AFRTS (USA Armed Forces radio) on Shortwave?

[Stephanie Weil]

According to this website, there's an AFTRS facility broadcasting on
SW out of some areas in the USA, but it's on SSB instead of regular AM.

http://myafn.dodmedia.osd.mil/radio/shortwave/

This is one of my primary reasons for wanting a good radio that can
pick up SSB

Is this page still accurate? Has anyone in the USA ever heard these
broadcasts and can report back on the signal quality?

Thanks!

Stephanie Weil
New York City
USA

[Brian]

"Stephanie Weil" <stepha...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1146771941.6...@e56g2000cwe.googlegroups.com...

I'm listening to Key West now, so I'd assume that those freqs are accurate.
I don't think they really change them.

-Brian

[dxAce]

Stephanie Weil wrote:

The frequency 7812.5 listed under Key West, FL is actually 7811.

dxAce
Michigan
USA

[Stephanie Weil]

Is there any reason why AFN doesn't broadcast in regular AM mode on
these freqs?

If they did, then their target audiences wouldn't need higher-priced
specialty receivers to tune them in. They could do it on any SW radio.

[Telamon]

In article <1146771941.6...@e56g2000cwe.googlegroups.com>,
"Stephanie Weil" <stepha...@gmail.com> wrote:

This probably won't be all that helpful to you because I'm on the other
coast but I have come across a few of them from the pacific area.
Hawaii on 10320 KHz comes in most days as does 12133.5 KHz from Key west
Florida. Florida might be a good one for you as would Puerto Rico but I
see that 7507 is not on that schedule anymore.

In the past I have gotten all the locations except Diego Garcia.
Recently I came across 10320 and 12133.5 so I know those are current.

Maybe Iceland on 13855, 7590 would be your best bet. According to ILG
list Iceland also used to have 7525, 9340, 9980 so you might try those.

--
Telamon
Ventura, California

[Telamon]

In article <1146775709.6...@y43g2000cwc.googlegroups.com>,
"Stephanie Weil" <stepha...@gmail.com> wrote:

SSB gets through better than AM with the same power. Saves power on the
transmit end and on receive the IF filter is narrower lowering the noise
floor improving the signal to noise ratio.

--
Telamon
Ventura, California

[Jim Hackett]

Let's not forget 6350 either...

"Telamon" <telamon_s...@pacbell.net.is.invalid> wrote in message
news:telamon_spamshield-5...@newsclstr02.news.prodigy.com..
.

[Geoffrey S. Mendelson]

dxAce wrote:

> The frequency 7812.5 listed under Key West, FL is actually 7811.

No, it's really 7812.5. Shortwave and amateur radios are calibrated
differently than commercial, marine and miltitary ones.

You are used to setting USB freqencies to the carrier (bottom) which is at
7811. The frequency listed is the CENTER frequency which is what their
radio is calibrated to.

Look up 60 meter ham band frequencies for an explanation.

Geoff.

--
Geoffrey S. Mendelson, Jerusalem, Israel g...@mendelson.com N3OWJ/4X1GM
IL Voice: (07)-7424-1667 IL Fax: 972-2-648-1443 U.S. Voice: 1-215-821-1838
Visit my 'blog at http://geoffstechno.livejournal.com/

[Geoffrey S. Mendelson]

Their target audience is millitary personel who aren't supposed to liste
n on private radios anyway. They don't have a broadcast license nor do
they pay broadcast royalties.

In fact, all shortwave transmission was dropped by the AFN in favor of
satelitte feeds. Obviously there was a need to bring it back.

[dxAce]

"Geoffrey S. Mendelson" wrote:

> dxAce wrote:
>
> > The frequency 7812.5 listed under Key West, FL is actually 7811.
>
> No, it's really 7812.5. Shortwave and amateur radios are calibrated
> differently than commercial, marine and miltitary ones.

No, it's really 7811...

dxAce
Michigan
USA

[Telamon]

In article <slrne5ktd...@cable.mendelson.com>,

g...@mendelson.com (Geoffrey S. Mendelson) wrote:

> dxAce wrote:
>
> > The frequency 7812.5 listed under Key West, FL is actually 7811.
>
> No, it's really 7812.5. Shortwave and amateur radios are calibrated
> differently than commercial, marine and miltitary ones.
>
> You are used to setting USB freqencies to the carrier (bottom) which is at
> 7811. The frequency listed is the CENTER frequency which is what their
> radio is calibrated to.
>
> Look up 60 meter ham band frequencies for an explanation.

I have a Drake, AOR, and Ten-Tec radios that all tune to the frequencies
listed without some offset. DxAce owns Drake radios.

--
Telamon
Ventura, California

[dxAce]

Telamon wrote:

Yep, and all the other freq's come in correctly as listed. The one they made a
mistake with on that list is 7812.5, and if that one is indeed 'correct', then
ALL the others would then be listed incorrectly for 'commercial, marine and
miltitary' radios.

We'll let Mr. Mendolson play semantics though :-)

dxAce
Michigan
USA

[Paul]

Jim Hackett wrote:

> Let's not forget 6350 either...

AFN Pearl Harbor 6.350MHz USB is the one I hear. Not on all the time.
Very boring. They have news shows and some NPR shows like Car Talk.

[mi...@sushi.com]

The signal quality is fine, but not a barn burner in signal strength,
at least on the left coast. I generally listen to the Pearl Harbor
feeds. The bandwidth (to my ears) is wide enough that I use my 4KHZ
filter, rather than the narrower 2.4Khz filter.

My recollection is when they started to put AFN back on shortwave, it
was for the US Navy. The other services use satellites.

The 5765 frequency is an odd one to pick since it is used by WWCR.

[Beerbarrel]

Yep Steve, we have.

On 4 May 2006 12:45:41 -0700, "Stephanie Weil"
<stepha...@gmail.com> wrote:

It’s Christianity vs. Islam. Let’s get this party started!

[Beerbarrel]

On 4 May 2006 13:48:29 -0700, "Stephanie Weil"
<stepha...@gmail.com> wrote:

Yep, their signal is as fake as your boobs.

[RHF]

For One and All,

IIRC the main reason that AFN Shortwave Radio Broadcasts
are in SSB by AFRTS are that they are "Audio Only" for Ships
at Sea and the Ship's AFRTS Receiver is used to Distribute
the Audio Signal throughout the Ship to be heard where it can
be heard and when it can be listened to.

jmtcw ~ RHF
.
.
. .
.

[RHF]

Telamon

All the Transmitter Locations are designed to
reach "All the Ships at Sea" in their Ocean Areas.

Hawaii - Pacific
Iceland - North Atlantic
Key West - Atlantic
Puerto Rico - Caribbean
Diego Garcia - Indian Ocean

jm2cw ~ RHF

[Michael A. Terrell]

"Geoffrey S. Mendelson" wrote:
>
> Stephanie Weil wrote:
> > Is there any reason why AFN doesn't broadcast in regular AM mode on
> > these freqs?
> >
> > If they did, then their target audiences wouldn't need higher-priced
> > specialty receivers to tune them in. They could do it on any SW radio.
>
> Their target audience is millitary personel who aren't supposed to liste
> n on private radios anyway. They don't have a broadcast license nor do
> they pay broadcast royalties.

Really? No license? The AFRTS stations I engineered at had FCC
licenses on the wall. They had no expiration date, and no fixed power
levels. They were marked "Until no longer needed", and "As deemed
necessary". As far as royalties, they are not required to pay any, by
contract with the recording and movie industries. he records and films
were labeled that they were to be destroyed when the government was
through with them.

>
> In fact, all shortwave transmission was dropped by the AFN in favor of
> satelitte feeds. Obviously there was a need to bring it back.
>
> Geoff.
>
> --
> Geoffrey S. Mendelson, Jerusalem, Israel g...@mendelson.com N3OWJ/4X1GM
> IL Voice: (07)-7424-1667 IL Fax: 972-2-648-1443 U.S. Voice: 1-215-821-1838
> Visit my 'blog at http://geoffstechno.livejournal.com/

--
Service to my country? Been there, Done that, and I've got my DD214 to
prove it.
Member of DAV #85.

Michael A. Terrell
Central Florida

[Michael A. Terrell]

"Geoffrey S. Mendelson" wrote:
>
> Stephanie Weil wrote:
> > Is there any reason why AFN doesn't broadcast in regular AM mode on
> > these freqs?
> >
> > If they did, then their target audiences wouldn't need higher-priced
> > specialty receivers to tune them in. They could do it on any SW radio.
>
> Their target audience is millitary personel who aren't supposed to liste
> n on private radios anyway. They don't have a broadcast license nor do
> they pay broadcast royalties.

Really? No license? The AFRTS stations I engineered at had FCC
licenses on the wall. They had no expiration date, and no fixed power
levels. They were marked "Until no longer needed", and "As deemed
necessary". As far as royalties, they are not required to pay any, by

contract with the recording and movie industries. The records and films

were labeled that they were to be destroyed when the government was
through with them.

> In fact, all shortwave transmission was dropped by the AFN in favor of
> satelitte feeds. Obviously there was a need to bring it back.
>
> Geoff.
>
> --
> Geoffrey S. Mendelson, Jerusalem, Israel g...@mendelson.com N3OWJ/4X1GM
> IL Voice: (07)-7424-1667 IL Fax: 972-2-648-1443 U.S. Voice: 1-215-821-1838
> Visit my 'blog at http://geoffstechno.livejournal.com/

[cuh...@webtv.net]

Michael Terrell,when I was in Vietnam in 1964,sometimes I would listen
to AFRTS on my little shirt pocket transistor.(other times,I would
listen to some local Vietnamese music.Those little AM radios would get
soaking wet with sweat and quit working.I would go to a store and buy
another cheap little shirt pocket transistor.The last one I bought over
there was a little square Hitachi radio,it was a durn good little radio
too) How did that station in Saigon get the news to broadcast?

There also was TV if one happened to have a TV set so as to tune in to
TV stuff.I didn't have a TV set over there.Back then,one couldn't phone
Stateside as easily as people can nowdays.
cuhulin

[Grimly Curmudgeon]

We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the
drugs began to take hold. I remember "Stephanie Weil"
<stepha...@gmail.com> saying something like:

>Is this page still accurate? Has anyone in the USA ever heard these
>broadcasts and can report back on the signal quality?

I regularly listen to AFRTS from Iceland from where I am in Ireland, a
thousand miles distant, on 7590 LSB. Given it's an omnidirectiona output
and only listed as 10kW, I'm reasonably impressed at the quality of it
most nights.
--

Dave

[Dave Holford]

Grimly Curmudgeon wrote:

I'm listening to it as I write and I show 7590 USB with nothing on the LSB.
I'm not sure, but ISTR that sometimes they have been known to put different
programs on different sidebands?

Dave

[Grimly Curmudgeon]

We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the

drugs began to take hold. I remember Dave Holford <hol...@sympatico.ca>
saying something like:

>> I regularly listen to AFRTS from Iceland from where I am in Ireland, a
>> thousand miles distant, on 7590 LSB. Given it's an omnidirectiona output
>> and only listed as 10kW, I'm reasonably impressed at the quality of it
>> most nights.

>I'm listening to it as I write and I show 7590 USB with nothing on the LSB.

>I'm not sure, but ISTR that sometimes they have been known to put different
>programs on different sidebands?

Odd. I definitely get it on LSB. Some days there's a pretty weak USB
component but LSB is the consistently stronger of the two.
--

Dave

[David]

ISB = Independent Sideband

[dxAce]

Grimly Curmudgeon wrote:

You've some sort of receiver problem.

dxAce
Michigan
USA

[RHF]

For One and All,
.
ABOUT - American Forces Network (or AFN) and
American Forces Radio and Television Service (AFRTS)
Shortwave (SW) Broadcasting
.
WIKIPEDIA - American Forces Network (AFN)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Forces_Network
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armed_Forces_Radio_Network
.
* American Forces Network (or AFN) is the Brand Name
used by the United States Armed Forces Radio and
Television Service (AFRTS) for its networks worldwide.
.
* AFN and Shortwave Radio Broadcasting - AFRTS has
shifted its emphasis to relaying its Broadcasts by Satellite.
However, there are still a number of Single SideBand (SSB)
Shortwave Radio Relay Sites around the World to provide
service to Ships at Sea including : Diego Garcia, Guam,
Sigonella, Italy; Puerto Rico; Hawaii; and others . . .
.
AFRTS (AFN) 'only' lists USB as their
Mode of Shortwave Transmission ~ RHF
.
Note [AFRTS] American Forces Radio and Television Service
formerly called "Armed Forces" vice 'American Forces'
.
American Forces Radio and Television Service (AFRTS)
AFRTS => http://www.afrts.osd.mil/default.htm
.
See "My AFN" American Forces Network
http://myafn.dodmedia.osd.mil/
.
Current AFN / AFRTS Shortwave High Frequencies
MyAFN => http://myafn.dodmedia.osd.mil/radio/shortwave/
.
Current AFN / AFRTS Shortwave Program Schedules
http://myafn.dodmedia.osd.mil/radio/afn/schedule.asp
.
FWIW - The ARMED FORCES RADIO NETWORK
name is now bing used by a 501(c)3 organization.
http://www.armedforcesradionetwork.org/index2.html
.
.
and now you know ~ RHF

.
.
.
. .

.

[cuh...@webtv.net]

A divorced woman in Michigan,years ago,she and I used to email chat with
each other,,, and there is another divorced woman in
Muskegon,Michigan,she and I used to email chat with each other.They are
straight decent wimmins.I only like straight decent
wimmins,divorced,single,married,whatever.
cuhulin

[cuh...@webtv.net]

I used to get night time Guard Duty once a month in Vietnam.When I was
at Shannon Wright Compound www.114thaviationcompany.com it was the
Front Gate.Then,about three months later,after I pissed off a certain
Major Rosa,I got transfered to Tan Son Nhut. www.tsna.org (Thank
you,Major Rosa!)

At Tan Son Nhut and in the beautifull Saigon area,once a month,I got
night time Guard at any of these places,,, the American School,the POL
Dump,our Helicopter area,the American swimming pool,the Ammo dump where
I worked daytimes and two BOQ quarters.

It was all just like a regular Job to me.
cuhulin

[Grimly Curmudgeon]

We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the

drugs began to take hold. I remember dxAce <dx...@milestones.com> saying
something like:

>> Odd. I definitely get it on LSB. Some days there's a pretty weak USB
>> component but LSB is the consistently stronger of the two.
>
>You've some sort of receiver problem.

Maybe, but it's not showing up anywhere else; SSB on all the ham bands
is fine. Tonight, for example, the USB component is there on 7590 and
quite listenable, but LSB is definitely better.

Who knows what happens to the signal on its bouncy journey across 1000
miles of open ocean.
--

Dave

[dxAce]

Grimly Curmudgeon wrote:

Well, it sure doesn't shift from USB to LSB on its trip! You have a receiver
problem.

What exactly are you using?

dxAce
Michigan
USA

[Dave Holford]

Grimly Curmudgeon wrote:

>
> >> Odd. I definitely get it on LSB. Some days there's a pretty weak USB
> >> component but LSB is the consistently stronger of the two.
> >
> >You've some sort of receiver problem.
>
> Maybe, but it's not showing up anywhere else; SSB on all the ham bands
> is fine. Tonight, for example, the USB component is there on 7590 and
> quite listenable, but LSB is definitely better.
>
> Who knows what happens to the signal on its bouncy journey across 1000
> miles of open ocean.
> --
>
> Dave

Right now I'm getting it on 7590 USB, on a different receiver than last
time, and there is no sign of anything on LSB.

The other Dave at 45N 75W

[cuh...@webtv.net]

AFRTS,,,, big deal,Lucille.Baloney! I used to listen to it live and up
close.Tell me something you think,or,you know I dont know.
cuhulin

[cuh...@webtv.net]

F... it,Puckett.
cuhulin

[David]

I used to work across the hall from the Commanding Officer of AFN.

[cuh...@webtv.net]

Grimly.I am Scotch Irish American Mississippi.I am much more Irish than
yourself.Tell all them Irish gals over there old Hansom Larry (that's
me) Loves them.

In September,the annual Mississippi Celtic Festival rocks again,here in
Jackson. www.celticfestms.org
cuhulin

[cuh...@webtv.net]

If you like Barstow so much,,, get on over there.
cuhulin

[Greg]

In article <1146972742.9...@u72g2000cwu.googlegroups.com>,
"RHF" <rhf-new...@pacbell.net> wrote:

I agree with the Drakeman: The Key West station is on 7811 USB, not
7812.5 as posted.

Greg .

[David]

On Sun, 7 May 2006 18:42:58 -0500, cuh...@webtv.net wrote:

>If you like Barstow so much,,, get on over there.
>cuhulin
>

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fear_and_Loathing_in_Las_Vegas

[Telamon]

In article <445E6C01...@milestones.com>,
dxAce <dx...@milestones.com> wrote:

Reading his attribution of your previous post why take him seriously?

--
Telamon
Ventura, California

[Telamon]

In article <445E6C21...@sympatico.ca>,
Dave Holford <hol...@sympatico.ca> wrote:

Well that is a big surprise. Time to add the goof ball to your kill file
before he starts hearing "voices" on LSB again for a USB station.

--
Telamon
Ventura, California

[Grimly Curmudgeon]

We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the
drugs began to take hold. I remember dxAce <dx...@milestones.com> saying
something like:

>Well, it sure doesn't shift from USB to LSB on its trip! You have a receiver

>problem.
>
>What exactly are you using?

PCR-1000, with a 200ft longwire and balun.
--

Dave

[Grimly Curmudgeon]

We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the

drugs began to take hold. I remember Telamon
<telamon_s...@pacbell.net.is.invalid> saying something like:

>> Well, it sure doesn't shift from USB to LSB on its trip! You have a
>> receiver problem.
>>
>> What exactly are you using?
>
>Reading his attribution of your previous post why take him seriously?

So, do you have something constructive to add? I've read many of your
previous postings and you seem to know what you're blethering about.

Oh, fyi, that's just an intro and not to be taken seriously, so play
nice.
--

Dave

[Grimly Curmudgeon]

We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the
drugs began to take hold. I remember dxAce <dx...@milestones.com> saying
something like:

>> Who knows what happens to the signal on its bouncy journey across 1000

>> miles of open ocean.
>
>Well, it sure doesn't shift from USB to LSB on its trip! You have a receiver
>problem.

Looks like you were right in that. I was playing with the IF shift on
USB and LSB while on 7590 - at that time, both sidebands were in
evidence then the lower sideband disappeared when I went back to it,
leaving only the upper one which is now coming in strongly.

Quite why it was showing that effect, I don't know. Honestly, it was
coming in clearly on what appeared to be LSB prior to that.

Thanks for the nudge.

No thanks to Telemon.
--

Dave

[Don]

I read somewhere that there may be a new outlet on 4.156 mHz. Logged in
Europe. Supposedly 9340 and 7590 are now the Iceland freq's. replacing
9980 and 13855. I've heard the 9340 USB here on the west (not liberal)
coast.

Don

[cuh...@webtv.net]

I used to listen to them on my shirt pocket transistor in The Land of
the Midnight Cong in 1964.
cuhulin