AB8AH

I was a ham radio operator before I went into the Army. My main MARS operation was while in RVN. I had had some experience with MARS in the time just before I got my ham ticket. I visited the MARS station at camp coiner ( sp ) in Korea while I was stationed there in 1966-67. When I got to Nam I soon found the MARS station in the 1st Cavalry compound. Just homed in on the antenna. After introducing my self I soon went to work. That was the main station AB8AH. The 1st Cavalry also had a portable station which was mounted in a radio shelter for a 3/4 or 5/4 ton truck. It would go out to the fire bases to try and do phone patches from the field. I seem to remember operating the station at least once. Most of my activity was from AB8AH. Stations in our net included AB8AAP one other station that I can't remember and the station on board the Corpus Christy Bay*. I don't remember their real call but used the call sign "CCB" at least on the in-country net and also on the phone patch nets. One of our major problems was keeping

This was a positive experience, I was also a MARS operator when I went to Germany after Nam and also operated the MARS station at Thule Greenland XP5AA. I have held MARS calls in the states as well but am not to sure of the calls.

*USNS Corpus Christi Bay (T-ARVH-1) Aircraft Repair Ship, Helicopter

Mike Sullivan, SP5 AUS, AB8AH - Jan - Dec 1971