[TMRA] MARS Exercise to Simulate a Coronal Mass Ejection; Amateurs Invited to Participate

[Steve Bellner]

*My apologies if you received this more thamn once.
*

*Steve/W8TER
*

*MARS Exercise to Simulate a Coronal Mass Ejection; Amateurs Invited to 
Participate*

Beginning the week of November 8, 2015, the Military Auxiliary Radio 
System (MARS) will participate in a quarterly contingency HF exercise in 
support of the Department of Defense. The exercise scenario will 
simulate a Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) event and focus on actions that 
radio operators should take prior to and following such an event.

[Coronal mass ejections (or CMEs) are huge bubbles of gas threaded with 
magnetic field lines that are ejected from the Sun over the course of 
several hours. Coronal Mass Ejections disrupt the flow of the solar wind 
and produce disturbances that strike the Earth with sometimes 
catastrophic results. More on CMEs here 
<http://solarscience.msfc.nasa.gov/CMEs.shtml>. - source NASA.] Training 
objectives for this exercise will include:

   Understanding what a CME is and how much forecast lead time can be 
expected prior to the CME.

   What effects are associated with a CME and what precautions should 
radio operators take prior to the CME to protect equipment.

   Following the CME, operators will begin assessing the effects and 
begin reporting this information.

   Interoperability with Amateur Radio operators and groups.

Amateur Radio operators, ARES and RACES members are encouraged to 
participate in this exercise. If interested in participating, click 
here  <mars.exercises at gmail.com <mailto:mars.exercises at gmail.com>>to 
register. -- Paul English, NETCOM Land Mobile Radio Manager, Army MARS 
Program Manager