The purpose of this message is to advise the amateur radio community of the MARS exercise COMEX 20-4.
This exercise will be conducted from OCT. 3 to OCT. 26. There are several phases planned for this operation. There has always been a desire within Army MARS to develop interoperability with the amateur community. COMEX 20-4 has placed emphasis on accomplishing this goal.
60M nets (Ch 1) are being conducted at 1600Z throughout the country. MARS members will be asking for check-ins and collecting city and state information. There may also be a request for the status of county, city and road conditions. DoD broadcast messages are planned during the nets as well as relaying DoD traffic to/from local agencies. Exercise re-file of traffic items between MARS and the National Traffic System (NTS) and Radio Relay International (RRI). MARS expect and process messages in ICS213 format.
WWV/H will broadcast information about this exercise. Please CLICK and complete the survey. WWV/H frequencies (5000, 10000, 15000, 20000) MARS information is broadcast at 10 minutes after the hour for WWV and 50 minutes after for WWVH.
Call signs of stations checking into the 60M net will be listed in a public release following the end of exercise OCT. 26 2020.
This interoperability facilitates a means for ad-hoc information exchange between DoD and citizens in local communities throughout the United States who are operating in the ARS.
Dates for 60M operations channel 1.
Nationwide: 1600Z (12.00 PM ET) OCT. 3-26 OCTOBER 2020
Florida net control operators: OCT. 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24.
MARS members will be using their MARS call signs on 60M.
Thank you. I look forward to this exercise building a valuable relationship between the ARS and MARS. It is understood and appreciated, all the assets the amateur have to offer in an EMCOMM situation.
Bob Morgan
AAA4FL9
KJ4SV