The following broadcasts are now being made on WWV inviting participation in a survey and reception reports from radio amateurs. WWV notice of MARS broadcasts - https://voca.ro/20LPnyaWWao Broadcast of MARS message "Alfa" today. - https://voca.ro/6aGpihRbA3R 73, John, WØPV
My QSO from FL with MARS station AAR4MX on 5330.5 kHz just after noon local time today. https://voca.ro/kj8CwKQK37U I showed up right at 12 o'clock. Not knowing what to expect, I was thinking perhaps another one-way MARS broadcast. At first I didn't hear any activity. So after a few minutes I just called "QRZ?" and AAR4MX came right back to me! Later I contacted AAR4MX again and asked "QTH?", the reply was all military "location unavilable". Band conditions were a bit challenging but variable and nothing unusual especially for any op with a bit of radiotelephone DX or contest experience. After my QSO I heard other stations come and go making similar contacts or passing, relaying, message traffic. They appeared to be from all over the southeastern USA region. Made another QSO with AFA4AA, who said aka K8AFP, probably in SC (?) My rig is an IC-7300 (100W) and 60m antenna an extremely ugly 1/4wl long piece of both vertical and not-so-vert bent wire reaching a max height of about 25ft AGL, and a couple of radials on the ground. Quite sure this combo is well below 60m EIRP limits.
Somehow even with selective fading I prefer the MARS message "Bravo" broadcast on WWVH https://voca.ro/4nr8Cyisrnc
This is the correct response. MARS members aren't supposed to divulge their location, just like actual military stations aren't supposed to divulge their location. It's all a matter of security.
Have put a couple more MARS stations in the log. Monday evening was AAR5KM and just now today AAR4IX. The NVIS daytime propagation on 5.3 MHz is different then anything experienced on either 75m or 40m. WWV 15 MHz MARS broadcast message "Charlie" - https://voca.ro/migfnMInzFH There will be more MARS <> ARS interoperations during SET in October.
When I used a MARS station to call home from Vietnam in 1967 I was told not to say what country I was in.