SB SPCL @ ARL $ARLX003   
   ARLX003 Annual Armed Forces Day Crossband Test Scheduled for May 12   
      
   ZCZC AX03   
   QST de W1AW     
   Special Bulletin 3  ARLX003   
   From ARRL Headquarters     
   Newington CT  May 2, 2012   
   To all radio amateurs    
      
   SB SPCL ARL ARLX003   
   ARLX003 Annual Armed Forces Day Crossband Test Scheduled for May 12   
      
   The Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard are   
   co-sponsoring the annual Military/Amateur Radio Crossband   
   Communications Test in celebration of the 62nd anniversary of Armed   
   Forces Day (AFD). Although the actual Armed Forces Day is celebrated   
   on the third Saturday in May -- May 19 in 2012 -- the AFD   
   Military/Amateur Crossband Communications Test will be conducted on   
   May 12 to prevent conflict with the Dayton Hamvention, scheduled for   
   May 18-20.   
      
   The annual celebration features traditional military-to-amateur   
   crossband communications SSB voice and Morse code tests. These tests   
   give Amateur Radio operators and short wave listeners an opportunity   
   to demonstrate their individual technical skills and to receive   
   recognition from the appropriate military radio station for their   
   proven expertise. QSL cards will be provided to those stations   
   making contact with the military stations.   
      
   Military-to-amateur crossband operations will take place on the   
   dates and time in UTC on the frequencies listed for each station.   
   Voice contacts will include operations in single sideband voice   
   (SSB). Some stations, depending on propagation and staffing, may not   
   operate the entire period. Participating military stations will   
   transmit on selected military MARS frequencies and listen for   
   Amateur Radio stations in the amateur bands. The military station   
   operator will announce the specific amateur band frequency being   
   monitored. Duration of each voice contact should be limited to 1-2   
   minutes.   
      
   The schedules and frequencies of participating military stations can   
   be found in PDF format on the web at,   
   http://www.netcom.army.mil/MARS/docs/AMC_Test_2012.pdf.   
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   Gentlemens' agreements ratified by IARU regions 1 and 2 have   
   designated a global "center of activity" frequency  in  each   
   of  the  international  hf  bands.  THese are similar to the   
   concept for weak signal calling and other center of activity   
   frequencies.  Three of these have been ratified worldwide.   
      
   THese  center of activity frequencies are where stations can   
   go to render or obtain emergency assistance.   
      
   WHen casually operating or  contesting  on  hf  please  make   
   yourself  aware  of  these  frequencies,  and give them some   
   space. Remember that often stations with emergency needs are   
   not  those  utilizing  high  gain antennas and maximum legal   
   power.   
      
   TO find out more, visit 14300.net or IARU web resources.   
      
      
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    * Origin: RRN BBS: Your fidonet ham radio connection! (1:116/901)