[SFDXA] Armed Forces Day 2015 Crossband Communications Test to Offer New Modes

[Bill]

 From Tony N2MFT:


    Armed Forces Day 2015 Crossband Communications Test to Offer New Modes

**04/29/2015

The annual*Armed Forces Day* <http://www.defense.gov/afd/>*Crossband 
Communications Test* 
<http://www.navymars.org/central/reg4/FL/FLNMCMARS/CrossBand/2015%20Annual%20Armed%20Forces%20Day.pdf>set 
for Saturday and Sunday, May 9-10, will offer Amateur Radio operators a 
chance to try their hand at using more modern military communications 
modes, such as MIL-STD Serial PSK. Also new this year is the inclusion 
of a crossband Automatic Link Establishment (ALE) test.The Army, Air 
Force, Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard cosponsor the joint 
military/Amateur Radio event which this year marks the 65th Armed Forces 
Day and the 90th anniversary of the Military Auxiliary Radio System 
(MARS). Armed Forces Day 2015 falls on May 16, but the crossband test is 
held on the earlier weekend to accommodate those visiting Dayton 
Hamvention May 15-17.

The annual event is a unique opportunity to test two-way communication 
between Amateur Radio and military stations. It features the traditional 
military-to-amateur crossband SSB voice, CW, MT63, and AMTOR FEC, plus 
MIL-STD Serial PSK and ALE, both new this year.

This annual event gives Amateur Radio operators and shortwave listeners 
(SWLs) an opportunity to demonstrate their technical skills, and to 
receive recognition from the appropriate military radio station. QSL 
cards will be provided to all stations that make contact with the 
military stations.

Hams may use ALE Individual Call selective calling to connect with a 
military station, for voice communication. Amateur stations with ALE 
capability can contact a military station directly on specific 
half-duplex crossband channels. Military stations will scan and receive 
certain Amateur HFLINK ALE frequencies, and transmit on the 
corresponding military ALE frequency. Military stations will also 
transmit ALE station identification (soundings) on each military 
frequency at 30 to 90 minute intervals.

Those interested in trying the MIL-STD Serial PSK mode can download the 
free*/MS-DMT/* <http://www.n2ckh.com/MARS_ALE_FORUM/MSDMT.html>software. 
A*complete list* 
<https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=sites&srcid=ZGVmYXVsdGRvbWFpbnxhcm15bWFyc3BvcnRhbHxneDpmOWNiYjk1YWQxN2YxNjA>of 
participating military stations, operating modes, and times of operation 
is on the US Army MARS website and on its*Facebook* 
<https://www.facebook.com/HQArmyMARS?ref=hl>page.