Last Chance for this Special Offer

The good folks at Monitoring Times magazine are offering a special, limited time, discounted rate of US$14.95 on a one year MT Express subscription if you mention the BLOG page (Editor’s Page, Fed Files, Milcom, Monitoring Post, Shortwave, and Ute World) you are viewing right now. This is a great price on a great magazine and you get MT delivered electronically every month well before the print edition hits the streets.

This special offer is for first-time subscribers and renewals. This offer is available for a limited time only (must be used by the close of business December 31, 2006) and can only be used one time per customer.

And MT Express makes a great holiday gift at US$14.95 for a one year subscription.

What is Monitoring Times magazine?
MT is a full-spectrum monthly magazine for the radio listener, Monitoring Times covers scanning, shortwave, military and federal comms, and other radio topics from below 500 kHz to 900 MHz and above. Presented in an easy-to-understand style by an experienced writing staff, MT helps you get the most out of your time and your equipment with practical listening tips and frequencies.

What is MT Express?
MT Express is the same magazine as our printed version, but it is presented in Adobe Acrobat portable document file (pdf) format, including full color photography and active links to URLs and email addresses. It is the fastest and easiest way to get the information and frequencies you need on the radio hobby. You can see what is in current issue of MT on the MT website, including sample MT Express issue.

So if you like what we do here on the MT Blog pages and you want even more, then pick up that telephone and call the MT order desk toll free at 1-800-438-8155 (Mon-Fri 9a-5p EDT/1400-2100 UTC) and get US$5.00 off the regular price of MT Express. And remember you have to mention the BLOG page you are viewing right now in order to get the MT Express Bloggers discount.

Meridian 1 Launched from Plesetsk

Following extract taken from articles on Russian MOD website, dated 25 December 2006. Translated by Old Crow and submitted to the Btown Monitoring Post Blog for information and interest.

Soyuz-2 rocket carries "Meridian" communications satellite into orbit from Plesetsk. Yesterday (i.e. 24 December), Russian Space Forces from "First State Test-Space Centre" at Plesetsk successfully launched a Soyuz-2 which put into orbit a Russian "Meridian" communications satellite. This occurred with the assistance of a "Fregat" booster stage at 18:32 Moscow time. The Chief of Information Services of the Space Forces, Colonel Aleksej Kuznetsov has reported that the on-board systems of the "Meridian" satellite are all working normally and it will be taken under control by the"Herman Titov" Main Test Centre which will direct/control its orbital flight. He also noted that the CinC Space Forces, Colonel-General Vladimir Popovkin had highly praised the professionalism of the teams which participated in the preparation and launch of the space craft. The "Meridian" communications satellite, now in orbit, is destined to be used to provide communications for ships and ice-reconnaisance aircraft operating in the area of the Northern Sea Route, allowing them to be in contact with shore and ground stations and a wide network of ComSat stations in northern areas of Siberia and the Far East in the interests of economic development of the Russian Federation. The use of such satellites in a highly-elliptical orbit will allow the enhancement of exploitationary and technico-economic characteristics of existing means of communications and will add further to the number of usable frequencies and supplementary trunks/channels present and an increase in daily availability and reliability. "Meridian" is equipped with a multi-trunk relaying communications apparatus and can be used at the current time to supplement existing communications systems provided by the"Gorizont" and "Express-A" satellites.

From Jonathan's Space Report:
Meridian (2006-061A)

The first Meridian satellite was launched on Dec 24. Meridian, built by NPO Prikladnoi Mekhaniki, is a new communications satellite "designed to ensure communications of sea-going ships and ice reconnaissance planes in the area of the Northern Sea Route with coastal stations as well as expansion of the network of satellite communicationstations in northern areas of Siberia and the Russian Far East" (TASS). It was launched into a 278 x 39801 km x 62.8 deg `Molniya' orbit; the new series will replace the old Molniya-1 satellites launched from 1965 to 2004. Launch of Meridian was by Soyuz-2-1a/Fregat. The upgraded Soyuz-2-1a -on its third launch - put the payload section in a suborbital trajectory. The Fregat stage then fired to reach low Earth parking orbit, and once again to reach the Molniya orbit. At around 0930 UTC the second Fregat burn put the stack in a 278 x 39801 km x 62.8 deg transfer orbit. The third burn at first apogee, around 1530 UTC, raised the perigee to 1011 km and Fregat separated from Meridian at 1534 UTC.

This could be an interesting satellite constellation to monitor and we are interested in any intercepts/frequency reports. Send them to larryvanhorn @ monitoringtimes.com.

What is the "LEN" HF Net

An interesting HF ALE net has been reported for someime now on the UDXF newsgroup.

ALE Addresses noted include: LEN (NCS), BF1, BG1, BR1, BR2, BT2, DZ1, GS1, 21B.

Frequencies noted for this net (kHz):
3785.0 4505.0 4780.0 4970.0 5200.0 5290.0 5335.0 5530.0 6690.0 6695.0 6855.0 6950.0
7500.0 7580.0 7725.0 7780.0 8080.0

Anyone have an idea who is running this network? Please send it along to larryvanhorn @ monitoringtimes.com.

No More Marine 121.5/243.0 MHz EPIRBs

U.S. Coast Guard - Press Release
Date: Dec. 8, 2006

BOATERS MUST NOT OPERATE 121.5/243 MHZ EPIRBs AFTER 31 DECEMBER 2006

WASHINGTON - The Coast Guard reminds all boaters that beginning January 1, 2007, both 121.5 and 243 MHz Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons (EPIRBs) are prohibited from use in both commercial and recreational watercraft. Boaters wishing to have an emergency rescue beacon aboard their vessel must have a digital 406 MHz model.

The January 1, 2007, date to stop using 121.5 MHz EPIRBs is in preparation for February 1, 2009, when satellite processing of distress signals from all 121.5/243 MHz beacons will terminate. Following this termination date, only the 406 MHz beacons will be detected by the International Cospas-Sarsat Satellite System which provides distress alert and location data for search and rescue operations around the world.

The regulation applies to all Class A, B, and S 121.5/243 MHz EPIRBs. It does not affect 121.5/243 MHz man overboard devices which are designed to work directly with a base alerting unit only and not with the satellite system.

This change, in large part, was brought about by the unreliability of the 121.5/243 MHz beacons in an emergency situation. Data reveals that with a 121.5 MHz beacon, only one alert out of every 50 is a genuine distress situation. This has a significant effect on expending the limited resources of search and rescue personnel and platforms. With 406 MHz beacons, false alerts have been reduced significantly, and, when properly registered, can usually be resolved with a telephone call to the beacon owner. Consequently, real alerts can receive the attention they deserve.

When a 406 MHz beacon signal is received, search and rescue personnel can retrieve information from a registration database. This includes the beacon owner's contact information, emergency contact information, and vessel/aircraft identifying characteristics. Having this information allows the Coast Guard, or other rescue personnel, to respond appropriately.

In the U.S., users are required by law to directly register their beacon in the U.S. 406 MHz Beacon Registration Database at: http://www.beaconregistration.noaa.gov/ or by calling 1-888-212-SAVE. Other users can register their beacon in their country's national beacon
registration database or, if no national database is available, in the International Beacon Registration Database at https://www.406registration.com/.

The United States Coast Guard is the lead agency for coordinating national maritime search and rescue policy and is responsible for providing search and rescue services on, under and over assigned international waters and waters subject to United States jurisdiction.

Thanks to Leo Salas and the DFW Scan gang for passing along this press release. And remember if you have something to share with the blog and our readers, please send it along to larryvanhorn @ monitoringtimes.com.

A Special Offer for MT Blog Readers

The good folks at Monitoring Times magazine are offering a special, limited time, discounted rate of US$14.95 on a one year MT Express subscription if you mention the BLOG page (Editor’s Page, Fed Files, Milcom, Monitoring Post, Shortwave, and Ute World) you are viewing right now. This is a great price on a great magazine and you get MT delivered electronically every month well before the print edition hits the streets.

This special offer is for first-time subscribers and renewals. This offer is available for a limited time only (must be used by the close of business December 31, 2006) and can only be used one time per customer.

And MT Express makes a great holiday gift at US$14.95 for a one year subscription.

What is Monitoring Times magazine?
MT is a full-spectrum monthly magazine for the radio listener, Monitoring Times covers scanning, shortwave, military and federal comms, and other radio topics from below 500 kHz to 900 MHz and above. Presented in an easy-to-understand style by an experienced writing staff, MT helps you get the most out of your time and your equipment with practical listening tips and frequencies.

What is MT Express?
MT Express is the same magazine as our printed version, but it is presented in Adobe Acrobat portable document file (pdf) format, including full color photography and active links to URLs and email addresses. It is the fastest and easiest way to get the information and frequencies you need on the radio hobby.You can see what is in current issue of MT, including sample pages on the MT current issue webpage.

So if you like what we do here on the MT Blog pages and you want even more, then pick up that telephone and call the MT order desk toll free at 1-800-438-8155 (Mon-Fri 9a-5p EDT/1400-2100 UTC) and get US$5.00 off the regular price of MT Express. And remember you have to mention the BLOG page you are viewing right now in order to get the MT Express Bloggers discount.

Space Activity at Plesetsk

Following extract taken from articles on Russian MOD website, dated 18 December 2006. Translated by Old Crow and submitted to the Btown Monitoring Post Blog for information and interest.

Military teams at the Plesetsk Space Centre, in accordance with the plan for the first launch date, have begun preparations at the launch pad on the rocket-vehicle "Kosmos-3M". The Russian rocket-vehicle "Kosmos-3M" together with the German space-vehicle "SAR-LUPE" was moved from the assembly-checkout area to the launch pad on the morning of 18 December. The launch of the space-vehicle "SAR-LUPE" is scheduled for 19 December.

Congress accelerates $1 billion in interop funds

Blog Editor Note: Congress continues its fleecing of the American taxpayer by allocating another $1 Billion of taxpayer money into this 700 MHz interop system fiasco. See the Monitoring Times website for more I have written on this golden fleece of the American taxpayer called, "700 MHz Interop."

Appears on the MRT website at http://mrtmag.com/news/policy/congress-interoperability-funds-121106/ (Dec 11, 2006 3:48 PM)

Written By Donny Jackson

Just hours before adjourning for the year, Congress approved a measure that calls for $1 billion in interoperability funds to be made available to public-safety agencies in 2007—probably a year earlier than the money would have been disbursed otherwise.

Introduced by Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) as an amendment to the Call Home Act passed Friday night, the measure means public-safety entities can apply for the $1 billion in interoperability funds soon instead of waiting until after the 700 MHz auction—the funding source—is completed. Currently, that auction is scheduled is scheduled to begin by January 2008, according to digital-television transition legislation passed early this year.

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) will continue to oversee allocation of these funds, but many questions remain, said Yucel Ors, legislative director for the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO).

“From the way I read the bill, they have to parcel it out by Sept. 30 [of 2007],” he said. “It has to be allocated, but who they allocate it to—and how it gets allocated—is still to be determined.”
Indeed, public-safety officials have suggested that the interoperability funds be allocated using existing Department of Homeland Security criteria and procedures. One condition attached to the funding measure is that the money be used to deploy systems that interoperate with the 700 MHz band that will be available nationwide after TV broadcasters vacate the airwaves in February 2009, Ors said.

“It has to be interoperable with 700 MHz,” Ors said. “It can be patched in, but it has to be interoperable with a 700 MHz system.”

While the Call Home Act—legislation designed primarily to ensure that U.S. troops deployed overseas can call home at reduced phone rates—was passed before Congress adjourned, many other legislative efforts pursued during the last year were not, including comprehensive telecom-reform legislation. A new Congress featuring a Democratic majority will convene in January.

Boeing Satellite Launch Schedule

Here is the latest Boeing Satellite Payload Launch Schedule:

Satellite Model Owner Launch Date Launch Vehicle
NSS-8 702 New Skies Satellite 2007/DIO Sea Launch
WGS-F1 702 U.S. Air Force 2007 Delta IV
WGS-F2 702 U.S. Air Force 2007 Atlas V
GOES O 601 NASA/NOAA 2007/DIO Delta IV
Spaceway F3 702 Hughes Network Systems 2007/DOG Sea Launch
Thuraya-D3 702 Geo-Mobile Thuraya Satellite Telecommunications 2007/DIO Sea Launch
DIRECTV 10 702 DIRECTV, Inc. 2007/DOG Proton
DIRECTV 11 702 DIRECTV, Inc. 2007/DOG Sea Launch
DIRECTV 12 702 DIRECTV, Inc. Ground Spare TBD
GPS IIF SV-1 GPS U.S. Air Force 2008 Atlas V
WGS F-3 702 U.S. Air Force 2008 Atlas V
GOES P 601 NASA/NOAA 2008/DIO Delta IV
GPS IIF SV-2 GPS U.S. Air Force 2009 Delta IV
GPS IIF SV-3 GPS U.S. Air Force 2009 Atlas V
GPS IIF SV-4 GPS U.S. Air Force 2009 Atlas V
GPS IIF SV-5 GPS U.S. Air Force 2009 Delta IV
MSV-1 702 Geo-Mobile Mobile Satellite Ventures 2009/DIO TBD
MSV-2 702 Geo-Mobile Mobile Satellite Ventures 2010/DIO TBD
GPS IIF SV-6 GPS U.S. Air Force 2010 Atlas V
GPS IIF SV-7 GPS U.S. Air Force 2010 Atlas V
GPS IIF SV-8 GPS U.S. Air Force 2010 Atlas V
WGS-F4 702 U.S. Air Force 2011 EELV
GPS IIF SV-9 GPS U.S. Air Force 2011 Delta IV
GPS IIF SV-10 GPS U.S. Air Force 2011 Delta IV
GPS IIF SV-11 GPS U.S. Air Force 2011 TBD
WGS F-5 702 U.S. Air Force 2012 EELV
GPS IIF SV-12 GPS U.S. Air Force 2012 TBD
WGS F-6 option 702 U.S. Air Force 2013 EELV
MSV-SA 702 Mobile Satellite Ventures TBD TBD

DIO -- Delivery in Orbit
DOG -- Delivery on Ground

MEASAT-3 Launched from Baikonur

The MEASAT-3 geostationary communications satellite was launched yesterday, December 11, 2006 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

MEASAT-3 Launch Particulars:

Launch date/time: 11 December 2006 @ 2328 UTC (6:28 pm EST)

Launcher: Proton

Launch location: Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, Pad 39

International Designator: 2006-056A

SSC Number: 29648

Satellite Manufacturer/Model: Boeing 601HP

Mission Life: 15 years

Background:

This satellite is owned by MEASAT Satellite Systems (Binariang Satellite Systems Sdn. Bhd. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia) and it will join the company's other two operational satellites in orbit. MEASAT 3 will be permanently positioned in geostationary orbit along the Equator at 91.5 degrees East longitude above the northeastern Indian Ocean. It will be co-located with MEASAT 1, which was launched in 1996, and has a design life of 12 years.

This satellite features an array of communications equipment, including 24 C-band and 24 Ku-band transponders. The C-band payload can reach customers across Asia, Australia, Africa, Eastern Europe and the Middle East in more than 100 nations. The Ku-band payload has been designed to provide high-powered flexible service options for the development of data services and Direct-to-Home applications in Malaysia, Indonesia, India and China.

MW/SWBC DRM Blog Logs

1296.0 BBC WS-Orfordness at 1405 w/ID and headlines in the news (0500-2300) (25.94kb/s Mode A).
1440.0 RTL Radio-Marnach at 1524 in German (23.54 kb/s Mode A)
1575.0 Oldie Star Radio-Burg at 1411 in German. (18.32 kb/s Mode B)
1611.0 Vatican Radio-Santa Marie at 1411 in Italian. (18.32 kb/s Mode B)
3995.0 DW-Wertachtal at 1600 in German (14.48 kb/s Mode B)
5875.0 BBS WS-Rampisham @1505 in English (20.34 kb/s Mode B) (1500-1800)
5905.0 Voice of Russia-Taldom at 1400-1500 in Russian with music. (17.38 kb/s Mode B)
5905.0 Voice of Russia-Taldom @1500-1600 (17.38 kb/s Mode B) //5920
5920.0 Voice of Russia-Taldom @1504 in English (17.38 kb/s Mode B)
5920.0 Voice of Russia-Taldom @1500-1600 (17.38 kb/s Mode B) //5905
5920.0 Voice of Russia-Taldom @1600-1700 in German (17.38 kb/s Mode B)
5990.0 RTL France-Junglinster at 1421 with French programming and Beatle song Eleanor Rigby. (19.0 kb/s Mode B) - 24/7 here
6015.0 TDPradio-Issoudun, Belgium 1500-1600 with rock dance music (20.88 kb/s Mode B)
6060.0 Vatican Radio-Santa Marie @ 1503 (17.38 kb/s Mode B)
6085.0 BR-B%akt-Ismaning at 1409. (17.46 kb/s Mode A)
6095.0 RTL Radio-Junglinster at 1406 with German programming. (20.88 kb/s Mode B) -24/7
6130.0 DW-Wertachtal in German YL with intl news & news from Germany at 1405. (14.48 kb/s Mode B)
7240.0 Bouquet Flevo NL-Flevo (20.88 kb/s Mode B)
7295.0 Radio Luxembourg-Wertachtal (20.88 kb/s Mode B)
7340.0 Radio Romania-Wertachtal 1500-1530 in English (17.38 kb/s Mode B)
9470.0 BBC WS-Kvitsoy at 1407 with BBC Next program in English.
9880.0 MOI Kuwait-Sulaibiyah at 1408 in Arabic. (11.56 kb/s Mode B)
12080.0 DW-Sines in German YL with news at 1602. (17.02 kb/s Mode B)
13590.0 DW-Sines in German YL with news at 1404. (17.02 kb/s Mode B)
DW-Sines at 1506 in English. (17.02 kb/s Mode B)

Three Navy Astronauts Await Discovery Mission

Go Navy, Beat Army!

WASHINGTON (NNS) -- Three Navy astronauts are part of the crew of NASA's space shuttle Discovery currently awaiting launch. The nighttime launch of Discovery had been set for Dec. 7, but was delayed becuase of weather. Capt. Robert L. Curbeam Jr. and Cmdrs. William A. Oefelein and Sunita L. Williams will be on Discovery when it launches toward the International Space Station, where the astronauts will continue construction on the station, rewiring the orbiting laboratory and adding a segment to its integrated truss structure. The electrical repairs are the crew’s main mission, but they also will be rotating a crew member out of the space station. Williams will take the place of astronaut Thomas Reiter, and Reiter will travel back with the shuttle crew. The ability to perform this part of the mission showcases the space shuttle’s versatility, due to its large size, Oefelein said in an interview on NASA’s Web site. “I think it just highlights one of the capabilities of the space shuttle system and one of the capabilities that we’re going to continue to have with our next-generation space vehicle,” Oefelein said. This is Oefelein’s first space flight. An Anchorage, Alaska, native, he said he became interested in flying at a young age. Oefelein received his commission from the Navy in 1988 and was designated a naval aviator in 1990. He was selected by NASA in June 1998 and reported to Johnson Space Center in August 1998. After completing two years of training and evaluation, he became qualified for space flight assignment as a pilot. He is assigned as a pilot on the Discovery mission. Curbeam, a Baltimore native, has always been interested in spacecraft, he said in his interview on the Web site. While in test pilot school in the Navy, he visited Johnson Space Center and talked with an astronaut, and that conversation convinced him to pursue a career with NASA, he said. “I started out on this journey not with the goal of being an astronaut, but with the goal of learning enough about airplanes so I could go and help design better ones,” Curbeam said. “It just so happened that when I did meet an astronaut and speak with her at length, it sounded interesting to me. It sounded like something that I wanted to do. And I was fortunate enough to have pursued education through enough of my life that I had the qualifications necessary to be competitive.” Curbeam graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1984 with a degree in aerospace engineering. He was selected by NASA in 1994 and after a year of training and evaluation, he was assigned to the computer support branch in the astronaut office. He is a veteran of two space flights and has logged more than 593 hours in space, including three spacewalks. Williams, of Needham, Mass., worked in Moscow with the Russian Space Agency on the Russian contribution to the International Space Station and with the first expedition crew to the station. She is currently assigned to the crew of the 14th expedition to the station and will join that crew after traveling on Discovery. This is Williams’ first flight mission. In her interview on the Web site, she said she feels extremely lucky to be part of a mission that will be construction-intensive. She said she recognizes the dangers of flying in space, but she enjoys the inspiration it brings to others. “I think just the appeal of people in space and people on the ground being able to relate to those people in space really makes people start to wonder, ‘Wow, what else can we do?’” she said. “So many people in the astronaut office are from different countries and cultures, and every time someone goes up that can identify with a group of people on the ground, you get that group of people wondering, ‘Wow, maybe that could be me one day.’ There are a million possibilities out there.” Williams received her commission from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1987. She was designated a naval aviator in July 1989 and went on several deployments as part of a helicopter squadron. She was selected by NASA in June 1998, and after her training, went to Moscow to work on the International Space Station. She will serve as a flight engineer at the station. Navy astronauts are a major part of NASA’s history, with the first manned space flight being piloted by Cmdr. Alan B. Shepard Jr. in 1961.

KSC Launch Ops Scanner Audio Feed Up

For those of you who want to follow KSC pre-shuttle launch ground activity can monitor the streaming audio scanner feed at http://kscops.com/.

STS-116 to launch USNA/DARPA satellites

Pretty much overshadowed by the main mission to the ISS, STS-116 will launch two U.S. Naval Academy Student Project satellites after undocking from the ISS. These satellites are called ANDE (Atmospheric Neutral Density Experiment) and RAFT (Radar Fence Transponder). I have profiled the RAFT previously on this blog.

The NRL science mission of ANDE is to measure the density of the upper atmosphere by precise tracking of the orbit decay by the Maui Laser Ranging Tracking Station. The Comm system provides important telemetry on the attitude and temperature of the spacecraft. The ANDE and RAFT satellites will carry amateur radio communications payloads (see frequencies below), but RAFT has something a bit extra.

RAFT carries a 216.980 MHz receiver/transmitter to demonstrate self-location techniques when it flies through the Space Surveillance Network radar fence across the southern USA. When this experiment is activated, users will hear a 1 second ping when it flies through the fence. This is an excellent way to see how sensitive your radio installation is.



Amateur Payloads:

ANDE Side A: 145.825 MHz Digipeater up/downlink 1200 baud packet

ANDE Side B: 145.825 MHz downlink (backup to side A only)

RAFT System: 145.825 MHz Digipeater up/downlink 1200 baud packet

RAFT PSK-31: 28.120 MHz HF PSK-31 uplink -downlink on 145.825 MHz

You can get more information on these satellites at the following links:

ANDE/RAFT Space Operations

ANDE (MAA) - Telemetry/Command and Comms

RAFT Satellite Project

The MARScom satellite is suppose to launch with this mission, but nothing hs been mentioned in any of the official STS-116 paperwork about that Cubesat. While its mission fate is unknown as of this writing, according to a 13 October 2006 Chief of NAVMARCORPSMARS message
the satellite is at KSC and ready for launch.

You can view my complete description of the RAFT and MARScom payloads at
MEMS-Based PICOSAT Inspector (MEPSI)

http://exploration.nasa.gov/programs/station/STP-H2-MEPSI.html

Shuttle Discovery crew includes three radio amateurs

Amateur Radio ISS frequencies are available on our exclusive Monitoring NASA and Space Communications file that was updated earlier this week. You can get that file at http://www.monitoringtimes.com/

From the ARRL website:

Shuttle Discovery crew includes three radio amateurs (Dec 1, 2006) -- NASA has set Thursday, December 7, as the launch date for the next space shuttle mission to the International Space Station (ISS). Shuttle Discovery will carry three radio amateurs, one of whom -- US astronaut Sunita Williams, KD5PLB -- will join ISS Expedition 14 in progress. She'll replace European Space Agency astronaut Thomas Reiter, DF4TR, whose duty tour has spanned Expeditions 13 and 14 -- the first time that's happened in the history of the ISS. Williams is said to be eager to do ARISS school group contacts from NA1SS. Also aboard Discovery will be European Space Agency astronaut and mission specialist Christer Fuglesang, KE5CGR/SA0AFS, Sweden's first astronaut, who will be making his first journey into space. Plans are in place for Fuglesang to carry out an Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) school contact with students at Thunmanskolan in Knivsta, Sweden. The contact would be the first ARISS school QSO with Scandinavia. On November 20, Fuglesang attended an Amateur Radio training session at Johnson Space Center to prepare him for using the ARISS Phase 2 station for his school contact. Primary payloads on the 12-day mission are the P5 integrated truss segment, SPACEHAB single logistics module and an integrated cargo carrier. Mission specialist Nicholas Patrick, KD5PKY, also is on the seven-member STS-116 mission crew. This will mark the 20th shuttle flight to the ISS. -- NASA; ARISS

x9.0 Class Solar Flare

From Thomas F. Giella, KN4LF and the Propagation newsgroup (12/6/2006 @ 0702 EST):

Some interesting goings on with space weather at the moment. The solar flux reached an unusually high 105 at 2200 UTC on Tuesday December 5, 2006. Emerging sunspot group 10930 produced a huge X9 class solar flare at 1035 UTC on Tuesday December 5, 2006 and I suspect that the solar flare was actually larger than an X9.0. A huge solar flare such as this is extremely rare near the bottom of a sun spot cycle. As the solar flare was not geoeffective (Earth facing), most of the energy released by the associated the Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) will miss Earth. However a glancing blow is expected and geomagnetic storming at some level is expected. More X and M class solar flares are expected in future days.Space weather goings on such as we are currently experiencing is anecdotal evidence that we are still not at the very bottom of solar cycle 23. My prediction for solar minimum continues to be June 2007.

New NASA Frequency List Online

This afternoon we posted a new edition of our Monitoring NASA and Space Communications list on the Monitoring Times website. This new edition, posted just in time for the STS-116 launch on Thursday, is 40 pages and now includes a NASA aircraft list and a comprehensive NASA callsign list. Of course, the Adobe PDF file is free of charge and provided as a service to the radio hobby community.

FCC 2nd Report and Order on Aero Frequency Changes

Thanks to Chris Corley via the Milcom newsgroup, Jack NeSmith and several others who forwarded this link on the 10 October 2006 FCC Second Report and Order and Second Further Notice of Proposed Rule Making. This is part of the review of the Part 87 rules on the Aviation Radio Service.

http://www.fcc.gov/Daily_Releases/Daily_Business/2006/db1011/FCC-06-148A1.pdf

US Aero HF Frequencies (Revised 87.173 if 06-148 is finalized)

2850.0-3025.0 kHz MA, FAE International HF.
2851.0 kHz MA, FAE,FAT International HF;Flight Test.
2866.0 kHz MA, FAE Domestic HF (Alaska).
2875.0 kHz MA, FAE Domestic HF.
2878.0 kHz MA1, FAE Domestic HF; International HF.
2911.0 kHz MA, FAE Domestic HF.
2956.0 kHz MA, FAE Domestic HF.
3004.0 kHz MA, FAE,FAT International HF;Flight Test.
3019.0 kHz MA1, FAE Domestic HF; International HF.
3023.0 kHz MA1, FAR, FAC Search and rescue communications.
3281.0 kHz MA, FAS Lighter-than-air craft and aeronautical stations serving lighter-than-air craft.
3400.0-3500.0 kHz MA, FAE International HF.
3434.0 kHz MA1, FAE Domestic HF.
3443.0 kHz MA, FAT Flight Test.
3449.0 kHz MA, FAE Domestic HF.
3470.0 kHz MA, FAE Domestic HF; International HF.
4125.0 kHz MA Distress and safety with ships and coast stations.
4550.0 kHz AX Gulf of Mexico.
4645.0 kHz AX Alaska.
4650.0-4700.0 kHz MA, FAE International HF.
4672.0 kHz MA1, FAE Domestic HF.
4947.5 kHz AX Alaska.
5036.0 kHz AX Gulf of Mexico.
5122.5 kHz AX Alaska.
5167.5 kHz FA Alaska emergency.
5310.0 kHz AX Alaska.
5450.0-5680.0 kHz MA, FAE International HF.
5451.0 kHz MA, FAT Flight Test.
5463.0 kHz MA1, FAE Domestic HF.
5469.0 kHz MA, FAT Flight Test.
5472.0 kHz MA, FAE Domestic HF.
5484.0 kHz MA, FAE Domestic HF.
5490.0 kHz MA, FAE Domestic HF.
5496.0 kHz MA, FAE Domestic HF.
5508.0 kHz MA1, FAE Domestic HF.
5571.0 kHz MA, FAT Flight Test.
5631.0 kHz MA, FAE Domestic HF.
5680.0 kHz MA1, FAC, FAR Search and rescue communications.
5887.5 kHz AX Alaska.
6525.0-6685.0 kHz MA, FAE International HF.
6550.0 kHz MA, FAT Flight Test.
6580.0 kHz MA, FAE Domestic HF.
6604.0 kHz MA, FAE Domestic HF.
8015.0 kHz AX Alaska.
8364.0 kHz MA Search and rescue communications.
8815.0-8965.0 kHz MA, FAE International HF.
8822.0 kHz MA, FAT Flight Test.
8855.0 kHz MA, FAE Domestic HF; international HF.
8876.0 kHz MA, FAE Domestic HF.
10005.0-10100.0 kHz MA, FAE International HF.
10045.0 kHz MA, FAT Flight Test.
10066.0 kHz MA, FAE Domestic HF; international HF.
11275.0-11400.0 kHz MA, FAE International HF.
11288.0 kHz MA, FAT Flight Test.
11306.0 kHz MA, FAT Flight Test.
11357.0 kHz MA, FAE Domestic HF.
11363.0 kHz MA, FAE Domestic HF.
13260.0-13360.0 kHz MA, FAE International HF.
13312.0 kHz MA, FAE,FAT International HF; Flight Test.
17900.0-17970.0 kHz MA, FAE International HF.
17964.0 kHz MA, FAT Flight Test.
21924.0-22000.0 kHz MA, FAE International HF.
21931.0 kHz MA, FAT Flight Test.

DRM Intercepts via DXTuners Sweden

Here are some DRM mode intercepts via the DXTuners Sweden (ELAD FDM-77 receiver).

1296.0 BBC World Service w/English language broadcast, ID at bottom of the hour, good signal levels in Sweden via DRM at 1426.

1440.0 RTL Radio Marnach w/German programming and music with good signal in DRM at 1431.

5905.0 Voice of Russia Taldom, w/Russian language talk programming at 1452 in DRM. Good signal levels.

5990.0 RTL France Junglinster w/french language programming, music (including English rock songs), talk and taking telephone request in DRM from at 1420.

6085.0 BR-B5akt Ismaning, Germany, very poor and spotty reception in DRM, ID on screen but very little audio at 1425.

6095.0 RTL Radio Junglinster w/german rock music programming in DRM. Nice to catch an old friend again at 1400.

6130.0 Deutsche Welle Wertachtal, w/German language programming at 1458 in DRM. Good signal quality.

7320.0 BBC World Service, Rampisham in English with a YL talking about wanting to commit suicide. DRM mode, spotty reception at 1440.

9880.0 Radio Kuwait (MOI Kuwait - screen ID) Sulaibiyah w/arabic music, beautiful DRM signal at 1446.

13590.0 Deutsche Welle Sines, w/germen language talk programming at 1457 in DRM. Nice signals levels.

More logs soon.

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Emergency Management Radio Systems Operations SECURE - HF

For the State of Washington:

The Operations SECURE (State Emergency Communications Using Radio Effectively) high frequency (HF) net (also known as CEMNET II) is a secondary emergency back-up communications capability for intra- and inter-state use.

Operating on eight discrete frequencies, point-to-point long-range communications between the state EOC and fixed or mobile HF stations can be established as needed. Currently, in addition to the state EOC, fixed HF stations are located in each Washington State Patrol (WSP) district communications center.

The HF frequencies assigned are:

2.326 MHz (Upper Sideband (USB))
2.411 MHz (USB)
2.414 MHz (USB)
2.587 MHz (USB)
2.801 MHz (USB)
5.192 MHz (USB)
7.801 MHz (USB)
7.935 MHz (USB)