Ground Wave Emergency Network - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

The Ground Wave Emergency Network (GWEN) was a command and control

Command and Control (military)

Command and control, or C2, in a military organization can be defined as the exercise of authority and direction by a properly designated commanding officer over assigned and attached forces in the accomplishment of the mission...

communications system intended for use by the United States government to facilitate military communications

Military communications

Historically, the first military communications had the form of sending/receiving simple signals . Respectively, the first distinctive tactics of military communications were called Signals, while units specializing in those tactics received the Signal Corps name...

before, during and after a nuclear war

Nuclear warfare

Nuclear warfare, or atomic warfare, is a military conflict or political strategy in which nuclear weaponry is detonated on an opponent. Compared to conventional warfare, nuclear warfare can be vastly more destructive in range and extent of damage...

. Specifically, GWEN was constructed to survive the effects of a high-altitude nuclear explosion electromagnetic pulse

Electromagnetic pulse

An electromagnetic pulse is a burst of electromagnetic radiation. The abrupt pulse of electromagnetic radiation usually results from certain types of high energy explosions, especially a nuclear explosion, or from a suddenly fluctuating magnetic field...

to insure that the United States President or his survivors can give a launching order to strategic nuclear bombers.

Overview

GWEN was part of the Strategic Modernization Program designed to upgrade the nation's strategic communication system, thereby strengthening the value of nuclear deterrence

Deterrence theory

Deterrence theory gained increased prominence as a military strategy during the Cold War with regard to the use of nuclear weapons, and features prominently in current United States foreign policy regarding the development of nuclear technology in North Korea and Iran. Deterrence theory however was...

. The GWEN communication system, established in the late 1980s, was designed to transmit critical messages (i.e. Emergency Action Message

Emergency Action Message

An Emergency Action Message is a preformatted message that directs nuclear-capable forces to execute specific Major Attack Options or Limited Attack Options in a nuclear war...

s (EAMs

Emergency Action Message

An Emergency Action Message is a preformatted message that directs nuclear-capable forces to execute specific Major Attack Options or Limited Attack Options in a nuclear war...

)) to United States nuclear forces. EMP

Electromagnetic pulse

, over a large area, can produce a sudden power surge

Voltage spike

In electrical engineering, spikes are fast, short duration electrical transients in voltage , current , or transferred energy in an electrical circuit....

that would overload unprotected electronic equipment and render it inoperable. In addition, EMP

Electromagnetic pulse

would interfere with transmissions that use the ionosphere for propagation. GWEN would use a ground-hugging wave for propagation, being unaffected by the EMP

Electromagnetic pulse

.

The network was conceived as an array of approximately 300 radio

Radio

Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...

transceivers distributed across the continental USA

Conus

Conus is a large genus of small to large predatory sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs, with the common names of cone snails, cone shells or cones. This genus is placed in the subfamily Coninae within the family Conidae. Geologically speaking, the genus is known from the Eocene to the Recent ...

which operated in the Low Frequency

Low frequency

Low frequency or low freq or LF refers to radio frequencies in the range of 30 kHz–300 kHz. In Europe, and parts of Northern Africa and of Asia, part of the LF spectrum is used for AM broadcasting as the longwave band. In the western hemisphere, its main use is for aircraft beacon,...

(LF) radio band. Later revised for 126 towers, plans again changed to include 56 radio towers linking 38 terminals; it was later expanded to 96 towers linking 49 terminals. Final network towers numbered 58.

History

Originally conceived during the early days of the Ronald Reagan

Ronald Reagan

Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....

Presidential Administration, the Air Force placed a tentative initial operating capability for GWEN by January 1992.

The structure comprises a concrete foundation 2 foot (0.6096 m) above grade, a 3 foot (0.9144 m) insulator, a 290 feet (88.4 m) steel tower, and 4 feet (1.2 m) lightning rods enclosed by a 42 feet (12.8 m) × 47 feet (14.3 m), 8 feet (2.4 m) chain-link fence topped with barbed wire. The tower itself would be supported by 15 guy wires attached to the ground at six anchor locations. Surrounding the tower and attached to it at the top and anchored in the ground by concrete blocks would be 12 top-loading elements (TLEs). The purpose of the TLEs is to enhance the efficiency of the antenna. Anchors for the TLEs and guy wires would be within the site boundaries.

Operations

In the GWEN system, originating stations send ultra high frequency

Ultra high frequency

Ultra-High Frequency designates the ITU Radio frequency range of electromagnetic waves between 300 MHz and 3 GHz , also known as the decimetre band or decimetre wave as the wavelengths range from one to ten decimetres...

(UHF) signals by broadcast towers for line-of-site receipt at Relay Nodes (RNs). The RNs form an unmanned network throughout the US, with individual RNs at spacings of approximately 150 to 200 mi (241.4 to 321.9 km). The RNs transmit received messages via LF signals for ultimate receipt by receive-only terminals at existing military communication buildings. By utilizing LF ground transmission the GWEN system minimizes the potential effect of HEMP on military communications.

The network had three types of stations: input/output stations (I/Os), receive-only stations (ROs), and relay nodes (RNs). I/O stations could send and receive messages. ROs only received messages transmitted through I/Os. Dispersed and unmanned RNs, would provide continuous relay links between I/Os and ROs. The I/Os and ROs would reside at locations with strategic military forces, and the RNs would be scattered throughout the country on government or privately leased land. Distance between the relay nodes were determined by the ground wave transmission wavelength, at intervals of approximately 150–200 miles.

During initial operations, the towers would receive and relay brief test messages every 20 minutes. The system had built-in redundancy, using packet switching techniques for reconstruction of connectivity if system damage occurs.

Problems

Early in its lifetime, electrical interference problems caused by GWEN system operation began to surface. Since the stations were using LF, the chosen frequency was within 1 kHz of the operating frequency of nearby electrical carrier current systems. With GWEN handling constant voice, teletype and other data traffic, interference was noticed by local power companies on a diagnostic two kilohertz side carrier tone – if the carrier disappeared, the power grid would interpret that as a system fault.

Site layout

The overall site area of a relay node was approximately 11 acres (4.5 ha), approximately 700 feet (213.4 m) × 700 feet. Typical site features include a longwave

Longwave

In radio, longwave refers to parts of radio spectrum with relatively long wavelengths. The term is a historic one dating from the early 20th century, when the radio spectrum was considered to consist of long, medium and short wavelengths...

transmitting tower (generally between 290 and 299 ft (88.4 and 91.1 m) tall), a backup diesel generator with a two-chambered fuel tank having a capacity of 1020 gallons (3,861.1 l), 8 feet (2.4 m) × 14 feet (4.3 m) × 8-foot antenna-tuning unit (ATU) in the center of the site, and a radio processor; electronic equipment was housed in three shelters. Two of the shelters were located inside the fenced area at the perimeter of the property, and the other at the base of the tower. The equipment area and the tower base were surrounded by locked, 8 feet (2.4 m) chain-link fences topped with barbed wire. In addition, each node had a UHF antenna and an LF receive antenna on a ten-foot mast located inside the equipment area. The main GWEN antenna operated intermittently in the LF band at 150 to 175 kilohertz (kHz) (e.g., the bottom of the AM band is 530 kHz). The peak broadcasting power was from 2,000 to 3,000 watts. The UHF antenna operated at 20 watts, between 225 and 400 megahertz (MHz).

The GWEN transmitter sites include:

A 299 feet (91.1 m) broadcast antenna tower
A large ground plane, designed for ground conductivity conditions at the site
An antenna tuning unit enclosure at the base of the tower
Two equipment shelters
Electronic racks that will accept the DGPS equipment
All utilities that are required for operation of the DGPS broadcast site
Air conditioning and environmental controls
Back-up power generators
Above ground fuel storage tanks
Security enclosures with intrusion alarms

GWEN site locations

Broadcast Site	Frequency	Power	Field Strength	Latitude	Longitude	ILC	Notes
Goodland Goodland, Kansas Goodland is a city in and the county seat of Sherman County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 4,489.-History:... , Kansas Kansas Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...	286	300	82.6	39 49 39	100 39 49	SEZQ	Also called Oberlin Comms Site/GWEN 843
Ronan Ronan, Montana Ronan is a city in Lake County, Montana, United States. It lies on the Flathead Indian Reservation about 12 miles south of Flathead Lake in the northwestern part of the state... , Montana Montana Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...	287	170	80.1	47 34 47	114 06 50
Penobscot Penobscot, Maine Penobscot is a town in Hancock County, Maine, United States. The Bagaduce River runs through the town. The population was 1,344 at the 2000 census.-Geography:... , Maine Maine Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...	290	13	68.9	44 26 07	068 47 22
Kirtland, New Mexico New Mexico New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...	291	300	82.6	34 57 26	106 29 32
Appleton, Washington Appleton, Washington Appleton is an unincorporated community in Klickitat County, Washington, United States. Appleton is west of Klickitat. Appleton has a post office with ZIP code 98602....	300	300	82.6	45 46 55	121 19 34
Macon Macon, Georgia Macon is a city located in central Georgia, US. Founded at the fall line of the Ocmulgee River, it is part of the Macon metropolitan area, and the county seat of Bibb County. A small portion of the city extends into Jones County. Macon is the biggest city in central Georgia... , Georgia Georgia (U.S. state) Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...	301	300	82.6	32 41 40	-83 33 37
Medora Medora, North Dakota In the city the population was spread out with 26.0% under the age of 18, 4.0% from 18 to 24, 29.0% from 25 to 44, 26.0% from 45 to 64, and 15.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 96.1 males... , North Dakota North Dakota North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....	306	100	77.8	46 54 22	103 16 29
Edinburg Edinburg, North Dakota As of the census of 2000, there were 252 people, 118 households, and 73 families residing in the city. The population density was 831.5 people per square mile . There were 132 housing units at an average density of 435.6 per square mile . The racial makeup of the city was 97.22% White, 0.40% Asian,... , North Dakota North Dakota North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....	307	300	82.6	48 33 31	097 47 04
Clark Clark, South Dakota Clark is a city in Clark County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 1,139 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Clark County.-Geography:Clark is located at .... , South Dakota South Dakota South Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state has an area of and an estimated population of just over...	309	300	82.6	44 56 03	097 57 38
Whitney Whitney, Nebraska Whitney is a village in Dawes County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 77 at the 2010 census. Originally called Dawes City, then Earth Lodge, it was renamed in honor of a railroad official... , Nebraska Nebraska Nebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....	310	300	82.6	42 30 00	102 00 00
Austin Austin, Nevada Austin is a small, unincorporated community located in Lander County, Nevada, in the United States. As of 2004, its population is approximately 340. It is located on the western slopes of the Toiyabe Range at an elevation of . U.S... , Nevada Nevada Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...	312	300	82.6	39 30 00	117 30 00
Billings, MT	313	300	82.6	45 58 19	107 59 47
Flagstaff, AZ	319	300	82.6	35 13 18	111 49 06
Hudson Falls, NY	324	300	82.6	43 16 13	073 32 19
Pueblo, CO	325	300	82.6	38 51 54	104 34 31
Savannah, GA	285	300	82.6	32 08 22	081 41 49
Kensington, SC	292	300	82.6	33 28 51	079 20 35
Egg Harbor, NJ	311	300	82.6	39 36 12	074 22 16
Great Falls, MT	314	300	82.6	47 18 13	111 10 19
Goldwein, VA	315	300	82.6	38 37 09	076 52 51
Spokane, WA	316	300	82.6	47 31 10	117 25 21
Summerfield, TX	318	300	82.6	34 49 28	102 30 43

Controversies

Public perception of the GWEN system was extremely negative. Its surmised purposes ranged from communication nodes for government mind control to giving the Soviet Union

Soviet Union

The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....

additional nuclear targets.

Nuclear targets

Citizen public protest groups stood up in Massachusetts

Massachusetts

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...

, Oregon

Oregon

Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...

, Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...

and California

California

California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...

to band together to fight construction of GWEN towers in their areas. The groups believed that the presence of a GWEN node would increase the community's "strategic worth" in the eyes of the Soviet Union

Soviet Union

The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....

. Responding to the protest groups, the Air Force repeatedly downplayed the importance of the towers, stating they were not worth that kind of attention by the Soviet Union.

Mind control

Alternative theorists posed the idea that GWEN towers were means by which government mind control messages could be sent.

GWEN's construction became a hot political issue when former Defense Secretary James Schlesinger criticized Governor Michael S. Dukakis for opposing the project.

Termination

Amid controversy and world geopolitical changes, GWEN's value diminished greatly in the post-Cold War

Cold War

The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...

environment, in addition to its existence being rendered moot by the sustained effectiveness of predecessor and follow-on systems (Survivable Low Frequency Communication System and Minimum Essential Emergency Communication Network respectively). As early as 1990, legislative measures were enacted to terminate the program.

In 1994, new construction of GWEN towers were banned after a defense appropriations bill eliminated any funding for the towers for one year.

A few months later, the United States Air Force

United States Air Force

The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...

announced that they would terminate the construction contract to build the remaining 25 towers, except for monies used to dismantle the system.

Since the fiscal year 1998-1999, the GWEN system has been replaced by Milstar SCAMP terminals and GWEN Operations and Maintenance funding has been terminated.

Disposition

The United States Coast Guard began outfitting a number of GWEN sites to house the National Differential GPS

Differential GPS

Differential Global Positioning System is an enhancement to Global Positioning System that provides improved location accuracy, from the 15-meter nominal GPS accuracy to about 10 cm in case of the best implementations....

system. Existing equipment fit the needs of the NDGPS.

Photo gallery

File: Typical GWEN relay node.PNG|Typical GWEN relay node
File: GWEN antenna tuning unit shelter and security fence.PNG|Antenna shelter & security fence
File: GWEN equipment area.PNG|GWEN equipment area
File:Essex, CA GWEN site 1.jpg|Essex, CA site.
File:GWEN Essex CA updated GPD diff gear 1.jpg|Trimble differential GPS gear at Essex, CA site
File:Essex CA, GWEN rf rad warning sign.jpg|RF radiation warning sign at Essex, CA

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.

Overview

History

Operations

Problems

Site layout

GWEN site locations

Controversies

Nuclear targets

Mind control

Termination

Disposition

Photo gallery

See also

External links