I am not completely sure of David's point, other than MARS is a Military sponsored and channelized system intended for specific purposes which are very different from amateur radio. As a Navy MARS op (N0YUI, now a reissued ham call) in the mid 1960's and in the 1980's, as an AF MARS op (AFA3QH), I found it a very disciplined and structured system that can work well for radio message traffic.
But the one comment that he echoes from what I have seen in the past few weeks is that ARRL has agreed to end long distance traffic and MARS is taking this over. I have only seen this claim from MARS. To my knowledge, the ARRL NTS is still operating and still promotes THRU traffic. I would think it would be major news to change this structure to mostly local traffic. Has the ARRL BoD really done this? The cost of equipment today is incredibly low compared to when I was first licensed (1963) and tried to scrape together enough to buy even the most basic equipment for HF CW and 2 meter AM, and used equipment makes it even less. A basic 10 watt crystal controller 2 meter AM transceiver (Clegg 22er) cost $200 in the mid 1960's. That translates into $1400 in today's money. I often wonder how I did afford what I did at the time! There will be hard core radio operators who will spend large sums of money for what interests them. Consider multi thousand dollar amplifiers and antennas systems. But very, very, few hams have the slightest interest in $1000 modems or even $500 modems. Most MARS operators do not use the SCS modems at this time. In fact, one local affiliate uses DOS with an old computer and an old software program. One thing you are confusing is the use of human to human contact with human to machine contact and where the machine ignores anyone else on the frequency. That is the problem! Not that there are many human operators on at the same time. Amateur radio is a shared resource and always has been. MARS is not. Emergency communication, which I admit is something that has been an interest of mine since my first experience with the 1965 floods in the midwest, is still a microcosm of ham radio and plays a small part 99.9% of the time. There is no great threat from loss of HF frequencies. In fact, we have been gaining bands in the past decade or so. We might lose some microwave bands that are basically unused, but HF, being world wide, involves much more than just one countries rules. Remember that in most countries, amateur radio does not have a strong emergency component and in some countries it is discouraged. I might suggest we look at the big picture. We should also not confuse emergency communications with the broader Public Service that Part 97 addresses. Supplying common carrier services for government agencies is a sure fire way to lose frequencies if it proves to be all that successful. But providing what we do best: national weather service storm spotting, local and regional communications for events, and other public service matches that purpose. We are still available for the really serious emergencies when all else fails. I would definitely not include Winlink 2000 as one of the systems you want to dedicate too much of your emergency structure since it is not exactly something available whenever you need it. Here is a good test. When you get on the bands, any bands, what modes can you generally expect to contact someone? That tells you where you want to be when all else fails. 73, Rick, KV9U David Little wrote: > It is interesting , isn't it? > > MARS doesn't hold contests. > > MARS doesn't allow stations to intentionally interfere with other stations. > > MARS doesn't promote awards for the number of contacts you can make in a > minute and not say anything. > > MARS doesn't get their panties wadded up when information is exchanged > without being interfered by contesters, QRN or jammers. > > Army MARS offers training during 90% of it's net operations. > > MARS has requirements for membership. > > MARS promotes discipline and efficient operation. > > MARS gets to play on NTIA spectrum and doesn't have to subject itself to the > bonfire of vanities experienced on ham frequencies. > > Kid of sets a precedent, doesn't it. > > This probably goes as far as any other single example to explain why the > ARRL relegated the Amateur Radio community to the realm of last mile (VHF) > communications in support of emergency communications and abdicated the HF > realm to the Tri Service MARS organizations. Bread and Circuses has worked > since Roman times; why should this be any different. > > The ARRL knew when to throw in the towel, and had a pretty good idea about > the quality of their members; as well as their devotion level to do the > tasks traditionally required of the Amateur Radio Service in exchange for > the spectrum they enjoy. The operation has been a success; the patient is > definitely dying.... > > Pactor III is probably more effective than CW ever was as a 'filter" to > determine the dedication level of emergency communicators. > > But, you have to consider that there is not a HF rig less than $500.00 new, > and entry level for a HF rig that utilizes the best of 20th century > technology starts around $1200.00 > > With that said, you can begin to appreciate that the $900.00 cost of a > Pactor III controller (taking advantage of the 10% discount for Emergency > Communicators) will deliver the mail, with the cheapest HF rig. A PTC-IIex > controller connected to an Icom IC-718 cost about what an IC-7000 or a > little less than a TS-2000 costs; in a field of choices that can cost up to > $15,000.00 for a HF rig alone. > > The "Contest Grade" of transceivers that go north of ten grand will clog up > the airwaves and render them unusable by others far more often than Pactor > III and WL2K. > > Anyone saying that frequency usage during a contest is less adversely > affected than by WL2K transmissions using Pactor III is sadly being less > than truthful with their self and others, and there is simply no room for > discussion to the contrary. A little intellectual honesty will trump knee > jerk reaction every time.... > > Emergency Preparedness in our county in Glynn County, GA currently includes > 8 SCS Pactor III controllers. At least 4 more are scheduled for purchase > prior to Hurricane season. > > The reason for this is that nothing else will come close to the throughput > and devotion of the WL2K system when other infrastructure is down. > > The county services have now learned the importance of owning their own > amateur radio equipment and promoting operators from within their ranks to > be able to have the additional layer of communications infrastructure > available and in play during time of emergency. > > I would say this is a wake-up call, but, sadly, wake-up calls concerning the > Amateur Radio Service are a small spot in the rear-view mirror. > > So, it is entirely predictable that the Amateur community would resist WL2k > and Pactor III. It does what they no longer have the devotion to do. I > continue to refine my ear, and ability to work voice under less than optimal > conditions. I continue to refine my station(s); fixed, mobile and portable > in an attempt to be prepared to do the job required to retain the Amateur > Radio Spectrum. Pactor III is a tool that I use very sparingly. I am very > fortunate to be able to use it freely on the NTIA spectrum, and, given a > choice, it is a no-brainer which service will handle the most traffic during > an emergency situation. > > To a "T", the amateur radio community will continue to resist, until they > have no ground under their feet. Spectrum refarming is very lucrative for > funding . The FCC may seem slow, but they do have a little more will to > survive than others under their blanket seem to... > > All in all, it is progress. The direction it is taking isn't pretty, but > the outcome will include Pactor III, I am not too sure it will include > Amateur Radio... Laughing last will be a hollow victory in this case.... > > David > KD4NUE > >
