Hello and a sincere welcome to new AFMARS members.  The purpose of this training is to prepare you for sending,  receiving, and quickly delivering messages of several types via both voice and digital modes to the recipients. The method of study is large self taught through your reading of the attached documents which are the MARS Operating Instruction (MOI) 1 December 2005 and the AFMARS Training Manual 1March 2006 which are available for reading and downloading on this site.  I recommend that you first read the MOI in order to become acquainted with the mission of AFMARS and the directives for accomplishing that mission.  Study the AFMARS Training Manual to learn the practices to be used in AFMARS communications.

There are recent changes to the AFMARS Training Manual regarding the addressing of EEI reports and those are documented in the sidebar on the Region 4 web site training page. Also, when checking into voice nets, give only the state as your location. Should a NCS need to arrange to pass a message on the net, he can request stations in the vicinity of the addressee to come forward to handle the traffic and assign the most appropriate station. There may be additional changes to come in the near future so please be flexible. 

 ���������� The current emphasis in your training is to learn how to properly check into and out of voice and digital nets and how to correctly format, send, and receive messages in both voice and digital formats.  Your training will be completed when you have finished the above self study materials and have sent me two correctly formatted and delivered messages. The first message is to be delivered via voice net and appropriate net procedures, prowords,  and format is to be used.  The second message is to be delivered to me via a digital mode. I will accept delivery by either Pactor 1 using a TNC or a sound card mode, preferably MFSK 16 or MT 63 which are currently the most used SC modes in MARS.  The required digital message is an EXERCISE EEI report.  The report should be included in the text body of a message which is addressed to me and should have the correct addressing in the header of the EEI report, i.e. TO AFN1EC.

 ���������� If you do not have current digital radio capability, contact me to request to send me the EEI report via email.  I am asking for the report to be sent via digital radio because digital communications are rapidly becoming a very important tool in all emergency communications and the equipment to send in the digital modes has become common and relatively inexpensive.  Also, the digital modes have the capacity to complete sending traffic when propagation and atmospheric noise severely limits voice communication.  Digital messages also permit easy conformance with the documentation requirements of current national emergency management guidelines.

 ���������� Two scheduled training nets (4TGS1) are Saturday morning 10:00 CST on frequency RK and Wednesday evening at 20:00 CST.  Please use those nets to check in for net practice and to direct your questions to me.  I often check into other evening nets and I welcome your questions then also. You may contact me through either of the following email addresses:

 [email protected] ( accepts attachments smaller than 1 megabyte please)

 [email protected]  (no attachments).

 You may also call me at my home (405)7....

 ���������� We thank your for your volunteering to participate in our task of supporting the national communications support effort of AFMARS and fully understand that your work here is at your expense and must be fitted with your lifestyle. As Region 4 Training Manager, I will be reasonably flexible in your meeting your training requirements as long as you keep me informed of your needs. As you will read in your course of study, that time allocated you to complete the training period is sixty days and that guideline will be used. I also realize that some circumstances may arise that affect your on time completion of training in that time, please contact me to arrange an extension should that be needed.  Gerald (Gerry) Taylor AFF4T/AFA4TG/KC5MWZ