@proceedings {1052,
	title = {Unauthorized Use Of Military Satellites: Threats To Mission Security And Integrity},
	year = {2026},
	month = {03/2026},
	publisher = {HamSCI},
	address = {Newington, CT},
	abstract = {The clandestine and unauthorized use of military communication satellites, colloquially known as {\textquotedblleft}Bolinha{\textquotedblright} (portuguese for {\textquotedblleft}Little Ball{\textquotedblright}) in certain regions, constitutes a significant and escalating threat to mission security and operational integrity within the space domain. These geostationary satellites, such as the U.S. Fleet Satellite Communications System (FLTSATCOM) and UHF Follow-On (UFO) systems, were originally designed exclusively for military communications. However, their reliance on simple, non-regenerative {\textquotedblleft}bent-pipe{\textquotedblright} transponders, operating within the UHF band (approximately 260 MHz), has rendered them vulnerable to misuse and unauthorized appropriation by civilian users. This misuse has been particularly well-documented in remote areas of South America since the 1990s. This research aims to verify the current prevalence of unauthorized civilian use of these satellites and to raise an alert regarding this ongoing situation. The methodology employed involved a receiver (UV-32) paired with an antenna of  5/8 λ to capture the specific frequencies utilized by the satellites. Reception tests were conducted at random times, without a predefined pattern. A total of eleven different frequencies were analyzed between 244.125 and 258.545 MHz, which were identified from video streaming websites. The findings indicate that reception was achieved on all listed frequencies. The audio content, delivered in Portuguese, clearly contained dialogues that were outside the context of the satellite{\textquoteright}s intended military application. Analysis confirms that these illegal transmissions, which are frequently associated with illicit operations, generate detrimental interference. This parasitic load degrades legitimate military signals, saturates transponder capacity, and, critically, accelerates the drainage of the satellites limited onboard battery resources, resulting in numerous operational disadvantages. While operational countermeasures, such as the targeted {\textquotedblleft}jamming{\textquotedblright} of pirated channels, are utilized, the definitive solution lies in technological migration. Modern systems, such as the Mobile User Objective System (MUOS), which feature robust encryption, regenerative processing, and spread-spectrum techniques, are inherently more resistant to unauthorized use. In conclusion, containing this illicit practice is not merely a matter of public safety, but a critical necessity for the responsible stewardship of the space environment, the protection of national security infrastructure, and the preservation of public investment in space-based capabilities.
},
	author = {Alexandre Takio Kitagawa}
}
@proceedings {491,
	title = {Use of the Short Wave Radio to prove the ionosphere with students from a public school in Brazil},
	year = {2021},
	month = {03/2021},
	publisher = {HamSCI},
	address = {Scranton, PA (Virtual)},
	abstract = {<p>Knowledge of the characteristics of the ionosphere is largely based on its effects on electromagnetic waves. For the teaching of the atmosphere layers, in Brazil, as public schools have textbooks, pictures and videos, however, a practical experiment is not often performed . To remedy this gap, using low-cost materials, an experiment was carried out, well known for radio amateurs using two receivers, one portable shortwave (5.950 to 6.200 MHz and 7.100 to 7.300 MHz) and the other to FM (88 to 108 MHz), where shortwave radio stations with foreign language broadcasts were randomly tuned to characterize broadcasts from abroad. It was compared with some FM radio broadcasts from neighboring municipalities, previously researched on the internet and it is reckoned that it was not possible to receive these stations. There was a surprise from the students when they heard transmissions in other languages (from other distant countries) and did not listen to FM radio stations relatively close, thus proving the existence and application of the ionosphere during science classes.</p>
},
	url = {https://hamsci2021-uscranton.ipostersessions.com/?s=89-49-DB-01-08-CF-69-14-C0-96-58-9C-AB-F9-C9-A3},
	author = {Alexandre Takio Kitagawa}
}
