WWII HF Simplex Calling Frequencies

[D.J.J. Ring, Jr.]

Searching through the archives of this group, I found the information I have been searching for many years for.  The frequencies are all multiples of 2070 kHz.

From Ben Russell, N6SL (SK)

During WW2 U.S. Merchant ships used multiples of 4140 for HF calling.  4140, 8280, 12420, 16560 KHz.  Those were Crystal controlled on most rigs and the HF working frequency was

a multiple of 4160, 8320 etc.  At the end of the war when we could QSO coast stations I frequently used a working frequency of 8300 with the VFO..  The QRM on 8280 was tremendous when ships first returned to the air. These frequencies were used between 1945 and 1950..

73, Ben Russell N6SL

In addition to the frequencies that Ben Russell gave us, while going through my green Bern ITU Book of 1936, I found that Portishead Radio is listed as listening on 8210, 12360 and 16845 kHz other stations on HF list that they like PCH, Scheveningen Radio, scan the band for calls, as PCH does frin 8200 to 8550 and 12300 to 12825 kHz.

I've listed ALL the transmitter frequencies of KPH and WBL below but it's tiresome, so I will just insert as verification, which stations have these simplex calling frequencies in this 1936 ITU Bern (Green) Book. There's more simplex calling frequencies, so the puzzle is only partially solved, I think the others are aircraft radiotelegraphy. 4 MHz seems only to have been used "inland" and on the Great Lakes at the time.  (If I remember correctly, 6 Mc/s was previously assigned exclusively to aircraft radiotelegraphy and was NOT a marine radiotelegraph band before 1950, perhaps until the time that aircraft no longer used radio telegraphy around the middle 1950s.)

WBF, HINGHAM, MA - Tropical Radio Telegraph

WCC, CHATHAM, MA - 

WBL BUFFALO, NY - RCA Radio Marine Corporation of America.

WGO CHICAGO, IL - RCA Radio Marine Corporation of America.

KOK CLEARWATER, CA - Mackay Radio  (later ITT/Mackay)

KSM CYPRUS, CA - Globe Wireless

WRL DULUTH, MN - RCA Radio Marine Corporation of America.

KSA EDMONDS, WA - Globe Wireless

KFT EVERETT, WA - Pacific Communication Co.

WPN GARDEN CITY, NY (10 miles due east of Queens, NY below Kings Point, and above Long Beach, NY - Globe Wireless operated HF only.

WAX HIALEAH, FL, (later Ojus, FL) Tropical Radio Telegraph 

KEK, HILLSBORO, OR - Mackay Radio 

WMR, JUPITER, FL - Mackay Radio 

WNN, MOBILE, AL - Tropical Radio Telegraph

KTK, MUSSEL ROCK, CA - Globe Wireless 

WNU, NEW ORLEANS, LA - Tropical Radio 

KFS, PALO ALTO, CA - Mackay Radio 

WSL, SAYVILLE, NY - Mackay Radio

KPE, SEATTLE, WA  - City of Seattle, Harbor Dept.

KKB, SHERWOOD, OR - Globe Wireless

KSE, TORRENCE, CA - RCA Radio Marine Corporation of America.

WSC, TUCKERTON, NJ - RCA Radio Marine Corporation of America.

WCY, WEST DOVER, OH - RCA Radio Marine Corporation of America.(on Lake Erie, just west Cleveland, Ohio but not as far as Toledo, Ohio.)

I added he 2070 kc/s fundamental to produce the bands from 2 MHz to 16 Mc/s (now MHz) and we have an accurate list of the USA HF simplex calling frequencies, ships called here and coast stations also answered here.

2070 - harmonic base frequency.

4140 WBL, WAX, WGO, WBF, WNN, WNU, 

6210 WCC, KPH, KSA, KSM, WGO, WPN, KEK, KEK, WBF, KTK, WSL, KKB, WCY, 

8280 KPH, KSA, WBL, WCC, WGO, KOK, KSM, WRL, KFT, WPN, WAX, WBF, WMR, WNN, KTK, WNU, KFS, WSL, KPE, KKB, KSE, WSC, WCY, 

12420 KSM, KPH, KSA, WCC, WPN, WBF, KTK, KFS, WSL, KPE, KKB, KSE, WSC, 

16560 KPH, WCC, KSM, KSA, KOK, WPN, WAX, KEK, WBF, WMR, WNN, KTK, WNU, KFS, WSL, KPE, KKB, KSE,  WSC, 

In all probability, these frequencies were in use before WWII and until 1950 where simplex calling of stations was abolished and ships went to duplex with ships calling on calling channels, each ship had crystals for C Calling and W1 and W2 for working.

From my March 1936 LIST OF COAST STATIONS AND SHIP STATIONS published by The Bureau of the INternational Telecommunications Union - 6th Edition, Berne 1936;

I have more unfinished notes below - with my notes, coast stations also had frequencies for aircraft radiotelegraphy, I believe 3105 and 6210 were prime WT (Wireless Telegraphy) frequencies for aircraft over land - aircraft monitored and had provisions for 500 kc/s when over sea water.

73

DR

The USA stations listed with HF 

KPH BOLINAS RADIO

126

136

143 (CALLING)

436 

500 (CALLING)

3105 (CALLING) I assume this is aircraft radiotelegraphy calling. 3rd harmonic of 1035 kc/s.

3120 (WORKING) I assume this is aircraft radiotelegraphy working frequency.

5520 (CALLING) I don't know what 5 Mc/s was used for but the 2 Mc/s base frequency is 2760 kc/s.

5545 (Working - but for what service?)

6210 (CALLING) I assume this is aircraft radiotelegraphy calling. It's the 2nd harmonic of 3105 kc/s, 6th harmonic of 1035 kc/s.

6370 (WORKING) 

8280 (CALLING) 4th harmonic of 2070 kc/s. 8th harmonic of 1035 kc/s.

8440 (WORKING)

A bunch of frequencies near the 12 MHz band.

11040 (UNKNOWN) - 4th harmonic of  2760 kc/s.

11160 UNKNOWN SERVICE

12420 (SHIP CALLING) 4TH harmonic of 3105 kHz. 6th harmonic of 2070 kc/s. (IF the crystal used was 1035 kc/s - they'd all be harmonically related.)

12735 (WORKING)

16560 (CALLING) 

16880 (WORKING) 8th harmonic of 2070 kc/s

21725 Unknown

22080 Unknown

22325 (CALLING?)

22425 (WORKING)

On the Great Lakes - we have Buffalo Radio / WBL one of RCA's stations in the Empire State - so called because when the Erie Canal opened up, NYC became the maritime access to the midwest and RCA served them all the way up the Hudson River and into the Great Lakes with WCC, Chatham, MA, WSC, Tuckerton, NJ, WNY New York City on the Hudson, (Listed as WNY Brooklyn in 1936) , then WBL Buffalo, 

WBL Buffalo, NY had at this time only ship working frequencies on MF.

LF frequencies:

143 CALLING

161 Working?

MF frequencies listed:

410

425

454

No 500 kHz was listed in this book for WBL, but they did have it later and up until they closed around 1979 they were on 500  kHz.

WBL HF

3105 (CALLING) I assume this is aircraft radiotelegraphy calling. 3rd harmonic of 1035 kc/s.

3120 (WORKING) I assume this is aircraft radiotelegraphy working frequency.

4140 (CALLING)  2nd harmonic of 2070 kHz, 4th harmonic of 1035 kc/s.

4790 (Working - Marine?)

5220 Unknown

6210 (CALLING) I assume this is aircraft radiotelegraphy calling. It's the 2nd harmonic of 3105 kc/s, 6th harmonic of 1035 kc/s.

6330 (WORKING) 

8280 (CALLING) 4th harmonic of 2070 kc/s. 8th harmonic of 1035 kc/s.

8570 (WORKING)

11040 (UNKNOWN) - 4th harmonic of  2760 kc/s.

11205 UNKNOWN SERVICE

[D.J.J. Ring, Jr.]

From R/O David G Bayliss - via https://www.facebook.com/groups/sparkslist/posts/5501386823251039/

AM versus FM Harmonics

In my former employment, as a Chief Communications Officer / Frequency Manager I would deconflict all my frequency assignments and allocations in order to AVOID issuing harmonic frequencies for Radio-Network operations. However, we often used harmonics for guard, calling or alternate-frequencies to cover a fundamental distress and safety frequency allocation.
Issuing harmonic frequencies to radio networks is an intentional action, so that anybody transmitting on the fundamental frequency (usually allocated as a distress and safety frequency) has a chance of being heard on the second or third harmonic. It DOES NOT guarantee communications will get through, but it is a built-in contingency, especially when operating with aircraft, or surface-vessels within 20nmi or so distance.
You may recall that AM harmonics do not spread the bandwidth, while FM harmonics increases the bandwidth throughout the harmonics. For example, if an AM operating frequency has 3.0 kHz bandwidth, then all succeeding harmonics will have a similar 3.0 kHz bandwidth. However, if an FM operating frequency has a 16 kHz bandwidth, the second harmonic will have a 32 kHz bandwidth and the third bandwidth will have a 48 kHz bandwidth and so on. As you know, but others may not realise, this is due to the AM transmitter generating harmonics of only the fundamental frequency, while the FM transmitter will generate harmonics of the input modulating frequency plus the fundamental operating frequency.

Modern military radios are designed with 80 dB harmonic suppression as a minimum. To determine the exact suppression standards for frequency, power, type emission, etc. you would need to refer to the extant NTIA “Red Book” (see https://www.ntia.doc.gov/.../manual-regulations-and... , site visited 28 May 2022), and Military Standard 188C or its replacement. In the halcyon days of yore, when radio ruled supreme, and design specifications were less stringent, the use of harmonic frequencies on fixed or dedicated circuits was much more common. The legacy can be seen in many long-standing frequency allocations (which you have mentioned), including the Civil aviation distress/emergency frequency of 121.5 MHz, and Military aviation distress/emergency frequency of 243 MHz. Civilians may be heard on the Military frequency, but not the other way around.

=30=

Civilians may be heard on the Military frequency, but not the other way around. Absolutely brilliant!

/DR