Notice: Upcoming HAARP ionospheric tests from Alaska - 27th to 31st Jan 2025

High-frequency Active Auroral Research Program (HAARP) is based in Alaska and it's a high-power, high frequency (HF) transmitter for studying the ionosphere.  The principal instrument is a phased array of 180 HF crossed-dipole antennas  capable of radiating 3.6 megawatts  into the upper atmosphere and ionosphere.  Transmit frequencies are selectable in the range of 2.7 to 10 MHz.

Update: Note that due to hazardous winter road conditions along the highways leading to the HAARP facility, the January Research Campaign has been delayed by 1 day. Dates updated below.

The research team have announced that they will be carrying out tests from the 28th of January to the 2nd of February 2025.

The press release is shown below and I've added a map to show location and distance.

To: Amateur Radio & Radio Astronomy Communities

From: HAARP Program Office

Subject: Notice of Transmission

The High-frequency Active Auroral Research Program (HAARP) will be conducting a research

campaign with operating times specified in the table below. Operating

frequencies will vary, but all HAARP transmissions will be between 2.75 MHz and 10 MHz. Actual

transmit days and times are highly variable based on real-time ionospheric and/or geomagnetic

conditions. All information is subject to change.

This campaign is being conducted in support of research proposals from UAF, the University of

Florida, the Naval Research Laboratory, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Cornell University,

Dartmouth College, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, and the University of Houston.

Research topics for this campaign include VLF generation and ducting, studies on STEVE airglow,

and space debris detection. 

This campaign will also support the GIRAFF rocket launch from Poker

Flat Research Range, which is investigating the mechanisms that cause flickering and pulsing

within the aurora. More information on GIRAFF is available here:

https://sites.wff.nasa.gov/code810/news/story301-36.380%20381%20GIRAFF.html

Note that a number of experiments will be conducted based on the critical frequency (f0F2)

determined by the Gakona ionosonde. The included transmission notice supplement contains

information on the frequencies HAARP is authorized to transmit. HAARP transmissions will only

occur on our authorized frequencies. 

There are no specific data collection requests from funded investigators, but reception reports are appreciated and may be submitted online via our web form

at: https://haarp.gi.alaska.edu/form/reception-reports

For updates on ionospheric conditions in Gakona, please consult ionograms from the HAARP

Diagnostic Suite: https://haarp.gi.alaska.edu/diagnostic-suite

Additional Resources for Reading Ionograms
Understanding HF Propagation and Reading Ionograms from Bootstrap Workbench:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTFKNCo3Cl8

Reading Your Ionogram-Keeping It Simple from John (VE6EY):
https://play.fallows.ca/wp/radio/shortwave-radio/reading-your-ionogram-keeping-it-simple/

The image above is an annotated ionogram from HAARP that describes features that may be of

interest. Note that f0F2 is calculated at the top left.

f0F2 is the critical frequency of the F2 layer of the Earth’s ionosphere. This is the frequency at
which radio signals stop refracting off the ionosphere and begin passing through to outer space.
For certain HAARP experiments that deal with interactions in the ionosphere, transmission
frequencies below f0F2 are desirable, while for other experiments (such as those involving high altitude satellites), staying above f0F2 is required.

Supplement to HAARP Notice of Transmission

General Information for HAARP Radio Enthusiasts:

HAARP director says timing of the May 2024 HAARP tests and aurora were a coincidence

I recently had a post up about the May 2024 HAARP radio transmission tests in Alaska... see HERE

During the HAARP tests which ran from the 8th to 10th of May, there was also a very large aurora  visible on the 10th of May. Apparently many people in the media and public were wondering if the two were connected?

In a statement, HAARP director Jessica Phillips said that the two events were a coincidence and were in no way connected.

Phillips writes... “We have been responding to many inquiries from the media and the public. The HAARP scientific experiments were in no way linked to the solar storm or high auroral activity seen around the globe.” 

The news item on the Geophysical Institute of the University of Alaska website goes on to say... “The May HAARP campaign was scheduled about a month and a half before the geomagnetic storm. The timing was purely coincidental; geomagnetic storms are unpredictable, with lead times before a solar event is detected from Earth measured in minutes, not months.”

Link... https://www.gi.alaska.edu/news/solar-storm-not-haarp-creates-intense-auroral-display

Notice: Upcoming HAARP ionospheric tests from Alaska - 8th to 10th May 2024

High-frequency Active Auroral Research Program (HAARP) is based in Alaska and it's a high-power, high frequency (HF) transmitter for studying the ionosphere.  The principal instrument is a phased array of 180 HF crossed-dipole antennas  capable of radiating 3.6 megawatts  into the upper atmosphere and ionosphere.  Transmit frequencies are selectable in the range of 2.7 to 10 MHz.

The research team have announced that they will be carrying out tests from the 8th to the 10th of May 2024.

The press release is shown below and I've added a map to show location and distance.

Date: May 2, 2024

To: Amateur Radio & Radio Astronomy Communities

From: HAARP Program Office

Subject: Notice of Transmission

The High-frequency Active Auroral Research Program (HAARP) will be conducting a research campaign May 8-10 UTC, with operating times specified in the table below. Operating frequencies will vary, but all HAARP transmissions will be between 2.8 MHz and 10 MHz. Actual transmit days and times are highly variable based on real-time ionospheric and/or geomagnetic conditions. All information is subject to change.

This campaign is being conducted in support of research proposals from the University of Alaska Fairbanks, and is studying mechanisms for the detection of orbiting space debris. Space debris poses a major risk to all space operations, including manned spacecraft and communications satellites. The experiments being performed at HAARP will help identify ways to improve collision detection on satellites. 

For more information on space debris, see the NASA Orbital Debris Program Office’s FAQ at https://orbitaldebris.jsc.nasa.gov/faq/. For more information on research at HAARP, see the online HAARP FAQ at https://haarp.gi.alaska.edu/faq.

Note that these experiments will operate at frequencies based on the f0F2 frequency from the Gakona ionograms. In general, transmissions will be very close to the f0F2 frequency. There are no specific data collection requests from funded investigators, but reception reports are appreciated and may be submitted to uaf-gi-haarp AT alaska DOT edu or to: HAARP, PO Box 271, Gakona, AK 99586

For updates on ionospheric conditions in Gakona, please consult ionograms from the HAARP

Diagnostic Suite: https://haarp.gi.alaska.edu/diagnostic-suite

Additional Resources for Reading Ionograms
Understanding HF Propagation and Reading Ionograms from Bootstrap Workbench:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTFKNCo3Cl8

Reading Your Ionogram-Keeping It Simple from John (VE6EY):
https://play.fallows.ca/wp/radio/shortwave-radio/reading-your-ionogram-keeping-it-simple/

The image above is an annotated ionogram from HAARP that describes features that may be of

interest. Note that f0F2 is calculated at the top left.

f0F2 is the critical frequency of the F2 layer of the Earth’s ionosphere. This is the frequency at
which radio signals stop refracting off the ionosphere and begin passing through to outer space.
For certain HAARP experiments that deal with interactions in the ionosphere, transmission
frequencies below f0F2 are desirable, while for other experiments (such as those involving high altitude satellites), staying above f0F2 is required.

Supplement to HAARP Notice of Transmission

General Information for HAARP Radio Enthusiasts:

Notice: Upcoming HAARP ionospheric tests from Alaska - 28th Feb to 3rd Mar 2024

High-frequency Active Auroral Research Program (HAARP) is based in Alaska and it's a high-power, high frequency (HF) transmitter for studying the ionosphere.  The principal instrument is a phased array of 180 HF crossed-dipole antennas  capable of radiating 3.6 megawatts  into the upper atmosphere and ionosphere.  Transmit frequencies are selectable in the range of 2.7 to 10 MHz.

The research team have announced that they will be carrying out tests from the 28th of February to the 3rd of March 2024.

The press release is shown below and I've added a map to show location and distance.

To: Amateur Radio & Radio Astronomy Communities
From: HAARP Program Office
Subject: Notice of Transmission

The High-frequency Active Auroral Research Program (HAARP) will be conducting a research
campaign February 28-March 3 UTC, with operating times specified in the table below. Operating
frequencies will vary, but all HAARP transmissions will be between 2.8 MHz and 10 MHz. Actual
transmit days and times are highly variable based on real-time ionospheric and/or geomagnetic
conditions. All information is subject to change.

Some examples of experiments planned for this research campaign are the production of ELF and VLF emissions and studies on the effects of ionospheric plasma waves on orbiting satellites. These experiments will help lead to a greater understanding of the production and enhancement of ELF/VLF waves, as well as lay groundwork for future studies of satellite interactions with space plasma. For more information on ELF/VLF wave generation with HAARP, see the online HAARP FAQ at
https://haarp.gi.alaska.edu/faq.

Note that numerous experiments will operate at frequencies based on the f0F2 frequency from the
Gakona ionograms. Experiments that are dependent on f0F2 will typically operate 0.5-1 MHz below
f0F2 at the time of transmission. There are no specific data collection requests from funded
investigators, but reception reports are appreciated and may be submitted to uaf-gihaarp AT alaska DOT edu or to: HAARP, PO Box 271, Gakona, AK 99586

For updates on ionospheric conditions in Gakona, please consult ionograms from the HAARP
Diagnostic Suite: https://haarp.gi.alaska.edu/diagnostic-suite

Additional Resources for Reading Ionograms
Understanding HF Propagation and Reading Ionograms from Bootstrap Workbench:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTFKNCo3Cl8

Reading Your Ionogram-Keeping It Simple from John (VE6EY):
https://play.fallows.ca/wp/radio/shortwave-radio/reading-your-ionogram-keeping-it-simple/

The image above is an annotated ionogram from HAARP that describes features that may be of
interest. Note that f0F2 is calculated at the top left.

f0F2 is the critical frequency of the F2 layer of the Earth’s ionosphere. This is the frequency at
which radio signals stop refracting off the ionosphere and begin passing through to outer space.
For certain HAARP experiments that deal with interactions in the ionosphere, transmission
frequencies below f0F2 are desirable, while for other experiments (such as those involving high altitude satellites), staying above f0F2 is required.