Posted: 2/14/2015 3:08:44 AM EDT
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I've noticed that some of you mention in passing MARS menbership or indicate technicues in MARS procedures. How many MARS members do we have here? Any interest in having an Arfcom MARS training net? IM me, or post here if you want to do some offline practice. Ed AEM3EC |
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I joined MARS (Army) about a year ago.
And resigned a few months ago. I had no idea what was going on and I got absolutely no help or guidance as to what I was supposed to be doing, what I was supposed to know, what the hell was going on ......................................... I checked into the sideband nets regularly for a couple months. The would send a piece of digital traffic during the net and I copied that. Other than that, nothing. I now know what some new hams go through when they get their license and are just cast out to sea without having any idea what they are doing. |
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I was in the Navy/Marines corps MARS in the early 90's. I let it lapse and then looked into re-activating my call sign in the mid 2000s. A lot had changed! Most ships have email and sat phones. Very little traffic for MARS. Last I checked, the powers that be were talking about combining all the service branches into one. MARS was also a nation wide communication system in case the cold war went hot but the feds have their own system now a days. Does MARs still have a mission? I'd like to participate if so. |
| "Military Auxiliary Radio System provides Department of Defense sponsored emergency communications on a local, national, and international basis. MARS also provides auxiliary communications for military, federal, civil, and/or disaster officials during periods of emergency. They assist the military and other organizations in effecting normal communications under emergency conditions. One major mission that MARS has had for many years is to handle morale, welfare, and official record and voice communications traffic for Armed Forces and authorized U.S. Government civilian personnel stationed throughout the world. MARS establishes programs to create civilian interest, recruit qualified volunteers, and furnish training in military communications, techniques, and procedures." |
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Quoted:
I joined MARS (Army) about a year ago. And resigned a few months ago. I had no idea what was going on and I got absolutely no help or guidance as to what I was supposed to be doing, what I was supposed to know, what the hell was going on ......................................... I checked into the sideband nets regularly for a couple months. The would send a piece of digital traffic during the net and I copied that. Other than that, nothing. I now know what some new hams go through when they get their license and are just cast out to sea without having any idea what they are doing. That's kinda why I asked. 
The programs and messaging format are very unique, and if you don't use it often, your skills fade fast. I am barely proficient enough to operate. If we have an Afr Mars net, we could keep skills up. |
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When I was a very little kid, my Mom woke me up at 01:00am
My father called home from a ham/MARS HF phone-patch He was aboard ship with the US Marines We chatted for a few mins I was AMAZED that there was 01:00 AM in the morning LOL 
Wasn't til many years later that i knew enough to be amazed by HF MARS |
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Quoted:
How many MARS members do we have here? Any interest in having an Arfcom MARS training net? Ed AEM3EC Would love to play, but as I stated earlier, my radio is in the garage. It is below ZERO today so I will wait until springtime when the garage is not frozen. I have not used digital successfully, but hopefully I will get some time in testing digital. Bill |
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Quoted:
That's kinda why I asked.
The programs and messaging format are very unique, and if you don't use it often, your skills fade fast. I am barely proficient enough to operate. If we have an Afr Mars net, we could keep skills up. Quoted:
Quoted:
I joined MARS (Army) about a year ago. And resigned a few months ago. I had no idea what was going on and I got absolutely no help or guidance as to what I was supposed to be doing, what I was supposed to know, what the hell was going on ......................................... I checked into the sideband nets regularly for a couple months. The would send a piece of digital traffic during the net and I copied that. Other than that, nothing. I now know what some new hams go through when they get their license and are just cast out to sea without having any idea what they are doing. That's kinda why I asked.
The programs and messaging format are very unique, and if you don't use it often, your skills fade fast. I am barely proficient enough to operate. If we have an Afr Mars net, we could keep skills up. Well, I would have loved to had the opportunity to do that. I really wanted to be a part of it. But, it's too late now: I resigned. I suppose that I could try to get my callsign back if there was enough interest to get this net started. I left on good terms: I sent an email to the state MARS director resigning. Stating that I just didn't have enough time. |
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MARS has always interested me, but I too question its value with all the alternatives. I just posted a thread in the mil forum asking for input. I did just get my first radio that's MARS capable, so I can play. I looked at the application and I was surprised that parental permission is needed if you're 71.
Oh, wait, dyslexia kicking in again. 
ETA: I have to ask . . . Have any current MARS members ever passed any REAL traffic, or just practice? |
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I have read about MARS members handing "real" traffic. At least I think I remember reading about it. When I was a member (for that short time), I got all kinds of email from them and was getting the stuff from their Facebook page. But I am sure it is rare.
That being said, I don't really think there are alternatives for HF radio in a large scale disaster. Yeah, there are going to be a FEW people with sat phones and other stuff like that, but not enough of them to cover the need for communication. Granted, most of that traffic isn't going to be life or death traffic but it is needed. I know I am not telling you anything that you don't already know, but as good as communication is in today's world, it doesn't take a whole lot to make everything go sideways. The complexity of the whole thing can easily be it's downfall. As has been proven here and there in recent times. We tend to think of cell phones, email, landline phones, public safety repeaters and how well everything works under normal circumstances and also tend to not think about what happens if some key piece of infrastructure isn't there. By the same token is the often discussed interoperability. Local emergency communication is dependent on telephone lines and repeaters. They are the point where all the various agencies are tied together. If something there goes wrong, yeah, other agencies like FEMA or the Red Cross or whatever have their own portable repeaters they can set up on scene, but then they can't communicate with other groups or outside of the local area................................................... It's a plan B. And at the local ARES level (not MARS), there is a lot of communication that needs to take place that is not life and death stuff. Hams can really be a great asset for this non-emergency traffic. |
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When I was involved I handled quite a bit of traffic. A lot from MCRDSD and ships at sea. The recruit depot ones were mainly "I'm here and safe will contact soon". The ship one were routine "I miss you" stuff. I had an old, huge teletype machine that I got from the Navy MARS program. Ah, the smell of warm radios and teletype oil. Now its all computer modes. I'll have to look into it again. |