P rairieland  A mateur  R adio  S ociety

Illinois contact is:

Diana White, AFF3IL: 

Phone: 815-645-8414

Email: dwhite@t6b.net

Stillman Valley, IL

Donald Poquette - AGA3C
HQ AFCA/ECFP (MARS)
203 West Losey Street, Room 3100
Scott AFB IL 62225-5222
(618) 229-5944 DSN: 779
usaf.mars@scott.af.mil 

To join, send a request for application forms to:
E-mail: usaf.mars@scott.af.mil  

**** On May 22, 2007, The position of AF MARS Chief will be vacant, thus applications for new members will not be accepted until a new AF MARS Chief has been appointed. See AF MARS CAST 07-08.****

What is MARS?
The Military Affiliate Radio System is a Department of Defense sponsored program, established as separate managed and operated programs by the Army, Navy, and Air Force.

The program consists of licensed amateur radio operators who are interested in military communications. They contribute to the MARS mission providing auxiliary or emergency communications on a local, national, and international basis as an adjunct to normal communications.

MARS History
In November 1925, the Army Amateur Radio System (AARS) was formed by a few dedicated pioneers in the United States Army Signal Corps. This organization continued until the start of World War II when operations were suspended. Army amateur radio was authorized to resume operations in 1946 and the Army Amateur Radio System was reactivated and functioned as such until 1948 when the Army and Air Force established the Military Amateur Radio System, later renamed the Military Affiliate Radio System (MARS). In 1962, the Navy-Marine Corps MARS program was launched making MARS a joint service program.

MARS Mission
-- Provide Department of Defense sponsored emergency communications on a local, national, and international basis as an adjunct to normal communications.
-- Provide auxiliary communications for military, civil, and/or disaster officials during periods of emergency.
Assist in effecting normal communications under emergency conditions.
-- Create interest, and furnish a means of training members in military communications procedures.
-- Provide a potential reserve of trained radio communications personnel.
-- Handle moral and quasi-official record and voice communications traffic for Armed Forces and authorized U.S. Government civilian personnel stationed throughout the world.
-- Conduct an appropriate Amateur Radio program as a part of the annual celebration of Armed Forces Day.

Eligibility to join MARS
The applicant must:
-- Be 18 years of age or older.
-- Be a United States citizen or resident alien.
-- Possess a valid amateur radio license issued by the Federal Communications Commission.
-- Have digital capability, i.e., Packet, Amtor, Pactor, or G-TOR.
-- Possess a station capable of operating on MARS HF frequencies.
MARS members must agree to operate in accordance with the rules and regulations governing MARS as follow:
-- A Minimum of 12 hours participation per calendar quarter with 6 hours in their primary HF assignment.

Benefits of MARS Membership
-- Add to the enjoyment of your amateur radio hobby through the expanded horizon of MARS.
-- Increase your communications skills and capabilities.
-- Operate on specially assigned military radio frequencies in voice, teletype, PACKET and other digital modes of communications.
-- Join a group of dedicated fellow radio amateurs participating in meaningful public service.
-- Gain a feeling of being associated with a military mission and contributing to the welfare and preparedness of the nation.
-- Participate in regulated, disciplined radio nets with structured lines of organization and very specific operating rules.
-- Participate in the MARS Excess/Surplus Equipment Program after 6 months active membership. Issue of equipment is based on availability of equipment, and possible assigned mission of individual activity. The granting of MARS membership to an individual or activity does not in itself convey an automatic right or entitlement of the recipient to receive or demand MARS property.

Typical MARS Frequencies
MARS members stations meet periodically in scheduled networks on military frequencies outside of the amateur bands. There are various types of networks and each accomplishes a specific goal. For example, administrative networks to take care of much of the day-to-day management of the program; traffic networks which exist solely to pass third party traffic; and of course, emergency networks which are established to provide for communication needs during periods of emergency. There are also technical nets and training nets. MARS nets operate in different modes. Although high frequency (HF) single sideband (SSB) voice is predominant, there are RTTY, VHF, PACKET, other digital modes and even slow scan TV nets. You may not join or belong to more than one MARS service at the same time.