HF isn't dead yet...

[VK4DU]

From the critical comms newsletter.



Major new US domestic HF network to be set up

inShare


Who says HF is dead? The US Department of Veterans Affairs intends to deploy a resilient emergency high frequency radio network to connect medical centres spread throughout the nation.

The five-year firm fixed-price indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract will include equipment, installation, testing, certification, warranty and training to guarantee a fully functional ‘turnkey’ system.

The network will have “400-watt backbone stations designed to receive and automatically relay communications among 125-watt stations and 125-watt mobile vehicle-based stations located at approximately 200 Veterans Health Administration (VHA) facilities”, according to the solicitation notice.

The aim is to provide emergency HF two-way radio communication, linkage to the PSTN, data transmission, cellular and IP telephone networks enabling radio-to-telephone communication and automatic link establishment (ALE).

Other US departments have similar HF systems. The Department of Homeland Security has a network known as SHARES, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Army National Guard and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have HF networks.


73
Glenn

[I2NDT]

I would like to know what kind of antennas they are going to use...

i2NDT Claudio

[VK3SJ]

One of the things that has been proved time and time again is HF radio is the most reliable means of emergency communication in times of emergency or natural disaster

[VK3HJ]

Low HF frequencies would be most reliable under the current conditions, around the 80 m band. 40 m has been terrible for local comms.

Slightly off topic, but very relevant, given the situation we have at hand.

The ongoing Lancefield/Cobaw bushfire has again (and again) highlighted the lack of telecommunications infrastructure in many areas. For example, when a fire goes through, landlines have been going out of service, leaving no regular communications AT ALL in much of this area. Mobile phone communications is patchy or non-existent, and Internet is only available through an oversubscribed satellite.

Thankfully, I remained safe within the fireground, and I had reasonable mobile service just near my house, but I wonder, would I have been able to find someone on the Ham bands who could have passed emergency traffic for me? Traffic handling should be a requirement for all Radio Amateurs, if we are to be considered a useful resource in a disaster.

73,
Luke VK3HJ, Benloch.

[VK2AAH]

Great report Luke... just shared it with some of my "visionary" friends who favor emergency services in the bush to move to a LTE/Satellite platform instead of traditional radio. They need to hear more from people like you who have lived through it.

Cheers


Richard
VK2AAH

[VK3HJ]

When I contacted Tech Support of my mobile phone service provider to ask how I might improve my Mobile service at home, I was instructed to TURN OFF the LTE capability of my smart phone. This was to improve connectivity by stopping the phone from wasting time searching for a non-existent LTE network, and look in the first instance for 3G/GSM service.

HF communications from this telecommunications "Black Hole" is generally very excellent. Life is slowly returning to normal, but I am reminded each time I drive out and home of the bushfires around us.

73,
Luke VK3HJ

[VK3ZAZ]

I guess we better reassemble the RFDS network and school of the air.
VJC Broken Hill on 6920 was awesome as was Alice and Port Augusta, and the SES in the 80M band and the 4WD network.
All those radio makers, AWA CODAN and the various mobile aerial makers like Doug McLeod in Derrinallum and Scalkar and the Outbacker.
Apart from CODAN is there anyone left in Australia?
I see old HF aerials at Police stations in some centres, all the School of air antennas in VIC have fallen down on the old 5 MHZ frequencies.
Forestry has gone.
Most aircraft around VIC don't carry HF
You hardly every hear FSU saying if no contact VHF primary HF is ?????
And hm hams are HF mobile apart from the SOTA revival?
And where does one buy a mobile HF antenna set?
and so it goes.
400+ NDBs being turned OFF next 2 years all NAV by GNSS.
All tracking via ADSB.
All you need is a TXP and an ELT to be found in remote Australia..and a sat phone to communicate.
2C

[VK4BZ]

There are quite a few mobile HF antenna suppliers around. A mate and I put HF in our cars the other day and bought multi-band HF antennas from Dave VK4ICE. Dave is not the only one, you just have to look around with OM Google!

[VK2AAH]

A number of NSW government agencies have been trialing "Digital HF" for areas in western NSW. From what I hear they are very impressed. It uses the latest CODAN developed technology.


Richard
VK2AAH

[VK4WDM]

The military still has an impressive international and national HF network. A lot of the comms out in the field is done with VHF/UHF and satellite but you always see HF portable dipoles set up as well.

73

Wayne VK4WDM

[VK4BZ]

The military still has an impressive international and national HF network. A lot of the comms out in the field is done with VHF/UHF and satellite but you always see HF portable dipoles set up as well.

That's true. The Aussie military have been on a path of re-discovering HF over the last 4-5 years. Some of my "mates" were working on a HF shot overseas just this week and when you get to an exercise area, well HF comes into its own when everything else is scratchy. The problem is the dearth of people who still know how to use HF properly!

[VK2EM]

There were severe electrical storms here Thursday afternoon and night, and since then JT-65A on 21.076MHz has been pouring in from Asia, Russia and low parts of Europe!
There were still many JA's there tonight at 10pm local.
Cheers...
Bruce VK2EM