[MilCom] Facts, Fiction, or Errors?

[Ken]

Interestingly, "Popular Communications" magazine, October 2005 edition gives 
us two milcom related columns...  Addressing one of the columns........

Reading Steve Douglass' "Utility Communications Column":  'MILCOM: 
Venturing Above 30 mhz', he offers some surprising information.

In the Military Action Bands some printed information brings on more 
questions:

Douglass states that in the  military low band (30 to 70 mhz) that some 
aviation platforms use AM mode, but doesn't go into specifics.    In my 
monitoring of Army National Guard Helos (CT & MA), as well as Air National 
Guard (CT & MA) A10 units, they've always used FM mode....   Does anyone 
know who would be using AM mode in this band?

Also Douglass mentions that some base support nets can be found "hiding" in 
the 150 to 152 mhz range.  Personally, I'm not aware of the military using 
frequencies above the 150.8 mhz in this sub band.   Granted it's possible 
that a base contractor might have a business license assignment above 150.8 
mhz  (but below 152 mhz) to provide support BUT generally base support 
contractors (e.g. civil engineering, transportation, base operations, etc.) 
are provided with military radio systems authorized for that particular base 
supporting the function that's been outsourced.

Additionally the author mentions the (138-149 mhz) band as having lots of 
air/air tactical communications.   Although this is true, he fails to 
mention that there's also lots of base support nets (NFM, P25, Trunked) 
(especially USN) & even Westover JARB migrated its' new P25 radio systems to 
this band vacating all assignments in the 163-174 mhz area.

Additionally Steve mentions the 400 to 415 mhz band.  Well actually he 
probably should have extended it to 420 mhz, because according to Grove's 
"Federal Frequency Directory" 2nd edition there's about 100 frequencies 
above 415 mhz that the military is authorized to utilize.

Steve Douglass does offer some websites with actually frequency information 
from many locations thoughout the country.  Some sites don't appear to have 
been updated for many years BUT it's worth the effort to type them in & 
judge for yourself.

Another information source listed was your local "Radio Shack" store.... My 
experience --- I've NEVER found any radio shack in my area that had any 
knowledge on milcom.   I think that it would be a great opportunity for RS 
to upsell some of their scanners, but overall I wouldn't expect the 
knowledge.

I'm sure Steve strives to provide the best information he can based upon his 
experience & that there's always the looming publishing deadline as well as 
column space limitations that can result in some loose ends and/or not fully 
explained information, as well as errors.

Anyways, it's interesting to see "Popular Communications" reentry into the 
above 30 mhz military communications area.

Ken
Springfield MA Monitoring Area