UNID net 6981 USB 8 Sept 2022 0215 UTC

[Zoidberg]

8 Sept 22 UTC
6981 USB
0215z
CIW517 call sign (?), was only clearly audible operator. Responses barely audible.
0229z data burst

Ham net. Talk about arrest of second suspect in Saskatchewan, presumably referring to Sanderson brothers, saying suspect died in custody.

Conduct of net was similar to MARS nets, which I haven't heard in years. Might account for the out of band, unlisted frequency, which MARS nets sometimes used years ago.

[Shortwave_Listener]

MARS is still around, although used very rarely. The last time I heard one was on May 1. I was listening to Radio Free Whatever and I could see the net on the waterfall and someone else also pointed out that it was MARS. I think I had a brief listen to it as well but I can’t remember what they were talking about.

As others have pointed out, there is a MARS net on 6961 kHz USB at 2247 UTC.

[~SIGINT~]

This is a Canadian Forces Affiliate Radio System (CFARS) frequency. CFARS is the Canadian version of US MARS. 5## in the call sign is in Canadian region 5.

http://www.cfarsoperations.ca/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadian_Forces_Affiliate_Radio_System

[Zoidberg]

This is a Canadian Forces Affiliate Radio System (CFARS) frequency. CFARS is the Canadian version of US MARS. 5## in the call sign is in Canadian region 5.

http://www.cfarsoperations.ca/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadian_Forces_Affiliate_Radio_System

Thanks, I had a hunch it was a Canada net, due to the slight accent of the net control I could hear. Google didn't turn up anything, but Google is worse now than it was a decade ago at ferreting out obscure hits. Google's emphasis now is on sponsored hits and whatever serves their financial interests.

I thought it probably wasn't MARS because every MARS net I've heard years ago was strictly business, no chit-chat about the news, etc. But I wondered whether the UNID net's duties might have included assisting Canadian law enforcement with updated info gathered by amateur radio ops.

Anyway, interesting catch for me. I've only recently resumed SWLing after a long hiatus, and am surprised to hear anything in my neighborhood with just a portable.

[autovon]

CFARS net going on 2227z.  Talking about the station on 6960.   Once that went off the air, they switched to channel Xray, which is 6961.