Passing a signal

Photo By Monica K. Guthrie | Sgt. Stephanie Jones, Company C, 603rd Aviation Support Battalion, conducts a communication security changeover at Forward Operating Base Mahmudiyah, Iraq.  

BAGHDAD, IRAQ

02.17.2008

Story by Spc. Monica K. Guthrie 

3rd Combat Aviation Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division

Pfc. Monica K. Smith, 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division Public Affairs Office

CAMP STRIKER, Iraq – Communication is vital in maintaining the safety of aircraft and their crews. As aircraft fly across the battlefield, crews must be able to communicate with each other. The farther they fly from camps and forward operating bases, the weaker signals become.

A retransmission team, part of Company C, 603rd Aviation Support Battalion, the Combat Aviation Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division's signal company, works to maintain and improve communication across Iraq, ensuring the mission runs without a hitch.

"The CAB retrans provides the aircraft in the aviation brigade the ability to talk securely throughout their battle space, from Camp Striker in Baghdad, to Forward Operating Base Kalsu, over the FM radio," said Sgt. Stephanie Jones, Co. C, 603rd ASB.

The retransmission team takes the signals aircraft need for communication, such as radio, and resends as a stronger wave to ensure the helicopter can fly the entire mission able to communicate with traffic towers and other aircraft. In order to resend the signal properly, the retrans team is located between Forward Operating Base Kalsu and Camp Striker at FOB Mahmudiyah, 25 miles south of Camp Striker.

Jones likened the process to the tin can theory. "If you had two cans with a string connecting them over a very long distance," Jones said, "we would be in the middle of the two cans relaying the message from one to the other."

Rather than tin cans, the retrans team uses frequency hop waves, which change the radio channels helicopters use multiple times in flight. The channels change at the same time so the pilots are able to talk without a breakdown in communication. The radios used are encrypted and the radio waves are transmitted through two antennas.

The team at FOB Mahmudiyah operates with three Soldiers. It is currently manned by Jones, Sgt. Paul Jean and Spc. Calvin Tatum. Every 30 days, two of the personnel rotate from FOB Mahmudiyah back to Camp Striker, sending new Soldiers to work on the retrans team. These three people work continuously to guarantee pilots have the ability to communicate in air.

"When the aviation brigade is conducting missions in our area of operations the retrans unit runs 24-hour operations," Jones said. "Each person pulls an eight-hour shift monitoring the net to ensure the retrans is 100 percent operational. We have supported the CAB during Operation Marne Husky, other various operations and unmanned aerial vehicle missions."

Though a small team, Jean says they take pride in the work they do.

"I suppose someone could do our job with the proper training but I wouldn't suggest that," Jean said. "'Why', you ask? Because only a signal support systems specialist can do a signal support systems specialist's job. We take pride in our operations."

• Date Taken: 02.17.2008
• Date Posted: 02.17.2008 14:23
• Story ID: 16445
• Location: BAGHDAD, IQ