UHF SATCOM Corona Virus Operations

[blantonl]

Has anyone caught any new UHF Satcom comms related to deploying military and federal assets across the country?

Might want to keep the well known nets in your lists to monitor:

UHF-MILSATCOM - The RadioReference Wiki

wiki.radioreference.com

If you log anything, let us know.

 

[devicelab]

Lindsay any word on whether TACSAT 4 is operational (as in live use) or is it still under testing..?

 

[blantonl]

What is "TACSAT 4" ?

 

[RaleighGuy]

What is "TACSAT 4" ?

TacSat-4 - eoPortal Directory - Satellite Missions

 

[devicelab]

TacSat-4 - eoPortal Directory - Satellite Missions

Thanks for that link. I think I saw this before but damn this is one thorough report! Sadly, it hasn't been updated since 2013 it seems.

 

[devicelab]

What is "TACSAT 4"?

Lindsay, the usual UHF SATCOM satellites are WAY out in orbit (35,000km) and TACSAT was/is a test for a low orbit version that would cycle every 90 min similar to the past shuttle orbits. I believe these are [only] 400km out and thus cover a localized area with better RF signals and thus provide greater features -- such as high speed links, better efficiency, etc.

TACSAT-4 is the only working sat that I'm aware of despite others being planned, etc.

You can see it here: Technical details for satellite TACSAT 4

 

[N1XDS]

What frequency does TACSAT 4 uses?

 

[devicelab]

What frequency does TACSAT 4 uses?

I don't think anyone has any concrete lists or ideas. I found a few frequencies listed but they were unconfirmed. I'm not at home so I don't recall what they were. I do remember 253.0 was speculated to be TACSAT-4.

 

[N1XDS]

I don't think anyone has any concrete lists or ideas. I found a few frequencies listed but they were unconfirmed. I'm not at home so I don't recall what they were. I do remember 253.0 was speculated to be TACSAT-4.

Okay thank you I'll add that one as well!

 

[blhamlin]

Several years ago there were four frequencies that were confirmed, but I haven't checked in a while to see if these are still active:
249.600 MHz
252.950 MHz
253.015 MHz
254.125 MHz
There were some clear tests early on when it was over the US and then some ANDVT and data streams when over other countries. Might be interesting to see what they are doing with this now.

 

[michaelscoofield]

Anybody logged activity?

 

[devicelab]

Negative.

 

[ChrisP]

Unless they are chatting in Portuguese, no...