Armed Forces Crossband Test

The US Department of Defense will host this year’s Armed Forces Day (AFD) Crossband Test on May 11, 2024. For more than 50 years, military and amateur stations have taken part in this event, which is an interoperability exercise between hobbyist and government radio stations. The event is open to all licensed amateur radio operators and will not impact any public or private communications. The AFD Crossband Test is a unique opportunity to test two-way communications between military communicators and radio stations in the Amateur Radio Service (ARS), as authorized in 47 CFR 97.111.

These tests provide opportunities and challenges for radio operators to demonstrate individual technical skills in a tightly controlled exercise scenario. Military stations will transmit on selected military frequencies and announce the specific ARS frequencies monitored. All scheduled times will be in Zulu (Z), and all scheduled frequencies will be upper sideband (USB) unless otherwise noted.

Information on frequencies, times, and other technical information can be found at DoD MARS – Armed Forces Day. Information for QSL cards and contact information is available at Armed Forces Day QSL request form.

AFD is classified as an observance — not a federal holiday. It will be celebrated on Saturday, May 18, 2024, and it will be a time of honor. The establishment of AFD was first announced on August 31, 1949, by then US Secretary of Defense Louis Johnson. It was meant to replace the separate Army, Navy, and Air Force Days. All branches were combined to create the US Department of Defense. The first Armed Forces Day was held on May 20, 1950. The day is celebrated with special events, tributes, observances, and parades.