Hams in Space!

Number I on your FeedbKll. e-rd
The Desert Voices Project
An overnight success story.
by Linda Reneau KAlUKM
A
t a de-commissioned NIKE missile site
about 35 m iles southeas t of Minneapolis.
Minnesota, station AARSNSF o f
the De sert Voices project is bu sy handling
phone pat ches , packet 885 messages. and
MARSGRAM communications between
U .S. Service people and thei r families and
loved ones in the Middle East. The U.S.
Army has recogni zed the Desert Vo ices projeer
as an officially sanctioned Anny MA RS
station operating under the guidance and autborizanon
oftbe CONUS (Continental U .S.)
MARS Director Tom Moore in Ft. Ritchie.
Maryland.
Edward Addy KE0EG. owner of NW Ante
nna & Communications in Minneapolis.
first conceived of the Desert Voices proj ect
last October. By the fi rst week in November.
people and resources were coming together
so quickly that , accord ing to MARS Digital
Communication Coordinator Paul Ramey
WG0G. one of the biggest challenges was 10
make sure that everything was being put togerber
in an o rderly way . ,.All we had to do
was say. ' We need it: and someone would
come forward with it...
Although thousands of hours went into the
acqu isit ion o f equipment and renovation of
the site-painting . rewi ring . construction of
operating positions , and installation of the
mu ltiuser LAN computer systcmc-k amcy
WGOG says it " came together overnight. "
Addy KE0EG, whodesigncd the antenna system
and communications cente r. gave much
of himself, both financially and personally,
Ramey said . When Addy presented his plans
to othe r bu sinesses, the donations quickly
started rolling in .
The U .S. Bureau of Mi nes provided the
lease for the Sa-acre site and the buildings.
Unused for 20 years. it took many hou rs and
materials to get the main bu ilding in shape.
Local businesses freely donated " all the right
stuff' 10 repair, repaint , rewire . and upgrade
the o ld building ' s heating and electrical syste
ms , Other bu sinesses provided electrical
power.felephore serv ice and FAX time. carpentry
skills. furniture , graphic and printing
services. video documentation and training
materials. and office equipment.
welt-Equipped
Regional Sales Manager Mik e Forsyth of
Kenwood U .S.A. • who first let 73 Magazine
know about me Desert Voi ces project. says
that Kenwood has supported the project with
thousands o f dollars worth of radio equipmenr.
" We couldn't have gotten on the air so
qu ickly wuhout their help," said R. Hugh
Beebe WL7AIT. MARS Liaison for com-
18 73 Amateur Radio roasv » March , 1991
mand and control. Other contributors include:
AEA Electronics. four TNCs; D .F.
Countryman of 51. Paul. RF patch pa nel rnaterial,
connectors. and RG-8/U coaxial cable;
and A&C Metals of Blaine , Minnesota ,
heavy du ty antenna mast material .
From outside the facility , you can see IWO
full-size rhombic antennas for transmitting
phone patches. twoa -elcment Zum monoba n­
ders and one 6-eleme nt monobander for 15m
HF operation . a4Omdipole , and VH F amennas.
Non heastem States Power Company
provided the malerials and crew to install the
547' x 250' rhombics on eight 10S' taii power
poles . They also donated 8000' of #2 solid
copper wi re . without these antennas . Desert
Voices would nOI be able to achieve reliable
comm unications with the Middle East some
6500 miles away. De lmar Land Surveyors
surveyed the exact location to make sure the
antennas we re correctly aligned.
St. Paul Tower constructed a 120 ' tower
between the two rhombics . Later . they will
install six antennas for communications with
other MARS stations throughout the U.S.
Mirage/ KL M has donated three special beam
antennas for this tower . and Telex Hy-Gain is
pro viding a rotator. Technical Materi als
Corp. of Mamaroneck. New York, provided
low-J oss, high power. precision antenna
balun transformers and terminators for the
rhomb ics.
The project ac tually comprises th ree
complete radio slation systems at the Desert
Voices site . By the third week in January . the
second station will be complete and the
phone-patch capacity will rise 10 «XX> pe r
day. It will be one of the fou r largest MARS
relay stations in the world .
A Priceless Service
Dese rt Vo ices radio station AARSNSF
went on the air December 13. 1990. With in a
month, it had handled over 600 phone patches
and 400 packet commun icat ions. II is directly
interfaced to the gateway MARS stations on
the East Coast and serves as an alternate
gateway, or relay. station for Anny MARS .
Thanks to volunteers from the Civil Ai r Patrol,
the military (both active and reserves,
including the Min nesota National Gu ard).
law enfo rceme nt agency dispatchers . ando
f course! - the amateur rad io commun ity ,
the Desert Voices station ope rates around the
clock, seven days a week. There are four
radio operators on duty at all limes.
Ramey WG0G says thai about 150 hams
have assisted the project in some way , and
Addy KE0 EG confirms that 93 hams are currently
on active duty at the station. "They're
doing a tremendous job." Addy says . And
Ramey: " It didn't take any ann-twisting."
Most imponantly. says Ramey. the ham community's
speedy response 10 the call for he lp
proves that hams are " a reliable resource for
the ir country." They have freely give n of
thei r time. knowledge . and skills. Some have
donated money o r equipment. At Desert
Vo ices . radio operating skills and techniques.
learned in fun, are put to serious.
disciplined use to provide a service that " you
can't put a price on." says Addy. How much
is it worth 10 a mother, father. spouse. or
friend 10gel in touch with a loved one who is
in an uncertain and potentially da nge rous sitnation?
R. Hugh W L7AIT adds that Desert
Voices is not representing any political opinions
about the situation in the Middle East.
" We're providing a hu man service. "
Ready ror th e Future
All the staff interviewed at Desert Voices
ag reed that there are few activities more sansfying
Ihan using your abilities to benefit others.
The amateur radio operators at Desert
Voices are gaining that unique fulfillment
you get from knowing thai you have abi lity .
and are able to use it skillfully.
Addy KE0 EG reminds us thai one of the
basic purposes of mai ntaining the Amateur
Radio Service is · ' 10 provid e a pool oftrai ned
rad io operators' for the country for emergency
comm unications. Entrusted with valuable
rad io spectrum for their personal use.
there is nonetheless the expectation that hams
will be useful when the need arises. Ramey
says the response shows that hams are willing
and eager to " give somethi ng back" to the
country thai supports the continued existence
of their hobby.
In his leiter to Kenwood, Hugh WL7AIT
wrote that upon return of the forces from
Saud i Arabia. " we envision the equipment
at the Minnesota site to be returned for
further humanitarian suppo n missions thai
may be encountered in the future." At that
time. the site itself will be returned to the
Minnesota National Guard ; however. MARS
pe rsonnel and members will be ready to step
in to provide emergency communications
whenever it again becomes necessary . Hope ­
fully, there will always be plenty of hams
who . for the sheer love of rad io communication
. will be read y to do their pan, too.
Author's Note: Lei us know when you, or
someone you know, is involved in activities
helpful to the country, community. and
....-orld. Sure , you 'd ramer stick by your rig in
Continued 0fI paKr 77