[AGCW] MARS macht wieder CW

[Werner 'Joe' Jochem DK7VW]

Das U.S. Army Military Affiliate Radio System (MARS) 
(http://www.netcom.army.mil/mars/) ist eine Organisation der US Army, in 
die etwa 5000 US-Funkamateure eingebunden sind. Dieser Dienst schlägt 
eine Brücke zwischen Militär- und Amateurfunk und ist besonders 
engagiert im Bereich der Notfall-Kommunikation.

Vor einigen Jahren hatte MARS die Betriebsart CW aus seinen Netzen 
verbannt. Dies hatte u.a. die NCI (No Code Initiative = Initiative zur 
Abschaffung der CW-Prüfung) als Argument herangezogen, um gegenüber den 
US-amerikanischen Behörden die Abschaffung der CW-Prüfung im Amateurfunk 
zu forcieren.

Nun ist MARS zu CW zurückgekehrt. Offensichtlich haben die Erfahrungen 
(siehe Anhang) gezeigt, dass gerade im Bereich der Notfall-Kommunikation 
Telegrafie als sichere Betriebsart unverzichtbar ist. In diesem 
Zusammenhang werden auch die regional verantwortlichen "State directors" 
aufgefordert, CW Ausbildung und Training wieder aufzunehmen.

Angehängt ein Schreiben eines "MARS state directors" an K4OSO.

73 Joe DK7VW

-----------------
DE NNN0ASA ZUJ CMB06-08:
RR NOALL
DE NNN0ASA 050
R 292200Z MAY 2008
FM CHNAVMARCORMARS WILLIAMSBURG VA
TO ALNAVMARCORMARS
INFO ZEN/CHIEF ARMY MARS FT HUACHUCA AZ
ZEN/CHIEF AIR FORCE MARS SCOTT AFB IL
BT
UNCLAS
SUBJ: CHNAVMARCORMARS BCST 06-08
A. DRAFT RADIOTELEGRAPH PROCEDURES
1. WHEN I ASSUMED THE CHIEF, NAVMARCORMARS POSITION IN NOVEMBER,
1997, WE WERE MORE THAN A YEAR INTO THE DOD MANDATED BAN ON CW ON
MARS FREQUENCIES.
A. SINCE THAT TIME THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION HAS, IN
STEPS, ELIMINATED THE MORSE CODE REQUIREMENT FOR AN AMATEUR LICENSE.
ALL EMERGENCY COMMUNICATORS KNOW THAT WHEN VOICE AND OTHER DIGITAL
MODES SLOW TO A CRAWL OR BECOME UNUSABLE, CW CAN STILL BE USED.
B. I REMEMBER THE NORTHEAST ICE STORM SHORTLY AFTER I BECAME CHIEF
AND THE UNNECESSARILY LENGTHY EFFORT BY ALL OF SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND
TO RECEIVE ONE VOICE EEI FROM A NORTHERN NEW ENGLAND MEMBER WHOSE
ANTENNA WAS COVERED IN ICE AND LYING ON THE GROUND. IT TOOK OVER AN
HOUR WHEN CW COULD HAVE HANDLED IT IN A FEW MINUTES.
C. AS MORE AND MORE OF OUR MEMBERS ENTER MARS WITH NO MORSE CODE
EXPERIENCE, I AM AFRAID THAT WE WILL SOON LOSE THAT SKILL SET IF WE
DON'T DO SOMETHING.
2. IN VIEW OF THE ABOVE AND EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY, AREA AND REGION
DIRECTORS ARE AUTHORIZED TO ESTABLISH CW TRAINING AND TRAFFIC NETS IN
THEIR RESPECTIVE AREAS AND REGIONS. ALL STATE DIRECTORS ARE STRONGLY
ENCOURAGED TO BEGIN CONDUCTING TRAINING IN CW ON THEIR TRAFFIC AND
TRAINING NETS.
3. SINCE THE RADIOTELEGRAPH PROCEDURES WERE ELIMINATED BEFORE TEH
PUBLICATION OF NTP 8(C), REF A WILL BE POSTED UNDER THE DOCUMENTS TAB
ON THE NATIONAL WEB PAGE SOON. USE THESE DRAFT PROCEDURES UNTIL A
FINAL TRI-SERVICE MARS PROCEDURE FOR RADIOTELEGRAPH IS DEVELOPED AND
PROMULGATED.
4. MARS: TOGETHER WE CAN ACHIEVE ANYTHING.
BT
NNNN

DE NNN0ASA QRU AR

-- 
Werner 'Joe' Jochem - DK7VW [N7VW]
Wendelsborn 34
66606 St.Wendel - GERMANY
phone +49 6851 808121

affiliated to:
AGCW-DL - ARRL - BCC - CTC - DARC - DIG
FISTS - FOC - HSC - REF - RSGB - RTC - UFT