[Lowfer] 136Khz Emergency Communications

Tue, 09 Jul 2002 15:25:27 +0000

Read your posting with interest and it recalled to me an incident that is 
along the same lines. Back around 1959 when I was a lowly RM2 in the Navy 
(retired as RMC) at a remote transmitter site in Iceland we had 
VLF/HF/Tropo-scatter links to Europe and North America. During that time 
there was a tremendous magnetic storm that was so intense that it even 
knocked out the Icelandic PTT's submarine cables (which our military also 
had leased ckts on). HF and Tropo-scatter were also gone. This continued for 
a period of about 3 weeks. The only link we had with the rest of the world 
was our AN/FRT-4 (50kw on 86 kc into 800 ft stick) and an old Press-Wireless 
PW-40 (40kw on 129 kc into a 400 ft stick). We were even handling commercial 
traffic for Icelandic post off during that period.
73 N4GL (ex-TF2WEB at that time)

>From: Les Rayburn <[email protected]>
>Reply-To: [email protected]
>To: [email protected]
>Subject: [Lowfer] 136Khz Emergency Communications
>Date: Mon, 08 Jul 2002 10:56:37 -0500
>
>
>One of the unique things about having an LF amateur allocation is the 
>opportunity
>to develop an important new capability for emergency communications. For 
>years,
>the military has been the primary user of this frequency range, with LF
>filling a vital need for communication links that were less subject to the 
>whims
>of propagation.
>
>It would seem that using only a handful of amateur stations, running say 
>100 watts,
>into decent antennas and using a mode like PSK31, we would be able to 
>provide
>groundwave coverage 24/7 over areas of 300 or more miles.
>
>While many HF bands can support this kind of traffic, they cannot do so on
>a 24/7 basis, the way that LF can.
>
>I'd love to hear from others who are interested in this kind of practical 
>application
>for LF.
>
>73,
>
>
>Les Rayburn, director
>High Noon Films
>100 Centerview Drive
>Suite 111
>Birmingham, AL 35216
>(205) 824-8930
>(205) 824-8960 FAX
>(205) 253-4867 CELL
>
>
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