[MilCom] MIL: 11175.0 USB - PINE ROAD; WOLFHOUND; MCLELLAN; SWISS BOY; KEYRING; EXPLETIVE; DAY FEAST; and BLUE GILL

[Jeff Haverlah]

0031z 22 Oct

UTC 21 Oct 25

BONE activity over presumed North Atlantic/EU/UK area.

Official STARTEX of GLOBAL THUNDER 26.

https://www.stratcom.mil/Media/News/News-Article-View/Article/4324963/us-strategic-command-opens-exercise-global-thunder-26/

5 E6Bs reported active; 2 E6Bs visible on mapping sites; 3 not seen on
mapping sites. Activity over northeastern CONUS; and western CONUS.

Presumed eastern CONUS:

KEYRING: visible; racetrack orbit for hours anchored on NORFOLK, VA.
SWISS BOY: not visible; presumed over east U.S. based on his overnight
destination.

Presumed western CONUS:

DAY FEAST: visible; traveled through Texas, New Mexico, Colorado and beyond
by end of UTC day.
EXPLETIVE: not visible; believed to be in western U.S. based on signal
strength and activity.
BLUE GILL: not visible; believed t be in western U.S. based on signal
strength and activity.

-------------
0008z: SWISSBOY called and raised MCCLELLAN (Deja vu from 26 years ago;
NCS) requested to exit the net.
0009z: SWISSBOY exited the net while descending into PAX RIVER.

0017z: PINEROAD with communications test count.
0018z: PINEROAD with communications test count.
[USSTRATCOM CP]

[0059z+/-: ? AEA9F6 E6B launched from TINKER and flew eastbound

0104z: CAMPOREE (sounds like [did not sound like KEYRING]; very weak;
presumed AEA9FS) called and raised MAINSAIL but no further comms heard.

0114z: MAINSAIL with test count.
0116z: MAINSAIL with test count.
0126z: MAINSAIL with test count; ANDREWS (very weak) may have been active
with same under the stronger broadcast.
0150z: MAINSAIL with test count.

0311z: KEYRING worked MCCLELLAN to exit the net.
0312z: KEYRING exited the net; AEA9FS was approaching PAX RIVER.
[Another instance of launching under one backend callword but closing under
another backend callword?]

0925z++: 11175.0 UTwente SDR; WOLFHOUND called on "HF when able" and raised
SPIT 11 (BONE; B1B) for ORIOLES and YANKEES's times offload and current
fuel state: SPIT 11 YANKEE is "202", SPIT 12 "176." ORIOLES 0825; YANKEES
0926; confirm receipt of DT37 ALFA and BRAVO. Etc.
1002z+: Lengthy coded responses (including weapons status and TOT times)
were passed and confirmed between SPIT 11 and WOLFHOUND.

1254z: MAINSAIL with test count.
1304z: YOKOTA with test count.
1306z: HICKAM with test count.
1309z: WEST COAST with test count.
1316z: WEST COAST with test count.
1321z: WEST COAST with test count.
1327z: WEST COAST with test count.
1344z: MAINSAIL with test count.

1350z: SPIT 11 called and eventually raised WOLFHOUND for weather reports;
11175.0 eastern CONUS SDR.
1352z: WOLFHOUND passed short weather reports for ? (unclear to me); MINOT;
OFFUTT; and maybe DYESS. WOLFHOUND requested contact via something
"wolfhound dot com."
1357z: SPIT 11 apparently reports unsuccessful attempts at communication.

1531z: EXPLETIVE (presumed E6B) called and raised MCCLELLAN to enter the
net.
1534z: EXPLETIVE entered the net.

1537z: HUSKER 15 FLIGHT (HUSKER 15 and 16) called and raised MAINSAIL for
current message traffic. MAINSAIL stated "none" and abruptly "out."

1637z: MAINSAIL called CANON ONE (unheard) with nothing further after that
call.

1658z: MAINSAIL with test count.
1716z: WEST COAST with test count.
1737z: HICKAM with test count.
1751z: HICKAM with test count.
1752z: YOKOTA with test count.

[1818z+/-: ? AEA9FS E6B launched from PAX RIVER, flew to NORFOLK and
performed a racetrack orbit anchored at one end at NORFOLK

1819z: KEYRING (presumed AEA9FS) called and raised MCCLELLAN to enter the
net.
1821z: KEYRING entered the net.

1938z: REACH 1825 ("on the east coast") called and raised MAINSAIL for a
radio check.

[1952z+/-: AF1C26 E6B launched from TINKER south then westbound, then
northbound through New Mexico and Colorado

1953z: DAY FEAST (presumed AF1C26) called MCCLELLAN and raised
MAINSAIL/MCCLELLAN to enter the net.
1956z: DAY FEST entered the net.

2026z: SWISS BOY (presumed E6; not visible on mapping sites; suspected to
be over eastern CONUS) called and raised MCCLELLAN to enter the net.
2028z: SWISS BOY entered the net.

2038z: KEYRING (in his longterm racetrack orbit) called and raised SWISS
BOY and requested to rendezvous VICTOR MIKE (VM).

2043z: DAY FEAST called and raised EXPLETIVE (heavy 400hz harmonics) and
sent EXPLETIVE to the CHARLIE ECHO. Were not able to go secure.

2107z: SWISS BOY called and raised KEYRING to meet up on CHARLIE ALPHA.

2108z: MAINSAIL with test count.

2128z: BLUE GILL (sounds like; presumed E6B; not visible on mapping sites)
called and worked MAINSAIL to enter the net.
2131z: BLUE GILL entered the net.

2137z: MAINSAIL with test count.

2147z: EXPLETIVE called and eventually raised MCCLELLAN to exit the net.
2154z: EXPLETIVE exited the net.

2225z: BLUE GILL called DAY FEAST, raised MAINSAIL, told MAINSAIL they were
not needed, and called and raised DAY FEAST to move to the CHARLIE BRAVO
for successful secure data (apparently high bandwidth/high data rate
digital comms digital bursts of about 4 seconds duration). They also moved
to ZULU 140 (15046.0) for secure digital comms. Ongoing through the end of
the UTC day. BLUE GILL operator (female) is USN (the extensive use of
interrogative).

KEYRING remained in his racetrack orbit anchored on NORFOLK, VA into the
post0000z new day.

Otherwise, activity seemed to cease at 2359z 21 Oct 25.
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Jeff Haverlah               Coastal Texas
     Airspy HF+ Discovery   W6LVP loop  Various web SDRs
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