|
Global High Frequency System (GHFS)
[About the GHFS]
[Frequencies By Order]
[Frequencies By Time]
[Bases] [International
Bases]
The
Global HF System (GHFS) was started by the US Air Force in June of 1992.
This system was created by consolidating several other USAF HF networks,
including the Strategic Air Command "Giant Talk" system. The goal of
the system was to develop a worldwide HF network for providing Command &
Control HF communications to all authorized USA DOD aircraft and ground
stations. The best frequencies to listen to, as the chart suggests, are
8.9920MHz USB and 11.1750MHz USB although in being in the other hemisphere the
signals can be considerably low from aircraft and a decent shortwave antenna
will be required for reception.
When you hear an aircraft or any stations calling "MAINSAIL" on any of
the GHFS frequencies this is a "general" call for any ground station
to answer and provided the calling stations with what ever he needs. Any GHFS
ground station will respond to the call "MAINSAIL". Depending on the
service required, the station bay request the aircraft to change to a discrete
frequency for improved and extended service.
EAM's or Emergency Action Message. Another very
important aspect of the GHFS is the transmission of EAM's. EAM's are the coded
military orders or bulletins that have the highest priority. When EAM's are
broadcast, ALL other users of the system are to standby. If you hear a voice
giving a long series of letters phonically this is an EAM.
SKYKING messages are special EAM's. These presumably could be the nuclear
go/no-go codes. There was a higher than normal number of EAM's and SKYKING
messages being transmitted after the attackes of 9/11/01. Urgent SKYKING
messages are repeated three or four times instead of the usual two. SKYKING is a
group callsign, meaning "Any
this net." "Do not answer" is the standard procedure ofr
self-authenticating broadcasts, meaning that recipients don't need to give away
their positions or existence by challenging the orders. While tuned to any of
the GHFS frequencies and hear "SKYKING SKYKING Do not answer" you can
bet you're hearing a very important, highest priority, and heavily encrypted
message!
Authorized users
may request service from GHFS station by calling "Mainsail". Any
station in the net recieving the call will respond and provide requested
service. Minimum service by all stations are phone patch and message relay
service. Phone patch permits direct voice communication between ground agencies
and aircraft/ships by electronically connecting telephone circuits or other
voice channels to radio transmitting and recieving equipment. For pp: callsign,
telephone number and location should be stated if known.
When contacting GHFS for RTTY, global will designate and alternate frequency for
the service.
EAM messages are common on all frequencies, only aircraft with emergency or
distress situations are to interupt EAM broadcasts made out by GHFS using the
static words "PAN PAN PAN" or "MAYDAY MAYDAY MAYDAY". GHFS
are not directly capable of Direction Finding. However stations can assist in DF
by coordinating between various aircraft in the vicinity.
More often then
not you will hear "REACH" aircraft requesting a pp to an airbases' AMC
CP giving them a heads up about their load, passengers, estimated time of
arrival and aircraft technical status. Almost always this pp is followed by one
to the destinations airbase meteorological office to ask them the current or
expected weather conditions before they land there. At the end of the pp to the
wx shop on an airbase the pilot occasionally asks the meta man if he wants a
PIlots REPort (PIREP) as an extra service, so the wx shops can give better
forecasts on the weather for other aircraft and anticipate.
GHFS
Frequencies (Lowest to Highest)
| Freq-USB |
Description |
| 4.7090 |
Sigonella |
| 4.7240 |
Andrews, Ascension, Elmendorf, Guam,
Hickam, Lejes, Offutt, Salinas, Thule, Yokota |
| 6.7120 |
Andrews, Ascension, Guam, Lajes |
| 6.7240 |
Sigonella |
| 6.7390 |
Ascension, Elmendorf, Guam, Hickam,
Salinas, Offutt, Thule, Yokota |
| 8.9920 |
Andrews, Ascension, Elmendorf, Guam,
Hickam, Offutt, Salinas, Thule, Yokota |
| 9.0070 |
Sigonella |
| 9.0250 |
Lejes |
| 10.7800 |
AF Eastern Test Range (Backup for
Ascension), Cape Canaveral, Antigua, Ascension, Maui |
| 11.1750 |
Andrews, Ascension, Elmendorf, Guam,
Hickam, Salinas, Offutt, Thule, Yokota |
| 11.1810 |
Lajes |
| 11.2710 |
Andrews, Ascension, Elmendorf, Guam,
Hickam, Lejes, Offutt, Salinas, Thule, Yokota |
| 13.2120 |
Lajes |
| 15.0160 |
Andrews, Ascension, Elmendorf, Guam,
Hickam, Lajes, Offutt, Salinas, Thule, Yokota |
| 15.0380 |
Sigonella |
| 20.3900 |
AF Eastern Test Range (Backup for
Ascension), Cape Canaveral, Antigua, Ascension, Maui |
GHFS
Frequencies by UTC Guard Times
|
GHFS
GUARD TIMES SUMMER ( UTC )
|
|
FREQUENCIES
, BASE & TIMES
|
|
Station
|
4.7090
|
4.7240
|
6.7120
|
6.7240
|
6.7390
|
8.9920
|
9.007
0
|
9.0250
|
10.7800
|
11.1750
|
11.1810
|
11.2710
|
13.2000
|
13.2120
|
15.0160
|
15.0380
|
20.390
0
|
|
AF
Test Range
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
24Hrs
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
B/U
|
|
Anderson
|
|
1300-2000
|
|
|
1100-2000
|
24Hrs
|
|
|
|
24Hrs
|
|
|
2000-1300
|
|
2000-1100
|
|
|
|
Andrews
|
|
0430-0930
|
0230-0930
|
|
|
24Hrs
|
|
|
|
24Hrs
|
|
|
0930-0430
|
|
0930-0230
|
|
|
|
Antigua
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
24Hrs
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
B/U
|
|
Ascension
|
|
2400-0700
|
2400-0700
|
|
1900-2400
|
24Hrs
|
|
|
B/U
|
24Hrs
|
|
|
|
|
0700-1900
|
|
B/U
|
|
Cape
Canaveral
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
24Hrs
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
B/U
|
|
Croughton
|
|
2230-0400
|
2230-0400
|
|
|
24Hrs
|
|
|
|
24Hrs
|
|
|
0400-2230
|
|
0400-2230
|
|
|
|
Elmendorf
|
|
1000-1300
|
|
|
0800-1400
|
24Hrs
|
|
|
|
24Hrs
|
|
|
1300-1000
|
|
1400-0800
|
|
|
|
Hickam
|
|
0900-1600
|
|
|
0700-1600
|
24Hrs
|
|
|
|
24Hrs
|
|
|
1600-0900
|
|
1600-0700
|
|
|
|
Incirlik
|
|
24Hrs
|
|
|
24Hrs
|
|
|
|
|
24Hrs
|
|
|
|
|
24Hrs
|
|
|
|
Lajes
|
|
2230-0430
|
2230-0400
|
|
|
|
|
2230-0400
|
|
|
0400-2230
|
|
|
0400-2230
|
0400-2230
|
|
|
|
Maui
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
24Hrs
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
B/U
|
|
McClellan
|
|
0730-1300
|
|
|
0530-1300
|
24Hrs
|
|
|
|
24Hrs
|
|
|
1300-0730
|
|
1300-0530
|
|
|
|
Offutt
|
|
0600-1100
|
|
|
0400-1100
|
24Hrs
|
|
|
|
24Hrs
|
|
|
1100-0600
|
|
1100-0400
|
|
|
|
Salinas
|
|
0300-1000
|
|
|
0100-1000
|
24Hrs
|
|
|
|
24Hrs
|
|
|
1000-0300
|
|
1000-0100
|
|
|
|
Sigonella
|
1600-0400
|
|
|
24Hrs
|
|
|
24Hrs
|
|
|
|
|
24Hrs
|
|
|
|
0400-1600
|
|
|
Thule
|
|
|
|
|
|
24Hrs
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
24Hrs
|
|
24Hrs
|
|
|
|
Yokota
|
|
1200-1930
|
|
|
1000-2130
|
24Hrs
|
|
|
|
24Hrs
|
|
|
1930-1200
|
|
2130-1000
|
|
|
|
GHFS
GUARD TIMES WINTER ( UTC)
|
|
FREQUENCIES
, BASE & TIME
|
|
Station
|
4.7090
|
4.7240
|
6.712
0
|
6.7240
|
6.7390
|
8.9920
|
9.0070
|
9.0250
|
10.7800
|
11.1750
|
11.181
0
|
11.2710
|
13.2000
|
13.212
0
|
15.016
0
|
15.0380
|
20.3900
|
|
AF
Test Range
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
24Hrs
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
24Hrs
|
|
Anderson
|
|
1200-2030
|
2400-1230
|
|
1000-2030
|
24Hrs
|
|
|
|
24Hrs
|
|
|
2030-1200
|
|
2030-1000
|
|
|
|
Andrews
|
|
0200-1230
|
|
|
|
24Hrs
|
|
|
|
24Hrs
|
|
|
1230-0200
|
|
1230-2400
|
|
|
|
Antigua
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
24Hrs
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
24Hrs
|
|
Ascension
|
|
2400-0700
|
2400-0700
|
|
1900-2400
|
24Hrs
|
|
|
B/U
|
24Hrs
|
|
|
|
|
0700-1900
|
|
B/U
|
|
Cape
Canaveral
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
24Hrs
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
24Hrs
|
|
Croughton
|
|
1800-0800
|
1800-0800
|
|
|
24Hrs
|
|
|
|
24Hrs
|
|
|
0800-1800
|
|
0800-1800
|
|
|
|
Elmendorf
|
|
0230-1900
|
|
|
0030-2130
|
24Hrs
|
|
|
|
24Hrs
|
|
|
0800-1800
|
|
0800-1800
|
|
|
|
Hickam
|
|
0800-1700
|
|
|
0600-1700
|
24Hrs
|
|
|
|
24Hrs
|
|
|
1700-0800
|
|
1700-0600
|
|
|
|
Incirlik
|
|
24Hrs
|
|
|
24Hrs
|
|
|
|
|
24Hrs
|
|
|
|
|
24Hrs
|
|
|
|
Lajes
|
|
1800-0800
|
1800-0800
|
|
|
|
|
1800-0800
|
|
|
0800-1800
|
|
|
0800-1800
|
0800-1800
|
|
|
|
Maui
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
24Hrs
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
24Hrs
|
|
McClellan
|
|
0500-1530
|
|
|
0300-1530
|
24Hrs
|
|
|
|
24Hrs
|
|
|
1530-0500
|
|
1530-0300
|
|
|
|
Offutt
|
|
0300-1400
|
|
|
0100-1400
|
24Hrs
|
|
|
|
24Hrs
|
|
|
1400-0300
|
|
1400-0100
|
|
|
|
Salinas
|
|
0200-1100
|
|
|
2400-1100
|
24Hrs
|
|
|
|
24Hrs
|
|
|
1100-0200
|
|
1100-2400
|
|
|
|
Sigonella
|
1600-0400
|
|
|
24Hrs
|
|
|
24Hrs
|
|
|
|
|
24Hrs
|
|
|
|
0400-1600
|
|
|
Thule
|
|
24Hrs
|
|
|
24Hrs
|
24Hrs
|
|
|
|
24Hrs
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Yokota
|
|
0930-2200
|
|
|
0730-2400
|
24Hrs
|
|
|
|
24Hrs
|
|
|
2200-0930
|
|
2400-0730
|
|
|
Footnotes:
(1) - 10.7800 is usually the primary frequency NASA uses to communicate with the
Booster Recovery Ships during a Space Shuttle Launch. Start listening to this a
day before up to a few hours before any Shuttle launch and you'll hear Cape
Radio on this frequency. This frequency is sometimes used during non Shuttle
launches as well.
(2) - 11.1750 is probably the most active of all the GHFS frequencies. If you
want to hear your first military station, set you radio on this freq. and
usually within an hour you'll hear something. Even with a portable radio and
telescoping antenna you should be able to catch some Military comms on this
frequency (your radio must be capable of receiving USB).
GHFS Ground
Station Locations
| Gound Station |
Location |
| Andersen |
Andersen AFB, Guam near Agana |
| Andrews |
Andrews AFB, near Washington, DC |
| Ascension |
Ascension Island Auxiliary Air Base in the South Atlantic Ocean |
| Croughton |
Croughton Air Base, England, UK |
| Elmendorf |
Elmendorf AFB, Alaska |
| Hickam |
Hickam AFB, Hawaii near Pearl Harbor |
| Incirlik |
Incirlik Air Base Turkey In May 2001 Incirlik was replaced by
Sigonella |
| Lajes |
Lajes Air Base, Azores - North Atlantic Ocean |
| Offutt |
Offutt AFB, Omaha, NE |
| Salinas |
Salinas, Puerto Rico, This is only a remote for Andrews. |
| Thule |
Thule Air Base, Greenland |
| Yokota |
Yokota Air Base, Japan |
| West Coast |
McClellan AFB, Sacramento, CA NOTE: This was called McClellan but in
January 2001 now is known as "West Coast" |
International
US GHFS & Other Communications Bases as used by the USAF Air Mobility
Command Tanker airlift Control Centre (TACC) at Scott AFB, provides
worldwide service for AMC missions. Either TACC or appropriate AMCC can be
contacted for airlift movement reporting or assistance through Global stations.
Calls can be made out to:
| CALLSIGN |
LOCATION |
| Denali |
Elmendorf AMCC (Alaska) |
| Furious |
Howard AMCC (Panama) |
| Brickyard |
Osan AMCC (Korea) |
| Hilda East |
TACC East Cell (USA) |
| Hilda West |
TACC West Cell (USA) |
| Tracker |
USAFE UTRACC (Germany) |
Also the Air Force Eastern Test
Range (AFETR) can be contacted as back-up on 10780 (pri) or 20390 (sec) under
callsign "Cape Radio". Furthermore a new station has stepped in with
callsign "Puerto Rico".
352 SOG, Mildenhall, UK
The 352nd Special Operations Group
at Mildenhall AB operates several aircraft. Operations are using the callsign 'Blackhat'.
For HF they have a wide array of frequencies available although the following
are mostly used:
|
4.8880
|
|
5.4025
|
|
6.6910
|
|
11.2280
|
USAF KC-135, Det Istres,
France
After operation 'Allied' force the
USAF(E) still maintains a KC-135 detechment at Istres/le-Tube, France.
Operations goes by the name 'Riviera Ops'. Their HF Operations are taking place
on:
|
OPS DAY
|
11269.5
|
|
OPS NIGHT
|
8999.5
|
|
A/A
|
6761
|
Rammstein Airbase, Germany
Apart from the GHFS system,
the 86AW aircraft based at Rammstein have a specially formed HF service at their
disposal which can help them to make the missions a succes. The communication
unit is based at Rammstein and is using the callsign 'Metaphore' and uses the
following frequencies:
6819
6870
7919
14682
15082
Giebelstadt, Germany
|
13.2730
|
'Big Windy'
|
|
19.1000
|
Flight Following
|
|
22.9140
|
'Blue Star'
|
|
24.7500
|
'War Eagles'
|
|
26.7250
|
Aviation Regiment
Common
|
Brindisi Airbase, Italy
Identical to Mildenhall, the
Special Operation Squadron here has HF usage. Operations here are using the
callsign 'Promenade'.
5.5900
10.5960
14.5110 |
