Tuesday, April 5, 2016

ARES Supports MARS Exercise


 The ARRL's Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) – along with individual hams – teamed up with Army and Air Force MARS in February for a quarterly Defense Department communications exercise. According to the ARRL Letter, more than 300 non-MARS members joined with Military Auxiliary Radio System members to provide reports from 312 counties around the U.S. during a simulated widespread loss of telephone and Internet service. Army MARS Program Officer Paul English, WD8DBY, said military officials were "very pleased with the outcome of the exercise and especially with the number of amateur radio stations that participated on a weekday and the number of unique county reports received." He said one of the exercise's goals was to develop local working relationships between MARS, ARES groups, local clubs and individual amateurs.