HF Radio

Refresher Training

1 2019-02-18
 • Who are STORADIO AERO AB
• How does HF Radio work
• STORADIO HF Services
• STORADIO HF Coverage
• Propagation Forecast
• Communicating with STORADIO
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Contact us

2 2019-02-18
 Who are STORADIO AERO AB

The head office for STORADIO is situated at Nacka Strand, a few km east
of Central Stockholm.
We have been providing the International aviation community with HF
radio communication services since the 1960’s.
When operating within STORADIO’s service area of coverage, you can
rely on our dependable, robust, long range HF Radio communications
platform, which utilizes a number of remote controlled, high-powered
transmitters and associated receivers with various directional antennas
at our locations.

STORADIO is available 24 hours day and 365 days a year

3 2019-02-18
 How does HF Radio work?

Radio communications in the HF

band (High Frequency band) are
bounced off the ionosphere. The
ionosphere is a section of the
upper atmosphere which is
ionized by solar radiation.
This phenomenon influences
radio propagation as the
conditions constantly change.

Since the ionosphere's existence is due to radiation from the sun

striking the atmosphere, the effects on Radio communications in
the HF-band will vary depending on the time of day (day or night),
and also the time of year (winter or summer) as a result of solar
radiation from sun spots.
4 2019-02-18
 STORADIO HF Services
Operational Phone Patches (Air-to-Ground / Ground-to-Air)
Services open to all HF-equipped aircraft. Monitored frequencies (below) are
intended for Operational Control traffic and for initial contact in case of other
traffic.
Operational Message Relay
We relay Position Reports, ARR/DEP messages, Re-dispatch / Acceptance
messages, etc. Individual templates with pre-assigned addresses for quick and
safe transactions. Additional addresses easily included when required.
Messages relayed via SITA/AFTN, Email, fax or phone.
MET information
We quickly provide crews with the latest METARs, TAFs, ASHTAMs etc for
most major stations.

5 2019-02-18
 STORADIO HF Services (continued)
Flight Planning Messages
STORADIO handles the following types of incoming messages:
- DLA (Delay)
- FPL (ATC Flight plans, ICAO format)
Flight plan related messages:
- CHG (Change)
- ARR (Arrive)
- CNL (Cancel)
- DEP (Departure)
Formats: Type-B: STOFWYF & AFTN: ESKRYFYW

6 2019-02-18
 STORADIO HF Services (continued)

Medical Advice
Flight Crews requiring medical advice can be patched through to MedLink or
another similar service of your choice.
SELCAL
Whenever possible we suggest SELCAL guard to be maintained on a suitable
frequency to ensure quick Ground-to-Air traffic. Please consult our
Propagation Forecast and this document (see below) to select optimum
frequency depending on location and time of day. Option to send a message
(via SITA or Email) to your Operations/Dispatch advising them that the flight
has Logged On.

7 2019-02-18
 STORADIO HF Services (continued)

Private Pilot Call Service

All you need to do is call us and we will create a Stockholm Radio Account for
you, and that’s it! You are then ready to start making private calls any time of
the day or night 24/7/365. So if you want to call home and wish your
daughter happy birthday, congratulate a loved one, or let your wife know
when you will arrive home, why not try our Private Crew Calls service!

8 2019-02-18
 STORADIO HF
Coverage

HF radio conditions
This chart displays STO Radio’s
approximate service area that can be
expected under fairly normal
conditions.
Of course it is possible to establish
contact outside this area but this is
very much dependent on: the
changing conditions in the
ionosphere, the current radio
conditions and also the pilot’s
experience with using HF-radio. We
can therefore not guarantee that
communications will be viable with
100% readability at all times.
 STORADIO HF
Coverage

General rules:
· The higher the sun, the
higher the frequency.
· The lower the sun, the lower
the frequency.
· The longer the distance, the
higher the frequency.
· The shorter the distance, the
lower the frequency
 STORADIO HF
Coverage

Note:
During night time the
frequencies 3494 / 5541 /
8930 mainly cover areas 1, 2
and 3.
During day time the pilot
must use the higher
frequencies: 8930 / 11345 /
13342 / 17916 / 23210 in
order to cover the same
distance.
 PROPAGATION
FORECAST

Using the most appropriate HF

radio frequency is crucial when
establishing contact with STO
Radio.
The HF Propagation Forecast will
help you choose the appropriate
HF frequency given: the time of
day/night, the atmospheric
conditions and geographic
location, by showing the moist
suitable HF frequency for
communication with STO Radio.
 PROPAGATION
FORECAST

Propagation Forecasts are

updated every three months
and are available for download
as PDF from our website at
www.storadio.aero. They may
also be available from your
navigation chart provider.
Hourly updated radio
propagation forecasts for
STORADIO can also be found at
our website, under: ‘Hourly
radio propagation map.’
 Communicating with STORADIO

The key to successful and reliable HF Radio communications

is not only reliant on geomagnetic conditions and equipment.
Pilot skills and experience are also very important, when
adjusting to the conditions that can quickly change during the
flight. (Always consult our HF Propagation chart, before
contacting STORADIO).

14 2019-02-18
 Communicating with STORADIO

Locate the graph on the Propagation Forecast that best corresponds to your
position and choose the nearest STORAIDO frequency.
Be persistent when trying to establish contact on HF-radio.
By persistently trying alternative frequency bands and repeating unsuccessful
calls after a few minutes can significantly extend the approximate coverage
area available.
HF radio should always be in USB mode (Upper Side Band) and not in AM
mode. The radio talk must be as clear and concise as possible to avoid any
misunderstanding. Use short sentences and where necessary repeat your
message to ensure that it is received and understood.

15 2019-02-18
 Communicating with STORADIO

When contacting STORADIO, always provide the following information:

* Flight number / Registration
* Approximate geographic location
* The HF frequency used to call
This will help the radio operator to select suitable transmitters & receivers
and expedite good communications. So:
”Stockholm radio, Stockholm radio
Clipper Three-One-Three, calling Stockholm radio
Overhead Lisbon
On frequency one one three four five”

16 2019-02-18
 Communicating with STORADIO

”Stockholm radio, Stockholm radio

Clipper Three-One-Three, calling Stockholm radio
Overhead Lisbon
On frequency one one three four five”

Please allow 30 seconds for antenna positioning, and then repeat.

If still no response, go to neighbouring frequencies!
Our operators at STO Radio listen for voice calls on six monitored frequencies:
3494 / 5541 / 8930 / 11345 / 13342 / 17916 and 23210 kHz.
The calls are audible on several directional loudspeakers with multiple
loudspeakers for each frequency.
17 2019-02-18
 Communicating with STORADIO

The SELCAL function of the HF-radio is important.

We recommend that the pilot makes an initial SELCAL check with STORADIO
when departing and remain on SELCAL Guard with STORADIO.
Then it is not necessary to constantly listen to the noisy HF-frequency: the
volume can be turned down, but not off. The pilot will then be alerted by an
optical or acoustic signal when STORADIO has traffic for him/her.
The chosen frequency may sometimes only be good for a limited period
during the flight as the contact frequency varies depending on the time of day
and geographic location. We recommend that you periodically call STORADIO
during the flight to check if it is necessary to choose a new frequency.

18 2019-02-18
 Communicating with STORADIO

When STORADIO responds to a SELCAL check, our normal procedure is to

send a message (via Type-B or Email) to your Operations/Dispatch advising
them that the flight has Logged On to STORADIO and are contactable directly
via SELCAL.
Airlines that adopt this standard operating procedure rarely experience
difficulties in contacting their flights through STORADIO. If SELCAL watch is not
maintained on our frequencies, the crew may never be aware of STORADIO’s
efforts to call them.
Also neglecting to adjust the frequency selection for SELCAL watch during
flight will result in degraded or unavailable Ground-to-Air HF contact. This is
especially important for long haul flights. Air-to-Ground calls under normal
solar/geomagnetic conditions are usually the easiest to accomplish.

19 2019-02-18
 Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Why do I sometimes receive the A: The reason for this is most likely that
transmissions from STORADIO that are your HF radio is set in "AM" mode. The
totally garbled? setting should always be "USB" mode.

Q: Do I have to actually tune my HF radio A: The onboard SELCAL decoder is

in order to be able to receive your connected to the receiver of the HF
SELCAL transmissions? equipment. That means you need to:
· Have the HF turned on.
· Be in USB mode.
· Have the frequency dials set on a
suitable frequency (determined by your
location and the time of day).
Note:
you don't have to tune the transmitter
(by keying the microphone) until you
actually need to call us.

20 2019-02-18
 Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Why is it that you send me to another A: The reason is simply to optimise the use
frequency when I read you perfectly OK of our equipment. We try to avoid blocking
on the first frequency? the monitored frequencies with phone
patches in case other flights want to call
in. Please remember to return to one of
our monitored frequencies to resume
SELCAL guard after completion of
communications on the alternate frequency
unless otherwise instructed.

Q: What are the charges for using A: Details of all charges are available at
STORADIO services? our website: www.storadio.aero

21 2019-02-18