USAF EC-130J STEEL 74 has been transmitting on 6877.0 kHz to Libya this evening. A recorded message in English, French and Arabic on SSB says “Libyan ships or vessels remain anchored. Do not leave port. The Gaddafi regime forces are violating a United Nations resolution ordering the end of hostilities in your country. If you attempt to leave port you will be attacked and destroyed immediately. For your own safety, do not leave port.”
The Commando Solo is operated exclusively by the 193rd Special Operations Wing, which is based at the Harrisburg International Airport in Middletown, Pennsylvania.
According to the Milcom Monitoring Post, the transmission is “slightly jammed”. Here is a recording of the transmission, with no jamming audible:
(Source: libyafeb17.com)
on Mar 21st, 2011 at 09:06
It was certainly there yesterday (Sunday) up to around 1400 utc widely received in Europe.Jamming at times was quite strong.
Since then I haven’t received the message or jamming.
on Mar 22nd, 2011 at 16:27
Okay, one of the Commando Solo aircraft was spotted in Malta in the past few
days, but this is just a note, an indication. Not an evidence. I ask myself: Cui bono? / To whose benefit? - If the info transmitted on 6877 kHz had the intention to warn libyian sailors, why not on VHF marine channel 16? Kim Andrew Elliot is terming other possibilities: “…the transmission could be from land-based transmitter in Europe, or from a ship in the Mediterranean, and still be heard in Libya. The Commando Solo aircraft may not be needed unless used for FM and television, which have shorter range. See also twitter.com/utilityworld Hugh Stegman.” (http://kimelli.nfshost.com/index.php?id=10926) - And MT Milcom, too: “Most people have pointed to the EC-130J 193SOS Pysop bird callsign Steel 74 as a possible candidate for these broadcast. While that may be and has been widely reported as such, I am still not totally convinced that it is the 130J. While these transmissions wouldn’t really be out of character for the types of transmissions that these aircraft have transmitted in the past, they are usually used for mostly AM/Fm/TV broadcast stuff.” (http://mt-milcom.blogspot.com/2011/03/some-thoughts-on-psyop-transmissions-on.html) - Not as otherwise reported this frequency is not or was not in use by libyian navy. It is well known, that russ. navy is using this frequency for RADIOPROGNOZ reports in CW. — Even stations from Sudan has been reported on this QRG by DARC Bandwacht in 2008. — So, what is the purpose of this mysterious transmission?
on Mar 22nd, 2011 at 16:53
Tom, I don’t know how much research you have done on this story in the past 48 hours, but I have done a great deal. I regard the fact that the story has been published by Air Force Times and other military sites, and that Commando Solo was mentioned in a Pentagon press briefing at the weekend, as being sufficiently authoritative. Apparently the same transmission was heard in Benghazi on two FM frequencies. There is nothing ‘mysterious’ about this transmission - Commando Solo is routinely used to support US military operations. Since the broadcast was aimed at shipping, there is no compelling reason to use AM. There have indeed been some similar broadcasts from landbased and ship-based stations in previous US military operations, and there may be some in this campaign, but Commando Solo would have been the fastest way to get things up and running within hours of the UN Security Council decision.
on Mar 23rd, 2011 at 03:06
Here’s a little history for you. On May 2,28,29, and 30 in 1945 broadcast a message to Taipei or as was known during Japanese rule as Taihoku. May 31, 1945 9am the Fifth Air Force began an attack against Japanese interests in Taipei and around the city. The reason for the message was to inform Taiwan residents if they could leave the city and if not avoid areas that would be attacked. The death toll was in this raid was around 3000 people.
The Taiwan government has said the death toll would have been higher if this message was no broadcast. The Museum of the Presidents Office have a transcript of the message made of the Japanese rulers. The message was broadcast in Mandarin and Hakka. When the messages were being broadcast the Japanese also broadcast messages telling people to ignore them and told the population to take cover in the areas they were told to avoid.
on Mar 28th, 2011 at 13:24
The same warning message is back,this time on 10.405 MHz usb.
Just heard some weak jamming but suddenly seemed to stop !
on Mar 28th, 2011 at 13:40
The transmission on 10.405 MHz usb suddenly stopped around 13.30 utc,no sign of it on 6877 now…
on Apr 22nd, 2011 at 22:21
If the Libyan navy was to sail, the coalition would be in serious trouble. Not from guns, missiles or torpedos but from abrupt and massive enlargement of mission. It is one thing to destroy tank coloumns and supply trains ashore and claim protection of civilians, it is quite another to sink a ship of a sovereign nation. Academics still argue the sinking of Admiral Belgrano, the last significant naval engagement.
Sink a Libyan ship patrolling Libyan waters? The coalition would not hold, and the UN resolution would be in shambles.
Hence, the PSYOP radio broadcasts…