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Author Topic: Any TACAMO Activity on VLF  (Read 2168 times)

Offline Boriken

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Any TACAMO Activity on VLF
« on: March 06, 2019, 2354 UTC »
I have a couple of VLF receivers (Gyrator II) listening for solar activity (27 & 40kc). Have the parts for another one. Has anyone ever heard any TACAMO activity in the 15-30kc range? I see frequencies in the various online lists. Is it still used?
Scott / WB4YZA
Western North Carolina
Mosty homebrew, 100% analog

Offline Strange Beacons

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Re: Any TACAMO Activity on VLF
« Reply #1 on: March 07, 2019, 1702 UTC »
I don't have any information for you, but I did have to look up what TACAMO is and it got me interested in what you are monitoring.

Please let us know if you ever hear anything.

Offline Josh

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Re: Any TACAMO Activity on VLF
« Reply #2 on: March 07, 2019, 2013 UTC »
Yes, still used. The reason they fly tight loops once on station is to keep that miles long vlf antenna as vertical as possible. Think the last logs I saw said around 18KHz. If you find a msk sig down that low and it's the strongest thing on the band, it's either neacp or one of the ground based vlf stas.
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Offline Boriken

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Re: Any TACAMO Activity on VLF
« Reply #3 on: March 08, 2019, 0311 UTC »
Set up the Palomar VLF converter & TS-520SE to monitor 17.9kc. Lists call it "channel 1". Heard a fairly strong MSK signal show up from 0200 to 0214 UTC 08 March. Similar sounding to NAA, NAU, NRK, etc. Will see what else shows up while I build another Gyrator.
Scott / WB4YZA
Western North Carolina
Mosty homebrew, 100% analog

Offline Josh

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Re: Any TACAMO Activity on VLF
« Reply #4 on: March 08, 2019, 2113 UTC »
If you look at the uhf mil air posts, some of us are logging neacp catches, if they're up, you might reasonably expect there to be msk traffic waaaay down the band.

:D
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Offline Strange Beacons

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Re: Any TACAMO Activity on VLF
« Reply #5 on: March 08, 2019, 2241 UTC »
Set up the Palomar VLF converter & TS-520SE to monitor 17.9kc. Lists call it "channel 1". Heard a fairly strong MSK signal show up from 0200 to 0214 UTC 08 March. Similar sounding to NAA, NAU, NRK, etc. Will see what else shows up while I build another Gyrator.

What mode (CW, AM, other) are you using to listen to the TACAMO signals?

Offline Josh

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Offline Boriken

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Re: Any TACAMO Activity on VLF
« Reply #7 on: March 12, 2019, 0105 UTC »
MSK signal just appeared on 17.9kc at 0100 UTC. Assumed to be TACAMO.
Scott / WB4YZA
Western North Carolina
Mosty homebrew, 100% analog

Offline Josh

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Re: Any TACAMO Activity on VLF
« Reply #8 on: March 12, 2019, 1821 UTC »
If you don't already, you might do some mil air listening on UHF in conjunction with your VLF work.

Here's some starter freqs;
http://www.carmachicago.com/profiles/Milair.pdf

In this page you can enter your zip and listening radius (I use 500 miles) and it will display intercepts from your area;
http://www.milradiocomms.com/mil_freq_database.html
We do not encourage any radio operations contrary to regulations.