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Post by Mark O on Oct 11, 2012 11:03:40 GMT 9
Military Affiliate Radio System -- now known as Military Auxiliary Radio System -- is still around. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_Auxiliary_Radio_SystemJust curious if anyone has any experience, or even stories using this system. My brother is a HAM with his "General" license -- KK4BJF in the US, JJ5ISD in Japan -- and has got me interested in pursuing the hobby myself. I've been doing a bit of research on it. Our dad was a HAM when they used "boat anchors" (HUGE radios with -- -- tubes!!) for radios, but has been long out of the hobby. My only experience has been as a listener. Just over the past few days I've dug my old receiver out of the foot locker, and Son #2 and I have found shortwave stations ranging from Radio Havana, to China Radio International. Pretty interesting stuff. Anyway, if anyone is an old HAM, a MARS user (remember MARSgrams?), or just interested I'd love to hear your stories. P.S. You do NOT have to know Morse Code to get your license anymore, but I'd still like to learn eventually. Maybe a "bucket list" item!
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Don Fletcher
F-106 Qualified
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Post by Don Fletcher on Oct 12, 2012 0:51:11 GMT 9
I was in the first deployment of Project Whiteshoes to support the Alaskan Air Command after the 1964 Alaskan earthquake. As I was a newly married A2C with a pregnant wife at home in Tacoma WA. the weekly MARS phone call was greatly appreciated. Although the MARS operator did have a tough time getting my wife to quit talking and get her to say "Over" so that I could talk. As this was when a long distance call like that still required an operator and was very expensive, I was very glad to have opportunity to use the MARS network during that three month deployment.
:patriotic-flagwaver
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Post by Jim on Oct 12, 2012 2:42:07 GMT 9
I used MARS while at SUWON AB Korea 70-71..... The GIs stationed there were in the Comm, Civil Engineers (primarily Fire Dept) and Transportation Squadrons. No USAF aircraft assigned there....... (18th FIS with dueces were tdy there from Okinawa) Most MARS calls from the Pacific went through Sen. Barry Goldwaters comm room... He had 4 or 5 operators there that worked only military calls....Because the wife was here in AZ, the phone call was a local call for me........... Her dad was an old HAM, call sign 3NUF and when he moved out west, they added a W making it W3NUF... His transmitter was a Halicrafter kit assembly and his receiver was homemade and weighed about 40 lbs and was portable? He used it in his car when ever they were traveling... When he came to visit us, I would string up about 100' dipole antenna and listen to him talk all over the world........
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biendhoa
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Post by biendhoa on Oct 12, 2012 9:18:10 GMT 9
The 18th TFW stationed at Kadena had F4s at that time.The 51st TFW was stationed at Naha and had F102s. Sometime during this period the 51st went PCS to Korea.I think to Osan but not sure.
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MOW
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Post by MOW on Oct 12, 2012 9:51:29 GMT 9
The 18th TFW stationed at Kadena had F4s at that time.The 51st TFW was stationed at Naha and had F102s. Sometime during this period the 51st went PCS to Korea.I think to Osan but not sure. Correct, the 51st TFW went to Osan AB where it remains today as the 51 FW. The 7 AF is also HQ'd here at Osan.
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Post by Jim on Oct 12, 2012 9:56:33 GMT 9
The 18th TFW stationed at Kadena had F4s at that time.The 51st TFW was stationed at Naha and had F102s. Sometime during this period the 51st went PCS to Korea.I think to Osan but not sure. Correct, the 51st TFW went to Osan AB where it remains today as the 51 FW. The 7 AF is also HQ'd here at Osan. Thanks, Jay, for the correction, the outfit was from Naha AB.. 40 years ago.
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Post by Mark O on Oct 26, 2012 1:42:40 GMT 9
"Ohhhhhhhmmmmmm..." Well, I decided to go for my ham license. My brother sent me his Technician Class study guide, and I've been flipping through it off and of over the past few days. This morning I decided to just start at the beginning as they say! Whew! Been knocking the cobwebs out of the way to remember all that basic electronics information stored up there! Time for a lunch break! I'm making pretty good progress, and feel confident I can pass the test next Saturday. Still deciding if I want to study for the General Class license as well, and take both tests. (Of course, I can't afford to buy any radios, or any other equipment -- that stuff is expensive -- but at least I'll have my license!)
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Post by Jim on Oct 26, 2012 2:59:25 GMT 9
"Ohhhhhhhmmmmmm..." Well, I decided to go for my ham license. My brother sent me his Technician Class study guide, and I've been flipping through it off and of over the past few days. This morning I decided to just start at the beginning as they say! Whew! Been knocking the cobwebs out of the way to remember all that basic electronics information stored up there! Time for a lunch break! I'm making pretty good progress, and feel confident I can pass the test next Saturday. Still deciding if I want to study for the General Class license as well, and take both tests. (Of course, I can't afford to buy any radios, or any other equipment -- that stuff is expensive -- but at least I'll have my license!) Look for kits and build your own... Halicrafter is an old name that comes to mind... The santamonious Old Sarge en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hallicrafters Guess they ain't around anymore www.hamradio.com/ www.aesham.com/
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Post by lugnuts55 on Oct 26, 2012 4:30:46 GMT 9
There was a MARS station at Korat Thailand in 1972 and I was able to use it a few times. It was kind of neat, especially for my folks and brother. When we finished talking, we had to say "over". I guess so the guy on the other side of the wall knew when to flip the switch from transmit to receive. It was nice to hear and talk with the folks for 15 minutes. As far as I know, it didn't cost them anything nor did it cost me anything. I had to go there in the middle of the night so my folks would be home from work and could talk a few minutes. I always thought it was pretty good of the Ham Radio operators to help provide this service.
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Post by LBer1568 on Oct 26, 2012 4:36:34 GMT 9
Heath kits were the craze when I was much younger. And Radio Shack probably has some kits as well.
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Post by pat perry on Oct 26, 2012 5:00:03 GMT 9
Heath kits were the craze when I was much younger. And Radio Shack probably has some kits as well. It's here... it's gone... it's back again... it's gone again en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HeathkitHad a friend who built his own television and Heath test equipment. Learned electoronics this way and got a job as a Xerox copier tech for 30 years. Heathkit was a career builder for some. Pat P.
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Jim Scanlon (deceased)
Senior Staff
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Commander South Texas outpost of the County Sligo Squadron
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Post by Jim Scanlon (deceased) on Oct 26, 2012 7:42:31 GMT 9
When I was in Thailand, and then in Viet Nam (in country 1968-1969), De and I tried several times to get in contact via MARS, but never made it happen.
At Da Nang my boss' family was in Tucson and he managed to get through a couple times.
Both times it was the same HAM operator who connected him.
You may have heard of him, Barry Goldwater.
Goldwater took many MARS calls and always paid any long-distance charges out of his own pocket.
A true friend of America's Patriot Warriors.
I had a regular broadcast license for a number of years and had my own radio program from Angola, Indiana.
Never got in to the HAM thing, but sure wanted to.
Jim Too - The other "sanctimonious" Jim
:god_bless_usa
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Post by Mark O on Oct 26, 2012 12:38:08 GMT 9
One of the nice things about hams is they all seem to have quite a collection of gear. Once I take (and pass) the test I plan on joining the local club, as well as ARRL.* If the stars line up, I may be able to find some deals. My brother told me when he tested, and joined the Japanese version he was overwhelmed with offers for help. I suspect the same could happen here as everything I've read about hams is they really love it when new blood comes into the hobby. In the meantime, I'm still studying... ...-.- --.-... ...- * www.arrl.org/P.S. I just checked out "Heathkit" on eBay. There is a BIG market for that stuff!
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Post by Mark O on Oct 29, 2012 8:25:14 GMT 9
Ugh. Finally finished the "Technician" study guide for my ham license. Another major milestone is I also got 35 out of 35 on one of the practice tests. I'm still going to be taking them throught the week, but it's nice to ace one.
Now I have to start on the "General" guides, and do the same thing. Subjects get harder, plus more to memorize.
Testing on Saturday for both.
Whew!
Edit: I just noticed -- this is my 2,500th post! :clap
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Post by Gene on Oct 29, 2012 8:31:39 GMT 9
:patriotic-flagwaver :god_bless_usa
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Post by LBer1568 on Oct 29, 2012 11:17:35 GMT 9
Way to go Mark, good luck on your tests. Back when we could use our Education Credits on Activve Duty, several of us took heath Classes on Electronics. The material was much simplier than our MA-1 Classes in Tech School. But we got Heath Kits as our practical exams. I had a lot of test equipment back then from the courses. And Uncle Sam paid for them. As a side note, my VA Education credits expired 15 months after I retired. They were originally good for 10 years after you retired, but the program ended 15 months after I retired. So I couldn't use much of them. I always thought I got hosed on that deal. Lorin
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Post by Mark O on Nov 4, 2012 6:05:37 GMT 9
I did it!I passed both the Technician Class, and the General Class tests this afternoon. 32/35 on the tech, and 30/35 on the general. Not bad considering I only started studying the tech portion last week, and only seriously started the general class portion three days ago! For those that do not know the technician class essentially just gives one VHF/UHF privileges, and the general class adds most of the HF bands. The next step (top) is called Amateur Extra Class. Maybe when I get some experience I'll go for that. The way I look at it is I just got my "license to learn." I'll get my call sign assigned from the FCC in a week to ten days, then they will mail me the official license. The attached document is my CSCE -- basically a receipt saying which tests I passed. Of course I can't do anything with it (the license, not the CSCE) considering I have no radio, but hey, it's one less thing! (BTW, the tests I passed are circled on the right side of the form. Element 1 is Morse Code -- no longer required for Hams -- Element 2 is technician, Element 3 is general, and Element 4 is amateur extra. It's an old form, but most of the info is still correct so they still use it.)
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Post by lindel on Nov 4, 2012 12:24:14 GMT 9
Congrats Mark!
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Post by Tom Dlugosh on Nov 5, 2012 3:08:08 GMT 9
Congratulations Mark! To be honest I didn't even know ham radio operators even existed anymore. Used to have several that lived around me, but it seems they are all gone now. Have fun with it.
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Post by LBer1568 on Nov 5, 2012 4:35:04 GMT 9
Hand Salute mark...Good luck with finding a nice radio to start your newest career hobby. lorin
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