[MRCA] Moose & Squirrel Net, What's next?

[mstangelo at comcast.net]

Ray,

I interpret it differently. I see it as an "on-patrol" net and portable operation is encouraged.

"The Moose and Squirrel
Cold-War
Clandestine and
Long-Range-Reconnaissance-Patrol Net"

Military radios may be used but are not required. I thought Al Klase, the originator of the net, used a TW-100 Flywaway which is not a Military Radio. 

I primarily use it as a portable radio net and have operated portable over 45 times last year. Even though I am retired my time is limited and as a rule of thumb I have set up my operating kits to set up and knock down within 15 minutes and to operate without internet of cell access. In addition, the QRM at my operating is low noise which helps.

I do have military radios and marine sets but I'm not going to lug them out to the field. In any case they are showing their age and every couple of months a capacitor goes, hopefully not taking other parts out with it.

Depending on conditions I use my high power kit of a FT-857D and 20 AH battery  or my low power kit consisting of a PRC G-90 and a 6 AH battery. Both are popular portable radios, especially the G90. I believe you had a bunch of them at the Gilbert net last year.

I as far as I can recall the radios used during last year's M&S net can tune 500 Hz steps and could work LSB on 40 meters.

There is an un-going discussion on the Moose and Squirrel and the latest consensus is to QSY to 5403.5 when the change occurs. We did tests on 40 meters LSB last summer may to additional testing this year if 60 meter conditions do not approve as the solar activity goes down.

The big issue with 40 Meters is the band is too narrow. The AM'ers fight with the USB users and I see the 10 AM net is always looking for a quiet spot. I wish the FCC and ITU would assign some of the underutilized Marine 8 MHz channels for Amateur Radio use.

As for your reception - how is your QRM noise level? You may try listening at a quiet location.

That's it. Will you be restarting your "Mason-Dixon Line" 60 meter net this spring?

Mike N2MS





> On 01/14/2026 11:38 AM EST Ray Fantini via MRCA <mrca at mailman.qth.net> wrote:
> 
> 
> Big goings on, changes in the sixty-meter band and the future of the Moose & Squirrel Net. Lots of talk and lots of ideas.
> Question, what is the M&S Net anyway? Please look at the MRCA web page:
> 
> https://www.mrca.ar88.net/Old%20Pages/Net/MandS.html
> 
> My limited understanding is that it’s a place to actually use your military radio. Maybe something like what we do on 7296 or the 7087 RATT Net, its open for everyone to take part but the intent is to operate our ex-military radios on the air and also drag them into the field and operate them as they were once intended. Not as fixed assets but in portable configuration.
> But with what going on now 5357 is going away. Do we migrate to a new channel? Will it be on sixty meters? Will it be USB?
> Think that 5357 was chosen because radios like the PRC-47 and PRC-74 won’t go above 12 MHz and are USB only. That’s why the MMRCG Net on 7296 is USB and that’s been the source of many complaints from the regular Ham community.
> So, the question is what’s next? Maybe we can compile a list of what radios are out there that people intend to use? And what bands? And what mode (USB/LSB)? How many PRC-47 are out there? I know we get at least one or two that check in on the 7296 Net on Saturdays. If we do away with supporting older PRC-47 and 74 technology that opens up things like seventeen meters where the antennas are short and bands less congested. Newer radios like the PRC-104, PRC-138 and Harris Falcon stuff are all capable of that.
> But there are a lot of older radios out there.
> I use to be a regular on the M&S Net but somehow over the last two years conditions have gotten so poor that I almost never hear NCS on that net and have not taken part but use that channel lots at events like MRCA gilbert.
> Attached is a link to the video I shot of the 10th anniversary of the M&S Net back in 2020:
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDWuuc38wQA&t=28s
> 
> Man, it’s an entirely different band today. Also note the number of PRC-47 checking in and maybe someone can explain to me why using different radios, antennas and locations I cannot get close to receiving stations from the north today like I did then?
> 
> 
> Ray F/KA3EKH