How to readily determine if a radio has MARS mod?

[W6CD]

I did a search of eHam and the web, but did not find how to readily determine if a radio (ICOM 735) has the MARS mod accomplished?  

Thanks,
Vince

[W3LK]

Connect it to a dummy load and try to transmit outside of one of the ham bands, specifically one of the MARS frequencies.

If it transmits, it's been modified; if it doesn't, it hasn't.

Lon - NNN0OOR (Former MDE SMD, Deputy SMD, Assistant For Net Operations)
Southern New England Navy-Marine Corps MARS
Proudly Serving Those Who Serve

[N9KWW]

Just for my own benifit, what is you mars call, might have a chance to talk.
Ron
NNN0VAG

[KD8EXD]

A previous ham suggested trying to transmit outside of normal ham bands.  Try above 4.2 mhz.  It it transmits, it has been modified, if not, it has not been modified.  I am member of Air Force MARS, AFA2QB in Region 2, WV to FL.  I'm in WV.  There are verious mods for each brand and model of transceiver out there.  I use Icom 725 and 756 Pro 3 myself, and the 725 is cutting one wire inside, and the 756 Pro 3 is removing 3 small stamp diods on a board with a pencil soldering iron. The Ameritron AL-1500 amplifier is cutting one green wire inside.  Not too difficult.  All these can be found on the internet.  I posted the AL-1500 to eHam.net myself, along with 3-4 other Ameritron models.  I am on Air Force MARS every night, and Net Control 1 night per week.

73's

[W3LK]

<< The Ameritron AL-1500 amplifier is cutting one green wire inside. Not too difficult. All these can be found on the internet. I posted the AL-1500 to eHam.net myself, along with 3-4 other Ameritron models.>>

I'm not sure what you are referring to, but I've never seen any "MARS mods" for Ameritron or any other tube amps. All of them will handle out-of-ham-band signals without any modification other than a (possible) slight retuning of the input coils for minimum input SWR.

The "green Wire" mod you refer to is to enable 10-12m operation. It has nothing to do with MARS usage.

Lon - NNN0OOR (Former MDE SMD, Deputy SMD, Assistant For Net Operations)
Southern New England Navy-Marine Corps MARS
Proudly Serving Those Who Serve

[W3LK]

You will note that the original poster has not bothered, even after three weeks, to come back and thank anyone for their information.

Lon - NNN0OOR (Former MDE SMD, Deputy SMD, Assistant For Net Operations)
Southern New England Navy-Marine Corps MARS
Proudly Serving Those Who Serve

[W6CD]

Apologies for not circling back to say thanks.

The reason for the question was one of curiosity regarding the radio which I obtained from another ham awhile back.  It appears the radio does in fact have MARS capability.

Thanks!

Vince

[W3LK]

You're welcome.

73,

Lon - W3LK
Naugatuck, Connecticut

[N9KWW]

I think MOST radios these days are moded in one form or another. With the advent of the 60 meter band, MARS mods have become the mod of choice. Is there such a thing as an off the shelf radio that does NOT have a mod done to it? This brings up an interesting question, will this create a problem on the "out of band" segments? I know of way to many hams who just "spin the dial" and talk, if it dos not transmit, they know they are out of band. With the opening up of the radios I can see more issues of out of band transmissions, it is way to easy to do so.
any thoughts?

[KG4RUL]

I always look for the MARS Cap.  My Wife knit one for my radio.

[W3LK]

<< I think MOST radios these days are moded in one form or another. With the advent of the 60 meter band, MARS mods have become the mod of choice. Is there such a thing as an off the shelf radio that does NOT have a mod done to it? >>

I'm willing to be the majority of HF rigs have NOT been modified for out-of-ham-band-operation. The number of hams actually using 60m is rather small, as is the actual number of MARS members.

As for those who mod their rigs to enable out-of-band operation, if they're too lazy or incompetent to pay attention to where they are transmitting, they deserve anything the FCC does to them for such operation.

Lon - NNN0OOR (Former MDE SMD, Deputy SMD, Assistant For Net Operations)
Southern New England Navy-Marine Corps MARS
Proudly Serving Those Who Serve

[W8NSI]

Actually there are radios that do not have "out of band" modifications for MARS but work on 60 meters. My Tentec jupiter is an example. I assume that if needed I could probably get the firmware update to use it on MARS frequencies.

I used to be in Navy MARS about 25 years ago. Are MARSgrams and message handling still done on the voice nets?  I was digging through some papers here and found that I have a pad of the old MARSgram forms. Brought back memories... ages ago I was NNN0ZUH.

73 de w8nsi jim

[W3LK]

Jim:

That's a possibility, but you would have to ask TenTec to be sure.

Things have changed a little since you were in Navy MARS. With rare exceptions, MARSGrams and phone patches are pretty much a thing in the past, as is MARS traffic to ships afloat.

The primary mission of all three MARS services is now ECOM support to the Department of Defense, state governments, local governments and certain NGOs, in that order. This year a tri-service SOP for voice nets was adopted and replaces the different procedures used by the three services. All the bugs haven't been worked out, but we are getting there. Interoperability between services is now common, as is participation in each other's nets and joint ECOM exercises.

Most traffic is now passed digitally, even on voice nets. About the only things passed by voice any more are net reports, and not many of them. While RTTY and AMTOR are still used, MT63 is fast becoming the mode of choice for passing traffic at the local level. MT63 at 2k runs about five times as fast as RTTY and AMTOR. It works well, even under very weak signal conditions. Navy MARS' MDS (MARS Data System) is being replaced with WinLink 2000.

I hope this is helpful information.

Lon - NNN0OOR (Former MDE SMD, Deputy SMD, Assistant For Net Operations)
Southern New England Navy-Marine Corps MARS
Proudly Serving Those Who Serve