Amateurs Invited to Participate in Armed Forces Day On-Air Event
NEWINGTON, CT, May 1, 2001--Amateur Radio operators are invited to take part in the 51st celebration of Armed Forces Day by exchanging contacts with Army, Air Force, Navy-Marine Corps and Coast Guard radio stations. The Armed Forces Day Anniversary and Military/Amateur Crossband Communications Test will take place the weekend of May 12-13.
Armed Forces Day actually falls on May 19, but the office of Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld rescheduled the traditional cross-band communications test to avoid a conflict with the Dayton Hamvention May 18-20.
During the cross-band test, military stations in the US, Europe and the Pacific will listen on amateur frequencies and transmit on government frequencies, a mode of operation similar to the split operation used by many DX stations. Amateur stations can determine where to transmit by listening on designated government frequencies.
A full listing of stations, frequencies, hours of operation and operating instructions is available on the ARRL Web site and on other sites.
Starting at 1100 UTC on May 12, (individual stations' hours will vary), 14 military stations will be on the air on SSB and will exchange QSL cards. Nine additional stations will transmit the Secretary of Defense's Armed Forces Day message at stated intervals via digital modes including PACTOR, AMTOR, GTOR and Clover.
Special commemorative certificates will be awarded hams who submit hard copy evidence of successful reception.
"These tests give Amateur Radio operators and short-wave listeners an opportunity to demonstrate their individual technical skills and receive recognition from the Secretary of Defense or the appropriate military station for their proven expertise," the chiefs of the Army, Air Force and Navy-Marine Corp Military Affiliate Radio System(MARS) said in announcing the event.
For full information visit the ARRL Web site.
Regional Army MARS sites in Connecticut, Virginia, Ohio, Texas and Montana also have full information on this year's Armed Forces Day event. Visit the Army MARS site for specific URLs.
Page last modified: 09:42 AM, 01 May 2001 ET
Page author: awextra@arrl.org
Copyright © 2001, American Radio Relay League, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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