Re: [HCDX] Theory for 8700USB

[Andrea Borgnino IW1CXZ <a.borgnino@xxxxxxxx>]

some info on 8700 trasmission taken from BBC Monitoring Media News:

US PsyOps broadcasts to Afghanistan continue

Information Radio was again observed by BBC Monitoring broadcasting in
Pashto and Dari on 8700 kHz from 0030 - 0219 gmt when the broadcast
abruptly ceased. 

During a US Department of Defence press briefing on Thursday 25 October, Gen
Richard B. Myers, chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the US was
continuing PsyOps broadcasts to Afghanistan via Commando Solo aircraft. 

Myers said: "...Our campaign against terrorism continues. Much of
yesterday's [Wednesday 24 October] efforts were again geared toward
degrading Taleban forces arrayed against opposition forces... We also flew
Commando Solo broadcast missions yesterday and conducted several leaflet
drops as well. Principally, these were in the north and northeast regions
of Afghanistan..."

Interview with US PsyOps radio PR officer

Lt Ed Shank, public affairs officer of the US 193rd Special Operations Wing
(SOW), gave an interview to a DX journal on the frequencies used for US
PsyOps broadcasts to Afghanistan. 

Commando Solo, the US Air Force's only airborne radio and TV broadcast
mission, is assigned to the 193d SOW, the only Air National Guard unit
assigned to the Air Force Special Operations Command. The 193d operates its
psychological operations mission from its base in Harrisburg International
Airport, Pennsylvania. 

Following is text of the interview conducted by Hans Johnson, Cumbre DX
Special on 24 October; published in Glenn Hauser's DX Listening Digest
e-mail newsletter on 25 October:

[Johnson] Is the shortwave frequency of 8700 kHz coming from the aircraft or
is it coming from another location?

[Shank ] From the e-mails I've been receiving from Florida, New Jersey, The
Netherlands, Germany and Tokyo (just to name a few), the transmissions seem
to be coming from the aircraft itself. Unfortunately, it will take a
thorough after-actions briefing further down the road to officially confirm
that.

[Johnson] Is the shortwave frequency used to feed the aircraft with the
programmes?

[Shank] The programmes, developed by the US Army's 4th Psychological
Operations Group [POG] out of Ft. Bragg, North Carolina, can be either
couriered to the location of our aircraft or transmitted via satellite.

[Johnson] Are there any other shortwave frequencies airing the programme?

[Shank] Not that I'm aware of.

[Johnson] 8700 kHz is listed on the leaflets that are being dropped, but is
actually being broadcast in USB [upper sideband mode, a frequency not used
for public broadcasts]. How can ordinary Afghans tune this in when most
shortwave sets cannot receive transmissions in SSB [single sideband mode]?
I have no idea...

[Johnson] Why was 8700 kHz chosen instead of the Taleban's old shortwave
frequency of 7085 kHz?

[Shanks] Frequencies are provided to us by the 4th POG.


At 22.05 30/10/01 -0800, Walter Salmaniw wrote:
>Folks, I have a theory.  Others have considered Diego Garcia as the 
>possible location for the 8700USB feeder frequency for the USAF Psyops 
>operation.  A very plausible possibility, in my opinion.  Now we know of 2 
>frequencies used by AFRTS Diego Garcia, 4319 and 12579USB.  I expect these 
>transmitter(s) are frequency agile, and could easily tune to 8700 
>USB.  Now, has anyone heard 8700 at the same time as either 12579 or 
>4319?  Or to put it another way, what happens on these frequencies before 
>and after the scheduled broadcasts?  12579 is often heard here in the 
>mornings, but I'm unaware of any loggings lately.  It wouldn't be proof, 
>but highly probable!.......Walt Salmaniw, Victoria, BC 
>
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  And_Bov -  a.borgnino@xxxxxxxxxxxx  -  Ham call IW1CXZ since 1991

Monitoring shortwave from Rome - Italy with a Kenwood R5000 - 20 Mt. Lw
Web : http://www.mediasuk.org/archive (The Italian HF Archive)
       http://www.agora.stm.it/A.Borgnino (Staglieno & Joy Division site)



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