Operation Able Archer '83 Special Event Call Sign W3A 21 Nov 2020 1300 UTC - 22 Nov 2020 1500 UTC

Able Archer '83 2020
Call Sign W3A
21 Nov 2020 1300 hrs UTC
thru
22 Nov 2020 1500 hrs UTC
Fort Miles, Lewes DE
The cold war home Naval Facility Lewes (NAVFAC Lewes), a Sound Surveillance System (SOSUS) shore terminal.


Operation will be on 29.65 mc FM, 51.00 mc FM, 75 & 40, 20,18,10 meters USB, RTTY at 7080mc on ONLY COLD WAR military radio equipment

​

1983 Brink of the Apocolypse;
Able Archer 83 was a ten-day (NATO) communications exercise starting on November 2, 1983, that spanned Western Europe, centered on the Supreme Headquarters Allied Europe Headquarters, Able Archer exercises simulated a period of conflict escalation, culminating in a simulated DEFCON 1 coordinated nuclear attack The exercise also introduced a new, unique format of coded communication, radio silences, and the participation of heads of government.

The realistic nature of the 1983 exercise, coupled with deteriorating relations between the United States and the Soviet Union and the anticipated arrival of Pershing II nuclear missiles in Europe, led some members of the Soviet Politburo and military to believe that Able Archer 83 was a ruse of war, obscuring preparations for a genuine nuclear first strike In response, the Soviets readied their nuclear forces and placed air units in East Germany and Poland on alert. This is known as the 1983 war scare.

The 1983 war scare is considered by many historians to be the closest the world has come to nuclear war since the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962. the threat of nuclear war ended with the conclusion of the exercise on November 11.

To recognize the sacrifices of our military, signal corps, and members of the clandestine services during this critical time in the history of the cold war, we will host a special event station. Our special event will consist of operation from a Cold war era Nike Missile site using period style military radios and antennas to make the contacts.

Any questions please contact Walt Skavinsky (KB3SBC) kb3sbc@arrl.net

Check out our new web address with expanded content and a new video
www.ablearcher83.com

Checkout our home on Facebook
www.facebook.com/groups/AblerArcher83

 

Looking forward to making a QSO with the W3A special event.

I met my XYL in Berlin and we both just finished watching the award winning 2015 German-American television series Deutschland 83 on the Sundance channel (also available PFV on Hulu and Amazon, etc).

A well acted and produced docu-drama, it tells the Able-Archer 83 story from the often bizarre perspective of the opposition quite well, with lots of background, building up to a dramatic climax.

Anybody interested who hasn't seen it already ought to check it out.

73, John, WØPV

 

I watched the Deutschland 83 last year, my german is high school one year so I got some of it. I couldn't get the subtitles to work, lol. If you check out my web page there are some great videos and recommended reading. The best is a book by Nate Jones called "Able Archer 83", there is a newer book called 1983: Reagan, Andropov, and a World on the Brink, and also is called , War Scare that one is expensive and can be hard to find. The cold war spy stories of the 1980's are a passion of mine and this is such a fun event I get to match my love of military radios to my interest in this period of the cold war and I get to do it at a retired SOSUS listening post. I hope to hear you this weekend.

 

W3A on 14.335 now at 1535z.

 

Able Archer.
Makes me wonder if the NATO Gear was supplied by Radio Shack....
Have Fun
Gd Dx