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
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Medium to long distance communications
Adaptable
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Fixed, mobile or tactical
Survivable
Infrastructure independent
 Works when everything else fails
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Low (or no) operating costs
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No recurring charges, air time or usage fees
Disadvantages of HF
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Propagation limitations
Conditions always in flux
 No single channel works all the time
 Diverse channels needed
 Requires understanding of propagation
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Antenna size
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Limits station locations
Noisy operations
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Gets turned down or ignored
Why ALE?
Advantages of ALE
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Next generation of HF
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Frequency agile
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Moves us beyond single channel “conventional” mode
Takes advantage of changing propagation conditions
Active propagation evaluation
Soundings in real-time
 On board database
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Advantages of ALE
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Automated calling and linking
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Quiet when not in use
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“Hands-Free”
Reduces instances of “turn down”, “turn off” or
“ignore”
Limited text capability

Using built in modem
Disadvantages of ALE
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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
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Soundings interrupt voice communications
Operator training
 Planning is important
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Sounding data degrades in value over time

Use of BIDR
ALE Challenges

Calling is not instantaneous
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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
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Day to day when beyond range of repeater
In a disaster scenario
Ground team to ICP
Ground team to ground team
Command and Control
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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
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ALE Looking Forward
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Constant Watch – Lessons Learned
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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
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Constant Watch – Lessons Learned
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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:
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Extend WMIRS beyond the internet
Questions?