US Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA), "The Force Behind the Fleet", recently published how their Crane division collaborated with a prominent university for instructing students on Digital Signal Processing (DSP) and Software Defined Radio (SDR) technology using amateur radio, once again underlining the value of a robust Amateur Radio Service for education and national defense. 73, John, WØPV NSWC Crane collaborates with Rose-Hulman professor to expand niche radio technology capability for the warfighter (The following are just a few excerpts from the whole article, linked above) A group of Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division (NSWC Crane) employees were visiting Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology (RHIT) in Terre Haute, Indiana for an undergraduate career fair a few years ago. RHIT, a nationally-recognized science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) university, is less than two hours away from NSWC Crane. The career fair sparked a chance encounter that brought a unique capability to the fleet. Garry Wieneke, who was the Deputy Division Manager for Expeditionary Electronic Warfare (EW) at NSWC Crane at the time, was part of the group that attended that career fair. Along with meeting students who might be interested in working at NSWC Crane, Wieneke was introduced to a RHIT professor named Dr. Edward Doering aka KD9THL . Digital Signal Processing (DSP) & Software Defined Radio (SDR) Technology Dr. Doering says that he also took inspiration from his technical mentor Tim Vance, aka KC9PYL, Chief Engineer, now retired. “During his final presentation to the division Tim Vance encouraged everyone to get their amateur radio license,” Dr. Doering recalls, “and I got mine three weeks later. Now I teach the SDR class with a big amateur radio spin on the projects. My experience at Crane has shaped what I do at Rose—I can bring new ideas to the classroom.” Dr. Doering says the updated RHIT SDR course gives students a more hands-on experience with communication systems. “It extends what they learn and gives them a practical application,” says Dr. Doering. “It’s fascinating to do wireless communication—sending data from one radio to another without a visible connection…students can say, ‘I made this and it actually works.’ The course helps them get experience with current technology. SDR technology is of ongoing interest and is the basis of what is going on in wireless communications—it is developing and continues to evolve and change.”
The navy department did not think much of us back in September 2015 when they closed down Navy MARS, which was composed entirely of ham radio operators. They have tied their coms to satellite systems now. HF ops have become the baby of Army MARS.
It's not that the Navy didn't think much of amateur radio; it's that MARS' primary mission today doesn't really align with the Navy's needs.
Sorry, which formating? The text color? The choice of BLUE is default from QRZ for hyperlinks, I just sometimes make it bold, or use similar color for some copy-pasted text. Click on the link and read the article in its native format if need be. It's erroneous to think the USN relies only on SATCOMM, they are investing in new HF gear - Navy chooses L-3 to integrate COTS long-haul communications "Battle Force Tactical Network (BFTN-HF) augments satellite communications to provide global network connectivity for ships, submarines, aircraft, and naval shore sites via HF radio." I can understand some bitterness about abolishing Navy MARS, but it's not true that the Navy Department doesn't think much of radio amateurs, as the USMC is still a part of that overall, and it has simply altered the utilization of radio amateurs yet still relies upon them in a different format for HF training (see below). FITTING 19TH CENTURY TECHNOLOGY INTO 21ST CENTURY WARFIGHTING - 10 FEB 2020 | Cpl. Stephen Campbell II MEF Information Group (Don't miss the video at the end ) CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. -- U.S. Marines with Information Group, II Marine Expeditionary Force participated in a HAM Amateur Radio General Licensing Course as part of the group’s High Frequency Auxiliary Initiative on base, Jan. 27-31, 2020. The course, taught by members of the Brightleaf Amateur Radio Club, out of Greenville, N.C., helps Marines learn the principles of high frequency radio operations as a contingency against a peer-to-peer adversary in real-world operations. Throughout the duration of the course, Marines learned HAM radio frequency and propagation theory, frequency band allocation, conventional and field-expedient antenna theory in addition to HAM radio operations and control. U.S. Marine Corps Col. Jordan Walzer, commanding officer of II MIG, created the High Frequency Auxiliary Initiative after recognizing the need for utilizing more options in a combat environment. He wanted the Marines to familiarize themselves with older technology to ensure their lethality in any situation. “Embracing technology is great but over reliance leaves us vulnerable,” Walzer said. “In a peer-to-peer conflict, our space-based capabilities will be attacked. The next war will look less like ‘Saving Private Ryan’ and a lot more like ‘Ghost Fleet’.” Contrary to Saving Private Ryan, which was fought utilizing traditional land-based maneuver warfare, Ghost Fleet is a book set in the near future and includes the addition of space and cyber warfare. So wars of the past were fought in the air, on land and at sea, whereas future wars will likely include the addition of space warfare, explained Walzer. U.S. forces need to create a cohesion of modern technology and analog throwbacks to mitigate hackers and drones. HAM radios make effective alternate communication because they do not rely on satellites or internet, but instead, radio waves. They can travel directly or indirectly, along the ground or by bouncing the radio waves off of the ionosphere or troposphere layers of the atmosphere to communicate. II MIG HAM AMATEUR RADIO LICENSING COURSE “Right now, our adversaries are aggressively pursuing counter-space weapons to target our satellites and ground stations,” Walzer said. “If our satellites get knocked out, what do we do then? [High Frequency] radio has been around for well over a century and is still used today. Why? Because it’s a reliable, low-cost alternative to satellite communications. With the right training and education, a Marine with a radio and some slash wire can communicate over-the-horizon for long distances, even between continents.” HAM radios, also known as amateur radios, are communication devices created in the late 1800s. Depending how much an individual is willing to spend on equipment, someone can talk to others across town or across the world, all without the need for an internet connection. Although most people use HAM radios as a hobby, II MIG views them as potential lifelines in a highly contested environment. There are three courses taught on HAM radios by the Brightleaf Amateur Radio Club. The entry level class is called the technicians course, which gives people frequency privileges in very high frequency and ultra-high frequency bands and some privileges in the high frequency range. A frequency privilege is just another meaning for permission to use a specific frequency. The HAM Amateur Radio General Licensing Course is the intermediate level course, which allows spectrum privileges on almost all spectrums that the government gives amateur radio operators. The expert class license, also called Extra Class, gives users full privilege on any frequencies allocated to HAM radios. “I think the course was very informative,” said Sgt. Matthew Griffith, an intelligence surveillance reconnaissance systems engineer with 2nd Radio Battalion, II MIG. “It’s good to learn the things that make our equipment work. In my area of this field we use the equipment but don’t [always] know how the equipment works on the inside, which sometimes makes it harder to troubleshoot if a problem arises. Leaving the course with this knowledge will be invaluable for my Marines and me in the future.” Dave Wood, the president of the Brightleaf Amateur Radio Club and instructor of the course, plans to conduct the first expert level course in the future after enough Marines have graduated from the intermediate course. The club plans to host the next entry level course during the summer of 2020 and train more Marines. “The volunteers who make up our High Frequency Auxiliary are absolutely vital to us building a world-class capability,” Walzer said. “We’re drastically improving our skill by pairing experts with Marines who have a passion for HAM radio. They may not wear the uniform, but they’re American patriots serving our country in a different way.” Whether the next conflict is fought in air, on land, at sea, or in space, one thing is clear; Marines will adapt to face those threats whether it is with the technology of today or equipment of the past.
I remember a few things from that time. MARS had some retention and recruitment issues. One was the changing NTIA requirements on equipment. Finding gear at a price people were willing to spend was a problem. There was a company marketing radios for MARS around that time. Maybe that came a few years later, I forget the exact order of events. I don't recall the cost or model ID but the fitness for MARS was a bullet point on the list of features. Today it would likely be far easier to find suitable gear due to the popularity of digital modes and the desire to prevent frequency drift that comes with that. As I recall the export/government Icom IC-78 of the time had the TXCO as standard equipment but the cheaper Amateur equivalent, the IC-718, didn't have the TXCO as standard. Later on the IC-718 would have the TXCO as standard, which with a "MARS mod" from the factory likely would have made it eligible for MARS. As best anyone could tell the only difference between the IC-718 with a "MARS mod" and TXCO, and the IC-78, was the model number printed on the front. There may have been one or two other cosmetic differences, such as I believe the IC-78 lacked the little "thumb hole" on the tuning knob. Yep, no thumb hole on IC-78 shown here: https://www.icomjapan.com/lineup/products/IC-78/ Thumb hole on the IC-718 here: https://www.icomjapan.com/lineup/products/IC-718/ Too many poorly done "MARS mods" done by radio operators after sale was apparently an issue MARS had to deal with. There were other issues going on at the time too that lead to the Navy-USMC MARS program ending. Again, as I recall. With the Army MARS program still going there's likely little need or desire to get Navy-USMC MARS going again.
I was quite set back when that happened. My former call was NNN0WCB and NNN0GBU. Felt like I was fired.
Three weeks after I completed all the required training for Navy MARS they shut it all down. I am retired Navy and I also felt as if I was fired with no warning or reason. Was told I could complete training for Army MARS if I wanted and told them politely as possible NO..
I have been trying to contact Army MARS to join up and not much response from any one. Station here is fine, just don't know exactly what is required for digital comm. Running air-gap is not an issue since I have that at work so its not a big deal to implement that at home. Not sure what software is required and not having any contacts that respond is another issue.
As always, the military throws away something they forgot how to use only to find out they need it again. Only no one knows how to use it. Something to think about. Satellites are being targeted as we speak. Should Marines find an old FT-101 lets make Shure he can make an Antenna and tune it up to full output to call in an Airstrike. Just saying.
