[Oremem/Idamem] Oregon/Idaho Army MARS News

[leo griffin]

FM: The Editor - Oregon/Idaho Army MARS News:  Hard copy issues of the
"News" will be sent to subscribers ONLY!  A six month subscription is
$10.50.  The hard copy issue contains many photos and corresponding art work
for the articles and includes a short-short story of interest and
entertainment value. These are not contained in this version of the "News"
and this version is emailed at the end of the month.  Hard copy versions are
mailed by the tenth of the month.  If you wish to subscribe please submit
the required subscription fee to the Editor. (Even when we have the ability
to send graphics in this version, members will not have the hard copy to use
as a recruiting show piece and recruiting is the name of the game. The
Editor's mailing address is at the end of this email.)


FROM THE SMD's BLOTTER:
Greetings.  We are starting a new trend in Oregon and Idaho that is gaining
new Members almost faster than HQ can process them.  Oregon and Idaho have
always been leaders in many ways and at many times. As the SMD for both
states, I thank you for all you do for the program. We have, in the past few
years, found new friends and lost others. As we gain new family members in
MARS, we have also helped to strengthen our local communities, states and
area governments, individuals, and our responsiveness. One of the ways we do
this is to train and exercise repeatedly.
 Thus far, we have done fabulously on exercises and on training in our nets.
Some may feel that we do too much training. To them I ask the consideration
of the words offered by General George S. Patton in Stars and Stripes, July
14th 1944. He was asked why his men were made to drill over and over between
each battle. He said quite wryly, "An Army that does not train and drill
falls before its enemies. The US Armored Calvary does not fall when I have a
say in it."
 After September 11th, 2001,  many of the folks who griped about the number
of exercises, and nets with training, changed as they saw the value of such
practice. Within a half-hour of the first plane hitting the towers, MARS,
ARES, RACES and CAP stations across New York, New Jersey and surrounding
states were on the air. When the plane hit the Pentagon, MARS stations were
again nearby and operating. FEMA and other agencies were locked out from
their radios, and so DoMS, once it re-situated, MARS and CAP, as well as our
RACES/ARES friends remained on the air and kept traffic passing.
 We now know that enemy action does not always include a specific country,
uniform, or a line to cross. As a result, we practice for a variety of
actions, hoping never to be needed, to always be there, just like the Maytag
man in the old commercials on TV. I have met many of you during trips to the
field and at hamfests and other gatherings. I always enjoy putting the name
to the face and the voice I have heard.
 Part of our readiness is to provide monthly reports showing what we have
done and in what way. These are known as Participation Reports. When we
actively participate in an Exercise, or actual event, we send at the VERY
least, EEI reports. We make contact, where possible, with our local EMS,
Police, Fire and civic leaders. We support one another by doing the various
'jobs' needed to keep the program active and ready. This includes Elmering,
public relations, recruiting, maintaining membership records, training nets,
etc.
I am proud of each of you for the commitment you have shown thus far, not
only to each other, myself and the Program, but also our cities, states,
counties and country. Carry on the good work and keep each other going!
73 es TNX de John Jewkes, SMD Oregon and Idaho US Army MARS

"TECHNIQUE NEVER STAYS THE SAME..."
The great classical guitarist, Andre Segovia, once said, "Technique never
stays the same; we gain it or lose it. If I don't practice one day, I know
it; two days, my friends know it; three days & everybody knows it!"  That
idea applies to our radio skills. It is a wise operator who joins every MARS
net possible. Net savvy pays off!

IDAHO ARMY MARS STAFF

State Director - John Jewkes/AAA0ID
Asst. S.M.D. - Jay Smith/AAM0ID
Asst. SMD E-COM - Jay Greenberg/AAM0EID
Digital BBS Operator - Jay Greenberg/AAM0EID
 BBS Callsign - AT0TID
Training Officer - Vacant AAM0TID
Administration Operations - Vacant  AAM0AID
(As of 05 Apr 03)

There has been no other response to our request for articles and reports
from Idaho members.  We sincerely request that someone in Idaho Army MARS
will assume the office of Idaho associate editor to furnish future
information from Idaho and assist in making our two States a more unified
service under our joint SMD.     The Editor

THIS IS...
...AAR0NH. This space will be for member articles in the future. Our 1st
issue includes some heavy training, the latest Scoop from Group, a refresher
or two on what we're all about, a touch of art, and a bit of humor. With the
excellent help from our SMD, John Jewkes/AAA0OR/ID, Oregon Training
Coordinator Bob Franklin/AAM0TOR, Rick Arens/AAR0FC,  and an extremely
patient and understanding wife, it's in print!
 We plan on a monthly publication. Please understand that there is a slight
delay with Participation Reports (1 month) as the filing of those don't
allow us to publish the last month's report.
 Why are we posting the Participation Reports? Well, participation is the
Name of the Game in Army Mars!  We think those who contribute their time and
talents should have recognition for their dedication to our goals.
Unfortunately, there are never enough operators to go around. If you
disagree with that statement, check into our next emergency exercise and
hear how busy a net can be! Kudos to our Training Coordinators, cuz' when
the disasters strike, the result of their training will be the most obvious
and needed commodity on the air.
 If it's due to work or other noxious commitments, that you can't make it up
on most of the nets, everyone understands. I would like to point out that
whatever we "really" want to do, we'll find time for it, be it sinful or
saintly.  If you haven't been checking in all that much, you might push a
bit harder to make a net or two more than you've been doing to keep your net
skills honed to "emergency levels".
 Contribute an article; past experiences, new ham/Mars projects, questions
dealing with Mars protocols and procedures, they're all great topics.  We
will do the editing and spell checks, etc. Digital pictures of members in
their shacks with pet (s) and the XYL/YL would show us the power behind the
power. More interesting than our antennas - well, almost!
 Be good to you and yours, cuz' we need you on the air and, RADIO ACTIVE!
Any comments on improving the "NEWS" are most welcome.
73's leo/AARONH

THE SCOOP FROM GROUP
If you've kept up on the CAM broadcasts (a very good idea!) you should know
that big things are in the making for Army MARS and our affiliation with
Homeland Security and Homeland Defense.  It must be important as the word is
that our mandate with DOD is being re-written to include MARS in the support
of HLS & HLD emergency communications. This will be a very serious and
important job for every member of Oregon/Idaho Army MARS and everyone of us
should give definite thought as to how we can be a responsive and
responsible member.
 We can expect more training exercises and traffic flow all over the
nation..  Oregon/Idaho Army MARS has a proven track record of getting the
job done, even under bad propagation and noisy bands.  Our digital
capabilities are improving in all modes and continues as our training nets
work on techniques and helping each member with his/her particular problems.
It is because each of us has worked hard to polish our skills that our MARS
nets show the professional qualities we have today, and that means our
product, emergency communications, is becoming more in demand to new and old
government services, alike.
 Since the world changes are not always for the better, we stand a more
positive chance of supporting our communities, our States, and our nation by
keeping our skills honed and our dedication to our work  foremost in our
minds and time. It could be the very next net we check into when we will
hear someone break the net with emergency traffic that needs to be delivered
to a number of Red Cross locations, or one's own  local security services.
It's natural to say, "But the odds of anything happening in my area..." yet
we must remember that disasters and emergencies DON'T play the odds. With
that in mind, then neither can we . Keep your skills sharp and your
commitment solid. Stay current with procedures and protocols. Check into
every net you possibly can for you never know when you may hear, "...this
is...an actual incident..." and those people may need YOUR help. We just
never know.

THE RIGHT OF THE EDITORIAL "WE"!
Tradition dictates the allowance of the usage of the term "we" to mean the
editor and editorial staff. I am attempting to contact Rupert Murdock to
confirm this tradition. If any one cares to locate said publisher, please
pass along our position and relay any response that is fit to print. The
Editor

"GOING DIGITAL - THE EARLY YEARS"
I started my interest some years ago, when Army MARS supplied interested and
active members with teletype equipment. A very good friend of mine, who is
now a silent key, and I decided to see what we could do with the teletype
equipment. We built terminal units out of the "junk box" and even
incorporated small oscilloscopes for tuning. Transmission was mostly AFSK
(audio frequency shift keying), on 148.01 MHz simplex as we were both in the
same town (Redding, CA) and used small, low power crystal-controlled Heath
kit "Benton Harbor Lunchboxes" which were maybe 1 watt out on 2 meters, with
super-regen type receivers. (I still have mine!). We even made �utostart"
which was unheard of in those days, and it worked! we could send a message
to each other, and have it printed out on the other guy's machine, all
unattended. Just Imagine. This of course before solid-state, and even
computers. As time went by, others joined our ever larger circle of
"Green-Keys," we had a pretty good network of RTTY on MARS in Northern
California, back before most people were even aware of such things.
 To this day, I still enjoy communicating with the newer modes of digital,
and now I am a proud owner of a KANTRONICS KAM XL, with the special
software, I am looking forward to many interesting contacts with the new
digital modes. By the way, I am one of the few who has received WAS on RTTY!
Tnx es 73  -  Rick AAR0FC
Editor's Note:  Jim Isom, KA7KOI, now a silent key, was a Navy MARS member
for years.  He had his teletype machines (2) sitting on his front porch. Jim
said he got them working but when they ran out of paper, he unplugged them.
Jim could copy 45 wpm CW while he carried on a conversation with 4 people in
the shack! When he wanted a new piece of equipment, he'd sell one of his
cows to finance the purchase. Jim would send code about his garden, the
different plants, slowly speeding up so I never noticed the increase in
speed.  It was his patience and devotion to the radio amateur that got my
speed up to 20 wpm - on a good day! Jim lived in Brownsville, OR. and I feel
honored to have been his friend, fellow ham and brother in MARS.

"WHERE IT ALL BEGAN..."
"To the memory of lost comrades"

Years ago, it seems like childhood spent,
I learned of things most secret, ever silent,
Until a whiskered crystal sang and made known
The thoughts soaring in the air; whispered words sown
Upon the winds; then I became a part, a graft made
Upon a vine of signals, encoding all the earth.
A small one, I, sending sparks to air to announce my Birth.
I was young, and in my heart was where it all began...

Years ago, it seems like manhood spent,
I learned of lands in signals violent,
Torn from the souls of dying youth in wars of hate,
And cold codes sent to wound the parent heart, so late
In life to lose the flower of their love. Gone in measured
Code, dit upon dit, dit upon dah, each element a small
Fragment rending the sanity of us all.
I was a man, and in my heart was where it all began...

Years ago, it seems my life-time spent,
I learned of friends who all have went
Their silent way, silent keys, and yet I hear
Them still, sending in my heart, each touch a dear
And well known friend; each moment shared, a treasure
To be logged in life, night upon night, dah upon dit,
My shaking hand to key, my finals dimly lit,
Til I am gone. In my heart was where it all began...years ago.

leo griffin - AAR0NH
KB7LOC
QCWA #24894
FISTS #9479
Copyright griffin 1994

HINTS AND KINKEROOS
More KINKEROOS than HINTS. This column is to let our members air their
comments on digital modes. Different types of modems (TNC's) and software
make it difficult to cover everyone's problems, BUT, one never knows when a
bit of advice or experience can be a big help to a member. We are going to
begin with the "old reliable" PK-232 TNC this month - yes, because I have
one!
 Not wanting to buy  new software, I hunted the internet and found the
homepage of PA0NC, a German ham and programmer. He wrote a program that does
all needed for MARS work, entitled NcW95PK written for the PK-232.  It had
an inhibitor not allowing TX of a file if not connected to a station.  It
would call CQ.  I emailed him and he removed that feature so I can send to a
net conference.  The program is free! I'll send it to anyone who asks for
it.
 Another problem I had was that the cable from radio to the TNC had
conflicting wire color codes in their diagram.  I used alligator clips to
hook up initially and found their diagram was for VHF packet rather than HF
Pactor etc.  Then, I soldered them and it works!  As for working out the
kinks in your system, we have the three Foxtrot nets a week which use
Pactor, Baudot, and Amtor and Oregon Training Coordinator Bob/AAM0TOR is
using the Sunday and Wednesday training nets for practice and member-help
with our problems.  Bulldog tenacity, guys! We'll have full digital
capabilities state wide before long!

AAM0TOR  TRAINING NOTES
The next 7 Lesson Plans from HQ deal with emergency operations, so I am
going to use them on the AAM0EOR/A nets on Sunday (local). We have discussed
using the AAA0OR/K (Wednesday local) for digital training and practice. Many
of our members can work either sound card modes or TNC modes, but not both.
To try to include everyone in these sessions we will try to work with RTTY,
AMTOR, PACTOR, PSK31, MT63, and maybe some other modes. Oletta/AAR0JY is
going to do a couple of sessions on working the Gateway BBS.
 During some of our recent emergency exercises we have discovered that
propagation doesn't always work when we most need it.  This could be the
case during an actual incident. I haven't found much in our many documents
as to what steps to take if that happens. We should have some sort of
outline of steps that we can take if the propagation fails. It is best if we
can make our frequencies work, but the bottom line is, we do whatever is
necessary.
 Some of the drastic measures that I have thought of include: refile to
amateur as there are many repeaters & packet nodes throughout the state that
are less affected by propagation; satellite telephones; driving across town
to hand deliver. During the VA exercise, a station acted as a relay because
the propagation seemed to be long.  I am sure there are other methods and
hope members will either email their ideas to me or bring them up on a net.
I welcome any suggestions, comments or corrections on any training matter.
Bob/AAM0TOR

SPECIAL THANKS
A big hand for the "regulars", those who meet more nets than they miss and
file their participation reports on time! An active State MARS is a safer
and better prepared State. Simple.
Think about it!

OUR FEATURED OPERATOR OF THE MONTH
Oletta Spears/AAR0JY shows us her shack (she says she has added some toys
since this photo) and her most gracious self, ready to serve Oregon Army
MARS. Oletta is often heard as an NCS and helps keep us straight on
protocols and procedures.  She is one of the few who has mastered the  Net
Plan and those confusing "offsets".  Notice that wonderful, old J-38 key at
the ready. Thanks for all your time and talent, Oletta, and yeah, we dig the
elegant microphone!
 Please send your picture to AAR0NH for inclusion here. Does not have to be
digital. We do the scanning. The Editor

SPECIAL NOTICE
Yep!  You're right.  The handsome fellow on the left is none other than our
own Rick/AAR0FC.  Rick's bass playing has graced the music of Bobby Gentry
and Roger Miller, to name a few.  And we thought he was just another pretty
face! Guess we know now why his CW has such solid rhythm !   Oh, Yeah!

STATE DIRECTOR'S STAFF

STATE DIRECTOR: John Jewkes AAA0OR
ASST. DIRECTOR: Howard Philipson AAM0OR
COORDINATOR OF RECORDS: Joe Revoir AAR0CJ
COORDINATOR OF EMER. OPS: Gary Cooper AAM0EOR
ZONE COORDINATORS:    SW-Chris Teague AAR0FB
   East-Bob Welzbacker AAR0FD
                  NW-Pete Hardeman AAR0KW
COORDINATORS OF OREGON GATEWAY OPS:
   Michael Kriss Anderson AAR0HJ
   Barbara Dahl AAR0JN
COORDINATOR PHONE PATCH OPS: Don Merrit AAR0BO
OREGON P.R. OFFICER: leo griffin AAR0NH
WEBMASTER OREGON ARMY MARS HOME PAGE:
    (oregonarmymars.org) John Jewkes AAA0OR
OREGON TRAINING OFFICER:  Bob Franklin AAM0TOR

PARTICIPATION REPORTS
The following Oregon members filed Participation Reports for the month of
April:

STATION REPORT (A-1)

AAA0OR 98
AAR0AI 35
AAR0ET 6
AAR0EL 15
AAR0EK 5
AAR0FB 9
AAR0FC 7 (many + hours setting up new Kan)
AAT0HR 8
AAR0JZ 6
AAR0JY 88
AAR0KW 59
AAR0LQ 115
AAR0LW 3
AAM0EOR 10
AAM0TOR 128
AAR0ME 7
AAR0NH 97 (many + hours on PK232-Darn it!)
45% of Oregon members filed reports for April.
Oregon Records Officer Joe/AAR0CJ

CHECK-IN REPORTS
The following members checked into OAM nets during the month of May at least
once:
AAA0OR  AAT0HR
AAM0TOR  AAR0AT
AAM0EOR  AAR0ME
AAR0JY  AAR0DF
AAR0LQ  AAR0EL
AAR0LW  AAR0NP/T
AAT0HR  AAR0NM/T
AAR0NH  AAR9RU
AAR0FD  NNN0OXU
AAR0FC  AAM9ECN
AAR0CJ
If we missed anyone, please notify the editor. Include date and net call
sign so we can verify the error and publish a correction.

OREGON FOXTROT STATIONS
The following members were Foxtrot Operators for the month of May:
John/AAR0LQ
Bob/AAM0TOR
Oletta/AAR0JY
Bob/AAR0FD
Joe/AAR0CJ
Thanks for the extra effort, folks. Well done, well done!

Oregon/Idaho
Army Mars NEWS

SMD
John Jewkes-AAA0OR

Training Officer
Bob Franklin - AAM0TOR

"NEWS " Editor
leo griffin -AAR0NH
paupo@casco.net
P.O. Box 363
South Beach, Oregon
97366

Idaho Associate Editor
Vacant