[Hallicrafters] Re: [Boatanchors] WW II Naval Radio communications

[Duane Fischer, W8DBF]

Bill, 	
	
Contact your buddy KA1DGL, Fred. You have not gotten the right answers here, and
Fred will tell you the facts. He has a naval submarine LW RX -  

----------
From: William L Howard <wlhoward at verizon.net>
To: WWII Discussion Group <wwii-disc at listserv.unc.edu>; World War II Discussion
List <WWII-L at listserv.BUFFALO.EDU>; War Plan Group <warplan at yahoogroups.com>;
Hallicrafters list <hallicrafters at mailman.qth.net>; boatanchors at qth.net
<boatanchors at mailman.qth.net>; armyradios <armyradios at yahoogroups.com>
Subject: [Boatanchors] WW II Naval Radio communications
Date: Monday, March 29, 2004 3:10 PM

This topic has been discussed on several lists and I have consolidated
today's  responses and am sending them to all lists.

Bill Howard asked:
>
> From Orrin Bentz. Any veterans out there? Will E?
>
> > Is there anyone on this list that served with the Japan Long
> > Lines Signal Batallion, or Army Security Agency at Camp
> > Fuchinobe, Japan during the years 1956 and 1957.
>
   The closest I can come is a relative (Grandpa Hurley's
brother-in-law) who served in the ASA in Osan, which I believe is Korea.
Sorry. However, I would be happy to send along my list of FOIA
addresses... :7)
-wde
--
Will Enestvedt
UNIX System Administrator
Johnson & Wales University -- Providence, RI

Glen wrote:

<<VLF for submarine use (i.e. the TACAMO system) only
became in use during the late 1950s and into the
1960s...>>

Thank you for your response.  I thought I had read of VLF transmissions
to submarines during World War II, but cannot find the reference and was
probably wrong.  The excellent USS Pampanito website, however, does
indicate that one of her receivers was the RAK-6, which had a frequency
range of 15 to 600 kcs, putting it in the VLF band at the low end of its
range.  Of course in all likelihood there were no Navy VLF transmitters
and the boat had no VLF antenna.

   [Pampanito radios discussed a
thttp://www.maritime.org/radiocat.htm#radio]

    Regards,
    Keith Allen
From: "Dan Rae" <rae4 at ix.netcom.com>
Subject: Fox schedules
Date: Monday, March 29, 2004 10:33 AM

The references that I have do not list exact frequencies; but it is
clear that there were a lot of them.

The derivation of the name is from the procedural sign "F" meaning "Do
not answer".  The idea was to not reveal any information about the
location, direction of travel or anything at all about the intended
recipients.   The broadcasts were made in parallel from 4 stations for
the different areas, NSS, NPG, NPM, and NBA, in Washington, San
Francisco, Honolulu and Balboa.   It stands to reason that they would
use a number of frequencies in parallel, and not only VLF but also HF
(and MF?) as well.

Interesting that the same general approach was used by BdU for their
communications with U boats, including the sequential numbering of all
broadcasts, and repetitions.  It must have worked pretty well.....

There is a of frequencies and times, and I quote:   in an appendix to
'Communication Instructions',  entitled "Service Plan, U.S. Naval Shore
Communication System".   Someone may come up with a copy, but I've not
seen one.

Regards,
Dan ac6ao g3ncr
From: "Bart Rowlett" <bart at wb6hqk.ampr.org>
To: <armyradios at yahoogroups.com>
Subject: Re: [armyradios] U.S. Navy's fleetwide broadcast, the Fox
Schedule information neded
Date: Monday, March 29, 2004 10:56 AM

I have had the opportunity to interview several WWII era shipboard CW
operators who were responsible for copying the Pacific Theater Fox
broadcasts.  They all said that Fox was multicast, and typically
available on at least two different HF frequencies at any particular
time of day.  No mention of broadcasts on MF or LF.

bart
From: <Normiehall at aol.com>
U.S. Navy's fleetwide broadcast, the Fox Schedule informati...
Date: Monday, March 29, 2004 11:58 AM

Hello groups,

I'm sorry I can't give definitive info on Fox broadcasts during War2 but
having copied Fox broadcasts in the Korea, Japan, China area during the
"police
action" in 1952 & 53, I can perhaps add a bit to the discussion.

At that time, in the Pacific, there were Fox broadcasts from NPG in
SanFran,
NPM, Honolulu and NPN in Guam.  They broadcast on HF in the 8 MC & 12 MC
frequency range.  Maybe down near 4 MC also.  This was CW Fox.  There
was also TTY
Fox at that time.  Ships copied both and managed to be sure no messages
were
missed.

I don't know of any VLF or LF Fox broadcasts at that time.  The main VLF
& LF
USN receivers during War2 were the same during the Korean thing.  RAK
and
RBA.  Both were capable of tuning down to 10 or 12 KC.  This reminds me,
I think
that NSS located near Washington, D.C. also broadcast Fox down around 15
KC
but the memory is rather faded by now.

During War2, NPN was not available until (if at all) late in the war so
most
combat ships probably copied NPM in the WesPac area on the three bands
indicated, above.

That's about it.  Copying Fox was really rather boring - drink coffee,
smoke
cigarettes and type, type, type!!  Then change paper.  Mostly the
broadcasts
were continuous but once in a while when traffic was light we could ease
back
and listen to VVV VVV VVV de NPN NPN NPN over and over!

73,

Norm Hall, W6JOD former RM3 a long time ago!
From: "Jack Antonio" <scr287 at sbcglobal.net>
To: <boatanchors at mailman.qth.net>
Subject: Re: [Boatanchors] U.S. Navy's fleetwide broadcast, the Fox
Schedule informati...
Date: Monday, March 29, 2004 12:24 PM

In response to the Fox broadcast thread, this is about as third hand and
anecdotal as it gets, so take it accordingly.

Back in the mid 60s, as a brand new novice, I lived in a small Nevada
town.  One of the signals I heard just above 75 meters was NPG usually
sending their marker VVV de NPG FC, (each item repeated three times).
This signal was the loudest signal on the band, even in broad daylight.
The only actual traffic I heard were weather broadcasts, but then I
didn't
listen 24/7.

Then, as a senior, my English teacher was a ham, who was an ex-Navy
radio op. He explained the FC stood for Fox Circuit.

For what it's worth.

Jack

Jack Antonio WA7DIA
scr287 at sbcglobal.net


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