This is the first time that ALE, Automatic Link Establishment, will be in use for the annual US Armed Forces Day Cross-Band Communications Test on 09-10 May 2015. Hams will call up military stations to initiate voice SSB QSOs using the HF selective calling feature of ALE on the air. Although the military has been using ALE for over 35 years, and hams have been actively using ALE for about 15 years, this is a new milestone for direct ALE HF Interoperability between US Amateur Radio Service and US Military stations. Amateur Stations with Automatic Link Establishment capability can literally dial up a military station directly on specific split channels set up for this purpose. Amateur stations will transmit on specific Amateur HFLINK ALE frequencies, and receive split on the corresponding military ALE frequency. Military stations will also transmit ALE station identification (soundings) on each military frequency at regular intervals. Amateur stations may scan the military ALE frequencies or select the ALE channel manually. HF Radios with an embedded ALE feature (commercial HF radio such as Harris, Rockwell-Collins, Micom, Codan, Barrett, Icom, or Kenwood, etc) or conventional HF ham radios with computer-based PC-ALE, are compatible for use with the federal/military 2G-ALE standard used in this event. All ham stations will be using the Non-Automatic (NALE) features of ALE for participation in this event. ALE Military Stations: [TABLE="class: grid, width: 500, align: left"] <tbody>[TR] [TD]CALLSIGN[/TD] [TD]ALE ADDRESS[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]AAZ[/TD] [TD]AAZ[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]NBL[/TD] [TD]HMBNNN[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]NUW [/TD] [TD]NUW[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]AGA2SY[/TD] [TD]2SYAGA[/TD] [/TR] </tbody>[/TABLE] Armed Forces Day ALE CHANNEL FREQUENCY LIST (kHz) [TABLE="class: grid, width: 500, align: left"] <tbody>[TR] [TD]Channel Name[/TD] [TD]Amateur Frequency[/TD] [TD]Military Frequency[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]X75US[/TD] [TD]3996.0 USB[/TD] [TD]4000.0 USB [/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]X60INT[/TD] [TD]5371.5 USB[/TD] [TD]5385.5 USB[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]X40US[/TD] [TD]7296.0 USB[/TD] [TD]7357.0 USB[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]X20INT[/TD] [TD]14346.0 USB[/TD] [TD]14846.0 USB[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]X17INT[/TD] [TD]18117.5 USB[/TD] [TD]18272.5 USB[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]X15INT[/TD] [TD]21432.5 USB[/TD] [TD]20940.0 USB[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]X12INT[/TD] [TD]24932.0 USB[/TD] [TD]24858.5 USB [/TD] [/TR] </tbody>[/TABLE] NOTE 1: Upper Sideband (USB) is utilized on all ALE frequencies for transmit and receive. NOTE 2: ALE selective calling feature is used to initiate Voice SSB QSO on all channels. NOTE 3: ALE selective calling may be used on X60INT 5MHz channel for Voice SSB QSO or Data/Texting QSO. Amateur stations seeking more information about ALE on the air go to http://hflink.net ABOUT THE ANNUAL ARMED FORCES DAY CROSS-BAND MILITARY/AMATEUR RADIO COMMUNICATIONS TEST (09-10 MAY 2015) The US Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard are co-sponsoring the annual military/amateur radio communications tests in celebration of the 65th Anniversary of Armed Forces Day (AFD) and the 90th Anniversary of MARS. The annual celebration is a unique opportunity to test two way communications between Amateurs and military communicators authorized in FCC Rules 47 CFR 97.111, and features traditional military to amateur cross band SSB voice, Morse Code, practice using legacy interoperability waveforms, as well as an opportunity for Amateurs to utilize more modern military communications modes such as MIL-STD Serial PSK and Automatic Link Establishment (ALE). These tests give Amateur Radio operators and Short Wave Listeners (SWL) an opportunity and a challenge to demonstrate their individual technical skills, and to receive recognition from the appropriate military radio station for their proven expertise. QSL cards will be provided to those stations making contact with the military stations. HFLINK.NET Global ALE High Frequency Network (HFN)
Based on past experiences, I will not participate. Advertised participants did not activate at advertised times, frequencies, or used inferior gear/power levels. It was a waste of time. If you ignore your soldiers, they will simply "go away".
The nice thing about stations using ALE is that they don't require any 'activation' because they are running full time... you just dial up their callsign and it will ring them. If they are in the shack, all they need to do is pick up the mic and say hello. I heard that one of the ALE stations they will be using at Fort Huachuca base has a large antenna at 100ft, state-of-the-art Harris radio, and linear amp. That should be fairly easy to connect with over most of the western USA.
"Based on past experiences, I will not participate. Advertised participants did not activate at advertised times, frequencies, or used inferior gear/power levels. It was a waste of time. If you ignore your soldiers, they will simply "go away"." Has to be joking..... I hope! If not, the most blatantly disrespectful I have ever heard a ham utter about the men and women in uniform who have fought and died for our freedom. I for one will be participating in the event. A few more soldiers around, and a few less bad guys, and the world would be a much better place!
I've participated several years, and thank those military stations that responded with QSL cards. Signals from the other side may not always be as loud as expected from the military, but hey, they are often MARS stations, and that's how HF propagation goes, it's a test. My only disappointment so far has been as yet not receiving the promised "certificate" for successfully printing and submitting, per spec, the AFD SEC DEF message last year. That was my first and perhaps only use of the MT63-1000 digital mode copying station NBL. Oh well, I guess Chuck and his staff have been too busy on their way out ... 73 de John - WØPV RYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRY THE QUICK BROWN FOX JUMPS OVER THE LAZY DOGS BACK DE NBL SECRETARY OF DEFENSE ARMED FORCES DAY 2Ø14 MESSAGE TO AMATEUR RADIO AND MILITARY AUXILIARY RADIO SYSTEM OPERATORS QUOTE FOR THE PAST SIXTY-FIVE YEARS, OUR NATION HAS RECOGNIZED THE DISTINGUISHED GLOBAL SERVICE OF OUR UNITED STATES MILITARY DURING THE ANNUAL ARMED FORCES DAY CELEBRATION. AMATEUR RADIO AND MILITARY AUXILIARY RADIO SYSTEM OPERATORS PROVIDE ESSENTIAL CONTINGENCY COMMUNICATIONS SUPPORT TO OUR NATION'S MILITARY AND GOVERNMENT AGENCIES. YOUR EFFORTS IN STANDING READY FOR CONTINGENCY OPERATIONS AS WELL AS YOUR ONGOING SUPPORT OF COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN DEPLOYED SOLDIERS, SAILORS, AIRMEN, MARINES, CIVILIANS, AND THEIR FAMILIES IS DEEPLY APPRECIATED. ON BEHALF OF ALL UNIFORMED SERVICES, I EXTEND MY SINCEREST APPRECIATION FOR YOUR HARD WORK, SELFLESS DEDICATION, AND VITAL SERVICE TO OUR GREAT NATION. A JOB WELL DONE ! /S/ CHUCK HAGEL SECRETARY OF DEFENSE UNQUOTE
This is a very heartening development. If ham radio is to have any palpable service dimension in the future, we need far more focus on two fronts. First, a renewed commitment to citizen science through a "maker" or "DIY" ethic. Second, more attention to deploying and training in actual standard operation. ALE could be a capital resource for ham radio operation in general, allowing much of the guesswork in calling to be automated in a way that has immediate application to more practical and professional deployments. This event ought to be a fun way to test the feasibility of interoperabilty on a more contemporary level. I will definitely mark this in the calendar. Thanks for all those developing events such as this. I eagerly hope to see more digital and ALE use in the future, and encourage your consideration in this respect.
Now if you can only get the ALE software without joining yet another Yahoo group..... When I insisted I not, what's the alternative, I got booted. If we had to join one for every mode (yes, yes, I get ALE isn't a "mode"... whatever), I'd be in dozens of groups I'd never need. Control freaks suck.
Agreed, it's a good chance to say "hello" to those serving and in MARS, plus the QSLs are interesting too. Also, it's a great opportunity to practice cross-band mode. Split operation, but with a twist. Contrary to one respondent, during the past several years I've found a reasonable number of stations on the published frequencies.
I'm still waiting on Bonnie to cite SPECIFIC EXAMPLES of how this useless mode has been used in recent/current "emergencies". I've been calling her out to do so for several years now...and due to the MANY that have occurred around the world, this should have been "ALE Prime Time". Well, Bonnie? Any answer YET, or is your involvement simply to market another useless product...like your CB book? John KB2HSH Springbrook, NY
John, why do you think Bonnie would have any idea of how many incidents it was useful for? To my way of thinking, a well designed system is only a tool of the users, not the means to an end.