The AFD comm test is divided into several different activities. These are:
1. Military-Amateur Crossband Communications
In this activity, MARS and military units using their authorized frequencies outside amateur bands work amateurs who remain in-band. This used to be tricky with some ham gear, which didn't receive far enough out of band. Today, it's a lot easier.
Also, some of the frequencies used in the 60 meter band are authorized to amateurs, so comms will be simplex on-frequency.
The number of participating stations, times (all Zulu), and frequencies has grown too big to put in a blog entry. It's best just to link to the schedule published by Army MARS.
Again this year, amateurs will be able to link via ALE. The full implementation of this mode, with scanning, is tricky with ham gear. Rapid band switching requires very good autotuning.
In the past, not all stations have been on-air for the entire time intervals shown in the schedule.
2. Secy. of Defense Message Test, using digital modes
This one sounds pretty interesting for utility types. A message from the Secretary of Defense is sent in a number of modes used by the military, and also several modes used by hams.
The "military serial PSK" referred to is usually known as "110A" in utility logs. It's the same stuff. As they say, it's not the easiest mode for good copy with amateur-grade equipment and Windows computers, though I've had very good luck with Windows 7 and the stronger signals. Here's a better link to the MS-DMT software mentioned in the schedule. MultiPSK works too.
The scary sounding "wide FSK" is just standard military RATT, 75/850, low mark. It's always fun to hear this mode unencrypted and actually be able to print something.
Here's the schedule:
To practice receiving signals in this
mode [110A], tune to the following dial frequencies at 1201Z, 1801Z or 0001Z daily.
11,105.0 kHz USB
11,454.0 kHz USB
12,147.0 kHz USB
13,512.5 kHz USB
14,935.0 kHz USB
15,870.0 kHz USB
14 MAY/1400Z MIL STD 188-110 FSK 13,506.0 kHz USB AGA2SY
14 MAY/1410Z MIL STD 188-110 SERIAL PSK 13,506.0 kHz USB AGA2SY
14 MAY/1420Z MIL STD 188-110 FSK 13,506.0 kHz USB WAR
14 MAY/1420Z MIL STD 188-110 FSK 17,443.0 kHz USB AGA2SY
14 MAY/1430Z MIL STD 188-110 SERIAL PSK 13,506.0 kHz USB WAR
14 MAY/1430Z MIL STD 188-110 SERIAL PSK 17,443.0 kHz USB AGA2SY
14 MAY/1440Z MIL STD 188-110 FSK 13,506.0 kHz USB AAC
14 MAY/1440Z MIL STD 188-110 FSK 17,443.0 kHz USB WAR
14 MAY/1450Z MIL STD 188-110 SERIAL PSK 13,506.0 kHz USB AAC
14 MAY/1450Z MIL STD 188-110 SERIAL PSK 17,443.0 kHz USB WAR
14 MAY/1500Z MIL STD 188-110 FSK 17,443.0 kHz USB AAC
14 MAY/1510Z MIL STD 188-110 SERIAL PSK 13,506.0 kHz USB AAZ
14 MAY/1510Z MIL STD 188-110 SERIAL PSK 17,443.0 kHz USB AAC
14 MAY/1530Z MIL STD 188-110 SERIAL PSK 17,443.0 kHz USB AAZ
14 MAY/1800Z MIL STD 188-110 FSK 13,506.0 kHz USB AGA2SY
14 MAY/1810Z MIL STD 188-110 SERIAL PSK 13,506.0 kHz USB AGA2SY
14 MAY/1820Z MIL STD 188-110 FSK 13,506.0 kHz USB WAR
14 MAY/1820Z MIL STD 188-110 FSK 17,443.0 kHz USB AGA2SY
14 MAY/1830Z MIL STD 188-110 SERIAL PSK 13,506.0 kHz USB WAR
14 MAY/1830Z MIL STD 188-110 SERIAL PSK 17,443.0 kHz USB AGA2SY
14 MAY/1840Z MIL STD 188-110 FSK 13,506.0 kHz USB AAC
14 MAY/1840Z MIL STD 188-110 FSK 17,443.0 kHz USB WAR
14 MAY/1850Z MIL STD 188-110 SERIAL PSK 13,506.0 kHz USB AAC
14 MAY/1850Z MIL STD 188-110 SERIAL PSK 17,443.0 kHz USB WAR
14 MAY/1900Z MIL STD 188-110 FSK 17,443.0 kHz USB AAC
14 MAY/1910Z MIL STD 188-110 SERIAL PSK 13,506.0 kHz USB AAZ
14 MAY/1910Z MIL STD 188-110 SERIAL PSK 17,443.0 kHz USB AAC
14 MAY/1930Z MIL STD 188-110 SERIAL PSK 17,443.0 kHz USB AAZ
14 MAY/1930Z RTTY 7,457.0 kHz USB AGA4AR
14 MAY/1930Z RTTY 7,540.0 kHz USB AGA2SY
14 MAY/1930Z RTTY 7,545.0 kHz USB AGA5SC
14 MAY/1930Z RTTY 7,915.0 kHz USB AGA9TR
14 MAY/2030Z MT63 7,457.0 kHz USB AGA4AR
14 MAY/2030Z MT63 7,540.0 kHz USB AGA2SY
14 MAY/2030Z MT63 7,545.0 kHz USB AGA5SC
14 MAY/2030Z MT63 7,915.0 kHz USB AGA9TR
14 MAY/2100Z MFSK 7,457.0 kHz USB AGA4AR
14 MAY/2100Z MFSK 7,540.0 kHz USB AGA2SY
14 MAY/2100Z MFSK 7,545.0 kHz USB AGA5SC
14 MAY/2100Z MFSK 7,915.0 kHz USB AGA9TR
14 MAY/2130Z RTTY 13,993.0 kHz USB AGA2SY
14 MAY/2130Z RTTY 14,392.5 kHz USB AGA5SC
14 MAY/2130Z RTTY 14,411.0 kHz USB AGA9TR
14 MAY/2130Z RTTY 15,632.0 kHz USB AGA4AR
14 MAY/2200Z MIL STD 188-110 FSK 13,506.0 kHz USB AGA2SY
14 MAY/2200Z MIL STD 188-110 SERIAL PSK 14,487.0 kHz USB ADB
14 MAY/2210Z MIL STD 188-110 SERIAL PSK 13,506.0 kHz USB AGA2SY
14 MAY/2210Z MIL STD 188-110 SERIAL PSK 20,994.0 kHz USB ADB
14 MAY/2220Z MIL STD 188-110 FSK 13,506.0 kHz USB WAR
14 MAY/2220Z MIL STD 188-110 FSK 17,443.0 kHz USB AGA2SY
14 MAY/2230Z MIL STD 188-110 SERIAL PSK 13,506.0 kHz USB WAR
14 MAY/2230Z MT63 13,993.0 kHz USB AGA2SY
14 MAY/2230Z MT63 14,392.5 kHz USB AGA5SC
14 MAY/2230Z MT63 14,411.0 kHz USB AGA9TR
14 MAY/2230Z MT63 15,632.0 kHz USB AGA4AR
14 MAY/2230Z MIL STD 188-110 SERIAL PSK 17,443.0 kHz USB AGA2SY
14 MAY/2240Z MIL STD 188-110 FSK 13,506.0 kHz USB AAC
14 MAY/2240Z MIL STD 188-110 FSK 17,443.0 kHz USB WAR
14 MAY/2250Z MIL STD 188-110 SERIAL PSK 13,506.0 kHz USB AAC
14 MAY/2250Z MIL STD 188-110 SERIAL PSK 17,443.0 kHz USB WAR
14 MAY/2300Z MFSK 13,993.0 kHz USB AGA2SY
14 MAY/2300Z MFSK 14,392.5 kHz USB AGA5SC
14 MAY/2300Z MFSK 14,411.0 kHz USB AGA9TR
14 MAY/2300Z MFSK 15,632.0 kHz USB AGA4AR
14 MAY/2300Z MIL STD 188-110 FSK 17,443.0 kHz USB AAC
14 MAY/2310Z MIL STD 188-110 SERIAL PSK 13,506.0 kHz USB AAZ
14 MAY/2310Z MIL STD 188-110 SERIAL PSK 17,443.0 kHz USB AAC
14 MAY/2330Z MIL STD 188-110 SERIAL PSK 17,443.0 kHz USB AAZ
15 MAY/0240Z RTTY 13,506.0 kHz USB NWKJ
15 MAY/0240Z RTTY 17,443.0 kHz USB NWKJ
15 MAY/0300Z CW-25WPM 4,007.0 kHz USB NWVC
15 MAY/0300Z CW-25WPM 6,913.0 kHz USB NWVC
15 MAY/0310Z AMTOR FEC 13,506.0 kHz USB NWKJ
15 MAY/0310Z AMTOR FEC 17,443.0 kHz USB NWKJ
15 MAY/0340Z MT63 13,506.0 kHz USB NWKJ
15 MAY/0340Z MT63 17,443.0 kHz USB NWKJ
QSL information is at the MARS link given earlier.
3. Automatic Link Establishment
ALE is 2G, in USB. MARS uses a variant of PC-ALE, though that program works just fine. Any other ALE software should work for receiving. AAZ is at Ft. Huachuca, AZ. WAR is in DC. 2SYAGA is AGA2SY in New York state.
Here's the info:
| Channel |
Amateur Frequency
|
Military Frequency
|
|
X75US |
3,996.0 USB
|
4,000.0 USB
|
|
X60INT |
5,371.5 USB
|
5,371.5 USB
|
|
X40US |
7,296.0 USB
|
7,357.0 USB
|
|
X20INT |
14,346.0 USB
|
14,846.0 USB
|
|
X17INT |
18,117.5 USB
|
18,272.5 USB
|
|
X15INT |
21,432.5 USB
|
20,940.0 USB
|
|
X12INT |
24,932.0 USB
|
24,858.5 USB
|