[Oremem/Idamem] AAR FOR MARS EXERCISE HIDDEN SHADOW OR/ID/WA

[John Jewkes- SMD OR/ID US ARMY MARS]

ST AAA9W @ AA9USA
ST AAM6T @ AA9USA
ST AAM6O @ AA9USA
RR MTS 1R AAA9W
RR MTS 1R AAM6T
RR MTS 1R AAM6O
DE AAA0OR NR 78
R 132356Z MAR 04
FM JOHN JEWKES/AAA0OR OR/AAA0ID ID
TO JAMES BANKS/ AAA9W AZ
INFO ALL OR/ID ARMY MARS MEMBERS/STATIONS
INFO ZEN NNN0EHG OR FOR RELAY TO NNN0GBP OR
ZEN AAM6T CS
AAM6O NM
BT
SUBJ: AAR FOR MARS EXERCISE HIDDEN SHADOW OR/WA/ID
1. AAA0OR OR/AAA0ID ID/AAR0MI OR
2. NONE
3. N/A
4. CAR BATTERY USED AFTER PRIMARY POWER SUPPLY FAIL.
5. HIDDEN SHADOW AND OTHER EVENTS WITHIN EXERCISE.
MONITORED RADIOS FOLLOWING FAILURE OF TRANSMITTER
POWER SUPPLY, NOT ENOUGH BATTERY TO REACH OTHER
STATIONS ON HF. NO ONE MONITORED/RESPONDED TO CALL
ON VHF SIMPLEX AND NAVY VHF REPEATER FREQUENCIES.
6. OPORDER WESTERN AREA ANNUAL EXERCISE DATED AS
270415Z JAN 04 AND SUBSEQUENT ALERT NOTIFICATIONS BY
WAMC AND AAM6T CS.
7. PARTLY CLOUDY LOCALLY WITH MODERATE TO HIGH 
WINDS IN LOCAL AREA. TEMPERATURE OF 63 DEGREES AT
THIS STATION. 
8. POOR ON KFC (PRIMARY) AND NO PROP ON KDD (SECOND
ARY). MAINLY DUE TO POWER AND TUNER PROBLEMS. ALL
RADIOS WORKED FINE ON PREVIOUS DATE ON 4, 5, 7 MHZ.
9. 5 RELAYED VIA EMAIL FROM OTHER MEMBERS. 5 SENT BY
THIS STATION.
10. 5 .
11. THUNDER STORM IN AREA OF AAA9USA AZ MAY HAVE 
MADE SOME TRAFFIC NOT CAPABLE OF BEING SENT. VOICE
PROPAGATION BETWEEN RGN 10 AND AAA9USA DID NOT 
EXIST ON EITHER THE NATIONAL (GUARD) FREQUENCIES OR 
THE RGN 10/OREGON STATE FREQUENCIES. WHILE AAA9USA
COULD BE HEARD ON THIS END, THEY COULD NOT HEAR ANY
OF OUR STATIONS ON VOICE. MANY STATE OF OREGON AND 
IDAHO MEMBERS DID NOT DIRECTLY PARTICIPATE FOR A
WIDE VARIETY OF REASONS, MOSTLY PRE-ARRANGED AND
INESCAPABLE PERSONAL NEEDS/EVENTS WITH FAMILY OR
CHURCH OR WORK. 
12. WHAT WORKED WELL: STATIONS ON FREQUENCY DID
ALL IN THEIR POWER TO RELAY INFORMATION AND TRAFFIC.
OTHER SERVICE MARS STATIONS ALSO SENT INFORMATION
AND TRAFFIC INTO THE EXERCISE VIA OUR FREQUENCIES 
AND OFFERED TO PASS TRAFFIC ON THEIR OWN FREQUENCY
RECEIVED FROM STATIONS ON OURS. AAR0JY AND AAM0OR
DID AN OUTSTANDING JOB OF NCS AND ANCS WHEN MY HF
GEAR AND POWER SUPPLY FAILED TO OPERATE CORRECTLY.

AAM0OR AND I HAVE AGREED TO HOLD MONTHLY EXERCISE
USING WHATEVER EMERGENCY POWER SUPPLIES MEMBERS
HAVE TO ENSURE THAT THEY A ARE WORKING AND B CAN BE
SUCCESSFULLY USED IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION AS A 
DIRECT RESULT OF MY BACK-UP EMERGENCY SUPPLY AND
BACK-UP RIG FAILING TO SUPPORT THE MISSION. 

AAR0NH OR DID A VERY FINE JOB OF IMMEDIATELY SENDING
ALL TRAFFIC VIA MMCS FROM THE GATEWAY TO AA9USA. IN
THE NEAR FUTURE, AS AAR0NH TRANSITIONS INTO HIS ROLE
AS THE RGN 10 GATEWAY, I EXPECT THIS TREND OF GOOD
OPERATIONS TO CONTINUE FOR DIGITAL TRAFFIC SENT AND 
RECEIVED DURING EXERCISE AND OF COURSE REAL EVENTS.

MEMBERS THAT FORWARDED THEIR REPONSE TO INFO REQ
AND EEI REPORTS IN ADVANCE OF THE EXERCISE WERE 
ALLOWED TO SEND THEM VIA THE GATEWAY, TO ENSURE 
A RECEIPT DURING THE EXERCISE. 

WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE INFO BASED ON WHETHER OR
NOT WHAT BANDS WERE 'OPEN' FROM NORTHWEST USA TO
SOUTHWEST USA AND REQUEST CHANGES TO THE OREGON 
AND IDAHO FREQUENCIES ASSIGNED BASED ON SAME. ALSO
AS PREVIOUSLY NOTED, AM AWAITING THE RESULTS OF THE
PROPAGATION TEST (NON-INTERFERENCE BASIS) FOR THE
DESIRED 7 PM LOCAL (0301Z) AND  12 NOON LOCAL (2001Z) 
NETS, AND WORK THEM IN AS WELL TO FUTURE EXERCISES.

BASED ON WIDE VARIATIONS IN PROPAGATION WOULD LIKE 
TO SEE 10 YEAR TRENDS IN MUF/LUF TENDENCIES AND SET
UP A WIDER RANGE OF FREQUENCIES POOLED FOR OREGON
AND IDAHO TO ALLOW FOR PROPAGATION ON AT LEAST ONE 
FREQUENCY AT ALL TIMES. IN ALL WEATHER AND SUNSPOT
INDICES. 
MARS EXERCISE
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