ISBN 1-895377-06-4 CDNS$16.95 US$ 13.95 THE CANADIAN MILITARY RADIO FREQUENCY GUIDE 50 kHz. - 500 MHz. Revised Third Edition ROBERT S. INGREVISED THIRD EDITION FIRST PRINTING - FIRST EDITION - MAY 1988 FIRST PRINTING - SECOND EDITION - JULY 1990 FIRST PRINTING - THIRD EDITION - DECEMBER 1991 FIRST PRINTING REVISED THIRD EDITION - JULY 1992 COPYRIGHT © 1992 by Robert S. Ing, Toronto, Canada. * PRINTED IN CANADA IN THE YEAR OF CANADA'S 125TH BIRTHDAY. REPRODUCTION OR PUBLICATION OF THE CONTENTS IN ANY MANNER WITHOUT EXPRESS PERMISSION, IS PROHIBITED, NO LIABILITY Is ASSUMED WITH RESPECT TO THE USE OF THE INFORMATION HEREIN FOR INFORMATION CONTACT; ROBERT 8. ING, 1170 BAY STREET - SUITE 102, TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA M5S 2B4. THE CANADIAN MILITARY RADIO FREQUENCY GUIDE IS PRIVATELY PUBLISHED BY ROBERT 8. ING PUBLISHERS, TORONTO, CANADA AND IS NOT THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF ANY GOVERNMENT AGENCY. ALL EDITORIAL CONTENT, CHARTS, MAPS AND ILLUSTRATIONS ARE COPYRIGHT AND UNAUTHORIZED REPRODUCTION IS PROHIBITED COPIES OF THIS PUBLICATION HAVE BEEN PLACED ON LEGAL DEPOSIT WITH THE NATIONAL LIBRARY OF CANADA, OTTAWA IN COMPLIANCE UNDER THE NATIONAL LIBRARY ACT. THE MILITARY STYLE LOGO APPEARING ON THE COVER, TITLE PAGE AND THROUGHOUT THIS PUBLICATION IS THE OFFICIAL TRADEMARK OF THE CANADIAN MILITARY RADIO FREQUENCY GUIDE AND IS COPYRIGHT, UNAUTHORIZED USE IS PROHIBITED. 623.38041 ING, ROBERT S. ING CANADIAN MILITARY RADIO FREQUENCY GUIDE - REVISED THIRD EDITION 1. RADIO, MILITARY - CANADA 2. RADIO - RECEIVERS AND RECEPTION I, TITLE ISBN 1-895377-06-4 ISBN enSecrecy of Communications - - ------------------ 4 Introductipn ----------------------2-200 5 Acknowledgements - - ---------------------- 5 How To Use This Guide - -------------------.- 6 Receiving Equipment - ---------------------- 1 Scanner & Portable Radios - - -- ---------------- 8 North American Aerospace Defence Command (NORAD) - - - - - - - - 9 North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) - - ---------- 9 United Nations Multi-National Forces -------------- 10 CANFORS ONE - - - - ----------------------- 10 Defence Research - - ---------------------- 10 Search & Rescue - - - - - -------------------- 10 Joint Operhtions ------------------------ " Deployment Frequencies - -------------------- " Military Weather Broadcasts - ------------------ " Canadian Forces Affiliated Radio System (CFARS) -- ------- 2 Military Aircraft - - ---------------------- 4 The Snowbitds - - - ----------------2-2-222- 4 Armoured Ground Vehicles - ------------------- 15 Ground Forces - - - - - - - - 5 Maritime Military Vessels - ------------------- 5 Canadian Coast Guard - - - - Bs The MILitih - - ------------------ leet 5 Air, Army & Navy Cadets - - ------------------- 16 Tone & Tone Burst Transmissions - - - - ------------- "7 Abbreviations & Symbols (Used in Frequency Listings) - - - - - - 2 Radio Frequency Index (Master List) - - = ------------ 22 Military Radio Coumon Code Words & Phrases - - --------- 36 Basic Military VHF Radio Ten-Code - - - ------------- 37 Callsign Master Index - - -------------------- 38 Canadian Maritime Military Vessel Callsign Index -- - ----- 48 Canadian Coast Guard Vessel Callsign Index ----------- 49 Canadian Military Establishments - --------------- 52 Naval Reserve Training Centres - ---------------- 35 Major Canadian Coast Guard Establishments - - - - -------- 36 Sources Section - - ----------------------- 57 - Books - - ------------------------ 37 - Magazines - - ------------- 2 2p lee 58 ~ Equipment - - ---------------------- 59 - Courses - - - ---------------------- 60 ~ Dealers - - ----------------------- 61 = Associations - -------------- 2-2 2222 65 Bibliography -------------------------- 66. About The Author ------------------------ 66SECRECY OF COMMUNICATIONS Canada's Secrecy of Commumications legislation protects the privacy of each individual user of two-way radio communications equipment. Just consider yourself in a telephone conversation discussing a personal business matter or private matter. How would you feel if someone, not known to you, copied down word for word both sides of your conversation, or taped it and then published it or openly discussed it with other individuals. If your telephone conversation was carried on using a cellular, mobile, or cordless telephone; chances are someone may have heard your conversation on a communications receiver or scanner radio. ‘The secrecy of communications legislation ensures that if someone should hear, any form of two-way private radio conversation, that it does not go beyond that person. This legislation deals with what radio monitoring enthusiasts refer to as Utility (UTE) broadcasts; a station that is not directing it's transmissions to the general public. The secrecy legislation applies not only to radio operators but those who use shortwave, communications, and scanner type radios. It also covers the now common occurrence of "accidentally" picking up someone else's telephone conversations on your cordless telephone and television! The legislation not only covers voice transmissions, but also CW, DATA, FAX and RTTY. In Canada and the United States, we are fortunate that our society grants us the privilege to monitor radio broadcasts of diverse applications and origins. In doing so, we can actually have a window to the inner workings of our government and the governments of other countries. In many other nations, owning such equipment, or listening even in passing to one's government at work, could bring incarceration. ‘The secrecy of communications legislation protects the privacy of radio users. Enjoy radio monitoring, but remember, just as you would like to keep your conversations private, give the same consideration to those you monitor and let what you hear be FOR YOUR EARS ONLY! ‘An excerpt of the Secrecy of Communications regulation is given here for your reference. For more information, please contact your local Department of Communications/Communications Canada Office. 1.3 Radio operators and other persons who become acquainted with radiocommunications are bound to preserve the secrecy of the correspondence. No person shall divulge the contents of, or even the existence of, correspondence transmitted, received or intercepted by a radio station, except to the addressee of the message or his/her accredited agent, or to properly authorized officials of the Government of Canada, or a competent legal tribunal, or an operator of a telecommmications system as is necessary for the furtherance or delivery of the communications. The foregoing restrictions do not apply to messages of distress, urgency or safety or to messages addressed to "ALL STATIONS;" i.e., weather reports, storm warnings, notices to navigation, etc. 1.2.1 Any person who violates the secrecy regulation is liable, on sumary (conviction to a penalty not exceeding twenty-five hundred dollars ($2,500.), or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding twelve (12) months or to both fine and imprisonment. trom The Radio’ or Handbook, Department of Comunications/Comenications Canada, 1985The Canadian Military Radio Frequency Guide is the only book of its kind dedicated to monitoring Canada's Military. It is written particularly for those who have had some basic background in radio monitoring and are interested in the specialized area of military radio. The guide is by no means an all encompassing text on the subject, but is intended as a general reference guide. This revised third edition features an expanded frequency coverage of 50 Kiiz. to 500 MHz., updated callsign index, and service data on Canada's Maritime and Coast Guard vessels not previously found in between the covers of a single publication. The revised third edition also features a new streamlined format and updated list of sources. Due to the world peace dividend and the re-evaluation of Canada's military budget, there is no doubt that some of the material presented in this publication may have more historical than operational value, despite best efforts to keep all information current. I would like to thank those who have purchased previous editions of the guide, and especially the readers who wrote in with their comments, suggestions, and criticisms. Your letters are always welcome. The Author would like to express his gratitude to the following individuals and organizations for their reviews, comments, and support of this project: Gwendolyn V. Ing Bell Canada ‘The Databank Technical Consultants Canadian International DX Club (CIDX) Ontario DX Association SPEEDX (Society to Preserve the Engrossing Enjoyment of DX' ing) The Author would also like to acknowledge the following agencies for their cooperation in this project: Canadian Coast Guard COG Fleet Systems 00G Technical Services 0G Public Affairs Office Department of Commmnications/Communications Canada Department of National Defence Maritime Command Headquarters DND Office of Information DND Communications & Electronics Operations Command Department of Transport/Transport Canada Maritime Liaison Office DOT Office of Public Affairs Metropolitan Toronto Reference Library National Library of Canada Ryerson Polytechnical Institute LibraryHOW TO USE THIS GUIDE ‘FREQUENCY _IDENTIFICATION: ‘All major Canadian Military radio frequencies are listed in ascending order in the RADIO FREQUENCY INDEX SECTION of this guide. Use this index when you "stumble" across while dial hopping, what appears to be a military transmission. By looking up the frequency in this index you can identify whether it is a Canadian military frequency, and if so, its possible location and originating station. By studying specific frequency ranges in the index, you can save valuable monitoring time by organizing, identifying, and targeting your areas of interest. CALLSIGN IDENTIFICATION: If you are monitoring a Canadian Military transmission, you can use the CALLSIGN SECTION of this guide to identify the location(s) of the stations involved by looking up their respective callsigns. The CALLSIGN SECTION consists of a MAJOR CALLSIGN INDEX, listing all available Canadian Military, CFARS, and Canadian Coast Guard Callsigns. ‘A MARITIME MILITARY VESSEL CALLSIGN INDEX, listing Canada's Naval Vessels with service data, and a COAST GUARD VESSEL CALLSIGN INDEX, listing Coast Guard Vessels with detailed service data is also provided. MILITARY ESTABLISHMENT LISTING: As it 4s the general operating policy of the Canadian Armed Forces NOT 0 verity or provide QSL data with regard to ANY of their transmissions, it would be futile to use the MILTARY ESTABLISHMENT LISTING (Address List) in this guide for the purpose of sending reception reports. This listing has been included in the guide as simply a point of reference to the locations listed in the RADIO FREQUENCY INDEX and CALLSIGN SECTIONS. QOAST GUARD ESTABLISHMENT LISTING: This is an abridged address listing of major Canadian Coast Guard establishments for reference purposes only. Only those establishments that serye as home port for those vessels involved with Arctic patrols, search & rescue, administrative, and general maritime duties in concert with the Canadian Forces have been listed. The Canadian Coast Guard will issue a QSL in response to a listener's report. However, please be sure not to give specific details of the conversation you have monitored (ie. location, names, etc.), especially if you monitored it on a military frequency. MORE INFORMATION This third edition features much more information than the previous one. This Guide is still the only complete publication exclusively dedicated to Canadian Armed Forces Radio Monitoring. For more information please refer to the TABLE OF CONTENTS or INDEX.‘EECEIVING EQUIPMENT The basic and minimal of equipment required to monitor any HF voice or H (morse code) military broadcasts are as follows: (1) A Shortwave Communications Receiver with BFO/SSB (single-sideband) capabilities and continuous frequency coverage from 150 kHz to 29 mHz, and (2) an outdoor or indoor active antenna. Naturally, a tape recorder would also make a nice addition to this basic set-up, but it is by no means a vital piece of equipment. A basic monitoring set-up, as described, including tape recorder can easily be put together using new equipment for approximately $600., while a used equipment system may be had for well under this figure. Of course, this is for the prospective buyer who is not out to buy top-of-the-line, full-featured equipment, but rather basic equipment that will not’ only allow the monitoring of military transmissions but also international shortwave and many other interesting broadcasts. To monitor military FAX & RITY transmissions you will require an outside antenna as well as a FAX or RTTY decoder. There are situations where an indoor active antenna is capable of performing well for RITY & FAX reception, but this depends on the listener's location (ie. on a hill, top floor of apartment building, etc.) and the sensitivity/noise level of the receiver used. You will also find that you require a much more sensitive and fuller-featured Shortwave/Communications Receiver than outlined in the basic system above. A typical set-up for monitoring FAX 4& RMTY will require a shortwave communications receiver, an external antenna (outdoor, or indoor active type), a decoder, and’ a personal computer. Monitoring FAX & RTTY transmissions is a science in itself and to do justice to it would require more editorial space than can be provided here. A number of books that deal with FAX 4 RITY monitoring are listed in the SOURCES SECTION of this guide. Monitoring FAX & RITY transmissions will allow you to receive weather satellite maps, charts and even news wire service reports, and of course, coded military messages and charts. FAX & RITY monitoring, due to the anount of equipment required and its associated high-expense is not recommended for those just starting out in radio monitoring or for those who are occasional radio monitoring enthusiasts. To be sure, the cost of a bare-bones monitoring set-up for these types of transmissions can easily Tun into thousands of dollars. Most who have gotten into this type of monitoring have done so gradually, acquiring their equipment one piece at a time. Other items that should be considered are books dealing with Shortwave Listening. These books are a must for anyone just starting out or for those who have been away from radio monitoring for close to ten years (a lot has changed!). The SOURCES SECTION has a list of recommended books, and other publications that will prove helpful to beginner and experienced monitor alike.In this age of technology, it is no surprise that radio receivers no larger than a pocket calculator have the ability to tune in virtually any signal that is strong enough to make its way to the less than adequate antenna on these units. More formidable, at this stage of ‘technology anyway, is the communications scanner. In the guise of what appears to be a handheld walkie-talkie, the scanner has capabilities of seeking out and locking on to a radio transmission at the rate of 1,600 frequencies a minute within a given frequency range from 150 kilz to 1 Giz. Describing a scanner in this fashion; that is by quoting what is in the least read communications publication - the owner's manual, always makes my friends ask questions in hushed tones like, "is it legal", “must have cost a bundle?" While there are only a few scanner models that have the capability (with SSB) of receiving the HF military frequencies in this guide, those frequencies above 30.000 MHz. can be easily received by VHF/UHF scanner radios. Most portable radios (those you can carry, but won't fit in your pocket or on your belt) that cover the shortwave and communications bands with a BFO or SSB feature will allow you to sample a wide range of interesting broadcasts including, of course, the military. Built-in antennas in most scanner and shortwave radios work well with a strong signal but if you really want to get the most out of your radio, try using an outdoor antenna, or indoor active antenna if you live in’an apartment. Scanner radios are ideal for receiving military ground exercises in the 30-50 MHz. range. From May to August this frequency range is susceptible to what is known as Es-Layer Skip. This is a natural atmospheric condition where radio signals in the VHF frequency ranges are capable of travelling great distances. As a result of this, many scanner radio owners in Canada and the United States have been able to monitor military exercises in Europe, the Middle East, and of course all across the continent! Not bad for radio signals that normally have an intended | maximum range of 35 kilometres. Depending on your location, you may require an outdoor antenna, or broadband preamplifier to help bring in these distant signals. This guide lists local 30-50 Miz. frequencies for Canadian military stations in Canada, and some in Burope. If you live near a military establishment you can monitor Military Police, Fire, Medical Services, and Base Administration in the 148-174 Miz. and UHF ranges with a basic scanner. Should you decide to take your scanner or shortwave radio to an airshow, military | parade or other public function where you think you might be able to watch the event and catch the on-air action please take note! If you are going to a military function on military property or on board a military vehicle, vessel or aircraft it is advisable to, and common courtesy to request permission to bring and use your radio well in advance of the event. Permission can be obtained by contacting the Commanding Officer or Officer In Charge in writing. Failure to do 50, or just showing up at the gate with the radio may prove very embarrassing and you may find yourself separated from your radio.