[PPRAANet] MARS COMEX 19-4

[John Bloodgood]

ALCON,


Starting on November 2 and continuing until November 17, the MARS community will be executing Department of Defense (DOD) Communications Exercise (COMEX) 19-4. MARS members will use the exercise to continue training and refining their operator skills to provide situational awareness information, such as county status reports and weather observations.

To announce the kickoff of the exercise, WWV and WWVH will broadcast voice announcements starting on or about October 31. WWV will transmit the announcements at 10 minutes past the hour, while WWVH will transmit them at 10 minutes before the hour.

The communication exercise will culminate on the evening of November 16 with military stations sending M110 messages to the amateur community on 60-meter channel 1 (5330.5 kHz USB). All DOD communication exercises simulate scenarios and do not affect any public or private communications. " -- www.arrl.org/news/mars-members-to-work-with-radio-amateurs-during-set-and-dod-comex-19-4<http://www.arrl.org/news/mars-members-to-work-with-radio-amateurs-during-set-and-dod-comex-19-4>

There is a software package you can use for M110 messages, downloadable at http://www.n2ckh.com/MARS_ALE_FORUM/MSDMT.html .  As noted in the ARRL article, 60 meters is the only HF band where amateur radio operators can use this mode due to the increased symbol rate. It is also the only spot where MARS and ham radio operators can communicate directly.

"We were using the M110 software as a tool for opening dialogue between the MARS and amateur radio communities.  The software package at the link actually works pretty well once configured and running...but that is what we have to offer.   During the exercise, if the amateur community doesn't have M110 available, our MARS operators will be able to use most any other amateur mode to exchange county status and weather observation reports.

The high power broadcasts on 60 meters on the evening of 16 Nov will be all done in M110 for those amateur radio operators who were able to get M110 up and running. " -- US Army Military Auxiliary Radio System (MARS) Program Manager Paul English, WD8DBY

NOTE: If using 60 meters, remember WE ARE SECONDARY users on 60 meters, meaning we must not interfere with other, primary stations. Also pay close attention to the center frequencies on 60 meters. 60 meters is channelized and we must not stray outside the channels.







John Bloodgood, KD0SFY
Emergency Coordinator & Public Information Officer
Pikes Peak ARES (Region 2 District 2, Colorado ARES)
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