AIR FORCE MARS: Providing the Reins of Command--in Emergencies

Page Last updated on Saturday, 11-Sep-2004 20:18:51 EDT

THE ATLANTIC PHONE PATCH NET
RELIABLE AND QUALITY SERVICE IS OUR MOST IMPORTANT PRODUCT

PHONE PATCH NET WEB PAGE:
http://www.svs.net/afa1en/mars.html
Maintained by AFA1EN and AFA2HF

PURPOSE OF NET:
CONDUCT MORALE AND OFFICIAL PHONE PATCHES FOR DOD PERSONNEL
TO ACCOMPLISH OUR MISSION WE HAVE TWO BENEFACTORS, MCI AN SPRINT TELEPHONE SERVICE. THEY PROVIDE TOLL FREE SERVICE FOR MORALE CALLS. THE AF PROVIDES DSN ACCESS. OUR NET COULD NOT OPERATE AS EFFICIENTLY WITHOUT THE AID OF OUR BENEFACTORS. WITHOUT BENEFACTORS, WE WOULD HAVE TO REVERT TO COLLECT CALLS WHICH IS VERY TIME CONSUMING. THANKS TO MR COLLINS ARM TWISTING SKILLS, OUR BENEFACTORS HAVE GIVEN THE AIR FORCE FULL TIME TOLL FREE ACCESS FOR PHONE PATCHES. OUR ARMY COUNTERPARTS DO NOT HAVE THIS PRIVILEGE. THEY HAVE FREE ACCESS ONLY ON SPECIFIC HOLIDAYS.

MORALE PATCHES HAVE A WIDE VARIETY:

• TO WIVES           MOM/POP            FRIENDS
• PAPA PAVARRATTI POLISH PIZZA PARLOR FOR PIZZA DELIV
• BASOPS
• CALLS TO HOTELS OR CAR RENTAL FOR CREW RSVNS
• SOME PEOPLE IMPRESSED BY CALL FROM AIRPLANE
  ESPECIALLY FROM BOMBER TYPES "THEY THINK CREW HAS CONNECTIONS" TO BE ABLE TO MAKE PHONE CALL.
• REAL BOON FOR AF FAMILY RELATIONS
       CREW IS ABLE TO ADVISE OF WEATHER OR MAINTENANCE DELAY OR DIVERSION.
            SOME LITTLE LADIES GET HOSTILE WHEN THEY DON'T HEAR FROM THE OM, WHO GETS HOME TWO DAYS LATER THAN SCHEDULED. MARS PHONE PATCHES ALLEVIATES THIS PROBLEM.

REMINDS ME OF STORY:

GUY GETS PAID FRIDAY AND COMES HOME SUNDAY. WIFE BROWBEATS HIM FOR HOUR AND SAYS "HOW WOULD YOU LIKE IT IF YOU DIDN'T SEE ME FOR 3 DAYS?"
HE SAID THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
IN A FLASH SHE WAS GONE AND HE DIDN'T SEE HER TILL THE FOLLOWING THURSDAY. THAT'S WHEN THE SWELLING IN ONE EYE BEGAN TO GO DOWN.

OFFICIAL PATCHES COVER A WIDE AREA:
PRE FLIGHT RADIO CHECKS, CALLS TO: COMMAND POSTS, WEATHER STATIONS, PROTOCOL OFFICERS FOR VIP SERVICES, DIPLOMATIC CLEARANCES, AIR REFUELING SQ TO COORDINATE MISSED RENDEZVOUS, COORDINATE UPCOMING REFUELING, COORDINATE BOMBER RANGE TIMES, CALLS TO STAN/EVAL PEOPLE FOR ADVICE ON INFLIGHT MALFUNCTIONS, AND AN OCCASIONAL IN FLIGHT EMERGENCY.

WE ALSO ASSIST OTHER BRANCHES OF SERVICE, ARMY, NAVY AND COAST GUARD WITH COMMUNICATIONS WHEN THEY ARE UNABLE TO CONTACT THEIR PARTICULAR FACILITIES.

THIS YEAR WE HAVE HANDLED SEVEN EMERGENCIES, INCLUDING FIVE IN FLIGHT EMERGENCIES.

MARCH:   3 EACH
AIRCRAFT WITH HUNG ORDINANCE.
SEARCH AND RESCUE FOR BOAT IN GULF OF MEXICO.
AIRCRAFT WITH OVERHEATED ENGINE.

JUNE:
PHONE PATCH TO COMMAND POST: C/P ASKED WHY ARE YOU RETURNING TO BASE? AIRCRAFT REPORTED FIRE, SMOKE AND FUMES IN COCKPIT AND THEN TERMINATED PATCH. ASSUMED HE LANDED OK. HEARD NOTHING ON NEWS.

JULY:
SEARCH AND RESCUE IN CARIBBEAN: ONE STATION STAYED ON FREQUENCY FOR 7 PLUS HOURS WITH RESCUE AIRCRAFT.
"THAT'S DEDICATION."
THIS RESCUE MADE NEWSPAPERS AND CNN BUT NO MENTION OF MARS ASSIST. 4 PARAJUMPERS DROPPED, STABILIZED THE INJURED SEAMAN AND HE WAS PICKED UP FOLLOWING MORNING BY CHOPPER AND FLOWN TO ST MAARTIN ISLAND HOSPITAL.

IFE: A/C LOST HYDRAULICS.

AUGUST:
AIRCRAFT C-141 OFF GREENLAND LOSING PRESSURIZATION.

AIR FORCE MARS IS STILL ONE OF THE BEST KEPT SECRETS IN THE AIR FORCE.
SOME ACTIVE DUTY KNOW ABOUT US BUT A LOT DO NOT.
WHEN CALLING A SMALLER ACTIVE DUTY BASE AND IDENTIFYING AS AF MARS     THEY TAKE IT AS A JOKE     THEY JUST DO NOT KNOW ABOUT MARS AND SAY YOU'VE HAD YOUR JOKE, WHAT DO YOU WANT?

ON MORALE CALLS TO CIVILIANS, YOU MENTION YOU ARE A MARS RADIO OPERATOR AND THEY HANG UP IMMEDIATELY.
OUR PEOPLE HAVE TO USE LITTLE TELEPHONE FINESSE WHEN IDENTIFYING WHO IS CALLING.

28 AFFILIATE STATIONS ASSIGNED TO THE PHONE PATCH NET. WE ALSO GET ASSISTANCE FROM AGA2PA, PATRICK AFB FL. AGA2PA IS OPERATED MEMBERS OF THE PARTICK BASE SUPPORT TEAM AND IS PROBABLY THE ONLY ACTIVE BASE STATION IN AFMARS. CHIEF MIGHT COMMENT.

OF THE 28 ASSIGNED PHONE PATCH STATIONS, 20 ARE ACTIVE. COUPLE ARE OUT FOR MEDICAL PROBLEMS.
SEVERE FAMILY PROBLEM
1 MOVING TO ANOTHER CITY
COUPLE STATIONS DOWN FOR EQUIP PROBLEMS

SPEAKING OF EQUIPMENT PROBLEMS:
BOUGHT AN A.M. RADIO. WORKS GREAT IN MORNING BUT NEVER HEAR ANYTHING AT NIGHT.

OUR WORK IS ESSENTIAL TO SOME AIR FORCE MISSIONS WHEN THEY ARE NOT ABEL TO CONTACT THE USAF GLOBAL RADIO SYSTEM. FOR THOSE NOT FAMILIAR, GLOBAL RADIO IS THE RADIO NETWORK SPREAD AROUND THE GLOBE. DUE TO PROPAGATION OR OTHER PROBLEMS, AIRCRAFT ARE SOMETIMES NOT ABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH ONE OF THOSE STATIONS. AT THAT TIME, THEY COME TO THE MARS PHONE PATCH NETWORK FOR ASSISTANCE
CERTAIN MISSIONS WOULD HAVE CANCELED HAD IT NOT BEEN FOR AF MARS PHONE PATCH ASSISTANCE.
TO EACH INDIVIDUAL USER AWAY FROM HOME, OUR SYSTEM IS A MORALE BOOSTER AND STRESS RELIEVER, KNOWING THAT FAMILY PROBLEMS HAVE BEEN TAKEN CARE OF, OR THAT FAMILY ILLNESSES ARE ON THE MIND. .  .

WE ARE CONTINUALLY COMPLIMENTED BY AIR CREW MEMBERS FOR OUR PROFESSIONALISM, QUALITY OF WORK AND RELIABILITY.

Phone Patch Net Requirements are:

1. Full size rotary beam antenna, 13-30 Mhz. (mini beams do not qualify)
2. Transmit and receive capabilities on phone patch frequencies.
3. A Kilowatt amplifier.
4. A functional phone patch, no distortion or hum. On the air test required.
5. Station location must be at your residence. Not from a club station or someone else's residence.
6. You must be in good standing within your state program. Assignments are made with your SMD concurrence.

The net requires a lot of time, however, no fixed time schedule is required. Participation is according to your time schedule.

To sign up, check into our admin net any Sunday at 1600Z on 13977 MHz USB.

Our web site: http://www.svs.net/afa1en/mars.html
maintained by AFA1EN and AFA2HF.

For any question or information: E-mail AFN2AC@juno.com