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THE GAMBLE IN THE GULF:
MONITORING WORLD MILITARY REACTION TO THE IRAQI INVASION OF KUWAIT
"Ive been monitoring the utility bands for the last 25 years," says
Monitoring Times utility editor Larry Van Horn, "and I can't ever remember
hearing so much activity on shortwave." Because of its enormous scope, the
current crisis in the Middle East is giving shortwave listeners a once-in-
a-lifetime opportunity to monitor military action on what some say is the
largest scale since World War II.
Source: Monitoring Times, Oct. 1990
By: Larry Van Horn
Reprinted by: John Johnson, KWV8BP
of The Hotline BBS -- 304-736-9169
The winds blow hot and heat up the land which is sand. It is a desolate place where daytime temperatures soar to 120 degrees Fahrenheit. To find relief, the people crowd along the coast lines, in river valleys and in the shadow of the mountains. Here there is water, enough to grudgingly support human life and crops.
As if the torture of the sun were not enough, the temper of the people is volatile, too. Throughout its long history, the Middle East has been torn by many conflicts. It has been a repeated thorn in the side of the world and once again, the heat is on.
On this occasion, one-time Soviet ally, Iraq, has invaded its Arab neighbor, Kuwait. The nations of the world have responded with outrage and with one of the biggest buildups of military force since World War II. The crisis continues to simmer at the near-boiling point.
Not surprisingly, the biggest response to the situation has come from the United Sates. President George Bush asked for and received permission to place large ground and air force elements in the deserts of Saudi Arabia. In addition, the U.S. has sent in a major naval armada to effectively surround the nation of Iraq. Other countries, from Holland to Australia, and even some Arab nations, have entered the fay to one degree or another. The result is an unparalleled opportunity for radio monitors.
A couple of days before the invasion back in August, word had leaked out that Iraq was amassing troops on the border with Kuwait but that it did not plan to invade. This was a flag for me and I immediately went to the radios to check out what was going on. Already, U.S. Air Force and Strategic Air Command (SAC) channels were active with the communications of long range advance units. B-52 bombers and KC-10 tankers were heard moving toward Saudi Arabia and Diego Garcia and several Military Airlift Command (MAC) aircraft, possibly carrying members of the elite Delta Force, had already been dispatched.
United States diplomatic activity could be followed by monitoring Mystic Star channels. (Activity on Mystic Star channels should be watched closely for further moves by U.S. VIPs) A check of recent Utility World logging sections will give you a good start on hearing the active Mystic Star frequencies.
One of the best places to start monitoring any military "flare up" in the world is the Untied States Air Force Global Command and Control (GCCS) frequencies. IF the U.S. is doing anything in the world militarily, this is the best place to get some idea of the magnitude of the operation. In the case of Desert Shield, units and aircraft from both U.S. coasts were involved. Particular attention should be paid to MAC activity. Table 1 includes the absolutely latest I ahve on the USAF GCCS network.
I mentioned earlier that SAC aircraft were involved in the operation. Listeners should keep a close watch on the primary SAC air-to-ground channels for increased activity and Emergency Action Messages (EAM). These channels and their "Sierra" designators are as follows: 4725 (S-390), 6761 (S-391), 9027 (S-392), 11243 (S-293), 13241 (S-394) and 17975 (S-395).
Because of the fact that the U.S. Air Force has conducted military exercises with the Saudi Arabia Air Force for years, we already know some things about Saudi military bases. The air field ar Dhahran, for example, uses the call sign Hotel 1 and is the NCS (Net Control Station) of the system. Hotel 1 uses the frequencies 9130 and 11100. It is believed that most of the MAC flight operation went into this base and they do use shortwave frequencies 9130 and 11176 for those ops.
There is a military air field at Riyadh which uses Holtel 2 as a call sign and the frequencies 7300 and 12112. The air base at King Khalid uses the call sign Hotel 8 and the same freqencies as Hotel 3/4. These frequencies have been active during this crisis. The Saudi Air Force is one of the most sophisticated in the Arab world. The frequencies to watch include: 3095 (1900/0400) / 5526 (91900-0400) / 8967 (0400-1900) / 8990 (0400-1900).
Another way to monitor aircraft activity in the Middle East is through shortwave Air Traffic Control (ATC) Major World Air Route Areas (MWARA) transmissions. Four areas neek to be watched to catch all of the activity in and around the Middle East. Table 2 is the Monitoring Times Guide to Middle East Air Traffic monitoring.
Not all activity occurs on shortwave. Listeners in the area of the conflict might so well to check out the frequencies listed in Table 3 for all sorts of military/civilian activity.
As can be seen from James Pogue's accompanying article, the sea is playing a major role in the Persian Gulf conflict. The U.S. Navy is conducting what President Bush is calling a "naval interdiction". Others call it a blockade, but whatever words you choose to use, the primary U.S. Navy frequencies to monitor will be HICOM (High Command) channels. Three frequencies bear watching for flash traffic to and from naval units. These are: 7535 12215 23315 all in USB.
Traffic about a naval activity is not limited strictly to military channels. Civilian marine stations should provide some very interesting listening as ships attempt to stay out of harm's way. Table 4 lists the primary marine radio staion heard in the region and most transmit their messages in Morse code.
Another area of the shortwave marine spectrum to check for activity will be on the worldwide coastal/ship simplex channels. During the last Persian Gulf crisis (Iran-Iraq war), I heard Iranian naval bores challenging shipping traffic in the gulf.
You just never know what you are going to hear on these frequencies, so keep an ear cocked towards these channels for possible action by naval ships challenging civilian vessels. These channels include (asterick indicates most active channels): 4125* 4136.3 4139.4 4139.5 4143.6* 4419.4* 6210.4 6213.5 6218.6* 6518.8* 6521.9* 8281.2 8284.4 8291.1* 8294.2* 12421 12424.5 12428 12492.2* 12432.38 12435.4* 16565 16568.5 16572 16587.1* 16590.2* 16593.3* 22094.5 22098 22101.5 22105* 22108.5 22124* 22127.1* 22130.2* 22133.3 22136.4*
Finally, on the ground in Saudi Arabia is the Army Corps of Engineers. Check the following frequencies for activity: 9130 and 11425. The following are the last known call signs in use. This net also is part of the U.S. Air Force Saudi network mentioned earlier.
Castle 1 Riyadh Airport
Castle 2 Khamis Mushait Airport
Castle 3 Jeddah Airport
Castle 4 Tabuk Airport
Castle 6 Dharhan Airport
Castle 7 Jubail Airport
Castle 8 Al Batin Airport
RTTY-equipped monitors might want to check out some of the press services transmitting wire service copy on shortwave from the PersiaN Gulf area. This is an excellent way to keep track of each government's view of the situation using hard copy. While this is not a complete list of frequencies, I have compiled the latest list as heard by Utility World reporters. Check out Table 5.
On the diplomatic front, the U.N. does have troops in the Middle East and these frequencies could prove interesting to monitor. I have come across a previously unpublished list of frequencies for U.N. forces in Sinai. United Nations Ismailyah Operations in Al Ismailyah, Eqypt, can be heard on 6632, 9006, 11233, 13231, 13257-primary and 3975 4704 5690 6204 68120 6905-secondary.
Use the TV news as a guide to what's happening in the region. Then use a book like Grove's Shortwave Directory to ferret out new frequencies. I have also found that general tuning through the utility bands works best to find new activity and tactical channels used for a specific mission or agency.
Just where should you look for utility station activity: Table 6 will put you in the ball park.
Now is the time to fire up the shortwave radio and monitor one of the world's hot spots. As the crisis drags on, I am sure quite a few channels will pop up in the shortwave spectrum associated with the conflict. So why don't you grab your log book, some scratch paper and your headphones and give the utility bands a listen 'cause over in the Middle East..... the heat is on.
Table 1
Albrook AB, Panama 18019 15015 11176 8993 6683 3137
Anderson AB, Guam 18002 13201 11176 8967 6738 4721
Ascension Aux AF 15015 13244 11176 8993 6750
Clark AB, Philippines 23227 18002 13201 11176 8993 6738
Croughton AB, England 13214 11176 9011 6750 5703 3067
Elmendorf AFB, Alaska 13201 11176 8989 6738 3081
Hickam AFB, Hawaii 18002 13201 11179 8964 6738 4729
Incirlik AB, Turkey 23227 15015 13214 11176 6738 3137
Lajes Field, Azores 13244 11271 8967 6750 4746 3081
Loring AFB, Maine 13214 11179 8964 6738 3074
MacDill AFB, Florida 18019 13244 11246 8993 6750 4746
McClellan AFB, Calif. 18002 13201 11239 8989 6738 3067
Thule AB, Greenland 13201 8967 6738
Yokota AB, Japan 18002 13201 11236 8967 6738 4747
Table 2
Middle Air Traffic Control Monitoring
Europe A:
Beirut (B)-Malta (M)-Tunis (T)
2910(B) 3411(T) 4689(B/T) 5519(T) 5661(M) 8826(T) 8875(B) 10084(M)
Middle East (MID-1):
Aden-Amman-Baghdad-Bahrain-Beirut-Damascus-Jeddah-Kuwait-Tehran
2992 3404 5603 5658 5667 8847 8919 10018 13288 13312 13336
Middle East (MID-2)
Bahrain-Bombay-Delhi-Kabul-Kathmandu-Karachi-Kuwait-Lahore-Muscat-Tehran
2923 2992 3446 3467 5601 5658 5667 6556 6624 8879 8918 10009 10018
10066 13288 13312 13336
Africa (AF-3):
Addis Ababa-Aden-Benghazi-Bombay-Bujum Bura-Cairo-Cocos-Dar Es Salaam
Djibouti-Hargeisa-Jeddah-Khartoum-Mogadishu-Nairobe-Riyan-Sanaa-Seychelles
Tripoli
3467 5505 5658 6574 6624 8847 8870 8888 8919 8959 11300 13288 13294
13306 13336 17961
Note: Not all stations will appear on all frequencies
Table 3
Selected VHF/UHF Middle East Aircraft
Ankara, Turkey ACC: E sctr-127.3 129.3 129.45 131.05 132.9
240.8 253.3 259.75 337.3 362.05
W sctr-128.8 133.55 285.15
S sctr-128.1 128.75 234.6 345.95
Tel aviv, Israel ACC: N sctr-(Pluto) domestic 125.8 123.4
Tell Aviv Intl-124.3 121.4
S sctr-120.9 121.4
Amman, Jordan ACC: W sctr-128.3 E sctr-128.5
Cairo, Egypt ACC/FIR: 130.9 127.7 126.6 129.4
Baghdad, Iraq ACC: 127.1 125.9
Basrah, Iraq ACC: 124.525
Kuwait ACC: 125.2 125.3 132.1 135.5
Riyadh Mil, Saudi Arabia: App 126.0 178.0 Ter 124.3 341.6
ELf 1 ctc ESSO Ops on 288.4
Abu Dhabi Intl, UAE: APP 124.85 125.1 125.9 127.5 129.5 231.4
270.0 290.8 294.0-N sctr/124.4 128.1-S
Bahrain ACC: 126.7
Beirut, Lebanon ACC: 119.3 120.3 120.4 123.7
Damascus, Syria ATCC: 120.0
Emirates ACC/UACC, UAE: 129.5 124.85 APP-124.4 127.5 125.9
128.1 290.8 231.4 270.0 Kopter Cntl-127.5
Jeddah ACC/FIC: N sctr-Tabuk RCAG 132.9 340.5/Arar RCAG
133.3 345.6
Hafr Al Batin RCAG 127.3 345.6/Hall RCAG
128.1 5667 8918
C sctr-Wejh RCAG 133.9 Yenba RCAG 132.3
Gassim 134.3 5667 2992
S sctr-Al Hada RCAG 134.5 132.1 325.0 Afif RCAG 126.5
Khamis Mushait RCAG 132.1 344.5 5667 2992 5658 11300
Muscat, Oman ACC: 123.95 124.55 128015
Table 4
Civilian Marine Radio Stations of the Middle East
4XO-Haifa R, Israel:
2649 3656 4238 4366.7 4385.3 4410.1 4425.6 6430 6470.5 6512.5
6516.7 8485 8694 8718.9 8731.3 8753 8799.5 12860 13051.5
13110.1 13119.4 13138 13144.2 17060 171.46.4 17257.7 17270.1
17282.5 17316.6 22491 22605.3 22614.6 22645.6
JYO-Aqaba Radio, Jordan:
2512.5 2612.5 4326.5 4416.3 4431.8 6390 6479 8528 8728.2 12725
13159.7
SUP-Port Said, Egypt:
3/8578 4/12970.5 16912
YIR-Basrah Radio, Iraq:
4220 6330 8440 12660 16880 16906 22338
9KK-Safat Radio, Kuwait:
2/4299 3/4413.2 4/6381 5/6509.5 6/8525 7/8737.5 8/12895 9/13172.1
20/12925 21/17288.7 22/16995 23/22504 24/22605.3 25/22642.5 32/4431.8
52/6518.8 72/8743.7 92/13181.4 22/17298
HZG-Damman Radio, Saudi Arabia:
4253.5 4278 4309 6364.5 6387 6466 8484.5 8556.5 8651 12658.2
12752.5 12792 16860.8 16953 17062 22338.2 22427 22484
HZY-ARAMCO Ras Tanura Radio, Saudi Arabia:
8480 12811.3 16960
A7D-Qatar Radio:
4231 4316 4355 8454 8473 8630 12966 13024 16880 16935
A4M-Muscat Radio, Oman:
4233 8445 12675.5 16868
A9M-Hamala Radio, Bahrain:
4284 4302 8448 8454 12698 12709 17169 17175.2 17208 23312 22322
Table 5
Middle East RTTY Press Services
SANA:Syrian Arab News Agency - Damascus, Syria
YKP 28/11080 33/15020
MINA: Middle East News Agency - Cairo, Egypt
SUA 50/13653 94/5220 211/5275 231/7610 246/10150
251/10610 289/15845 291/15935
INA: Iraqi News Agency - Baghdad, Iraq
YI L68/5867 L71/10162.5 L73/14373 O72/13524 X70/14699 X75/7565 Z74/9867
PETRA: Jordan News Agency - Amman, Jodan
JYF 4/9463 6/5055
KUNA: Kuwait News Agency -
I have not heard any transmissions from this news agency since the
invasion. You might still want to check some of the agency's freq's.
The transmitters are in the control of Iraq and the INA might use
them.
Table 6
Utility Bands in the HF Spectrum
General Utility Bands Concentrated Military Activity
2000-3500 15600-18068 3025-3155
4000-4850 18168-21000 4700-4750
5060-5950 21850-24890 5450-5680
6200-7000 25010-25670 5680-5730
7300-9500 26100-28000 6685-6765
9995-11650 8965-9040
12050-13600 11175-11275
13800-14000 13200-13260
14350-15100 15010-151970-18030
23200-23350
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