JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska — The Internet has become so integrated into our lives that it can be difficult to imagine how to communicate without it. For the U.S. Air Force, losing all communication isn’t an option. When Wi-Fi, cell service or satellite connections fail, Airmen must rely on radio communications to keep the mission on track.

Last week, the 673d Communications Squadron took part in the 2026 edition of Exercise Noble Skywave, an international high-frequency communications competition, on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Oct. 20 through 23. The event is hosted by the Canadian Armed Forces Communications and Electronics branch and brings together hundreds of teams from around the world.

According to official exercise guidance from the Canadian Armed Forces, the primary objective of Exercise Noble Skywave is to “confirm HF interoperability and prowess amongst the international community” while reinforcing coalition readiness when primary satellite and digital links are degraded.

During the 54-hour event, teams set up HF radio antennas and competed in a series of different events that tested their ability to make successful contacts over great distances and at different frequencies.

“It can be a lot of fun, but for us, this competition is all about readiness,” said U.S. Airman 1st Class Jacob Romine, an agile communications operator assigned to the 673d CS. “It’s a great opportunity for a practical application of our mission skills.”

According to Romine, the squadron uses the same equipment when setting up radio communications between austere locations on remote Pacific islands and JBER.

“During the competition, we are trying to establish communications with bases as far away as Iraq or New Zealand,” said Romine. “If we can demonstrate these capabilities at those extreme distances, then we can have confidence in communicating to the hub from a spoke location.”

The first task of the event is to establish positive communications with the Net Control Station in Kingston, Ontario, from where the competition is hosted. For some teams in Canada and the contiguous United States, connections are relatively easy. For the 673d CS, the task is much more challenging.

“It’s not just about choosing the correct power level and direction for transmission, but also contending with environmental factors as well,” said U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Sheldon Brown, an agile communication operator team lead assigned to the 673d CS. “Radio transmissions are affected by clouds, solar storms, even day and night can make a difference.”

Training to overcome the Alaska landscape is a year-round task.

“We have to get creative in order to get realistic practice with our equipment," said Brown. “There’s a portable version of this equipment that fits in a backpack and we’ve done 8-mile rucks up and down mountains, communicating the whole time. Transmission requires adequate height and power, so we have to troubleshoot in the moment to get the signal out.”

According to Brown, the squadron has sent teams to different areas of Alaska, like Girdwood or Talkeetna, and radioed back to base. They’ve also built relationships with teams at bases in the Lower 48 so they can practice long-range skills.

“Training with HF radios in Alaska is difficult because of the mountains, the cloud cover and the solar storms," said Brown. “It’s kind of a strength though; if we can succeed here, we’re prepared to succeed anywhere.”

The event runs uninterrupted throughout the entire 54-hour period so the JBER station is manned by three teams working in shifts. While the communication squadron does have Airmen specifically assigned to radio transmission, the teams include members from all of the communications career fields.

“All of the 673d CS Airmen were trained by a specialist in HF radio,” said Romine. “We all have specific jobs we do here on base, but when it comes to setting up communications down range, all of us know how to do it.”

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