[Milsurplus] Q and Z signals

[Mike Morrow]

>>Z sigs were dropped at some point either right before or during
>>the war to facilitate joint communications.

>We were still using Z signals on the AFMARS CW traffic nets as
>late as '83. They were required.

All of the US MARS circuits used Z-codes to various extents.  I joined Navy-Marine Corps MARS in 1968, and Z-code use was always encouraged on Morse and RATT.  I joined Army MARS in 1982, and I observed no Z-code use.  Then a message was issued in Ohio Army MARS that encouraged Z-code use.  But when I subsequently checked in to an Army MARS Morse net using "ZKE QRU" (ZKE-checking into net, QRU-no traffic) as I'd used in the Navy, the net control had a fit over the unfamiliar (to him) "ZKE."  I was told that Army MARS didn't use "ZKE."  Go figure.

I considered rejoining MARS several years ago until I learned that almost all traffic is internally-generated administrative traffic, very much unlike the real serviceman traffic that was carried during Vietnam and earlier eras.  Next, about ten years ago all MARS organizations totally *banned* Morse use in any form, even on training nets or for repeater IDs!  Next, there was a push to require use of NTIA-compliant equipment on MARS circuits.  Almost no amateur gear, even the most modern, is NTIA-compliant, so that effort was repulsed...but for how long?  Next, in the post-911 era, some MARS folks in charge of something for the first time in their lives decided that knowledge of MARS frequencies was to be guarded and not released to non-members.  Silly!  During the 20 years that I spent in Navy or Army MARS, we freely gave out our frequencies in order to encourage non-member listening, interest, and future membership.  MARS has definitely become something much much different than it had traditionally been.

BTW, the Z-codes are only for military use, never commercial or amateur use.

Mike / KK5F