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Author Topic: W3LK - MARS frequencies  (Read 26534 times)

N4NYY

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W3LK - MARS frequencies
« on: May 16, 2011, 01:21:01 PM »

Lon,

Do you have a frequencies where I could monitor communications, specifically your section? I went to the MARS website looking for frequencies, and I got this:

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=4&sqi=2&ved=0CEkQFjAD&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnavymars.org%2F&rct=j&q=mars%20radio&ei=Y4TRTf37J8fegQf80cCoDA&usg=AFQjCNEgdzR9jI8f2Hs1_zMWQkEsPR4BDA

I have always been interested, but am confused as to the purpose. I would like to listen in and monitor a net or communications. I kind of got interested after monitoring nets like Satern nets on Katrina and Haiti, though I never participated.
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W3LK

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RE: W3LK - MARS frequencies
« Reply #1 on: May 16, 2011, 02:54:16 PM »

Sorry, Vinnie, but MARS frequencies are considered to be classified information.

The Mission of the MARS system is to:

- provide auxiliary communications for military, federal and local disaster management officials during periods of emergency or while conducting drills in emergency procedures.

- assist in effecting normal communications under emergency conditions.
   
- create interest and furnish a means of training members in military communications procedures and provide a potential reserve of trained communications personnel.

- handle morale and quasi-official message and voice communications traffic for members of the Armed Forces and authorized U.S. Government civilian personnel stationed throughout the world.
   
- provide, during daily routine operations, a method of exchanging MARSGRAMS and two-way telephone contacts between service personnel and their families back home. In carrying out this assignment, MARS operates a 24-hour message relay system and maintains a series of electronic mailboxes throughout the world.
   
- conduct daily traffic and training nets, drills and critiques to train operators and test the systems readiness to handle demands during an emergency.
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A smoking section in a restaurant makes as much sense as a peeing section in a swimming pool.

N4NYY

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RE: W3LK - MARS frequencies
« Reply #2 on: May 16, 2011, 03:22:11 PM »

Quote
Sorry, Vinnie, but MARS frequencies are considered to be classified information.

That explains the link !  ;D
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N0SYA

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RE: W3LK - MARS frequencies
« Reply #3 on: May 16, 2011, 05:09:47 PM »

Hi
This is the USNMC MARS bible:
http://navymars.org/national/ntp.htm
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If you have a clumsy child, you make them wear a helmet. If you have death prone children, you keep a few clones of them in your lab.

K6LCS

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RE: W3LK - MARS frequencies
« Reply #4 on: May 30, 2011, 09:39:07 AM »

>> ... Sorry, Vinnie, but MARS frequencies are considered to be classified information ...

A simple Google search provides every frequency MARS uses ... the information is most certainly not deemed "classified."

Clint Bradford, K6LCS
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Clint Bradford, K6LCS
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W3JKS

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RE: W3LK - MARS frequencies
« Reply #5 on: May 31, 2011, 05:29:03 AM »

MARS and CAP frequencies are NOT Classified.  They are, however, For Official Use Only.  There is a huge difference.

You will not be thrown into the cell next to Bradley Manning if you disclose them.  ::)

73,
john W3JKS/AAT3BF/AAM3EDE/AAM3RE/AAA9SL
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W3LK

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RE: W3LK - MARS frequencies
« Reply #6 on: June 07, 2011, 08:10:48 AM »

MARS and CAP frequencies are NOT Classified.  They are, however, For Official Use Only.  There is a huge difference.


You are technically correct about them not being classified, in the traditional sense. However, all three services have prohibitions against public reference to specific frequencies (except for the three national ECOM frequencies), prohibit the publishing of the frequencies to the general public and all three require the use of the frequency designators in all on-air communications. This comes pretty darn close to being classified, in a practical sense.

Lon - NNN0OOR / NNN0AS1 THREE (Former MDE SMD, Deputy SMD, Assistant For Net Operations)
Southern New England Navy-Marine Corps MARS
Proudly Serving Those Who Serve





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A smoking section in a restaurant makes as much sense as a peeing section in a swimming pool.

AG8K

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RE: W3LK - MARS frequencies
« Reply #7 on: June 07, 2011, 04:57:59 PM »

I would like to listen to a MARS net just to see what goes on.  If the information transmitted is secret then it should be scrambled or the ham radios attached to a CRM-114.  If it is not secret then it should be available to anyone with a shortwave radio 

General "Buck" Turgidson: As you may recall, sir, one of the provisions of Plan 'R' provides that once the go-code is received, the normal SSB Radios on the aircraft are switched into a specially coded device which I believe is designated as CRM-114. Now, in order to prevent the enemy from issuing fake or confusing orders, CRM-114 is designed not to receive at all. Unless the message is the correct three-letter recall code prefix.

 
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N0SYA

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RE: W3LK - MARS frequencies
« Reply #8 on: June 08, 2011, 04:11:00 PM »

 The range from 4000 to 4050 usualy has activity evenings, all in usb or sometimes mt63 mode.
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If you have a clumsy child, you make them wear a helmet. If you have death prone children, you keep a few clones of them in your lab.

W8NSI

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RE: W3LK - MARS frequencies
« Reply #9 on: June 19, 2011, 08:57:58 AM »

I would like to listen to a MARS net just to see what goes on.  If the information transmitted is secret then it should be scrambled or the ham radios attached to a CRM-114.  If it is not secret then it should be available to anyone with a shortwave radio 


Technically, the frequencies are not classified but the information is on a need to know basis... and the chiefs of the three MARS services have deemed the general public as not having a need to know. You are free to tune around and listen as you find the nets. Generally, there are nets in the 2.0 to 3.5 mhz and 4 to 6.9 mhz ranges plus some specialty nets on higher frequencies (above 7.4 mhz) favoring longer distances due to their propagation characteristics. The need to know comes-in concerning the specific frequencies and days-of-week/times of nets. Persistence on your part will pay off if you happen to be monitoring the correct frequency when the net is called. Nets are voice and digital, including mt63, Olivia, and sometimes other sound card modes or tnc modes.
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73 de w8nsi/nnn0uzw jim

AAR5AC

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RE: W3LK - MARS frequencies
« Reply #10 on: June 22, 2011, 05:05:53 PM »

We have allocated spectrum from 2 mhz to 30 mhz but most of the activity is above the 80 meter band for local nets, around the 60m band and just below the 40m band for regional nets.  And in the winter there is some activity in the low 3mhz to high 2mhz areas.  Then there is some more long haul and national coverage assignments above the 20m band.  Most of the activity takes place in these areas.  A good time to listen is in the mornings and evenings.
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KE4DYG

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RE: W3LK - MARS frequencies
« Reply #11 on: July 06, 2011, 07:17:29 AM »

I use to be a member of mars. I loved to go down to upper part of the 20 meter band and listen to the phone patch  between military when the war was going on in Iraq Robert above 14.400 I think.
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KC9TNH

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RE: W3LK - MARS frequencies
« Reply #12 on: July 07, 2011, 07:46:57 AM »

MARS and CAP frequencies are NOT Classified.  They are, however, For Official Use Only.  There is a huge difference.

You will not be thrown into the cell next to Bradley Manning if you disclose them.  ::)

73,
john W3JKS/AAT3BF/AAM3EDE/AAM3RE/AAA9SL
(John, not picking on you personally but your segue to Manning is nicely appropriate.)
Nonetheless, for anyone curious about the semantics:
 classifications (CONFIDENTIAL, SECRET, TOP SECRET) are what they are and handling instructions for Unclassified material (e.g., FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY, LAW ENFORCEMENT SENSITIVE, et al) likewise. The words mean something. And the content also likely has a reason for exemption from FOIA disclosure as well. Just the fact that it can be gotten because someone else already did something to violate their trust doesn't mean it's open season to post on the net.  Kinda like publishing personal info in the mainstream media, and 1500w amps:

Just because you can doesn't necessarily mean you should.
 :)

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73
Wes -KC9TNH
"Don't get treed by a chihuahua." - Pete
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