[South Florida DX Association] News Release - Military/ham radio test

[wa4aw at juno.com]

> > For more info:
> > Allen Pitts, W1AGP
> > Media and Public Relations Manager
> > (860) 594-0328
> > apitts at arrl.org 
> > 
> > Hams and Military to Jointly Test Communications May 14-15
> > 
> > May 3, 2005 Newington CT-- The 2005 Armed Forces Military/Amateur
> > crossband communications test will take place May 14-15. The US 
> Army,
> > Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard are co-sponsoring 
> the
> > annual event in celebration of the 55th anniversary of Armed 
> Forces
> > Day, which is Saturday, May 21. The test features 
> military-to-amateur
> > crossband communications using both voice radio and digital
> > communications.  The Secretary of Defense will also have his own
> > message-receiving test.  The Armed Forces Day radio event is 
> scheduled
> > a week earlier to avoid conflicts with the ham operators national
> > "Hamvention", May 20-22. Special cards confirming the contacts 
> will be
> > provided to those Amateur Radio operators making contact with the
> > military stations and certificates will be awarded to those hams 
> who
> > receive and copies the digital Armed Forces Day message from the
> > Secretary of Defense.
> > 
> > Amateur Radio, often called "ham" radio, has been shown to be a
> > critical piece in modern emergency management planning.  Amateur 
> Radio
> > operators provide volunteer communications for the Red Cross,
> > Salvation Army, and thousands of state and local emergency 
> management
> > offices across the country.   The hams are also an integral part 
> of
> > the new DHS Citizen Corps home defense programs.   In the recent
> > tsunamis and in many areas during the 2004 Florida hurricanes, 
> Amateur
> > Radio was the only effective communications that survived.
> > 
> > Military/Amateur Radio cross band operations will take place on
> > selected radio frequencies.  Voice contacts will include 
> operations on
> > single sideband radios.  Digital communications using a blend of
> > radios and computers will also be used.  Participating military
> > stations will transmit on selected Military Amateur Radio Service
> > frequencies and listen for amateur radio stations in the Amateur
> > bands. Each of the military station operators will announce the
> > specific amateur band frequency being monitored at their location. 
> The
> > duration of each individual contact will be limited to 1-2 minutes 
> to
> > allow as many stations as possible to participate.