[MilCom] MIL: 11175.0 USB - LAMP BULB; CARPETBAG; ANTITRUST; RATFIELD/ANT BITE; POPULATE; and SYRACUSE

[Jeff Haverlah]

0204z  09 Oct 26

UTC 08 Oct 26

P1: 56
P2: QH
P4: VQ

A busy day that apparently began at 1200z; and with E6B HF digital activity
continuing into the new day after 2359z.

--------

Quiet from 0000z.

[1220z: AFF778 E6B launched from PAX RIVER initially westbound but
eventually repositioned to WARNER ROBINS, GEORGIA. That aircraft may or may
not have eventually repositioned to PUERTO RICO. See 1926z.]

1223z: CARPETBAG (presumed AFF778) called and raised MAINSAIL but did not
respond.
1231z: CARPETBAG called MAINSAIL.
1233z: CARPETBAG worked MAINSAIL and moved to 15016. Did not follow.
Probably entered the net there.

========
1511z: LAMPBULB (often sounds like WET BULB; NCS); QHBTYU; 72 characters;
P2; very rare (as in possibly "never" in the past 3 or 4 years) character
count.
QHBTYU6CTUGASFHJ7UPASYPIG3WZQGQUY5PJKLZHOJLY5YT3J7UJISS6ZQGKAY5HPKLZHOJ6

Possible external structure:

𝚀𝙷𝙱𝚃𝚈𝚄𝟼  [𝙿𝚛𝚎𝚏𝚒𝚡; 𝟼]
𝙲𝚃𝚄𝙶𝙰𝚂𝙵𝙷𝙹𝟽𝚄𝙿𝙰𝚂𝚈𝙿𝙸𝙶𝟹𝚆𝚉 [𝟸𝟷]
𝚀𝙶𝚀𝚄𝚈𝟻𝙿𝙹𝙺𝙻𝚉𝙷𝙾𝙹𝙻  [𝟷𝟻]
𝚈𝟻𝚈𝚃𝟹𝙹𝟽𝚄𝙹𝙸𝚂𝚂𝟼𝚉  [𝟷𝟺]
𝚀𝙶𝙺𝙰𝚈𝟻𝙷𝙿𝙺𝙻𝚉𝙷𝙾𝙹𝟼  [𝟷𝟻]

1525z: LAMPBULB; QHJIUZ; P2.
QHJIUZDTHPJJQA2HXLK3GGG6ORCZL3
========
[1530z: AF0795 E6B launched from ALBUQUERQUE/KIRTLAND/NEW MEXICO flew north
to southwestern NEBRASKA; entered into a 2 hour racetrack/holding pattern
orbit; and flew to OFFUTT; relaunched for OFFUTT 2 hours later and flew
back to ALBUQUERQUE/KIRTLAND.]

[Corelated or coincident? AF0797's racetrack orbit coincides with AF0795
first loop and line orbit over western NEBRASKA.]

[1605z: AF3A51 E6B launched from OFFUTT and flew to two missile field
(western NEBRASKA and NORTH DAKOTA] for loop and lines orbits; eventually
returning to OFFUTT. Backend call word, if any, unknown.]

1605z: ANTITRUST (presumed AF0795, not AF3A51) patiently (like yesterday;
same operator) called MAINSAIL and LAMPBULB until they connected at 1649z
to enter the net.
1653z: ANTITRUST entered the net.

[1714z: AF08BF E6B launched from TRAVIS to the GULF; and returned westbound
after completion of their HF/VLF restoral activity by the end of the UTC
day.]

[1717z: AE9F86 E6B launched from TINKER; flew eastbound to the ATLANTIC;
TACAMO LANT; over the ocean a short time; no VLF broadcasts; HF restoral
broadcasts began as it approached the ATLANTIC coast and continued for a
short time eastbound over land; eventually returning to the east coast by
the end of the UTC day, eventually to PAX RIVER.]

1718z: RATFIELD (presumed AF80BF based on signal strength on CALIFORNIA
SDR; launch call word) called MAINSAIL with no response.

1728z OLIVE 27 called MAINSAIL.  See 2059z.

========
1732z: LAMPBULB; VQG322; 42 characters; stopped at the start of the second
reading of the string.

1736z: LAMPBULB; VQG322; 42 characters; P4.
VQG322K5OBTI4AOPXCFYXVHLRXVZLAXVZLWXVZGJZW

Reformatted for structure:

𝚅𝚀𝙶𝟹𝟸𝟸  [𝙿𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚖𝚋𝚕𝚎; 𝟼]
𝙺𝟻𝙾𝙱𝚃𝙸𝟺𝙰𝙾  [𝟿]
𝙿𝚇𝙲𝙵𝚈  [𝟻]
𝚇𝚅𝙷𝙻𝚁  [𝟻]
𝚇𝚅𝚉𝙻𝙰  [𝟻]
𝚇𝚅𝚉𝙻𝚆  [𝟻]
𝚇𝚅𝚉𝙶𝙹𝚉𝚆  [𝟽]
========

1804z: RATFIELD called and raised MAINSAIL, and eventually LAMPBULB to
enter the net.
1808z: RATFIELD entered the net.

[One hour NCS message traffic session.]
========
1839z: LAMPBULB; 56ZYWI; P1.
56ZYWIYCFDT24J4LVTRCSJ3DVYF6K2
[NCS restoral queue.]

1842z; LAMPBULB; 56EVJJ; P1.
56EVJJSS4TNQP4FTCMDEXUG2X7JFWZ
[NCS restoral queue.]

1900z: LAMPBULB; 56EVJJ; 56ZYWI; h+00/h+30 NCS/ABNCP/GULF restoral
rebroadcast window.

[1926z: AFF750 E6B launched from WARNER ROBINS and reposition to PUERTO
RICO. AFF788 or another bird?]

1930z: LAMPBULB; 56EVJJ; more to follow; out (higher priority traffic).

********
1933z: LAMPBULB; 56QL3Q; P1.
56QL3QWAR2YTEVGQXLKLY4WQVCKG3B
[Fed to TACAMO LANT; see 1717z]

1937z: LAMPBULB; 56ZYWI; completed the NCS restoral rebroadcast session.

1939z: LAMPBULB Standing by for traffic.
======

2059z: OLIVE 27 called MAINSAIL a couple of times; female and male
operators.

========
2106z: LAMPBULB; FOR SCOTT 43 (sounds like); QH3CRZ; P2.
QH3CRZRTDS34IVC2JSX4MTJLTJIH4Y

2110z: POPULATE (presumed AEF9B6 out of TINKER); 56QL3Q; h+10/h+40 TACAMO
LANT restoral rebroadcast window; broadcast while returning to the NEW
JERSEY coast.

[2124z: AFABA7 E6B launched from TRAVIS to the PACIFIC; TACAMO PAC.]

[30 minutes.]
2136z: LAMPBULB; 56Z3BB; P1.
56Z3BBE32NWVC6SCFB7RZMHEBY206M
[Fed to TACAMO PAC and the GULF E6B.]

2140z: POPULATE; 56QL3Q; LANT restoral while westbound over northeastern
MARYLAND.

2150z: SYRACUSE (presumed AFABA7); 56Z3BB; h+20/h+50 TACAMO PAC restoral
rebroadcast window.

[2152z+/-: 17.8 KHz (LANT) VLF FSK MSK broadcast.]
[2157z+/-: 22.7 KHz (PAC) VLF FSK MSK broadcast.]

2200z: ANT BITE (presumed AF08BF; secondary call word); 56Z3BB; GULF
restoral.

2203z: ANTITRUST called and raised LAMPBULB to exit the net.
2207z: ANTITRUST exited the net (NCS had him entering the net).

2210z: Nothing heard.

2220z: SYRACUSE; 56Z3BB; PAC restoral.

2230z: ANT BITE; 56Z3BB; GULF restoral.

2250z: SYRACUSE; 56Z3BB; PAC restoral.

2300z: ANT BITE; 56Z3BB; GULF restoral while west northwest bound near
EAGLE LAKE, TEXAS.

2320z: Nothing heard.

2330z: ANT BITE; 56Z3BB; GULF restoral while west northwest bound east of
SAN ANGELO, TEXAS.
========

E6Bs still active past 0000z.

RAREFIND (TACAMO PAC) called CELEBRITY (unknown).
RAREFIND called and eventually worked WOOD DUCK ( apparently the GULF E6B
approaching TRAVIS at that time  ) and moved him to the CHARLIE HOTEL (CH)
WINDOW for apparent HF digital work (which bled over to 11175 at one point).
PARAGON =  NCS

Jeff
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jeff Haverlah               Coastal Texas
     Airspy HF+ Discovery   W6LVP loop  Various web SDRs
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