EchoCharlie Sends: The military renaissance in high frequency communications

Echo Charlie sent the following in regarding the re-emphasis on HF in special missions roles for Beyond Line Of Sight (BLOS) communications. In the past 20 years at least, TacSat has replaced HF for long range communications needs. While we trained on the Harris PRC-150 and even carried them to Afghanistan, TacSat was the go-to. But facing a near-peer conflict it must be recognized that the Chinese first option is taking out that satellite constellation. And with that said, the substantial train up time and continuous training that goes into HF not only becomes justified, but a means of survival.

Its no different for the potential guerrilla leader’s communications section. HF is a must-have tool for off-grid networking of groups across an entire theater of operations. Come get some training on it. -NCS


Originally posted at Falken World.

LONDON — Special operations commands across Europe are ramping up their capabilities with high-frequency communications to ensure connectivity on the battlefield. Leaders there are turning to high frequency communications as a way to optimize properties that provide a low probability of interception and detection.

Special forces in France, Germany, Poland and Ukraine continue to receive high-frequency, or HF, systems as a way to diversify communications plans, industry sources confirmed to C4ISRNET.

Some special operations organizations have selected L3Harris’ AN/PRC-160(V), industry sources said.

Enhancements in HF come at a time when NATO members and partner forces are suffering from a disruption of satellite communications, particularly along the alliance’s eastern flank where Russian armed forces continue to conduct electronic warfare.

In an online presentation to the Association of Old Crows on Aug. 6, Paul Denisowski, product management engineer at Rohde and Schwarz North America, described how communications satellites are vulnerable to antisatellite systems as well as ground-, air- and space-based “kill vehicles.”

“China, Russia and the U.S. have all carried out ASAT tests and many other countries are developing ASAT capabilities,” Denisowski said, using an acronym for anti-satellite. To boost resilience, some commands are turning to high-frequency communications.

During the presentations “Lost Art of HF” and the “Rebirth of Shortwave in a Digital World,” Denisowski explained that HF is making a comeback in local and global communications. This renaissance comes as the result of improvements in a range of fields, including antenna design, digital modulation schemes and improved understanding of propagation.

The market is also helped by reductions in size, weight and power requirements as well as the introduction of wideband data, enhanced encryption algorithms and interoperability with legacy HF sets, he said.

“This means end users are now benefiting from easier-to-use and cheaper solutions featuring improved data performance, audio quality, availability and operation. And because of a lack of infrastructure, HF is less expensive and relatively robust, although solar events may temporarily disrupt HF communications,” he said. Specific upgrades include “Adaptive HF,” which comprises automatic selection of frequency and the establishment of communication through automatic link establishment, or ALE, technology.

The latest technology of its type — 4G ALE — is capable of supporting wideband HF communications, or WBHF for short, providing end users with the ability to “negotiate bandwidth, modulation type, error correction and the number of sub-carriers,” Denisowski explained.

“ALE selects frequencies using link quality analysis, which allows it to listen and determine if a channel is in use and adapt if conditions change,” he said.

He added that HF can now support data rates up to 240 kilobytes per second on a 48-kilohertz channel, particularly useful for more robust communications in hostile environments.

“WBHF has already [been] used in military trials. It’s a technology which is most definitely here and now,” Denisowski said.

Similar sentiments from Europe were expressed to C4ISRNET, where armed forces continue to integrate HF technologies into existing and future communications plans. Examples include Germany’s Ministry of Defence, which is deciding whether to include an HF requirement as part of its wider Digital Land Based Operations communications program.

According to a report by JK Defence and Security, a partner of L3Harris Technologies in Germany, HF communications comprise a viable alternative to satellite communications tech available to European NATO partners.

The report explained how the U.S. Army and European NATO partners explored such scenarios during a series of joint exercises in 2019 and 2020. “A new need arrives for alternative communication skills, justified through the increasing vulnerability from SATCOM jamming as well as the potential failure of SATCOM as a result of attacks on spacecraft or through the use of anti-satellite surface-to-air missiles,” the report’s author, Jan Pätzold, told C4ISRNET. “The development of alternative skills is important to reduce dependence on SATCOM.”

According to Pätzold, so-called Skywave HF, which bounces signals off the ionosphere, enables beyond line-of-sight communications across “thousands of kilometers” without requirements. HF communications is also ideally suited to supporting local network coverage. “This offers advantages over SATCOM in urban areas, but also in mountainous areas or far north latitudes where no line of sight to existing satellites is possible,” Pätzold said

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About the Author: NC Scout

NC Scout is the nom de guerre of a former Infantry Scout and Sergeant in one of the Army’s best Reconnaissance Units. He has combat tours in both Iraq and Afghanistan. He teaches a series of courses focusing on small unit skills rarely if ever taught anywhere else in the prepping and survival field, including his RTO Course which focuses on small unit communications. In his free time he is an avid hunter, bushcrafter, writer, long range shooter, prepper, amateur radio operator and Libertarian activist. He can be contacted at [email protected] or via his blog at brushbeater.wordpress.com .

12 Comments

  1. MT in NM September 30, 2020 at 08:01
    • NC Scout September 30, 2020 at 08:27

      It came from the link I posted up top.

  2. Suburban Survivor September 30, 2020 at 09:46

    All good stuff…So, for those non amateur radio operators, or newly licensed operators, what would be the breakdown for entry level, “easy,” to use and functional kit for basic HF comms?

    What baseline kit would be needed?

    I feel good with my Yaseu FT 817m LDG auto tuner, random long wire set ups or dipoles running off battery pack or solar panel..

    What about these newer, smaller HF rigs that you’ve written about?

    Might there be a tactical HF 101 class in the future at the G-Camp?

    • NC Scout September 30, 2020 at 09:51

      I’m running that CTX-10 still. The 817 is a struggle during the solar minimum.

      We cover HF in class, but I wouldn’t do an entire weekend of it because I have zero control over the solar conditions.

      • Suburban Survivor September 30, 2020 at 10:12

        Am i to understand that the CTX-10 does not suffer the same issues as the 817 w solar issues or is this just a general statement of what you are running and it too, has issues w solar?

        btw…i think a class would be good, just for those reasons, if its easy, then everyone would be doing it…We could still go over, HF concepts, antennas, NVIS, various bands for the conditions and such…The real world stuff one would run into.

        I would gladly pay to have an entire weekend on learning HF….Would solar seriously impact short range tac comms for basic training purposes?

        I know it might/would impact longer range regional/long range stuff…

        Just a cherry asking to make sure i am tracking correctly…

        • NC Scout September 30, 2020 at 10:30

          It pushes 10 watts, double what the 817 does.

          And if I schedule a weekend of HF class, that takes time off the already packed schedule for more productive courses. I already talk about all those things in class. As I said, I have zero control over band conditions and most of learning comes from hands on. If I can’t show the students the results, they lose interest.

    • Homer October 2, 2020 at 02:21

      If your main goal is local blos and regional comms I would suggest you consider digital modes on the 80m band with a wire antenna in nvis configuration. Using modes such as Contestia, Olivia and Thor in fldigi I have never not been able to complete a contact. Olivia and Thor is especially useful for low power qrp comms.
      Hth, Homer

  3. Johnny Paratrooper September 30, 2020 at 09:53

    I need to build a man pack, and take my Technical.
    Also, I thought my kit would weight about 40 pounds.
    Looks like the ole’ Roman 60-80 pounds is the standard still…

    I wonder how our friends in Armenia are doing.

    • Suburban Survivor September 30, 2020 at 16:21

      @JP et al; Go here to take online exams: https://www.eham.net/exams take whatever test, i suggest General, if you pass it you get Tech privileges too and can learn/use HF..

      Find local Amateur Radio club, figure out schedule for exams, then a week, 5-7 days prior to test, take whatever online test you are going for, 4x in a row in the am, and 4x in a row in the pm, everyday prior to test, it is pass or fail, period.

      This is pure, rote, memorization, that’s it, not to be amateur radio rock star,
      that comes later with the dits and dahs groupies too.. :-)

      By the end of the week, prior to test, do it again, you should be getting passing grades.

      Go to test, pay for test, take test, and pass.

      The goal, imho, is to pass the test, get licensed, then you will actually learn as you use and figure out your kit, etc.

      The the real edumecation begins, when you can legally use your kit prior to an event, when the stress is gonna be high, and you will NOT automagically know how to do this shit unless you have been doing this shit, and getting training from NCS if possible, ask me how I know…

      Also, you will get the benefit of other operators, most of time, who will help flatten the learning curve for you to get up to speed, functional, sooner than later…If we can help to NOT make the mistakes we have, and Lord knows I’ve made some, then that’s part of my mission at least…

      I can assist with covert suburban comms, as that is my requirement….Lots of trial and error to finally get it the way i need it.

      Then you buy whatever kit you believe you need, from basic vhf/uhf kit to hf kit….

      ps…obtain an fcc gmrs license NOW, 80.00, one covers the entire family, then you can use the gmrs repeaters and higher wattage rigs that allow better antennas and such.

      https://www.fcc.gov/general-mobile-radio-service-gmrs

      Good luck…

      • Quietus September 30, 2020 at 21:46

        On getting licensed: if you go into the testing room without the expectation of coming out with your General ticket, you’re wrong and you’ve wasted much time. Inertia being what it is, you’ll not get that time back.

        The knowledge overlap between Tech and General is about 40% IMO. I’ve been told that the overlap is higher. Study a bit harder if studying is your thing. Cram the online tests harder and at the General level, if cramming is your thing.

        Going out on a limb here: I’d bet that few seasoned HAMs would ever say that they learned much while studying for the tests. They would probably say that they started learning as they got their rigs set up and started listening on the air. So don’t study, just cram. Pass two tests in one short session for the price of one. Then learn at your leisure, knowing that the remaining time for learning is short.

        This “knowledge overlap” concept applies only between the Tech and General testing, but it’s good enough to get you much greater FCC operating privileges, plus getting both tickets in one day is a time saver. After passing both, you will of course be offered an opportunity to take the Extra test for free. Trust me, the Extra test will knock the wind out of a crammer’s sails.

        No big deal. Cramming was good enough for me ten years ago. It is arguable that cramming now and learning later, is a better idea now in these times. Time for the learning, is currently short IMO.

  4. LKS September 30, 2020 at 10:43

    I noticed that both the Marines and Army have started pushing Ham radio classes at their signal schools. While not “official” training, it is (from what I’ve seen) taught by instructors from the schoolhouses, just after hours.

    There was an article about the Marines licensing a bunch of new Hams. The Army didn’t get an article out (unless I missed it), but I know they have also minted a number of new Ham operators within the ranks.

    • NC Scout September 30, 2020 at 10:45

      Yes. It’s been encouraged for a long time, unofficially.

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