wmartin@STL-06SIMA.ARMY.MIL (Will Martin) (01/19/91)
From: Will Martin <wmartin@STL-06SIMA.ARMY.MIL> In keeping with the Moderator's emphasis on keeping this discussion technological, I'd like to reference the communication technology of the various forces now involved in the conflict. Since the initial impression is that this will primarily be a night war, this means that there will be a darkness path between the Gulf and the US during likely periods of action, say 2300 GMT to 0300 GMT or so. This will allow HF radio propagation from that area to here on lower frequencies, and maybe some slightly higher frequencies depending on solar flux and anomalies. I've read with envy of people in the US during WWII being able to receive tactical radio signals from the European battlefields. Maybe we'll have a chance to receive similar signals? Therefore, I ask that anyone able to receive any such signals, or getting information from other sources on frequencies and times such signals are detected, post that information here. There is a rec.radio.shortwave newsgroup and associated "SWL" mailing list that should contain such information, but I've been cut off from that list for over a month due to some unknown network-connectivity problem, and, besides, getting info from there extracted and digested into a military-related summary here will be most worthwhile for the sci.military participants. (Before anyone brings it up, let me quash this potential objection; this will NOT be a security breach. Tactical radio signals are expected to be intercepted; secure traffic is already encrypted, and uses spread-spectrun and/or frequency-hopping techniques that won't be detectable on ordinary radios anyway. There's nothing that will be posted here that Iraqi military intelligence won't already know in this area.) Regards, Will wmartin@stl-06sima.army.mil PS Most disappointing news item I've heard so far: "Saddam Hussein was seen on the streets of Baghdad this morning touring the damaged installations." Not only was he still around, but the streets were safe enough for him (or anyone) to come out from their holes. I would have hoped the bombardment would have continued on a random and irregular basis, so that the streets would not be safe anytime, daylight or dark... Guess that would be a mite expensive... WM
deichman@cod.nosc.mil (Shane D. Deichman) (01/21/91)
From: deichman@cod.nosc.mil (Shane D. Deichman) >From: Will Martin <wmartin@STL-06SIMA.ARMY.MIL> > > Most disappointing news item I've heard so far: "Saddam Hussein was >seen on the streets of Baghdad this morning touring the damaged >installations." Not only was he still around, but the streets were safe >enough for him (or anyone) to come out from their holes. I would have >hoped the bombardment would have continued on a random and irregular >basis, so that the streets would not be safe anytime, daylight or >dark... Guess that would be a mite expensive... WM AND politically damaging! If you'll notice, the primary targets at this early stage in the war have been strictly military in nature. I heard a report on CNN on the 18th that some 25 Iraqi civilians were being treated for minor injuries due to being in the general vicinity of a bomb blast. Casualties on BOTH sides have been extraordinarily low to this point -- a testament to Hussein's inability to strike with ferocity and the Coalition's ability to strike ACCURATELY. Even the SCUD shots at Israel haven't caused any severe casualties (to this point at least, as of 19 Jan 91), despite being targetted at civilian areas. (Further evidence that Hussein has such a blatant disregard for human life.) This war so far seems like a victory for the defense contractors in this nation, whose reputation has been diminished due to "cost over-runs" and "failed tests." I'd much rather see a $1.2 million cruise missile get shot down than a jet with an American pilot.... -shane "Welcome to the '1991 Iraqi Invitational Gulf Tournament'!"