[_Jim]

We need to keep the longwave ELF/VLF transmitters in place

You've got a technical 'salad' of terms there that isn't very clear; a) they are phasing out the ELF system in favor of b) a VLF system with 12 different transmitting sites.

I've got to believe that the information 'data rate' will go up with the new system compared to the old system at ELF ...

[gcruse]

IIRC, the predecessor to this system was called Big Jim, which was a transmitter with its antenna stretched between two mountain tops. The data rate was woefully slow, but that was how we talked to submerged subs.

[Nowhere Man]

You've got a technical 'salad' of terms there that isn't very clear; a) they are phasing out the ELF system in favor of b) a VLF system with 12 different transmitting sites.

I've got to believe that the information 'data rate' will go up with the new system compared to the old system at ELF ...

Heh, I know, I drive people crazy with all those terms. B-) Will the new VLF sites be distributed all over the world? I remember a similar pan was used for the Omega navigation system, I think that's shut down now where they had 8 stations, 6 primary and 2 backup spaced around the world. IIRC, I think we had one in the Dakotas, another one was in India, and so on. I think they were on ELF in the 9 to 14 kc range.

Are you an amateur radio operator too? I'm KA3WRW. B-) BTW, I have some old QST's from 1963/64 that had an ad for a longwave radio where you can pick up Civil Defense and submarine communications too.