Bullet Background Paper on SACMARC
BULLET BACKGROUND PAPER
ON
THE STRATEGIC AIR COMMAND MEMORIAL AMATEUR RADIO CLUB
(SACMARC)
- The Amateur Radio Service is licensed by the Federal Communications
Commission (FCC) and recognized by International Treaty.
-- Its charter includes providing a pool of trained operators in
times of emergency (such as war and natural disasters), promoting
international goodwill, and advancing the state of the art in
communications.
-- Though they are called "amateurs," their licensing and
training makes them a quasi-professional auxiliary to professional
communicators and researchers in many fields.
- Amateur Radio has a long history associated with military
communications, including within the U.S. Air Force and Strategic Air
Command (SAC).
-- Many recruits during the World Wars, Korea, and Vietnam who were
licensed amateurs were able to quickly assume positions as military
communicators with minimal training.
-- Several notable SAC leaders, such as General Curtis E. LeMay and
Major General Francis H. Griswold, were licensed amateurs, and as
such, were able to foresee trends in communications technology in
the civilian world.
--- Such trends included the adoption of Single-Sideband, and
improvements in radio receiver technology
--- Through his familiarity with existing technology, and
legendary force of will as a leader, General LeMay was able to
get SAC to not only quickly adopt Single-Sideband, but
implement rapidly improving radio receiver technologies in
support of Electronic Warfare (EW).
--- A favorable article, authored by Dr. Charles Keene of the
C4I Systems Directorate, HQ USSTRATCOM, describing the
General's influences on SAC communications as its CINC appears
in the May 1997 issue of the Amateur Radio publication
"QST."
-- The Military Affiliate Radio System (MARS), an
officially-recognized communications auxiliary of the U.S. Armed
Forces which provides free radiograms and telephone patches for
servicemen and women, is manned by members of the Amateur Radio
Service.
-- The current CINCSTRAT, General Eugene E. Habiger, is a licensed
amateur.
- The Strategic Air Command Memorial Amateur Radio Club (SACMARC) is
currently forming in response to several fortuitous events.
-- The FCC has recently agreed to reissue inactive amateur radio
callsigns. Some of these are of historical significance.
--- K0AIR was held by a military-recreation station at Offutt
AFB.
--- K0GRL was held by General LeMay.
--- Members of the local amateur radio community are strongly
motivated to recover these callsigns on behalf of an amateur
radio club recognizing their historical significance, rather
than let them be randomly issued to others.
-- The new SAC Museum (in Ashland, Nebraska) offers increased
opportunity and space for renewed community interest in SAC history
and exhibits.
--- Such exhibits could include artifacts and descriptions of
SAC communications and amateur radio history.
--- A permanent or temporary station with a
historically-significant callsign could be used for live
demonstrations of radio communications, possibly using
equipment of historical significance.
- The SACMARC is currently being constituted.
-- Approximately 25 active-duty personnel, veterans, and other
members of the local amateur radio community have expressed
interest in membership.
-- Application for a club station license has been approved by the
FCC.
-- Application for K0AIR has been approved by the FCC. Recovery of
K0GRL is pending.
-- Articles of Incorporation as a 501c3 organization have been
drafted and are available for review pending submission to the
Nebraska Secretary of State.
-- Members of several SAC historical organizations, including the
SAC Museum, Society of SAC, the 55th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing
Association, and the Association of Old Crows, (as well as General
LeMay's daughter, Mrs. Jane LeMay Lodge) have been approached and
have expressed informal support for the proposed organization.
-- Representatives of the SAC Museum, including Registrar Fred
Poyner, have contacted the SACMARC and expressed strong interest in
including at least a temporary amateur radio and SAC communications
history exhibition into the Museum's schedule sometime in early
1998.
-- A charter organizational meeting, to ratify its Articles and
By-Laws, accept applications for membership, elect officers, and
begin formally planning projects, will occur in Bellevue on
Wednesday, June 25, 1997.
-- An Internet mailing list (k0air@novia.net) and a World-Wide Web
Page (http://www.novia.net/~pschleck/k0air/) have been established
to publicize the SACMARC and support intercommunication among
interested parties.
Paul W. Schleck/SACMARC/pschleck@novia.net/291-6176/pws/1 May 1997
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