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Ham Radio ALE Operation in the
2016 US Armed Forces Day
Military-Amateur Crossband Test
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PCALE Programming | MICOM 2 Programming | Technical Info
USA Amateur Radio Operators Test ALE HF Interoperability with Military Stations During Annual Celebration Event 14 May 2016
BACKGROUND
This is the first time that ALE, Automatic Link Establishment,
will be in use for the annual celebration of US Armed Forces Day Cross-Band
Communications Test on 14 May 2016. Hams will call up military
stations to initiate voice SSB QSOs using the HF selective calling
feature of ALE on the air. Although the military has been using ALE for
over 35 years, and hams have been actively using ALE for about 15 years,
this is only the 2nd year of direct ALE HF Interoperability between US
Amateur Radio Service and US Military stations.
INVITATION
USA Ham operators are invited to participate during this free and open event. Operators get real-world
experience and become proficient in HF Interoperability communications.
They initiate and respond to ALE calls, and communicate with military radio operators with SSB voice QSOs on HF.
The experience gained by operator participation in this readiness
exercise is also useful for HF Emergency/Disaster Relief communications.
EQUIPMENT
US Amateur Stations with Automatic Link Establishment capability can literally dial up a
military station directly on specific split frequency duplex channels set up for this
purpose. Amateur stations transmit on specific Amateur HFLINK ALE frequencies, and receive split on the corresponding military ALE frequency. Military stations will also transmit ALE station
identification (soundings) on each military frequency at regular
intervals. Amateur stations may scan the military ALE frequencies or
select the ALE channel manually. HF Radios with an embedded ALE feature (commercial HF radio such as Harris, Rockwell-Collins, Micom, Codan, Barrett, Icom, or Kenwood, etc) or conventional HF ham radios with computer-based PC-ALE,
are compatible for use with the federal/military 2G-ALE standard used
in this event. All ALE ham stations will be using the Non-Automatic (NALE)
features of ALE for participation in this event.
ON THE AIR SUPPORT
Join the growing thousands of amateur radio operators with ALE-capable
stations. Put your station on the ALE Map. Discuss, learn, and ask questions using the HFLINK.NET chat room, for real-time support with other ALE operators.
EMAIL AND WEB FORUM
The HFLINK forum provides information exchange via email and web forum, help with ALE equipment setup, and advice for ALE operators.
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Technical Information for ALE Ham Operators in the Armed Forces Day Crossband Test
OPERATING STANDARDS
All operators are reminded to be courteous and operate only on the
recognised International Amateur Radio ALE channels and standards. This is not a competition. Listen Before Transmitting.
CAUTION HAM OPERATORS
Do not transmit on a military frequency.
Check your transmit frequency and verify it each time on a dummy load prior to connecting your antenna.
RECOMMENDED ALE QSO PROCEDURE AND MODES 1. Call a station: Transmit an INDIVIDUAL CALL to the ALE ADDRESS callsign of the desired station. It may
be necessary to first add the station's callsign (address) to your ALE
Other Address list.
2. Upon successful link on Upper SideBand (USB), use your microphone and
say the callsign of the station and your own callsign by Voice with
standard phonetics.
3. Continue QSO using USB Voice.
4. When the QSO is completed, transmit the CLEAR LINK signal using ALE.
(NOTE: If you link on the 5MHz channel only, you may use USB Voice
or you may send a single AMD text message. You may receive an AMD
message or USB Voice in response.)
CQs - NETCALLS - ALLCALLS - ANYCALLS
ALE netcalls, allcalls, anycalls or CQs should not be used in the event.
SOUNDING
For this event, ham operators may transmit ALE station identification (Manual/Attended sounding) on the selected amateur radio channel frequencies.
14
May 2016 is the day for the USA Armed Forces Day Crossband
Military/Amateur Radio Communications Test, an annual HF
interoperability event.
The
Army, Air Force, Navy and Coast Guard are sponsoring the annual
military/amateur radio communications tests in celebration of the 66th
Anniversary of Armed Forces Day (AFD).
Last year ham operators
participated using ALE. This year, we have a welcome surprise: the 5 MHz ALE frequency for the event will be SIMPLEX on 5371.5 kHz USB. It is on a common frequency that many hams already have programmed for ham radio HFN and HFL ALE nets.
Upper Sideband (USB) is utilized on all frequencies for transmit and receive. More information, see announcement on the web. http://www.usarmymars.org/home/announcements Military ALE stationsCALLSIGN | ALE ADDRESS | TIME UTC
| AAZ
| AAZ
| 1400-2359
| AGA2SY | 2SYAGA | 1300-0100
| WAR | WAR | 1200-2359
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AFD Event ALE Channel FrequenciesChannel Name
| Amateur TX Frequency | Military Frequency | Freq Format
| X75US | 3996.0 USB | 4000.0 USB | Split
| X60INT | 5371.5 USB | 5371.5 USB | Simplex
| X40US | 7296.0 USB | 7357.0 USB | Split | X20INT | 14346.0 USB | 14846.0 USB | Split | X17INT | 18117.5 USB | 18272.5 USB | Split | X15INT | 21432.5 USB | 20940.0 USB | Split | X12INT | 24932.0 USB | 24858.5 USB | Split |
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PCALE SET UP INSTRUCTIONS
USA Armed Forces Day Crossband Test Only
For operators using PCALE, there are 2 possible types of station configurations:
1. Manual Frequency Control with Hardware PTT.
This configuration applies to most ham radio stations.
2. CAT Frequency Control
Warning: This configuration applies only to ham radio stations with specific types of transceivers capable of PCALE split frequency control.
PCALE
WITH MANUAL FREQUENCY CONTROL
AND HARDWARE PTT CONTROL (not CAT)
This configuration applies to most ham radio stations.
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Program these split channels into your
Radio Transceiver's Channel Memory:
TRANSMIT |
RECEIVE |
3996.0 USB |
4000.0 USB |
5371.5 USB |
5371.5 USB |
7296.0 USB |
7357.0 USB |
14346.0 USB |
14846.0 USB |
18117.5 USB |
18272.5 USB |
21432.5 USB |
20940.0 USB |
24932.0 USB |
24858.5 USB |
Frequency kHz
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See PCALE Quick Start Guide for configuration instructions. |
1. PCALE: MENU> Channels>
Select Active Group>
"USA AFD MIL-HAM SIMPLEX [K]"> OK |
2. PCALE: Press the [>] UP channel button to select the desired calling channel. |
3. PCALE: MENU>Configuration>MIL STD 188-141>
Turn off CAT Control by setting
"CAT COMM PORT" = [ 1 ]
--OR--
Disconnect the CAT frequency control cable from your radio.
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4. To select a frequency for calling,
USE YOUR TRANSCEIVER'S MEMORY CHANNELS ONLY. |
5. Do Not connect CAT control to your radio. |
6. Check your transmit frequency and verify it each time on a dummy load prior to connecting your antenna. |
CAUTION HAM OPERATORS: Transmit only on amateur frequencies. |
PCALE
WITH CAT FREQUENCY CONTROL
Warning: This configuration applies only to ham radio stations with specific types of transceivers capable of PCALE duplex CAT control:
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YAESU RADIO MODELS ONLY: FT-600, FT-920, FT-920_DATA.
ICOM RADIO MODELS ONLY: IC765, IC775, IC781, IC746,
IC746PRO, IC7410, IC756, IC756PRO, IC756PROII, IC756PROIII, IC7600,
IC7700, IC7800, IC9100, ICOM/ICOM pairing, ICOM/WJ pairing, ICOM MARINE
HF SSB RADIO MODELS, ICOM COMMERCIAL HF LAND MOBILE MODEL ICF7000.
JSB RADIO MODELS ONLY: JSB176, JSB196, JSB196GM
KACHINA RADIO MODELS ONLY: K505DSP
KENWOOD RADIO MODELS: ALL KENWOOD CAT and KENWOOD_HS CAT
HARRIS RADIO MODELS: RF-5022, RF1310 series and receiver pairing
CUBIC RADIO MODELS: T4150, T4180, TT588REM, TT599
FURUNO RADIO MODELS: ALL FURUNO MODELS
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1. PCALE: MENU> Channels>
Select Active Group>
"USA AFD HAM-MIL CROSSBAND [i]"> OK |
2. PCALE: Press the [>] UP channel button to select the desired calling channel. |
3. Check your transmit frequency and verify it each time on a dummy load prior to connecting your antenna.
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CAUTION HAM OPERATORS: Transmit only on amateur frequencies. |
MICOM 2 Programming via Manual Keypad Input
for ham radio use in the US Armed Forces Day ALE
Estimated programming time: 15 minutes
Example: Add the channels to an already existing ALE Net 4 that is set to No Sounding.
==============================
Example Micom 2 keypad programming procedure:
ADDING THE CHANNEL FREQUENCIES IN MEMORY
(A) Add a new DUPLEX frequency to channel list
(1) MENU>MORE>PROG>RAD>CHAN>MORE>FREQ>DPLX
(2) Rx Duplex Freq is displayed.
(3) press keypad 4000.0>ENTER.
(4) DPLX
(5) Tx Duplex Freq is displayed.
(6) press keypad 3996.0>ENTER>ENTER
(7) MORE>STOR
(8) STORE CH (flashing number) is displayed
(9) press keypad 50>ENTER.
(10) STORING is displayed.
(11) you have now stored the new duplex frequency pair in CHANNEL 50.
(12) CHAN PARAMETERS is displayed.
(13) FREQ>
(14) repeat steps (A-2) through step (A-12) for each of the 6 more channels.
(15) ESC>
You now have new channels 50,51,52,53,54,55,56 programmed.
Amateur DUPLEX | Military
50 Tx 3996.0 USB | Rx 4000.0 USB
51 Tx 5371.5 USB | Rx 5371.5 USB
52 Tx 7296.0 USB | Rx 7357.0 USB
53 Tx 14346.0 USB | Rx 14846.0 USB
54 Tx 18117.5 USB | Rx 18272.5 USB
55 Tx 21432.5 USB | Rx 20940.0 USB
56 Tx 24932.0 USB | Rx 24858.5 USB
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ADDING THE NEW CHANNELS TO ALE NET 4 IN MEMORY
(B) Add each of the 7 new channels to the existing ALE NET 4
(1) MENU>MORE>PROG>ALE>NET>4>ENTER
(2) CHAN>ADD>50>ENTER
(3) ADD>51>ENTER
(4) ADD>52>ENTER
(5) ADD>53>ENTER
(6) ADD>54>ENTER
(7) ADD>55>ENTER
(8) ADD>56>ENTER
(9) ESC>ESC>ESC
(10)STORE YES/NO >YES
(11) ALE STORING displayed.
ADD NEW OTHER ADDRESSES IN ALE DIRECTORY
(C) Add the listed Military ALE addresses in the ALE Directory.
(1) MENU>MORE>PROG>ALE>DIR>
(2) ADD>CLEAR CLEAR CLEAR CLEAR CLEAR CLEAR
(3) DIR cleared input is displayed
(4) DIR> input the address AAZ>SAVE
(5) DIR> input the address WAR>SAVE
(6) DIR> input the address 2SYAGA>SAVE
(7) ESC>ESC
(8) STORE YES/NO >YES
(9) ALE STORING displayed.
Military Stations ALE ADDRESS for AFD Event
AAZ
WAR
2SYAGA
SET ALE NET TO NO SOUNDING
(D) Set ALE NET 4 to no sounding
(1) MENU>MORE>PROG>ALE>NET>4>ENTER
(2) OPT>SOND>MANUAL>ENTER
(3) ESC>ESC>
(4) STORE YES/NO >YES
(5) ALE STORING displayed.
VERIFICATION OF FREQUENCY
(E) Checking and verifying the set up.
(1) MENU>CHAN>50>ENTER
(2) displays the receive freq of the Duplex channel
(3) press PTT of microphone
(4) transmits and displays the transmit freq of the Duplex channel
(5) repeat steps (E-1) through (E-4) above to verify proper frequencies.
Programming and verification complete.
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