[MilCom] Grand Forks GHFS Operational?

[Larry Van Horn]

> See Larry VH's article at:
> http://mt-milcom.blogspot.com/2009/10/grand-forks-air-force-base-has-new.html
>
> My question is did the base actually get some HF transmitters & antennas
> also or is it just a remote control facility using satellite & optic fiber
> lines to various transmitter points?

Only time will tell for sure.

> I'm sure many of the older monitoring hobbyists will remember when Scott 
> AFB
> was part of the GHFS system, and when they were operational it was common
> place for them to perform phone patches for aircraft flying within the
> CONUS.  This CONUS activity seems to be handled by UHF phone patches now
> conducted by various command posts throughout the CONUS, rather than 
> HF/SSB.

That chore for the most part is now handled by comms on the HFGCS Scope 
Command HF ALE network.  Complete details are included in a link within the 
article that Ken referenced in my blog article on Grand Forks.

Based on the whole article I would say they use the remotes since they are a 
backup to Andy.

In my original article that I posted back on November 28, 2008, they 
described the following:

"To prepare for this mission, base officials started a sizable facility 
renovation project to house the sophisticated support computers and will 
soon have dozens of high-speed communications circuits installed.

"The new circuits will ensure reliable connectivity to antenna locations 
around the world to provide secure data and voice connections to command and 
control aircraft." said Staff Sgt. Russell Mullens of the 319th CS Plans and 
Resources Flight. "

Above sounds more like a control of remote transmitters/receivers than a 
site of their own.

Have fun and good hunting,

Jefe

Larry Van Horn, N5FPW
Brasstown, NC USA
MT Assistant/Review Editor
Milcom/What's New Columnist
Milcom Monitoring Post at
http://mt-milcom.blogspot.com/