom Involves Multi-Faceted Platforms, September Air Show Updates, Milcom Monitoring Tip of the Month: Tracking Aircraft Callsigns.
● October 2020 Facts on the FACSFAC, FACSFAC Jacksonville, Florida (NFF), FACSFAC
VACAPES, NAS Oceana, Virginia (NVF), FACSFAC San Diego, California (NSD), FACSFAC
Detachment Pearl Harbor, Hawaii (PHJG/NJG), September Air Show Updates, Milcom Monitoring Tip of the Month: Two must program UHF frequencies for coastal areas.
● November 2020 HF Aeronautical Mobile 8/9-MHz and 13 MHz Band Scans, 2020 Air Show Updates, Milcom Monitoring Tip of the Month: SDRs and military monitoring.
● December 2020 Milcom's Guide to Radio's Basement Bands, Communicating with the Modern Submarine, Communicating via ELF/VLF frequencies, VLF/LF Comm Systems, ELF Comm Systems, Take Charge and Move Out, USAF E-4B Doomsday Fleet, Milcom Monitoring Tip of the Month: Longwave Radio Feature in the Teak Publishing Winter 2020-2021 Global Radio Guide. Frequency Table: Worldwide VLF/LF Naval Facilities (non-US).
All of the articles above are available in The Milcom Files: The Spectrum Monitor (Volume 3 2020) e-Book at Amazon for US$4.99 at
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08VF5PMTD
2021
● January 2021 The World of Strange Military Stations, The Buzzer (Engima S28), The Pip (Enigma S30), Squeaky Wheel (Enigma S32), The Pip/Squeaky Wheel Connection, The Single Letter CW Beacons (Enigma MX), The Clusters, The Solitaries, A Non-Russian Mystery Solved (Japanese Slot Machine, Enigma XSL) VLF Military Update, Milcom Monitoring Tip of the Month: Using Online SDRs to beat bad prop paths.
● February 2021 The World of Military Call Signs, Getting started in Call Signs, Milcom Monitoring Tip of the Month: Teak Publishing International Call Sign Handbook, 5th Edition. Tables: DoD Military Aircraft Identifications, Miscellaneous Federal Agencies/Civilian Groups,
● March 2021 Monitoring the Coast Guard's 911 Network, Rescue 21 System Features, Milcom Monitoring Tip of the Month: The USCG and 166.4625 MHz. Tables: Rescue 21 VHF DSC MMSI Numbers, Rescue 21 Sectors Frequency List, Rescue 21 Web Resources List.
● April 2021 Monitoring UHF Military Satellites, UHF Milsat History, Current UHF Satellite Programs, And then there is MUOS, Arctic and Antarctica Capabilities, Milcom Monitoring Tip of the Month: Milsat Frequencies: https://tinyurl.com/jr5amkyk
and other Milsat Web Resources, Table: MUOS Launches, Tribute to Mr. Phillip S. Clark.
● May 2021 U.S. Department of Defense Satellite Networks, UHF Legacy Satellite Systems, Key to Channel Numbers, Table: UHF Milsat Frequencies/Band Plans by DoD Channel, Milcom Monitoring Tip of the Month: Military UHF satellite spectrum holes.
● June 2021 Military Land Mobile Radio Systems - A Primer, What is trunked radio technology? Narrow banding changed everything, VHF Low Bands (30-50 MHz), VHF High Band - Military (138-151 MHz minus 2m), VHF High Band - Federal (162-174 MHz), UHF DoD LMR Subband (380400 MHz), UHF Government Band (406.1-420 MHz), Milcom Monitoring Tip of the Month: Use the scanner search button to get started.
● July 2021 Monitoring Cutters of the U.S. Coast Guard, COTHEN, Maritime Mobile Service, Milcom Monitoring Tip of the Month: UHF Milair CG frequencies, Tables: Maritime Mobile Service in the 1.7-30 MHz Bands, Frequencies Monitored by USCG for Distress and Safety Communications, USCG Shore Station Call Signs/MMSI Codes, USCG Cutter Call Signs/MMSI Codes.
● August 2021 Monitoring MARS, Some MARS History, The MARS Mission, Armed Forces Day Crossband Test, Army/Air Force MARS frequencies, Milcom Monitoring Tip of the Month: MARS Call Signs, Table: Army/Air Force MARS Crossband Test By Frequency List, MARS Crossband Stations/Locations.
● September 2021 The NTIA GMF is Public Again - Sort of! The Government Giveth, The Government Taketh Away, Welcome to governmentattic.org, Using the NTIA GMF, So what have I found so far? US Air Force MARS HF frequencies, US Army MARS HF frequencies, SHARES LW/HF frequencies, Milcom Monitoring Tip of the Month: 139.600 MHz.
● October 2021 More Government Master File Diving, LMR 30-88 MHz, Milcom Monitoring Tip of the Month: US Mil "Taboo" frequencies.
● November 2021 Prowling the DoD VHF Hi-band Frequencies, Milcom Monitoring Tip of the Month: Search setup for DoD VHF Hi-Band frequencies, Table: 138-141 MHz.
● December 2021 Milcom Base Profile - Little Rock AFB Arkansas, More Prowling of the DoD VHF High-Band Frequencies, Milcom Monitoring Tip of the Month: Interesting VHF High Band frequencies to monitor.
All of the articles above are available in The Milcom Files: The Spectrum Monitor (Volume 4 2021) e-Book at Amazon for US$4.99 at
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09SNY6W8S
2022
● January 2022 Mystery Russian HF Military Stations - Part Deux; The Pip (Engima S30): Squeaky Wheel (Enigma S32); The Buzzer (Enigma S32); The Ukrainian-Russian 40-meter Ham Band War; Three New Mystery Russian Military Stations: The Air Horn, The Goose, The Alarm; Internet Resource Guide; DoD VHF High Band Air Ops Assignments; Milcom Monitoring Tip of the Month: Internet Online SDR Networks.
● February 2022 Monitoring NATO Stanag 4285 digital transmissions; Milcom Base Profile - Altus AFB Oklahoma; Call Signs/Hex Codes; Milcom Monitoring Tip of the Month:
Nationwide AMC UHF Common
● March 2022 Monitoring Russia's Long-Range Aviation HF Nets, Phantoms in the Desert - Update, Call Signs/Hex Codes, Milcom Monitoring Tip of the Month: VHF Nationwide Air Defense frequency.
● April 2022 Military Base Profile: Andersen AFB, Guam; April Air Show Site Frequency Profiles; Call Signs and Hex Codes; A Mystery Hex Code; Milcom Monitoring Tip of the Month: NATO UHF Presets
● May 2022 FAA Frequency Updates: Boston/Jacksonville ARTCC; Additional Aviation Frequency Updates (FAA Updates); May Air Show Site Frequency Profiles; Milcom Monitoring Tip of the Month: US Army MARS QRP Exercise Frequencies
● June 2022 A Sky Full of E-6Bs; The Russian-Ukrainian War; Monitoring the Milcom Universe Today; June Air Show Site Frequency Profiles; Call Signs and Hex Codes; Milcom Monitoring Tip of the Month: Blue Angel aerial refueling frequency and Global Radio Guide release.
● July 2022 E-4B Aircraft Serve as National Airborne Operations Center (NAOC); Worldwide Communications Capabilities (Frequencies); E-4B Call Signs; The Future; July Air Show Site Frequency Profiles; Milcom Monitoring Tip of the Month: An interesting call sign - Ruff ##
● August 2022 Fill'er Up and Don't Forget the Green Stamps (US Aerial Refueling Freqs, Routes, and Anchors); Aerial refueling Terminology; CONUS Established Tracks and Anchors: Atlantic AR Established Routes; Canada AR Established Tracks; Puerto Rico AR Established Tracks; CONUS AR Established Anchors; Alaska AR Established Anchors; VFR Helicopter AR Tracks; August Air Show Site Frequency Profiles; Milcom Monitoring Tip of the Month: An HF aerial refueling frequency.
● September 2022 The U.S. Navy's Area 51; Autec/Area Frequencies; Call Signs; Other Regional Aero/Marine Frequencies; ARTCC; Nassau Marine Frequencies; DoD Aerial Refueling Part Deux; Established Aerial
Refueling Tracks/Anchors by Frequency List; Random Aerial Refueling
Frequencies; Continental United
States (CONUS), Alaska, Atlantic, Canadian, Caribbean, Aerial Refueling Random
Track By Frequency Lists; DoD Unit Tanker Call Signs: September Air Show Site Frequency Profiles; Milcom Monitoring Tip of the Month: 123.450 MHz
● October 2022 U.S. Air Force Base Tour: Barksdale AFB, LA, Beale AFB, CA, Moody AFB, GA; October Air Show Site Frequency Profiles; Milcom Monitoring Tip of the Month: Nationwide UHF Milcom frequency tip
● November 2022 Monitoring the U.S. Coast Guard Aviation Fleet; November Air Show Site Frequency Profiles; Milcom Monitoring Tip of the Month: Best place in the spectrum to monitor the USCG aircraft.
● December 2022 U.S. Air Force Base Tour: Robins AFB, GA, Minot AFB, North Dakota; Luke AFB, AZ; Barry Goldwater M. Goldwater Range (BMGR); Milcom Monitoring Tip of the Month: Minot HF frequencies worth monitoring.
All of the articles above are available in The Milcom Files: The Spectrum Monitor (Volume 4 2021) e-Book at Amazon for US$4.99 at
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BSB39NFV/
2023
● January 2022 From the Darkness: A Sky Full of Military Call Signs; ADSB - The game
changer in the Milcom world; The FAA See and Be
Seen Rule; Call Signs/Hex Codes, Milcom Monitoring Tip of the Month: The Bell V-280 Valor hex codes.
February 2022 HF Aero SELCAL 32 Implementation Delayed; The U.S. entering the OTHR race; Hunter AAF Low Band Frequencies, Utah National Guard on HF, Seymour Johnson AFB, NC Base Profile: 4th Fighter Wing, 916th Air Refueling Wing, Milcom Monitoring Tip of the Month: Some common nationwide UHF military air frequencies.
