[MRCA] Combined MARS Exercise

[B. Smith]

Following is a portion of the message for the Joint MARS ops on 6-7 June. "Field"stations using portable equipment and antennas running 20 watts or less,  SSB or CW.

If you are a MARS member contact your Chain of Command for frequencies and the remainder  of the msg.

PLEASE NOTE that the exchange is the grid location using MILITARY GRID REFERENCE SYSTEM (MGRS) and NOT the normal Amateur Radio Grid Squares that are so popular using the Maiden Head reference system.

Looks like a fun event.

Z


Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE

ZNY EEEEE
R 122047Z MAY 2014
FM HQ ARMY MARS
TO ALL ARMY MARS
INFO ZEN/MR PAUL ENGLISH CIV NETC-OP
ZEN/MR EDDIE COLLINS CIV NETC-OP
ZEN/MR DAVID STAPCHUK CIV AFSPC 38 CYRS/SCM ZEN/MR BO LINDFORS CIV N6
ZEN/MAJ DAN BERGERON/CFARS BT UNCLAS FOUO MSGID/ORDER/UHWHC/AMO 6-14//
ORDTYP/OPORD/HQ ARMY MARS// TIMEZONE/Z// POC/DAVID.K.MCGINNIS/CTR/NETC G34
MARS/FORT HUACHUCA AZ//
  
GENTEXT/REMARKS/GENTEXT/SITUATION/
2014 MARKS THE 70TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ALLIED LANDINGS ON THE NORMANDY
BEACHES.  THESE LANDINGS WERE SUPPORTED BY JOINT ASSAULT SIGNAL COMPANIES
(JASCO), WHICH ESTABLISHED COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN THE BEACHES AND THE
HEADQUARTERS SHIPS.  DURING THE INITIAL ASSAULTS, AND WHILE UNDER FIRE, THE
JASCOS SPREAD THEIR WIRE NETWORKS UP TO A MILE ALONG THE SHORE OF THE
COTENTIN PENINSULA AND LATER EXTENDED THEM UP TO 12 MILES INLAND.  WHEN
INITIAL PLANS TO LAY FIELD WIRE BETWEEN THE HEADQUARTERS SHIPS AND THE
BEACHES DID NOT MATERIALIZE, THE JASCOS ESTABLISHED RADIO COMMUNICATIONS
BETWEEN THE BEACHES AND SHIPS.
  
MILITARY, RESERVE, NATIONAL GUARD AND GOVERNMENT STATIONS EMPLOY
TRANSPORTABLE AND PORTABLE HF CAPABILITIES, INCLUDING EQUIPMENT OPERATING AT
THE 20 WATTS LEVEL.
  
GENTEXT/MISSION/
TO COMMEMORATE THE NORMANDY LANDINGS AND TO PROMOTE COMPETENCY IN HF RADIO
TECHNIQUES, US ARMY NETCOM, G34/MARS, FORT HUACHUCA AZ IS HOSTING A COMBINED
COMMUNICATIONS EXERCISE UTILIZING HIGH FREQUENCY (HF) RADIO ON JUNE 6
THROUGH JUNE 7TH.
  
IN THE SPIRIT OF THE JASCOS, THIS IS A GLOBAL LOW POWER EXERCISE, USING
FIELD EQUIPMENT AND ANTENNAS.  THIS COMEX IS OPEN TO MILITARY RADIO STATIONS
OF EACH U.S. MILITARY DEPARTMENT, ALLIED MILITARY STATIONS, AND THEIR
RESPECTIVE MILITARY COMMUNICATIONS AUXILIARIES (MARS, CFARS).  THE NICKNAME
FOR THIS COMEX IS "QRPX."
  
STARTEX 6 JUN 2014 1200Z
ENDEX 7 JUN 2014 1800Z
  
  
GENTEXT/EXECUTION/
THE INTENT OF THIS GLOBAL COMEX IS TO DEMONSTRATE INTEROPERABILITY USING HF
RADIO OVER LONG DISTANCES BETWEEN SIGNAL AND AUXILIARY UNITS IN A
COMPETITIVE EVENT.  THIS COMEX DEMONSTRATES FIELD STATIONS TRANSMITTING LOW
VOLUME INFORMATION UTILIZING HF RADIO IN A CYBER DENIED ENVIRONMENT.  A
SMALL NUMBER OF HIGH POWER STATIONS ARE PRESENT IN THIS COMEX REPRESENTING
GATEWAY FACILITIES WHICH WOULD REMAIN OPERATIONAL DURING A CYBER EVENT.
  
THIS ACTIVITY SHALL CONTINUE TO THE PREDETERMINED ENDEX TIME, AFTER WHICH
PARTICIPANTS SUBMIT A COMSPOT FOR SCORING.  THE END STATE OF THIS COMEX
SHALL BE WHEN SCORES ARE TALLIED AND A WINNER IS ANNOUNCED.
  
  
A. CONCEPT OF OPERATIONS
UTILIZING PORTABLE RADIO EQUIPMENT AND ANTENNAS, AND USING NO MORE THAN 20
WATTS OF TRANSMITTER POWER, STATIONS SHALL MAKE CONTACT WITH OTHER RADIO
STATIONS ON DESIGNATED FREQUENCIES AND EXCHANGE THEIR MILITARY GRID
REFERENCE SYSTEM (MGRS) UNIVERSAL TRANSVERSE MERCATOR (UTM) GRID ZONE
DESIGNATION.  EACH CONTACT IS TALLIED TO ESTABLISH A SCORE, WHICH SHALL BE
RANKED FOLLOWING ENDEX.
  
CONTACT SHALL BE MADE IN PLAIN TEXT SSB VOICE IN SINGLE CHANNEL MODE OR
UTILIZING 2ND GENERATION AUTOMATIC LINK ESTABLISHMENT (ALE).  CONTINUOUS
WAVE (CW) OPERATION MAY BE UTILIZED WHEN SIGNAL STRENGTHS DO NOT SUPPORT SSB
VOICE OPERATION.
  
COMPETING STATIONS SELECT AN OPERATING FREQUENCY BASED ON PREVAILING
PROPAGATION CONDITIONS FOR THE TIME OF DAY AND INTENDED AREA OF OPERATION
AND LISTEN FOR STATIONS.  IF THE FREQUENCY IS CLEAR, THE STATION SHOULD MAKE
A BLIND CALL FOR ANY "QRPX" STATION TO INITIATE COMMUNICATIONS.
  
ONCE INITIAL CONTACT IS MADE, STATIONS EXCHANGE THEIR MGRS GRID ZONE
DESIGNATOR. STATIONS MAY ALSO INDICATE THE SIGNAL REPORT (IE LOUD CLEAR,
GOOD READABLE, WEAK READABLE, ETC.).  ONCE THIS INFORMATION IS EXCHANGED,
STATIONS SHALL CONCLUDE THE COMMUNICATIONS SO THAT OTHER STATIONS MAY USE
THE FREQUENCY.
  
FOLLOWING ENDEX, EACH STATION WILL SUBMIT A COMSPOT INCLUDING THE CALL SIGN,
FREQUENCY, AND MGRS OF EACH STATION WORKED. AN EXAMPLE COMSPOT REPORT IS
INCLUDED AS AN ANNEX TO THIS EXERCISE ORDER.  .   .