    The question "can I hear the space shuttle on HF?" is often asked.
    The answer  is no, not directly. However, what we can hear are some
    of the interesting behind the scenes traffic working Cape Radio in
    support of these launches.

    Whoizit?

    Cape Radio is at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The facility is
    run by a private contractor who operates and maintains all the HF radio's
    for the Eastern Test Range (ETR), which is the official designation for the
    facility at Cape Canaveral AFS. The facility is actually located across
    the Banana River from the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) and is not
    affiliated with NASA in any way. However ETR, better known as Cape
    Radio, does support all shuttle launches and unmanned launch vehicles.

    What is heard?

    There are two nets on HF for every shuttle launch. The first is Safety
    of Range. This net is usually controlled by "DoD Cape" on a circuit set
    up by Cape Radio. There is usually a U.S. Navy ship tasked to "launch
    danger area support" on this net. Sometimes a U.S. Coast Guard cutter
    is also deployed to assist. The job of these ship's is to ensure that no
    planes or ship's are in the area where if a rocket would have to be
    destroyed, debris may fall. They generally ID by the ships name, such
    as "USS Moosbruger" (DD-980).

    Also on this net are KING 1, 2 and 3, the U.S. Air Force Air Rescue
    HC-130's, as well as some other assets. The second net which is
    active every launch is controlled by "BRD" or the Booster Recovery
    Director. The two Solid Rocket Boosters (SRB's) carried aloft by the
    shuttle are  jettisoned at two minutes, seven seconds into the flight.
    They are retrieved from the Atlantic Ocean by special recovery vessels
    and returned for refurbishment and eventual reuse on future Shuttle
    flights. The BRD net coordinates the two SRB recovery ships; M/V
    Liberty Star (callsign WRPH) and M/V Freedom Star (callsign KRFB).

    What frequencies are used?

    These two nets can make use of any of the hundred or so HF
    frequencies available to the Eastern Test Range. However, early
    listening to ETR primary frequency 10780.0 kHz. as early as 16 to 24
    hours before scheduled launch time, will reward the listener with
    Cape Radio giving the working frequencies for both nets as the assets
    check in. If you miss this, then its a hit and miss affair.

    Other shortwave listening

    One last way to catch shuttle action is to monitor comms via the
    Goddard Amateur Radio Club in Greenbelt, Maryland. "WA3NAN" retransmits the
    air-to-ground Space Shuttle communications for all
    non-classified shuttle missions on: 3860 kHz. (LSB); 7185 kHz. (LSB); 14295
    kHz. (USB); 21395 kHz. (USB); and 28650 kHz. (USB) plus or
    minus 5 kHz. for interference.

    Internet
    Also, check this url for scheduled missions:
    http://www.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/countdown/countdown.html

    HF Frequencies
    Frequencies used for past Shuttle launches

     Freq     Mission   Use                     UTC      Remarks
     2622.0   STS-63    Booster Recovery        0521
     2622.0   STS-76    Booster Recovery        0523
     2764.0   STS-63    Range Safety            0401
     2764.0   STS-67    Range Safety            0225
     2764.0   STS-68    Booster Recovery        0755
     2836.0   STS-68    Range Safety            0653
     3041.0   STS-76    Range Safety            0739
     3120.0   STS-56    Range Safety            0426
     3120.0   STS-68    Range Safety            0508
     3187.0   STS-55    Booster Recovery        0440
     3187.0   STS-56    Booster Recovery        0325
     3187.0   STS-64    Range Safety            1108
     3187.0   STS-68    Booster Recovery        0746
     3187.0   STS-69    Range Safety            1108
     3365.0   STS-59    Range Safety            0734
     3859.0   STS-54    WA3NAN                  1329
     3859.2   STS-69    WA3NAN                  1346
     3860.0   STS-78    WA3NAN                  1449
     3860.2   STS-51    WA3NAN                  1142
     3860.2   STS-57    WA3NAN                  1245
     3860.3   STS-56    WA3NAN                  0509
     3860.3   STS-63    WA3NAN                  0522
     3860.5   STS-68    WA3NAN                  1054
     3860.5   STS-70    WA3NAN                  1342
     3860.5   STS-76    WA3NAN                  0813
     3861.4   STS-74    WA3NAN                  1256
     4520.0   STS-68    Range Safety            0653
     4704.0   STS-68    Range Safety            0949
     4992.0   STS-76    Range Safety            0705
     5011.0   STS-67    Range Safety            0006
     5180.0   STS-56    Range Safety            0310
     5180.0   STS-56    Booster Recovery        2339     Attempt #2
     5180.0   STS-59    Range Safety            0731
     5180.0   STS-61    Range Safety            0459
     5180.0   STS-87    Range Safety            1814
     5180.0   STS-95    Range Safety            1900
     5190.0   STS-68    Booster Recovery        1037
     5190.0   STS-69    Booster Recovery        2310
     5246.0   STS-86    Range Safety            1951
     5246.0   STS-95    Booster Recovery        1926
     5711.0   STS-69    Range Safety            1516     Attempt #2
     5711.0   STS-70    Range Safety            1323
     5711.0   STS-71    Range Safety            2003
     5711.0   STS-76    Booster Recovery        2335
     5711.0   STS-77    Launch Failure Exercise 1159
     5810.0   STS-51    Range Safety            2034
     6897.0   STS-54    Range Safety            1338
     6937.0   STS-75    Range Safety            1818
     6937.0   STS-82    Range Safety            0730
     6937.0   STS-84    Range Safety            1543
     7184.2   STS-54    WA3NAN                  1329
     7184.8   STS-55    WA3NAN                  1450
     7185.0   STS-58    WA3NAN                  1439
     7185.7   STS-85    WA3NAN                  1441
     7765.0   STS-77    Range Safety            1038
     7765.0   STS-78    Range Safety            1436
     7765.0   STS-80    Range Safety            1956
     9023.0   STS-74    Range Safety            1303
     9043.0   STS-54    Range Safety            1335
     9043.0   Delta II Launch 11/98             2200
    10780.0   STS-51    Coordination            1953
    10780.0   STS-58    Coordination            1443     Cape ID'ed as FISHER
    10780.0   STS-59    Coordination            1831
    10780.0   STS-61    Coordination            1913
    10780.0   STS-69    Coordination            1845
    10780.0   STS-75    Coordination            1815
    10780.0   STS-76    Coordination            2122
    10780.0   STS-77    Coordination            1637
    10780.0   STS-80    Coordination            1735     Cape ID'ed as FISHER
    10780.0   STS-81    Coordination            0123
    10780.0   STS-83    Coordination            0248
    10780.0   STS-84    Coordination            1435
    10780.0   STS-85    Coordination            0119
    10780.0   STS-86    Coordination            1948
    10780.0   STS-95    Coordination            1800
    11217.0   STS-72    Range Safety            0930
    14295.0   STS-79    WA3NAN                  1615
    20185.7   STS-61    WA3NAN                  1610

    Copyright 1998 R.D. Baker/Popular Communications magazine.
    Based on original article in the Communications Confidential column
    "Monitoring Space Shuttle Launches" (June, 1998) parts of which
    are reprinted with permission here.

    Additional mission logs or other information always appreciated.
    Please forward to Rick Baker at CommConf@concentric.net

    This file may be freely distributed so long as the file remains intact
    and is not edited in any way. File originally posted on Worldwide UTE
    November 1998.