The Military Auxiliary Radio System (MARS) is a United States Department of Defense sponsored program, established as a separately managed and operated program by the United States Army, Navy, and Air Force. The program is a civilian auxiliary consisting primarily of licensed amateur radio operators who are interested in assisting the military with communications on a local, national, and international basis as an adjunct to normal communications. The MARS programs also include active duty, reserve, and National Guard units; Navy, Marine Corps, and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration ships, and Coast Guard cutters and shore stations.
MARS has a long history of providing worldwide auxiliary emergency communications during times of need. The combined three-service MARS programs (Army, Air Force, and Navy–Marine Corps) volunteer force of over 5,000 dedicated and skilled amateur radio operators provide the backbone of the MARS program. The main benefit of MARS membership is enjoying the amateur radio hobby through an ever-expanding horizon of MARS service to the nation. MARS members work by the slogan "Proudly serving those who serve".
The organization that led to the Military Auxiliary Radio System was called the Auxiliary Amateur Radio System (AARS). AARS was created in November 1925 by a few dedicated pioneers in the United States Army Signal Corps led by Captain Thomas C. Rives. His original intent was to enlist the talents of volunteer amateur radio operators who could train soldiers in the then-new technology of radio, as well as pursuing radio research and development to improve radio equipment within the Army. This support would be particularly useful during the mobilization of forces by providing a pool of trained radio operators. Their efforts were successful, and the present-day MARS program is the direct descendant of the work of those early pioneers.
Between 1925 and 1941, the AARS continued to operate and functioned more or less as an extracurricular activity for members of the Army Signal Corps, with its scope limited by budget cuts during the Great Depression. The AARS organization continued to operate until the United States entry into World War II on 7 December 1941, at which time radio amateurs were denied the use of the airwaves, and the amateur service and the Army Amateur Radio System were deactivated. Following WWII, the US Army recognized the importance of reactivating the AARS to train vitally needed communications personnel at a relatively low direct cost to the government, and in 1946 the AARS was reactivated.
MARS Operator at Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany, 1983.
The AARS functioned as such until the creation of the Military Amateur Radio System in November 1948 with the establishment of separate Army and Air Force MARS programs, reflecting the creation of the Air Force as a separate service. The program's name was changed to the Military Affiliate Radio System on 2 September 1952, in recognition of the organization's changing nature with the growing number of civilian volunteer members. Eventually, the Navy-Marine Corps MARS program was established officially on 17 August 1962, and began operations on 1 January 1963. This followed the Cuban Missile Crisis and President Kennedy's concern for viable and extended communications capabilities.
During the Korean War, Vietnam War and Gulf War, MARS was most known for its handling of "Marsgram" written messages and providing "phone patches" to allow overseas servicemen to contact their families at home.
The program's name was changed again to the current Military Auxiliary Radio System on 23 December 2009.
MARS continues to be active today. Its primary mission is providing auxiliary to the US Military and emergency communications to such National agencies as FEMA and Homeland Security. MARS is also available to assist state, and local emergency response agencies; both public and select private agencies, such as the Red Cross.
On a day-to-day basis MARS members are available to handle messages to and from service men and women: active duty, reserve, guard, or retired and certain employees of the federal government who are stationed outside the US.
The Military Auxiliary Radio System is still active today. Morale and welfare messages are no longer the largest activity in MARS due to the increased use of the Internet and e-mail by deployed military personnel. MARS now has an increased role in providing interoperability communications between Army National Guard and Air National Guard forces and civilian state agencies. MARS also provides beta testing of new technologies such as Voice over Internet Protocol and antennas.
MARS participates in exercises such as Grecian Firebolt to help support military communications. MARS members from all around the world played a role in Grecian Firebolt 2005 by sending exercise Essential Elements of Information (EEI) reports through the MARS radio network. The EEI's consisted of scenario disaster information. When the EEI's were received, they were sorted and sent to Army Military Intelligence centers. MARS plays a large part in reporting up-to-date information on disasters and requesting military assistance using a dispersed and redundant radio network.
MARS also supports government agencies such as the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and participates in programs such as SHAred RESources (SHARES).
The traditional land or sea based MARS Radio Phone Patch is largely a thing of the past because land and sea based MARS stations have been dismantled in favor of Satellite Phones. However, modern military aircraft are still equipped with HF radios, and many military aircrews still use MARS Phone Patches as a backup or substitute to Satellite Communications. The USAF MARS Phone Patch Net provides 24/7 HF Radio Phone Patch service to all branches of United States military aircraft worldwide.
A dispatch issued in May 2009 announced the possible shutdown of the Navy and Marine Corps MARS program by September 30, 2009.
Department of Defense Instruction 4650.02, dated 23 December 2009 changed the status of MARS from an affiliate to an auxiliary (equal in status to the Coast Guard Auxiliary and Civil Air Patrol). This change in status saved the Navy-Marine Corps MARS program from being shut down and put it back in line with the Emergency Communications mission of its sister services (Army and Air Force MARS).
To get MARS/CAP on your brand new virgin TS-590S transceiver, remove the R900 resistor.
Result on video
Radio Shack power meter? Oh and you should pull that protective cover off the screen. That's the last of your worries now! Oh and to top it off, youre on 27MHz!!!!! Stay there and splatter the heck out of that band.
This meter to modify it to work all HF bands, and I can not say whether they like 11 meters or not, it's up to each person, I just do my job, which is in electronic engineering.
Adelante puedes hacerlas amigo, no hay nada que lo impida.
Sobre los 11 metros y el poder, eso ya es responsabilidad de cada persona que usa los radios yo solo hago mi trabajo de reparaciones, modificacion y alineaciones.
En la pagina que mencionaste tiene un costo, y realmente no tienen todo, casi.
Why would you do this? It makes no difference to the receiving station and it completely destroys the TX IMD.
saludos tengo KENWOOD TS-590 y me gustaria saber q tengo q quitar para abrirlo en bandas para trasmitir en 11metros. gracias
