ALE - CAP Members
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Transcript ALE - CAP Members
Learning Lab DO05
Operating in the Next
Generation of HF Radio:
Automatic Link Establishment
(ALE)
Malcolm Kyser, Hartley Gardner,
Chuck Bishop, Steve Haney
Why HF?
Advantages of HF
Medium to long distance communications
Adaptable
Fixed, mobile or tactical
Survivable
Infrastructure independent
Works when everything else fails
Low (or no) operating costs
No recurring charges, air time or usage fees
Disadvantages of HF
Propagation limitations
Conditions always in flux
No single channel works all the time
Diverse channels needed
Requires understanding of propagation
Antenna size
Limits station locations
Noisy operations
Gets turned down or ignored
Why ALE?
Advantages of ALE
Next generation of HF
Frequency agile
Moves us beyond single channel “conventional” mode
Takes advantage of changing propagation conditions
Active propagation evaluation
Soundings in real-time
On board database
Advantages of ALE
Automated calling and linking
Quiet when not in use
“Hands-Free”
Reduces instances of “turn down”, “turn off” or
“ignore”
Limited text capability
Using built in modem
Disadvantages of ALE
None
ALE Challenges
Point-to-point
Like a phone call rather than a “broadcast”
Comm planning is essential
Possible hybrid applications of conventional and ALE
Soundings interrupt voice communications
Operator training
Planning is important
Sounding data degrades in value over time
Use of BIDR
ALE Challenges
Calling is not instantaneous
Operator training
Several possible reason for link failures
Operator training
ALE System Structure
Over 100 HF frequencies
Nine nets
Designated message center stations
Tactical and C2
National
Command Net
(Net 9)
NER
Net 1
MER
Net 2
GLR Net
3
SER
Net 4
NCR
Net 5
SWR
Net 6
RMR
Net 7
PCR Net
8
NER
Wings
MER
Wings
GLR
Wings
SER
Wings
NCR
Wings
SWR
Wings
RMR
Wings
PCR
Wings
Equipment
How will ALE be used?
Tactical
Day to day when beyond range of repeater
In a disaster scenario
Ground team to ICP
Ground team to ground team
Command and Control
As a survivable back up
Forward operating base to ICP
ICP to area command
Area command to NOC
Unit to group, to wing, to region, to NHQ
Constant Watch ‘11
National Communications Exercise
Intent: Snapshot of our starting point with ALE
Simulated New Madrid Earthquake
Stress the system
Tasking messages from NOC to wings
Pre-formatted resource report messages from wings
to NOC
Side test of mobile ALE on-site reporting
Limited AMD testing
ALE Looking Forward
Constant Watch – Lessons Learned
The system can take much more traffic than we anticipated
The plan was not clear enough. Regions/wings did not generate traffic
The overall network structure needs to be better understood
Stations need to understand which net they belong to
Stations need to understand primary and possible alternate routes for traffic
Our formal message handling skills are “rusty”
Region message center stations need two radios
Multi-net is not a good solution – obscenely long soundings
ALE Looking Forward
Constant Watch – Lessons Learned
Message center stations need to understand their role and responsibilities
Wings need to appoint message centers
We need some sort of “any” call on ALE
Need a “BIDR From” display on Micom 3
A “Sounding” display would be helpful on the Micom 3
Mobile operators need to understand their radiation pattern
Don’t do BIDR’s out of curiosity!
Preformatted messages WORK!
AMD needs to be leveraged
ALE Looking Forward
AMD for text messaging
Proved to be an outstanding weak signal asset
Immediately available with no extra costs
Standard format being developed
Will utilize the “pre-formatted” message concept
Deliverable Product:
Extend WMIRS beyond the internet
Questions?