Photo By Pfc. Patrick Connery | U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Jaron Hohertz, assigned to 11th Signal Brigade, Headquarters and...... read more read more
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FORT CAVAZOS, Texas – Soldiers with the 11th Corps Signal Brigade, competed in the 2025 QRPX, a low power high frequency (HF) radio communications exercise/competition, from March 20 to 22 at Fort Cavazos, Texas to earn bragging rights as the best signal company in the Army.
This year’s event included 200 participants from military units across the U.S. and Canada.
The QRPX, hosted by the U.S Army Network Enterprise Technology Command (NETCOM), is an Army-wide signal contest designed to train soldiers on basic HF radio communication procedures and test the capability of their equipment and antennas in semi-competitive environment.
“Our purpose is to give Soldiers and units an opportunity to pull their equipment out, prove their Soldier skills, and experiment with antennas to make as many contacts (with participating units) as possible,” said Paul English, the NETCOM HF capability manager based at Fort Huachuca, Ariz."
The event tested competitors' ability to establish communication with stations worldwide using diverse methods, such as voice, HF radio, the internet, and tactical messaging apps. Participants aimed to contact as many stations as possible, some located thousands of miles away, highlighting the challenges of long-range communication and adaptability across different technologies.
“We have over 200 stations that registered to compete,” said English. “So, they could try to shoot (connect) to Hawaii or Japan or try and talk to a station on the East Coast. This is a perfect opportunity to train, experiment, and see the capabilities of their equipment in a tactical setting.”
“HF is kind of a lost art,” said Staff Sgt. Jaron Hohrertz, a satellite communications systems operator, with the 11th Corps Signal Brigade. “If every satellite fell out of the sky, the only way that we really have to talk long range globally is HF.”
High-frequency radio technology and its operators are crucial to the U.S. military, Allies and partners as it is not reliant on conventional ways of communications technology, such as satellites or cell phone towers which are vulnerable to weather conditions or an attack from an adversary.
“HF is critical in the large-scale combat operations fight with a peer adversary,” said Command Sgt. Maj. Matthew Helmer, the 11th Corps Signal Brigade command sergeant major. “If SatCom (satellite communications) goes out or fiber gets cut, our only means of long-transmission communication is HF. As a signaler, our overall job is to get the message out.”
Helmer said, “whether it's satellite communications or HF communications, if the commander has the ability to communicate, to send orders and receive orders, then he could fight and win on the battlefield.”
Signal units play a critical role in ensuring effective communication in any operation, especially in challenging environments. The QRPX helps signal operators stay sharp and build confidence in their ability to maintain consistent communication in any environment.
“I had a general understanding of how HF radios work, but this time around I’m learning different techniques,” said Spc. Jose Urbina, a network communication systems specialist, with the 86th Expeditionary Signal Battalion, based at Fort Bliss, Texas. “This is still new to me, so it’s been fun to be participating in this exercise again and learning more about my job.”
Though it is a contest, the QRPX provides an opportunity for military units to come together and enhance their skills for a common goal of supporting their respective nations.
“It’s another tool for your toolkit,” said Hohretz. “It might not be the radio that’s being used the most, but whenever you have to pull this radio out of the bag; the fact that you can use it effectively is lifesaving potential.”
The ability to work through a multitude of challenges—such as interference, equipment malfunctions, environmental factors (like terrain, weather), and even human errors—requires training, adaptability, and quick problem-solving skills. This includes knowing how to troubleshoot equipment failures, use alternative frequencies, and establish emergency communication methods when standard systems fail.
“Most of this (HF communications) is art, science and luck,” said Helmer. “So, this training provides the necessary platform and arena for communicators to train on and improve at HF communication.”
The results of the 2025 QRPX will be announced at the beginning of April.
The 11th Corps Signal Brigade will continue to hone their skills as communicators during the NETCOM led HF skills challenge scheduled for this summer.
| Date Taken: | 03.28.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 03.28.2025 13:08 |
| Story ID: | 493996 |
| Location: | FORT CAVAZOS, TEXAS, US |
| Web Views: | 211 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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