Military Comms in the VHF Low Band

[kkn50]

I've never been in the military and have no first hand knowledge of their communications equipment. For many years I have scanned from 30 to 80 MHz in 25 kHz steps and heard a lot of comms. I was recently told that the Army is transitioning to Software Defined Radios and can operate on any frequency in that range, not just 25 kHz steps. Anyone have thoughts regarding that? Thanks.

 

[mancow]

They already can with the PRC148, 152, 117G, etc...

 

[prcguy]

Even though current radios can program in very small frequency increments I believe military comms on VHF lo within the US will still keep the 25KHz spacing. In my experience they also mostly use the even MHz range below 40MHz within the US like 30.XX, 32.XX, 34.XX, 36.XX, etc.

I've never been in the military and have no first hand knowledge of their communications equipment. For many years I have scanned from 30 to 80 MHz in 25 kHz steps and heard a lot of comms. I was recently told that the Army is transitioning to Software Defined Radios and can operate on any frequency in that range, not just 25 kHz steps. Anyone have thoughts regarding that? Thanks.

 

[nd5y]

In my experience they also mostly use the even MHz range below 40MHz within the US like 30.XX, 32.XX, 34.XX, 36.XX, etc.

That's because the 30-50 MHz band has several federal-only subbands:
30.0-30.56
32.0-33.0
34.0-35.0
36.0-37.0
38.0-39.0
40.0-42.0
46.6-47.0
49.6-50.0

See chapter 7.15 of the NTIA Manual.

 

[spacellamaman]

i ditto prcguy

That's because the 30-50 MHz band has several federal-only subbands:
30.0-30.56
32.0-33.0
34.0-35.0
36.0-37.0
38.0-39.0
40.0-42.0
46.6-47.0
49.6-50.0

See chapter 7.15 of the NTIA Manual.

and my apologies if i read the above wrong, but do you mean the ranges listed are the MIL use ranges, and to exclude MIL use outside of those ranges? or are you just providing guidance for a newbie whose handle is short for PeoplesRepublic(of)ChinaGuy?

and to kkn50: i have basically run into mainly 100khz and 50khz freqs, with a sprinkling of 25khzs below 50mhz and nearly all between 60-75mhz i have found were a 25khz freqs. but as an example of the oddball outlier(s) have run into 41.88 (ch-47) and 44.18 (oh-58d) and possibly a 38.18. but thats the extent i can offer of any insight. from what you said you prob have as good an understanding as most of the rest of us here.

 

[prcguy]

Oops, is my Chinese side showing again? Wǒ hěn bàoqiàn!

i ditto prcguy
or are you just providing guidance for a newbie whose handle is short for PeoplesRepublic(of)ChinaGuy?

 

[spacellamaman]

Oops, is my Chinese side showing again? Wǒ hěn bàoqiàn!

oh now don't be so hard on yourself. Shì/fǒu, wǒ de lǐjiě. Cèsuǒ zài nǎlǐ. Zhège zhà huǐ èyú wǒ héngdù yīngjílì hǎixiá dào yīngguó, zhèyàng wǒ jiù kěyǐ suǒpéi assylum.