I'm the electronics & radio guy for my reserve unit and I've been trying to figure out where I should go to obtain frequency allocations for local use when we are doing weekend exercises & convoying.

 From searching on the web it seems that this form DD 1494 is mentioned quite a bit, but when I take a look at it, it doesn't seem to me to be what I'm looking for.

 Am I wrong in thinking that there are some pre-established freqs. that are kind of 'permanent' for use by reserve units in a certain geographical area of the country?  Or am I supposed to request new freqs. every month when we drill?

 If it matters, I need freqs. for use with our PRC-117's & PRC-150's, so it's UHF/VHF & HF freqs. that I need.

Thanks!!

SINCGARS?

There should be some type of Range Control office for the military/gov't area where you are conducting your training.  Range Control will be able to inform you of the emegency/evac frequencies that you need to stay off of until needed (hopefully never).  They can also tell you the procedures for reserving frequencies (or freq ranges) that you will need for your training.

Ultimately, your S-3 (or G-3) section should be taking care of this.  It should not be on the operator to coordinate training areas, equipment, support, or frequencies.  Whoever reserved the training area for your training should also be able to determine the freq ranges that are available for the area.

Hope this helps, and good luck!
-Randy

Quoted: There should be some type of Range Control office for the military/gov't area where you are conducting your training.  Range Control will be able to inform you of the emegency/evac frequencies that you need to stay off of until needed (hopefully never).  They can also tell you the procedures for reserving frequencies (or freq ranges) that you will need for your training. Ultimately, your S-3 (or G-3) section should be taking care of this.  It should not be on the operator to coordinate training areas, equipment, support, or frequencies.  Whoever reserved the training area for your training should also be able to determine the freq ranges that are available for the area. Hope this helps, and good luck! -Randy

Thanks for the reply!

Range Control Office... That doesn't ring a bell with me at all.  Is that an Army term?  I'm in a Navy Reserve unit.  We do drill at Ft. Leonard Wood here in Missouri occasionally though, would they have a Range Control Office that I could contact to obtain freqs. for when we're down there & convoying?

Although I'm an ET now & was during my active duty years, I've never had to actually had to obtain freqs. for radios and no one in my unit knows where to obtain freqs. for local use either.

Quoted: Quoted: There should be some type of Range Control office for the military/gov't area where you are conducting your training.  Range Control will be able to inform you of the emegency/evac frequencies that you need to stay off of until needed (hopefully never).  They can also tell you the procedures for reserving frequencies (or freq ranges) that you will need for your training. Ultimately, your S-3 (or G-3) section should be taking care of this.  It should not be on the operator to coordinate training areas, equipment, support, or frequencies.  Whoever reserved the training area for your training should also be able to determine the freq ranges that are available for the area. Hope this helps, and good luck! -Randy Thanks for the reply! Range Control Office... That doesn't ring a bell with me at all.  Is that an Army term?  I'm in a Navy Reserve unit.  We do drill at Ft. Leonard Wood here in Missouri occasionally though, would they have a Range Control Office that I could contact to obtain freqs. for when we're down there & convoying? Although I'm an ET now & was during my active duty years, I've never had to actually had to obtain freqs. for radios and no one in my unit knows where to obtain freqs. for local use either.

Ft Leonard wood will actually have an office for frequency coordination/spectrum managment and they can assign you frequencies.

Sorry about the Army-speak...

Range Control is the office in charge of all of the training areas for an installation, not just the firing ranges.  They schedule who can train where and when, and advise on all restriction for that area.  Whom ever from your command arranges for your unit to use the training areas at Fort Leonard Wood (FLW) should also arrange for the frequencies that are allowed for you to broadcast at that area.

FLW Range Control Desk Sergeant is 596-2525 in the on-line directory I found.  They didn't list an area code, but since that's your neck of the woods it should be easy to find.

Good luck, and keep up the good training!
-Randy

Quoted: Quoted: [ Ft Leonard wood will actually have an office for frequency coordination/spectrum managment and they can assign you frequencies.

+ 1  Talk to the spectrum management folks.  This is specifically their lane and most training posts have one...

There should be a process for assigning frequencies for your HF radios as freq's used are more critical based on several factors and the process we used for getting freqs was different for HF than for VHF/UHF.  Depending whether you are using your HF radios for relatively short range or for long range commo, the freq's chosen are very important.  Frequencies used in HF radios are chosen based on atmospheric conditions and can also change from day to night.  Radio wave propagation can get pretty involved and if you don't use the right freq for the conditions, your not gonna talk long range (sky wave).  Short range (ground wave) is not a big deal.  Are you using the HF to train for ship to shore communications?  I would contact some Navy or Marine units and ask how they get their freq's, I know the Marine Anglico used HF radios to talk to the ships for fire support but that may have changed.  I used HF radios in Army Recon and LRSD units, and worked with Marine Corp Anglico and AF CCT's that used them also.  I believe our commo guy got our HF freqs from Ft Huachuca.
(P.S.  You may already know all about HF radios, just threw in the info just in case you didn't. Not trying to insult anyones intelligence.)

JD

Find a dustoff unit and you should be able to ask around and get a list of local freqs.  Im pretty sure Ft Lost in the Woods has a medevac.  If there is any freq you should have it is theirs.

Thanks for all the responses everyone.

I'll have to look into several of them this coming week.

Thanks!

Why wouldn't a Comm Plt. head not have this info already? Where is the control?

Try your freq manager at division or your comm chief should know this shit.

Quoted: You will need some como support if you want to tie in with Singars the Army uses. Even if you get the main freq the BT will be using, your radio has to be in time with that central unit. There are a couple ways to do it remotely but using the BT's ANCD is the quickest and easiest way. You can listen without being in sync but you cannot talk to them. JohnM at Home

Only on a secure net do you need to have the timing correct.  

Frequency assignments are made via frequency requests submitted for a specific area and operational use for a specific period of time.  Your best bet is to get with your frequency manager for your area.  They will guide you through the process.  Your readiness command should have the appropriate guidance available to your communications personnel.  

As a former 0311/2531...I am kinda nervious that our brothers in arms are coming to AR15.com for this kind of help.

But maybe things have changed...I was in from 90-98

Navy & Marine Corps get frequency assignments from their area Communications Area Master Station.  Same goes for tactical satty access assignments.  Strategic assignments come from DISA which is coordinated by the area FCO, most often in the Navy that would be the NCTAMS assigned DISA Coordinator.
Regards,
Rich (I did this for 24 years)

Quoted: i just noticed you mentioned prc117s.  are you using them it for LOS or are you hitting a bird with them?  I know for us to get a channel on a bird its a bit more complex than calling the local area freq manager for FM freqs.  WE go to higher at Ft Bragg for that so i ould assume you hve to go to your higher for SATCOM

So far since I've been in the unit we've only used the PRC-117's for LOS.  We do have the SATCOM field antennas, but haven't used them yet.

We actually use the PRC-117F's & PRC-150's in our 32-foot aluminum jet drive boats.

Quoted: Navy & Marine Corps get frequency assignments from their area Communications Area Master Station.  Same goes for tactical satty access assignments.  Strategic assignments come from DISA which is coordinated by the area FCO, most often in the Navy that would be the NCTAMS assigned DISA Coordinator. Regards, Rich (I did this for 24 years)

Rich,

 Thanks for the info., I think I should have noted in my original post that I am in a Navy Reserve unit and not an Army unit.  We do go down to Ft. Leonard Wood to use the firing ranges and we go to the nearby LORA recreation area for boat operations on the lake.

One word

OPSEC