Tinker Air Force Base, Okla. -- A five-person Radio Frequency Transmission Systems team from the 507th Force Support Squadron here set up radio antennae Jan. 8, 2023.
The radio antennae allowed the communications to speak with pilots in planes from distances that are further than previous capabilities.
The team set up two separate radio systems for near and far communications with planes in the air.
The Portable Radio Communications 117G system is a “Christmas-tree” shaped antenna, which allows for short-range ultra-high-frequency communications.
For long-range high-frequency communications, the Missile Command 3R and B&W antenna and allows for coverage of up to 400 miles, spanning the state of Oklahoma.
According to CSAF Gen. C.Q. Brown, our multi-capable Airmen must be ready to solve any problem in today’s environment using diversity of thought, ingenuity, and initiative.
“We have been learning our equipment over the past few months to prove we can accelerate change in our shop to shoulder new missions,” explained Staff Sgt. Thomas Stege, noncommissioned officer in charge of the RF transmission systems flight.
Stege further clarified that this is the first time both of these radio systems have been utilized at the same time by the squadron.
“We are training ourselves on this equipment so that we can support our wing in every capability,” revealed Stege. “In the future, we can use these radio systems to establish emergency communications for our aircraft here at home, or to provide command and control on deployment.”
Stege described the RF Transmission Systems career field as very knowledge-intensive and said members require numerous classroom trainings to keep learning new technologies and how that affects the career field’s role in the Air Force.
“Our career field is very technical, from how our systems are installed, to the theory of how they work,” emphasized Stege. “We have unmatched comradery that pushes us to do great things that empower our mission and save lives.”