A Message from
Chief Navy-Marine Corps MARS
Mr. Bo G. Lindfors, NNNØASA

Welcome to the Navy-Marine Corps Military Affiliate Radio System (MARS) Basic information Web Page. You are encouraged to browse this page and the associated links on the previous National page to learn more about this organization of mostly Amateur Radio Operators (HAMS) who are interested in training in military communications procedures and preparing for emergency communications.

All U.S. military branches (U.S. Army, U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy-Marine Corps) have MARS organizations. The term MARS is a generic term for the Military Affiliate Radio System. Navy-Marine Corps branch of the Military Affiliate Radio System is often abbreviated as NAVMARCORMARS or MARS. For these Web Pages and unless otherwise stated, the term MARS refers to the Navy-Marine Corps MARS branch.

Many of you may have been the recipient of the MARS services and not have known it. Those of you who received "MARSGRAMS" (similar to telegrams) or received a Ship-to-Shore phone call (phone patch) from someone in the military or government employee most likely used the services of MARS. MARS has been an integral part of personal messaging for the military during the Vietnam War, Desert Storm, the Haiti Operation, the Bosnia Operations and at all times in between. Navy-Marine Corps MARS concerns itself primarily with Navy and Marine Corps installations on board ships and overseas shore stations World Wide.

We are always looking for good people to continue the MARS Mission. If the information presented here and on associated pages peeks your interest in joining the MARS operation, you are encouraged to contact your nearest MARS Region Director for specifics. Region Directors' addresses can be found on this site. If your interest lies with another service's MARS organization, such as Army or Air Force MARS, the same Region Director can direct you to the proper individuals within that organization.

Here is some basic information that is common to all MARS organizations:

• What is MARS?
  - The Military Affiliate Radio System (MARS) is a Department of Defense (DoD) sponsored program, the Army, Navy-Marine Corps and Air Force have their respective MARS organizations. The program consists mostly of volunteer licensed Amateur Radio Operators who are interested in military communications. They contribute to the MARS mission by providing auxiliary or emergency communications on a local, national, and international basis as an adjunct to normal communications. Many of the members have been in the military at one time or another and know the value of being able to communicate with the folks at home. Prior military service is NOT a prerequisite to joining MARS however. MARS members volunteer their time and equipment to the program.
• MARS Mission.
  • Provide Department of Defense (DoD) sponsored emergency communications capability on a local, national, and international basis as an adjunct to normal communications when needed.
  • Provide auxiliary communications for military, civil, and 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 morale and quasi-official digital 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. This is something like the MARS version of amateur "Field Day".

Eligibility to Join NAVMARCORMARS.

• An applicant must:
  • Be 18 at least years of age or older.
  • Be a United States Citizen or Legal Resident Alien.
  • Possess a valid amateur radio license issued by the Federal Communications Commission or other competent U.S. authority.
  • Possess a station capable of operating on the MARS HF frequencies (2.0 - 30 Mhz).

Benefits of MARS Membership.

• 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.
• Help contribute to the welfare of our Nation's Military personnel overseas and on board ships.
• Increase your communications skills and capabilities. Selected correspondence courses in communications and electronics subjects are available free to MARS members from their respective MARS branch organizations after successful completion of six months of active membership.
• Add to the enjoyment of your amateur radio hobby through the expanded horizon of MARS.
• Operate on specially assigned military frequencies in voice and digital modes.
• Participate in regulated, disciplined radio nets with structured lines of organization and very specific operating rules.

NAVMARCORMARS members may join and participate in specialty networks such as:

• Afloat and Overseas Operations Net which specializes in providing phone patch telephone service to military ships at sea and overseas bases that do not have normal telephone communications readily available.
• Or the "ICE" Net that specializes in telephone patch and digital radio services to Antarctica installations.
• Or the International Digital Network or National Digital Network. These organizations operate a series of world wide and continental U.S. digital mail boxes for the movement of digital traffic across the country and around the world.

Typical MARS Frequencies, take a listen.
- MARS Member 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 communication needs during periods of emergency. There are also Technical Nets and Training Nets.
- MARS nets operate in different modes. Many MARS nets meet between 4000 - 4050 Khz and 7300 - 7400 Khz. Generally network stations meet during the local mid-to-late-afternoon and/or early evening hours. You can identify NAVMARCORMARS Stations by their "NNNØ" prefix. Army MARS stations are identified by their "AA" (Alpha Alpha) prefixes, while Air Force MARS stations have the unique "AF" (Alpha Foxtrot) prefix.

Thank you for stopping by. We look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely yours,
Bo G. Lindfors, NNNØASA
Chief, Navy-Marine Corps MARS

Updated: 20 February 1999
Code by NNN0TGV SCA