HF Aeronautical Communications

Description and Links

Aircraft utilize HF communications when VHF (Line of Sight) communications is not sufficient. The primary usage of HF is for Trans-oceanic flights. Trans-oceanic flights communicate with ground stations via HF for position reports and other purposes.

• Aeronautical Enroute and Aeronautical Fixed Stations regulations
• Aeronautical HF Radio Map
• CCIR (selcall)
• HF Aero Communications and Blog
• MWARA frequencies - Aircraft use these stations to communicate over water when out of VHF radio range.
• For a complete list of all Aero services (including VOLMETs and RDARAs), see the International HF Aero Frequency List (last updated July 2015)
• VOLMET Aeronautical stations broadcasting weather worldwide

What Equipment Will I Need to Hear these Stations?

• See our The HF Utility Receiver and Accessories article for a discussion of this topic.

Digital and Other Modes

HFDL, otherwise known as High Frequency Data Link, or HF ACARS, is now used extensively by many commercial airlines. There is a whole sub-culture of people that use various software packages to copy this mode and track flights which can be found on the Utility DXers Forum Yahoo group. This is also the place to be for logs of stations calling MWARA stations.

Magazine Logs

A few magazine publications have columns devoted to HF military logs submitted by readers. This is a great way to discover to what other people are listening. These logs will often include multiple entries for the same frequency, which means that frequency has been active. However, keep in mind that, due to publishing constraints, there is often a 60 or 90 day lag between when the report is received and when it's actually published.

• CQ Amateur Radio Content from the old Pop'Comm magazine has been absorbed into here
• The Spectrum Monitor Electronic Magazine