Armed Forces Day was established by President Harry S. Truman, in 1949, is a special holiday for amateur radio operators all over the world to come together and thank the men and women of the United States Armed Forces. The creation of a single day celebration for all five branches of the United States military made sense due to its recent unification under the Department of Defense.

The Department of Defense will host this year’s Armed Forces Day (AFD) Cross-Band Test, scheduled for May 7-8, 2021. This annual event is open to all licensed amateur radio operators, and will not impact any public or private communications. For more than 50 years, military and amateur stations have taken part in this event, which is only an exercise scenario, designed to include hobbyist and government radio operators alike.

Military stations will transmit on selected military frequencies and will announce the specific ARS frequencies monitored. All times are ZULU (Z), and all frequencies are Upper Side Band (USB) unless otherwise noted. The frequencies used for the test will not impact any public or private communications, and will not stray outside the confines of the exercise.

ARMED FORCES DAY MESSAGE
SCHEDULED FOR: MAY 13, 2022

The Armed Forces Day message will be transmitted via Military Standard radioteletype modes (MIL-STD 188-110A/B). Software is available to demodulate the military serial PSK waveform, and detailed instructions can be downloaded. Utilizing this mode with soundcard equipment can be challenging; review the instructions carefully.

A short practice transmission will be sent at 1930 and 2330 on May 6, 7, 10, and 12 on 13.506.5 MHz USB and 17.443.0 MHz USB.

Military FSK is Baudot at 850 Hz, 75 baud, low mark, and 2000 Hz center. Most RTTY programs can be set to decode this mode. To achieve low mark while receiving in USB, select reverse shift.

QSL cards are available for individuals that receive the Armed Forces Day test message. To receive a card, copy the printed text of the test message as received from the military station, and include it in your report. No attempt should be made to correct possible errors.

Stations copying Armed Forces Day messages transmitted from US Army and US Navy stations and requesting a QSL card, can complete the QSL report form online. Stations copying the Armed Forces Day message transmitted from US Air Force stations and seeking a QSL card should send a request to Armed Forces Day Celebration, Chief, Air Force MARS, 203 W. Losey St, Scott AFB, IL 62225.

https://www.usarmymars.org/

Include a transcript of the received text, time observed, frequency observed, military station call sign, your full name and Amateur Radio call sign (if applicable), full mailing address (including ZIP code).

AUTOMATIC LINK ESTABLISHED

Stations with Automatic Link Establishment (ALE) capability can contact a military station on specific half duplex crossband channels established for this purpose. ALE is a selective calling and linking method utilized by government, military, and amateur radio communications. Military stations will scan and receive certain amateur HFLINK ALE frequencies and transmit on the corresponding military ALE frequency. Military stations will also transmit ALE station identification (soundings) on each military frequency at 30- to 90-minute intervals. Amateur stations may scan military frequencies and monitor the soundings to build the LQA database or select the channel manually. Amateur stations will call military stations using ALE selective calling on one of the paired cross band channels.

MARS RADIOPHONE CONTACTS

The following stations will be making two way radiotelephone contacts with stations in the ARS between the time periods listed on the frequencies listed in Kilohertz below.

AAZ / FT HUACHUCA, AZ
081500Z - 082359Z 5,330.5 14,438.5 18,211.0

AAC / BARROW ARMY RESERVE CENTER, KY (USB + RTTY)
081300Z - 082300Z 5,346.5 6,968.5 13,963.5

AAN / U.S. NORTHERN COMMAND, CO
081300Z - 082300Z 6,970.5 14,550.5

AAU / HQ US ARMY GARRISON FORT KNOX, KY (USB + RTTY)
081400Z - 081900Z 5,371.5 7,645.0 14,512.5 18,293.0 20,920.0

ABH / SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, HI
081500Z - 082359Z 5,357.0 14,438.5 18,272.0 20,997.0

ADB / CAMP FOSTER, OKINAWA
081500Z - 082359Z 14,487.0 20,994

AAM3D / DISA CYBERSPACE OPERATIONS DIRECTORATE, FT MEADE, MD
071300z – 082100z 5,403.5 7,421.5 13,993.5 18,254.0

ABM4B / HSC, HHBN, 82ND ABN DIV, FORT BRAGG, NC
081100Z - 082300Z 5,371.5 7,431.5 13,910.5 18,281.5

WAR / PENTAGON WASHINGTON, DC (USB + CW + RTTY)
081200Z - 082359Z 4,018 5,357.0 13,963.5 18,211.0 24,760.0

AIR / ANDREWS AFB
081200Z - 082359Z 4,517.0 7,305.0 15,807.0 20,740.0

AFM4NPD / NAVAL SUPPORT ACTIVITY MID-SOUTH MILLINTON, TN
081200Z - 080300Z 4,802.0 7,375.5 15,712.0

AGA2SY / HANCOCK FIELD, NY
081200Z - 082359Z 4,575.0 7,540.0 13,993.0

ARMED FORCES DAY SPECIAL OPERATIONS

NEPM on board the USS Iowa (BB61) will be on the air for its first annual Armed Forces Day Crossband Military/Amateur Radio Communications Test.

The Battleship Iowa Amateur Radio Association (BIARA) and qualified Pacific Battleship Center crew members will activate NEPM.

The Potomac Valley Radio Club (PVRC) and the US Naval Academy Radio Club will operate NSS on the site of the 1918 Naval Radio Transmitting Station on Greenbury Point in Annapolis, Maryland, across the Severn River from the US Naval Academy.

Other Navy Stations scheduled to be on the air include:

NIIW,

USS Midway,

San Diego;

NWKJ;

NWKJ,

USS Yorktown,

Charleston,

LST-325,

Post When Available

---

To Register for the Fort Ward Amateur Radio Club Armed Forces Day , please print and fillout the Fort Ward Amateur Radio Club Armed Forces Day Shortwave BBQ Registration Form Armed Forces Day Form and email PDF/DOC fwarc@usa.com or mail it to:

Fort Ward Amateur Radio Club,
321 High School Road NE, Ste:D3 292
Bainbridge Island, Washington 98110

Further Island Armed Forces Day 2022 Sponsorship Information Contact:
Louis Charles Hoffmann Alloin KI7AGD

Phone: 206-780-6885