Operation Deep Freeze 2012-2013

[blaze]

For those who might not be aware, if you're in the footprint of the PAC region UHF TACSAT satellites, this is an interesting time to be tuning in. Operation "Deep Freeze", the USAF's support mission that shuttles people and supplies to the US Antarctic research station, has started up for the season. The flights use UHF TACSAT as one of their main communications channels.

Because of the extreme conditions even in the Antarctic summer, it's a very interesting and unusual operation, involving, among other things, a fleet of LC130 cargo planes, which are basically C130s with retractable skis and JATO boosters that allow them to take off and land on snow and ice. Most of the flights shuttle between Christchurch, NZ and McMurdo station, although there are also occasional "domestic" flights between McMurdo and the more remote outposts down there.

Because this is a completely unclassified scientific mission (funded by the NSF rather than the military), a great deal of the SATCOM traffic is in the clear (on FM). 263.625 is a particularly busy channel, but you'll hear traffic on many of the other PAC region channels as well.

Here's a sample, with "Skier 81" heading to McMurdo, where it was a balmy -12 degrees: http://www.crypto.com/misc/uhf-sats/...20121022-4.mp3 .

[blaze]

And in an example of great minds thinking alike, I see that Solarix caught and posted the same exchange: solarix.net · 263.625 Skier 81

[Rt169Radio]

How can you tell if your in range of those satellites?

[blaze]

Originally Posted by Rt169Radio

How can you tell if your in range of those satellites?

Unfortunately, if you're in Connecticut, you're out of the footprint of the PAC region satellites that DEEP FREEZE seems to be using, which just touches the West coast of the US.

See UHF SATCOM Downlinks Receivable in North America and also page 25 of http://www.crypto.com/misc/uhf-sats/tacsat.pdf [pdf] for a map of the regions.

[eorange]

Based on the above, it's probably worth listening to MWARA HF freqs for REACH callsigns (likely to be these USAF flights).

[brandon]

Ice 16 and Skier 82 have been up this afternoon.
These guys can be heard on MWARA freqs for SP (5643, 8867, 13261)
They also use HF with Mac Center on 9032 and 6708.